After re-reading the previous chapter I noticed I made a mistake on the goal scores...but I quickly fixed it.. ..so far I hope you like the story and all feedback is welcomed.
As Leon strolled past Alex, he flashed a nod of gratitude. "Thanks for the cross, mate!" Alex's response was curt, his eyes fixed intently on the game. "Not for you, for the team," he said, his voice low and even, before striding away with purpose.
The intensity of the match ratcheted up in the 22nd minute of the second half. Spurs sprang into action, launching a lightning-fast counterattack after Crystal Palace's latest goal attempt fizzled out. Leon took center stage, his speed and agility leaving the Palace defenders grasping at air. Ross Dawson, desperate to stem the tide, lunged forward with a slide tackle, but Leon was one step ahead. With a fluid motion, he executed a smooth Blanco bounce, effortlessly evading the challenge and leaving Dawson sprawling on the turf.
The Palace defense was caught off balance, and Leon seized the opportunity. He found himself isolated against Ethan Thompson, the right back, in a one-on-one showdown. Instead of opting for a cautious approach, Leon decided to take Thompson on directly. With a lightning-quick flick of his foot, he performed a precise sole roll, rolling the ball past Thompson's outstretched leg and clearing the defense with ease. As Leon cleared the defense with his sole roll move, the Spurs players sprinted forward, sensing another scoring opportunity. The crowd was electric, chanting "Spurs, Spurs, Spurs!"
The Spurs players erupted into a frenzy of cheers and shouts, their excitement palpable as Leon burst into the box. The crowd held its collective breath, anticipation building as Leon prepared to unleash another shot on goal. The stadium was electric, the tension almost unbearable as the Tottenham players surged forward, sensing another scoring opportunity...
And thats when Leon decided to do the unthinkable, he seemed to defy logic, executing a perfectly weighted backheel that sent the ball sailing across the face of the goal. The Palace defenders were caught off guard yet again, their reactions slow as they watched the ball seemingly change direction.
Meanwhile, Alex had made a pinpoint run, timing his movement to perfection. He arrived at the edge of the six-yard box, his eyes locked onto the ball as it came off Leon's heel. With a subtle nod of his head, Alex adjusted his body, and with a clinical finish, he slotted the ball past the outstretched hand of the Palace goalkeeper.
The stadium erupted into a cacophony of noise as Alex celebrated his first goal of the match, and the Spurs players mobbed him in joy. Leon grinned, jogging over to congratulate Alex on his well-taken shot. "Great finish." he exclaimed, clapping Alex on the back.
The commentators were ecstatic, their voices rising in excitement. "What a move! What a finish! Spurs are really making this a game now!" Jack Harries exclaimed. Mark Davis nodded in agreement, "Leon and Alex are on fire! This partnership is something special."
As the stadium continued to reverberate with excitement, the commentators' voices rose to a fever pitch. "And look at the scoreboard, folks!" Jack Harries exclaimed. "Palace 3, Spurs 2, but who would have thought that those two goals from Spurs would have been scored by their new rookies?" The screen flashed images of Alex Owen, number 28, and Leon Blake, number 30, as Mark Davis added, "These two young men are making a statement. Alex Owen and Leon Blake, what a debut performance!"
Mark Davis continued, "It's rare enough to score on your debut, but to score and assist? That's something else entirely. And what's even more remarkable is that they both scored and assisted each other. This partnership is something special, folks."
The camera panned to the Spurs dugout, where Coach Blackwood was beaming with pride. "These two youngsters are bringing a new level of energy to the team," Jack Harries observed. "They're injecting a sense of confidence and creativity that's infectious.
In the 30th minute, Crystal Palace attempted to launch another rapid counterattack against Spurs' defense. The Palace players moved the ball swiftly, their passes crisp and precise, as they probed the Spurs backline. Finally, they managed to create a clear shooting opportunity, with the ball finding its way to the feet of their striker. The crowd held its breath as the striker unleashed a powerful shot toward the goal. But in a stunning turn of events, Antonio Garcia, the newly subbed defender, somehow managed to block the shot, and the ball was cleared out for a corner kick.
