A few days later, the rookies were finally signed in as I. Land players. They were given their jerseys, boots and their player numbers. Michael was # 35, Dogo was # 37 and Neto was # 75.
The season finally began. I. Land FC was in the lowest division of the elite frontiership series. Division C was more of a blast for I. Land. They aced most of the matches that season. Before half of the season, they were already champions-elect. They won that division, and were promoted to Division B. Cradle city, Houland FC and I. Land were promoted to Division B.
So far, only Jolar and Michael had been subbed in for matches, and Michael already had a goal.
"The new-recruited rookie has deemed himself a goal: Michael Wood. The winning goal in fact, in along played draw."
It wasn't until GW 10 that Neto played his first official game because Thrist was injured.
"Looks like the new #75 will be debuting today against Vikeenz FC."
Neto felt a bit tensed; getting to the pitch, he could hear an uproar of shouts everywhere. The smooth green grass ruffled around. He was wearing a bright yellow top, stripped black, diagonally, in front from shoulder, fading towards the waist region, and a black short, along with yellow socks and a black boot, with 3 white stripes on both sides of each boot.
"Whoa!" Neto felt his heart beating rapidly upon the sight of the crowd. "Feel that", Michael, who noticed it asked, "The fans?"
"A bit tensed man", Neto said. Michael patted his back saying, "Just shake it off."
A lot of people were in the stadium, you could see a lot of people cheering for both teams.
Land was already struggling to get above 4th place.
Losing this game would put them being promotion zone.
The lineup for I. Land:
GK: Kim #53
RB: Rico #62
LCB: Neto #75
RCB: Rico #12
LB: Leiser #14
LM: Lewee #30
CM: Xavez #25
RM: Alexis #27
LW: Luthra #24
RW: Shroder #17
CF: Samba#10
A nice pass from the away team- I. Land FC
The match was seemingly the first hard match I. Land had played.
The ball had just gone out and it was a throw in for Vikeenz.
Their captain, the CB, took the throw in, setting the ball for his RW, who delivered a high loft for their RB. He made an attempt on goal, heading the ball.
"And it's saved by the yellow's GK."
"Their RB only needed more trajectory to begin the road to a sweet three points."
The I.land GK took the ball in for Michael, marked by one of Vikeenz's midfielder.
The midfielder denied Michael of his pass, immediately sent a through for his LW; he cut into I. Land's defense line, Rico reacted to steal the ball, but he passed it back to a team mate. Samba intercepted immediately but 2 opponents came to steal the ball. With a body feint, he found a pass in between them to Michael. Making use of the opportunity, he crossed the ball in, meeting the woodwork.
Alexis rushed for the second ball, being tailed by a sturdy CB. The GK recovered immediately, the CB reached the ball first, passing back to his GK. He held the ball.
"There." The opponents looking for a good space for a pass from their GK. Neto, who had silently been monitoring, noticed the collaboration of the GK and the RW. He rushed in
The GK delivered the ball in, but as anticipated, the ball headed for the RW Neto had already began running in, but the RW reacted, lofting the ball over him.
The RW paced down, passing Neto, and taking a shot for the top left corner. Kim deflected the ball, and Vikeenz's CF tapped it in. Shroder blocked it, sending a rebound for Vikeenz's LW, whom blasted the ball into the post. Match score: 1-0
"Neto, could you please stay in your position?" Luthra asked. "What do you mean?" Neto replied, dragging his own collar. "Never mind", Luthra replied in a ' just forget it tone.'
Neto did realize that if he had gotten to the ball on time, he could have stopped that RW. "Let's do this again", he thought with so much zeal.
74'
Neto was on guard of the forwards. Alexis with the ball.
He passed to Shroder on the left wing. Shroder put his weak foot ahead of the ball and reacted with his left foot, sending the ball forth, to avert a tackler.
Shroder reached the ball first. Vikeenz's defenders were hauling back on Shroder. He kept on pacing; upon reaching the penalty box, he passed the ball, right, 45 degrees, dispatching the defenders, to Luthra.
With no time for the defense to recover, Luthra found a free shot to his bottom left corner.
"Saved by the keeper."
He high-fived Shroder, "That was nice."
The GK fired the ball long inside. It was on the side of the opponents. Neto started moving back, watching the legs of his opponents.
They maintained passes through their offence, midfield and defense.
"He passes to his supposed LB."
Samba intercepted the ball, used an 'elastico' move to avail the right CB , and took a hard kick to the left bar, deflecting the ball for a clearance by the RB.
"And it's a counter attack for da Vikeenz."
The offense were pacing down, passing to each other and maintaining possession down I. Land's penalty box. Neto paced back, "Man, any of these guys can shoot from their angle, but whom? Huh." He watched their eye-foot coordination. He started coming a little bit closer to the upcoming offence.
The ball came to their striker. Neto, watching his eyes, foresaw the pass the RW and intercepted the ball, clearing it out. I. Land are really trying to put off with a goal.
90+2'
The opponent's midfielder maintained the ball, being threatened by Alexis and housing it. The RW signaled for a free pass. Luthra slid the ball, recovered and dribbled pass an oncoming tackler. He passed to Shroder.
The opponents fell back to support the defense. I. Land had no choice, but to maintain possession. Samba signaled Leiser to make a run-in. He passed to Leiser. He took steady steps, trying to lure his opponents for a free shooting space. It eventually worked: luring 2 players, he back passed the ball to Michael. He passed to his right to Samba. A player arrived to tackle him.
Samba immediately passed back to his left. It was an open ball for a couple of seconds, before Leiser shot it. It was deflected by their GK to Xavez's heel. He took another shot, which bounced over the leg of Vikeenz's last man, striking against the left side of the woodwork and bouncing high away from the post.
Samba rushed in and headed the ball to the top center. The keeper caught the ball.
And that about raps up the match.1- null loss to I. Land. That puts them 5th place on the table.
In the locker room,
Neto's first match was a loss. "So, you've finally played", Jolar said. "Mmhuh", Neto nodded. "How do you feel?"
"Not quite a lot of expectation; just normal"t, Neto said.
So this is what it feels like playing in the leagues. "Gotta put in more effort if I want to be world-class", Neto thought, sitting in the locker room.