With his bib on, Winston sat in the dugout as both teams prepared for kickoff. The atmosphere around the pitch grew increasingly tense, and even the coaches noticed it, quickly rallying their players with words of encouragement.
Winston's gaze swept across the stadium. It ranked fourth among the youth league venues. The design was simple yet functional. Two tiers of seating stretched along both sides of the pitch, while one end of the stadium featured an enormous wall covered in colorful murals and graffiti. Behind the opposite goal stood a towering fence overlooking a T-shaped road that wound through a quiet suburban neighborhood lined with family homes.
Fweerrret! Fweerrret! Fweerrret!
The referee's whistle pierced the air, drawing Winston's attention back to the match as Giants Hawks kicked off. Oswin adjusted the captain's armband around his left bicep as the Giants Hawks began patiently, exchanging short passes through midfield. They avoided risky balls, fully aware of how dangerous Westminster Under-19 was on the counterattack. Their disciplined approach showed they had studied Westminster thoroughly.
The Giants Hawks players were also pleased to see Winston starting on the bench. News of his injury hadn't spread beyond the club, as the details of his clash with Maximilian remained undisclosed. Only Winston and Maximilian had been injured during that match, an odd outcome considering every player had taken part.
Most people wouldn't have paid much attention even if the story became public. It had only been a training match, and injuries during training were common.
The Giants Hawks gradually shifted into attack. Their passes became firmer and sharper, each strike of the ball producing a crisp thud that cut through the roar of the crowd. Westminster remained compact and disciplined, closing passing lanes and challenging every advance.
Both sides had clearly studied one another. Twenty minutes passed with neither team able to gain the upper hand. Oswin enjoyed a few flashes of brilliance in midfield. Whenever he found space to dribble, Westminster immediately collapsed on him, refusing to let him build momentum.
Then came his chance.
Oswin glided past the first defender with effortless footwork, his dribbling so smooth it looked as though butter had been spread beneath his boots. After Westminster's forwards committed to pressing the defenders, the right back threaded a pass into Oswin. He cushioned the ball perfectly with his chest before bringing it down in one fluid motion. Without breaking stride, he accelerated toward Westminster's defense as if gliding across the grass.
One defender stepped in. Oswin spun past him with a roulette. Another center-back lunged shoulder-first into him, sending Oswin stumbling off balance. As he fell, he managed to unleash a powerful shot.
Clang!
The ball screamed past the goalkeeper but crashed against the outside of the post, missing the goal by mere inches. The entire dugout, Winston included, leaped to their feet expecting the opening goal, only to sink back down in disappointment. Oswin threw his arms into the air, shouting at the referee for a foul. The referee held up an open hand while listening to his earpiece. After a brief pause, he waved for the Giants Hawks goalkeeper to restart play.
No foul. Oswin clicked his tongue, shook his head, and jogged back into position. By the thirtieth minute, the intensity of the match had risen another level. The Giants Hawks began pinning Westminster inside their own half, and the home supporters erupted as wave after wave of attacks poured forward. A Giants Hawks winger called for the ball on the right flank. A Westminster defender rushed over to close him down, forcing an immediate pass inside to the central midfielder.
That movement left the right wing completely open. Recognizing the space, the Giants Hawks right midfielder sprinted into it. The midfielder received the return pass, drove toward the edge of the penalty area, and whipped a low cross into the crowded box. A Westminster center-back desperately stretched to clear it but mistimed his clearance. Instead of sending it away, he only lifted the ball a few yards.
It dropped perfectly to the feet of the Giants Hawks striker. Without hesitation, the striker struck through the ball. The shot rocketed toward goal, clipping the inside of the post before ricocheting into the back of the net.
Thwack!
Giant Hawks 01 - 00 Westminster F.C
A thunderous roar erupted from the Giants Hawks supporters as the young striker celebrated with a confident thump to his chest.
The atmosphere around the Giants Hawks changed instantly. Confidence surged through the team. In their previous matches, they had rarely scored the opening goal—it was usually their opponents who struck first. Perhaps taking the lead for the first time in a while gave them the belief that this match was theirs to win.
