The stadium right now is the definition of buzzing. You can feel the intensity of the match. Which I would hope you could considering its us and our rivals facing on the pitch. The game is obviously important, but to me, to me it means a lot more. Alex is across that pitch and it's safe to say she's my biggest rival. We've played against each other so many times that ive lost count and each game is better and more intense than the last.
As we began our warm ups, I couldn't help but glance over at Alex. She was focused, her eyes locked on the ball as she went through her usual routine. She didn't look my way, but I knew she was aware of me. We both knew what was at stake today. Our teams had fought hard to reach this point, and now it all came down to who wanted it more. I could feel the tension building, not just between us, but throughout the whole stadium.
The first half was tough. Both of our teams were playing at their best, and neither of us could break despite the constant opportunities. Every time I tried to push forward, Alex was there to stop me. And every time she tried to get past me, I was right there, matching her step for step. It was exhausting, but also exhilarating. This was the kind of game that made all the hard work worth it if we win.
At halftime, we headed to the locker room. The score was still 0-0, and everyone knew how close this game was. The tension was thick in the air as we tried to catch our breath and prepare for the second half. My thoughts kept drifting back to Alex. I knew she was thinking the same thing as me, there was no room for mistakes. One small mistake is all it will take to ruin the entire match.
The second half was even more intense. The game got even more physical if that was even possible, with hard tackles and close calls on both sides. Alex and I clashed over and over again, neither of us willing to back down. It was like a test of wills, and neither of us was ready to lose. I could feel my legs getting heavier with every minute, but I refused to show any signs of fatigue, they can exploit fatigue.
When the final whistle blew, the score was still tied.All of us on the pitch were exhausted, but we had no choice. We were going into extra time.
As the game dragged on, neither side could score. By the time the ref blew the whistle again after a long half hour, I knew what was coming: penalties. The stupid cursed penalties.
As we lined up for the shootout, my heart was pounding. This was it. Everything we had worked for came down to these few shots. I watched as my teammates took their turns, the pressure building with each kick. My eyes kept drifting over to Alex. She looked calm, but I knew she had to be feeling the same nerves as I was.
When it was my turn, I stepped up to the spot. The crowd fell silent, and I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears. I took 3 steps back then one to the right before taking a deep breath and focusing on the ball, blocking out everything else. When I struck it, I knew it was good. The ball went into the top right corner and hit the net causing a satisfying swish, and a wave of relief washed over me.
Then it was Alex's turn. She walked up with that same calm confidence, but I could see the tension in her eyes. She knew how important this shot was. She took her time, then struck the ball cleanly. But our keeper dove, just about getting a hand to it. The ball sailed into the goal, and I couldn't help but smile at our growing chance.
Finally, it came down to Alex, their last shooter. She stepped up, and the entire stadium seemed to hold its breath. But when she took the shot, our amazing, magical, fantastic goalie guessed right. Save. The game was over, and we had won... barely.
The joy and happiness hit me like a ton of bricks. I dropped to my knees, trying to process what had just happened. We done it. We managed to win and now it was over, we had won the cup. But as I sat there, filled with joy over the win I saw Alex walking toward me. For a moment, I didn't know what to expect. This was the girl I had competed against for years, my toughest rival. But when she reached me, she didn't have any words to say. Instead, she held out her hand.
"Hell of a game," she said, her voice steady and sincere.
"Yeah," I replied, still catching my breath. "You too. Thought match, you done well. Sorry on of us had to lose, its always difficult."
We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. It was strange, here was someone I could never get on with, someone I'd always seen as the enemy on the field, and yet in that moment, I felt nothing but respect. She had pushed me to my limits, and I had done the same to her. There was something about that shared struggle, I suppose after a match you always walk of with more respect than when you entered.
"You pushed me harder than anyone else," I said, her expression softening. "I need to thank you for that."
She nodded, as I finally stood up. "Same here. You earned it today (Y/l/n)." She said with a sad smile before turning and walking the other way, not waiting to hear anything else I had to say.
