When Tony Gustavsson want to prove his team worthy of winning, he knew who to play, and when to play them. It was always preferred that the older, more experienced players competed with a few high-achieving miracles of the younger Matildas. Tony knew who he could risk, and who would have to sit off to watch an important game unfold.
Although Aurelia was twenty six years old, and she had been playing for the Matildas for almost a decade. It always suprised her when Tony announced she would start in an important match. For nine years, she continued to grow happier every time her number was shown on the announcement board, until the game ticked by. The nerves kicked in, and reality set itself straight.
She lightly bounced on her heels, awaiting for the anticipating whistle of the start of the match. Her palms began to grow thick with sweat, she tried to keep her eyes souly on the ball metres away from Caitlin Foords feet. Rory tried to ignore the screaming crowd of seventeen thousand fans behind her, if she looked at them, she would grow with nothing but fear to fail them.
She adjusted the yellow and green clips in her hair, sending a small smile to her opposing Spanish player. Silently telling the latter that all Rory could say or do within game was nothing but a competitive matter, that none of it held a grudge. And she was normally, a kind person.
The whistle blew loudly and the game began. Caitlin passed it along to Charli, it was then kicked over to Hayley before being intercepted by a Spanish player.
The ball ran back and fourth between the two sides, neither making it all too close to their goals. Until Spain had made their first move, sending the ball down the line to their main forward. The Spanish player kicked it straight to goals, easily being deflected by Mackenzie and an offside call is called.
Nine minutes into the first half, Spain tried their chance again. The main foward for Spain moved her feet effortlessly around the Australian defenders, but as she went to kick, she had kicked it wrongly, causing the ball to fly over the netting.
Mackenzie looked around, holding the ball in her hands. Being the only player on field that could do that. She looked at every teammate, wondering who she could pass it to, before she decided on Kyra.
Kyra took it halfway down the field, with a simple shouting call from Rory, Rory continued to run, keeping the ball in front of her at all times.
From the corner of her eye, Rory could spot a alonesome Hayley Raso. Knowing that her own defender was coming up behind her, Aurelia kicked it towards the latter.
Hayley moved towards the box, before passing the ball to Cortnee, who kicked it with her right foot from the top right corner of the larger box, into the goal.
Aurelia cheered alongside her other teammates, giving the other girl a small hug as a group began to from around her. The number five player for the Matilda's had already made an major impact.
Fifteen minutes into the first half, the ball was successfully back down at the Matildas goal. Charli tried to kick it towards the three girls lined up in the middle of the box, Aurelia, Sam and Clare, yet it was easily deflected by a Spanish defender. Who kicked it back, landing near Kyra.
Kyra tried the same thing her blonde friend had. Kicking it towards the same three girls, it managed to bounce upon Sam's head, falling short of the goal and into a defenders gap. Clare worked around the defender, her glorious footwork causing an insane goal to come flying out her kick.
Clare celebration was kept more on the low than Cortnee had, when the younger one of the pair ran around the field. Aurelia jogged towards Clare with Sam. Holding both her hands up, letting Clare finish off the hi-five.
