Always and Forever.

Chapter Fourteen: Cup Game Time Part 3

Jean, back with the captain's armband, places the ball down on the centre spot and starts rallying his fellow players with shouts of "come on, boys!" and "big thirty minutes ahead!" Still, when Eren looks around he sees that not everyone seems to be on board with the message being spread, heads hanging and disinterested looks spreading across the ranks. In particular, Thomas, who is sat on his haunches. Eren walks over to him.

"Hey, come on. Get up. We don't show defeat." Eren pats him on the back as his way of telling him to get up.

"But we have lost. We've been crap all game."

"The game isn't over."

"But our 'game' never got started. There's nothing we can do."

Eren forces Thomas to his feet, pulling on his arms, and stares him down, grabbing his shirt collar tightly. "We fight."

"What?"

Eren eases his aggressive posture and faces the play. "We have thirty minutes left. If we fight every second that's left then we have a chance." The ref blows his whistle and Jean kicks the game off, passing to one of the central midfielders. "The only way to win is to fight." And with that said, Eren runs back into position and demands the ball straight away.

Shiganshina pass the ball around, Eren and Jean making themselves available at all possible chances which usually means dropping into their own half at times. They keep the ball rotating, allowing all their players touches of the ball. This slows the game down giving the Shiganshina players the chance to compose themselves after what has proven to be a challenging game. They control the ball and progress forward with neat passages of play and direct passes. The Trost players concede the space in front of them as they sit deep to defend their two goal lead. The final third doesn't have a lot of space to work in so Shiganshina need their creative players to come to the forefront and work some magic.

The first positive sign comes from Eren dropping into a pocket of space towards the left of the pitch. His marker follows him, sprinting hard to close him down but Eren is alert to what's going on. He checks his shoulder while calling for the ball and makes a mental image of his surrounding area. The ball is played into his feet just as his marker reaches him so Eren cleverly steps towards the ball but quickly dummies it. He uses the pace on the ball to spin his man and leave him behind. The grass field opens up in front of him and he drives into the space. Challenges fly in from left and right but he skips past them with quick feet. Now in the final third, Eren plays the ball into Jean's feet who quickly lays the ball back in front of Eren. With not much else on, he tries to bend one into the top corner but the Trost 'keeper is equal to it making a good save.

Shiganshina continue to play some good soccer finally and are having more and more positive moments but they know that right now that isn't good enough. They need a goal and they need one fast.

Seventy-three minutes have gone. The scores are still locked at two-nil. Trost are dropping deeper and deeper allowing Shiganshina to push higher up the pitch and recycle attacks better. They are challenging Shiganshina to break them down if they can. Shiganshina play the ball side to side trying to move the low block and create some space with Eren taking up a position between the lines. The ball is drilled into his feet as he drifts wide to the left and he collects it on the half turn between full back and centre back. Jean runs towards the near post, dragging his marker with him and Eren plays a through ball to him. The angle is narrow for Jean so he backheels it back to Eren who has a much clearer sight at goal. The keeper rushes out to him, something he clearly likes to do, but even though Eren shapes to shoot, he spots Thomas making a late run to the back post. Eren fakes his shot, leaving the goalkeeper on the floor and instead rolls it o Thomas to tap into the empty net for two-one. Lifeline gained.