The Spurs players breathed a collective sigh of relief as Garcia celebrated the block with his teammates. "What a block by Garcia!" Jack Harries exclaimed. "Talk about making an impact off the bench! That was a crucial intervention by the defender."
Mark Davis nodded in agreement. "That was a great block, folks. It would've been 4-2 if Garcia hadn't gotten in the way. Spurs are breathing a sigh of relief, and they've got a chance to regroup and defend the corner kick."
The Palace players lined up for the corner kick, with Tyler Hunt stepping up to take it from the left side. He swung his leg back and delivered a precise cross into the box, aiming for the outer post. The Spurs defenders were alert, but Jake Anderson, the Palace defender, timed his run perfectly and met the ball with a powerful header. Anderson's header wasn't a typical header as he unleash a powerful shot that flew toward the top of the right post. The Spurs goalkeeper didn't stand a chance as the ball crashed into the net, making it 4-2 in favor of Palace.
The Palace players erupted in joy, celebrating the goal with Anderson, who had turned defender into scorer. "What a goal by Anderson!" Jack Harries exclaimed. "He's got a knack for scoring important goals, and this one might just seal the win for Palace."
Mark Davis nodded in agreement. "Anderson's been solid in defense all game, but this goal is a huge boost for Palace. Spurs are going to have to dig deep to get back into this game."
The captain of Spurs, was trying to rally his teammates, sensing that they were losing their momentum. He could see the frustration and disappointment etched on their faces, but he knew they couldn't give up yet. As he scanned the team, he noticed that Leon and Alex seemed to be the only ones still buzzing with energy and determination.
"Hey, guys, let's focus!" Guerrero shouted, trying to snap his teammates back into the game. "We can't give up now. We've got to fight for every ball, every tackle, every chance."
Leon and Alex exchanged a glance, and Alex spoke up, "I don't know about you, but i don't like losing.We've got to push forward, create some chance."
Leon nodded in agreement, his eyes burning with determination. "I still got a lot in the tank, try to keep up.."
~~
As the game wore on, Leon continued to showcase his creative ball control, dribbling past Palace defenders with ease. In the 36th minute of the second half, he found Guerrero with a perfectly weighted through ball pass, splitting the Palace defense. Guerrero, who was about 24 yards away from goal, saw his chance and decided to go for a shot. He unleashed a powerful strike, but unfortunately, the ball hit the upper pole so fast it ended up going to the left post and even bounced out for a rebound
The Spurs players were disappointed, but their spirits were lifted when one of their strikers, Ethan Hall, managed to get into position and meet the rebound. Hall's shot was clinical and precise, finding the back of the net and reducing the deficit to 4-3.
The Spurs players celebrated the goal, and Guerrero turned to Leon, grinning. "Nice pass, kiddo. That was a great ball you played in."
Leon smiled back, his determination still burning bright. "Told you I've got a lot in the tank. Let's keep pushing, we've got this!"
.
.
.
40th minute of the second half approached, Spurs continued to press forward, employing their classic trap and pass strategy to slowly but surely move up the pitch. Guerrero initiated the play, passing the ball to Alex, who swiftly turned and played a precise pass to Hall.
Hall, known for his clever movement and vision, received the pass and immediately executed a fake shot, drawing the Palace defenders in. With the defenders momentarily caught off guard, Hall played a perfectly weighted pass to Dominick Watts, who had made a darting run into the box. Watts, however, was brought down by a Palace defender with a reckless tackle just inside the 18-yard box. The referee's whistle blew, signaling a penalty kick for Spurs.
The Spurs players erupted in celebration, knowing that this was a crucial opportunity to further reduce the deficit. Leon and Alex exchanged a glance, both of them knowing that this penalty could be the turning point in the game. "Let's get this one in," Leon said, his voice filled with determination. "We can still do this."
Live score: Crystal Palace 4- Tottenham Hotspur 3
Stats (Palace)
Dawson - A,G
Fraser - G, G
Anderson - G
Hunt - A
Stats (Spurs)
Blake - G, A
Owen - A, G
Hall - G