All Stars [English Version]

The Match - Part 2

Kelley's POV

Game on. Julie and Tobin kick off.

The change is visible: finally team play and the girls play with their hearts.

Ada gets along wonderfully with Eugénie and Tobin trusts them a little more. Unfortunately, no goals are scored...

Andrine stands up and gives voice to encourage her sister. The speakers immediately attack her and I see her start to cry.

I immediately run towards her and take her in my arms before bringing her back to our bench. Louisa tries to console her while I shout to Ada to concentrate.

I don't know what was going through Ada's mind when she saw her big sister in tears, but the look in her eyes could have killed someone.

She runs towards the Frenchman who had the ball and takes him by an angry tackle. She rushes towards the goal, shoving the players in front of her. Ada's attacking power was phenomenal and her shot hit the top corner. The opposing defence was dismayed as Ada pointed at Andrine.

Ada: "It's for you!" she shouted.

Eugenie and I look at each other and we understand what she has in mind.

The ball is in the feet of the French, but Julie picks it up and sends it to Eugénie who was standing out on the side. The cross is perfect and Ada sends the ball into the back of the net.4-2. We are at the 70th minute.

The girls get their hopes back and don't let themselves be intimidated by insults anymore. I'm getting more and more nervous and so is my bench. Louisa and Lotta run along the touchline to encourage every player. Hope supports Ash from the corner post.

Jill orders the whole team to take it up a notch. Now we're playing high up on the field and the game is mostly in the French half.

The wingers get into action. Laure and Ali move up their respective lanes and block all French attempts to advance. In the middle, Julie gets caught in the middle but is intractable.83 minutes of play. Amandine falls victim to Giroud's gross misconduct in the box and is shown a yellow card.

Eugénie advances towards the penalty point and we all stand by our shoulders.

The ball goes off. He is boxed by Lloris but Julie has followed well and sends him a half volley to the bottom of the goal.

The whole team jumps on Julie who collapses under their weight. Only one more goal to go into extra time.

The girls press higher and higher, but the French still have the physical superiority. I must admit that their muscles are better than ours. But strength isn't always enough.

France play defence to keep their advantage. Our shots are being repelled one by one by the captain of the blues.

K: "Come on, girls! This is no time to give in!" I shouted.

France makes its second change to break our rhythm. I signal Tobin to come to me. She runs towards me.

K: "We only have a little minute left to equalize. Get the ball back and make your genius speak! I'm counting on you!"
T : "You want me to be your own man?"
K: "Humiliate them!" I said, kissing her quickly before she returned to the field.

I look up at the Federation. It can't end this way. It's not over! A match is not over until the referee blows his whistle !

Last minute of play. Tobin signals to Laure, who has the ball, to send it to her. Laure makes a cross pass to him that Tobin receives without difficulty, but she doesn't move.

I know very well what she intends to do and I smile in advance.

"Tobin! Move! What are you waiting for!" screams the girls next to me now all standing.

Three French players rush towards Tobin, who is still not moving.

K: "Now admire Tobin in all her splendor!" I shouted in a loud voice.

Just as a Frenchman was about to tackle her, Tobin jumped over him with the ball. The defender finished his run in the palisade. I can practically see my girlfriend laughing at him.

His feet click into the stadium's stupor. She dribbles Umtiti and humiliates Parvard and Hernandez with a double nutmegs.

Mal: "Nutmeg queen!"
Carli: "Tobinho is back!"

As she's about to shoot she's pushed around by Pogba who'd come down to defend.

Free kick. Only 30 seconds left. Tobin grunts in rage. I know she's going to want to take the free kick. If there's anyone who can score it from this angle it's her.

The wall is up. The referee's whistling. Tobin looks at me then swings out and takes a tight shot.

The ball lobes the defence and Lloris can't stop it.

The whole team jumped on Tobin, who raised his fist, before returning to their respective positions.

Time out. The referee calls 2min. France kicks off again.

I think the euphoria of the equaliser was too much because none of my players saw Griezmann sink into our half and Mbappé hit. Our defence went down but Ash managed to punch the ball in at the last minute from a corner.

Jill: "It's not over! Stay focused!"

There's only a minute left. We've got to keep this score !

Hernandez takes the corner. Varane jumps up and cuts the trajectory of the ball into our nets as Ashlyn is beaten.

Ali takes the ball out on the goal line and saves us from 5-4.

Ash catches the ball and stays down on it.

The referee blows his whistle.

But my thoughts are elsewhere and I rush to Ali who is still on the ground. As I approach her, I realize that her head is bleeding.

Ashlyn: "She landed on the post when she took the ball out."
K: "A doctor quickly!"

Ali is taken on a stretcher to our locker room. Decidedly...

The Federation and the spectators are enraged. The insults are as despicable as the suffering of the back line...

We get a small victory. We haven't lost yet. There's still overtime.