The remaining twenty minutes were fiercely contested. Both sides battled relentlessly in midfield, with possession constantly changing hands. Neither team managed to penetrate the other's defensive third, and the ball rarely traveled beyond the center of the pitch.
Five minutes of stoppage time were added, but despite several determined attacks from Westminster, neither side could create a clear-cut chance.
Fweerrret! Fweerrret! Fweerrret!
The referee blew the whistle for halftime. The score remained 1–0 in favor of the Giants Hawks.
Inside the changing room, the head coach stood before the whiteboard, quickly sketching tactical adjustments while emphasizing key movements with animated gestures. Winston remained seated, wondering whether he would be sent on immediately or after another thirty minutes.
"Winston, get ready. You're going in now," the head coach said. As he approached Winston, he draped an arm over his shoulder. "Listen. Don't overdo it—we're still not completely sure about your fitness. The assistant coaches were pleased with your warm-up, so I need you to make runs in behind their defense. But be careful. I don't want you getting injured again."
The coach gave Winston's shoulder a reassuring pat before turning back to the rest of the squad.
"Alright, everyone! Keep up the pressure. Don't let them settle on the ball."
[Acquired Skills]
[Activated skill: Spear]
[Activated skill: Technical]
[Activated skill: Gamecharger]
[Activated skill: Finesse Shot]
As Winston jogged out of the tunnel and toward his position, he exchanged a quick fist bump with Oswin before taking his place on the pitch. When play resumed, Westminster adopted a far more patient approach than they had in previous matches. Instead of forcing attacks, they calmly circulated the ball across the field.
Their passing formed a fluid, interconnected pattern, like the loops of a blanket stitch, patiently drawing the Giants Hawks farther out of their defensive shape. Confident in their one-goal lead, the Giants Hawks initially kept two players behind the ball to protect their advantage.
Westminster's deliberate tempo made it seem as though they weren't in a hurry to equalize. Believing their opponents posed little immediate threat, the Giants Hawks' forwards and midfielders stepped higher up the pitch to press the ball. When Winston received possession, the Giants Hawks immediately dropped back to restore their defensive line. A smirk spread across Winston's face. He calmly laid the ball off to a midfielder, who switched play to the left flank. As expected, the Giants Hawks shifted across the field to chase the ball once again.
It was exactly what Westminster wanted. They patiently waited until the fourth Giants Hawks player crossed the halfway line. That was the trigger. Westminster instantly shifted gears. The ball zipped forward through a combination of sharp short passes and a perfectly weighted long ball, slicing through the Giants Hawks' midfield before arriving at Oswin's feet.
With one smooth touch of the outside of his boot, Oswin nutmegged the approaching defender and burst into the left half-space. Winston sprinted through the opposite channel, timing his run while stealing quick glances toward Oswin. As Oswin reached the edge of the penalty area, he lifted his head and, with his weaker foot, whipped a driven low pass across the face of goal.
The ball bent wickedly across the six-yard box. The Giants Hawks defenders lunged desperately, stretching their legs in vain as the cross flashed beyond every one of them. Waiting at the far side was Winston. He cushioned the ball with his first touch, skipped past a sliding defender with his second, and unleashed a curling strike. The shot arced beautifully into the far top corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. The net rippled.
Thwack!
[DAILY USER CHALLENGES]
[Score a hat trick: 01/03]
[Finesse Shot: 01]
After sprinting toward the corner flag, Winston spread his arms wide like a pigeon gliding through the air before being swarmed by his teammates. Oswin was the first to reach him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
"Yo, bro, what was that?" Oswin laughed, ruffling Winston's hair. "I didn't know you could dribble and strike the ball like that. Thanks, Dumi—you've got my boy looking good!"
The rest of the team joined the celebration before jogging back to their positions. The referee signaled for play to resume, and the Giants Hawks kicked off once again. This time, they refused to fall into the same trap. Having studied Westminster beforehand, they recognized the combination between Oswin and Winston immediately. Rather than pressing recklessly, they kept a close eye on the pair, assigning defenders to track their movements while the rest of the team held its shape. The message was clear—they wouldn't allow Westminster to exploit the same tactic twice.