Expect The Unexpected (Alexia Putellas x OC)

Chapter 56

August 16th, 2023, Sydney, England vs USA

Remake of the last semifinals in France. We are playing against the USA tonight. I am stressing the hell out. I know we are ready, but we all know the USA are always hard to beat. It's also time to play against Kristie and I know it'll be hard for both Rachel and me. On a funnier note, our mom and brother made time to come for the game and for the Final if we ever get there. Alexia has followed them with Millie, and they are staying with them at the hotel. Incredible family bond. At first, I thought it could be too soon and Alexia won't like doing this, but it turns out Millie and her were the ones instigating this family trip.

I am now standing in front of my goal looking at the sky for some courage. We have just started, and I can feel us getting scared. We don't use the spaces like we usually do, we don't create as much opportunities as we are used to, and we tend to slow the game way too much. The American girls clearly decided to let us struggle, they watch us play and suddenly they put a lot of pressure, and attack fast. At half time, I decide it's time to talk and address the real thing.

"Girls! Wake up!" I tell them. "I know we are scared, I can feel it, you can feel it, and mainly they can feel it. We need to start playing faster, finding more dangerous areas, and finally having some opportunities. They just wait for us to make a mistake. And they'll punish us. I don't want that game to be the worst semifinal people will witness. There is one thing that defines us, it's honor. We wrote it on our shirts against Spain, it's time to show it on the pitch now. Give it all, have no regrets! Come on!"

We all huddle and Sarina adds some words. We walk back to the pitch, decided to win this game. Our intentions are almost immediately better, we create movement, we find great passes, we force them to play more. But we aren't lucky. Meado hits the post. Right after that move, Lindsay Horan finds Sophia Smith in deep. That girl is really fast and manages to get away from both Millie and Leah. She enters the box and Maya tackles her. For me, she only takes the ball, so I sprint towards it and save it from Lindsay's feet. The referee whistles and we all look at her in disbelief. It was never a penalty. Lindsay takes the ball and get ready. We watch the referee talking to the VAR assistant and she runs to her big screen.

"I swear I didn't touch her, Jay." Maya states sadly next to me.

"Don't worry, kid, I believe you." I side hug her quickly.

The referee runs back to us after three long minutes and cancels the penalty. She gives me the ball back and I wink towards Maya.

"Keep doing what you do, kid." I tell her. "Focus and aggressive, we love it."

We keep playing and before we know it, we're going to extra-time. The atmosphere is heavy, like nothing I've experienced before, I'm almost suffocating. My nerves are sky high, and I can't wait for this game to be over. We restart the game, and it seems to be just like the second half, just even faster. The referee blows the end of the game thirty minutes later. Penalties, here we come.

"We count on you, love." Leah hugs me tightly.

I walk alone to get focused. I look around the familiar faces in the stand until I reach the one I truly need to see right now. Alexia. She is looking at me anxiously, but her frown turns to a smile when she sees me looking at her.

"You've got it, cariño." She mouths to me. "I trust you."

Those simple words send a wave of adrenaline in my body, and I nod to her sending her my best smile. I walk to my team and Darren gives me the last tips about their players. I try to remember it all, but my guts will make the job on the moment. I huddle with Ellie and Mary.