The System Makes Me a Player

We went back to the bench, grabbed some water, took a deep breath. The stadium seemed to shake with so much noise, but inside the pitch it felt like only us and them existed.

When the referees called us back, I felt the pressure rising. Kazana was the first to stand up, clapping his hands and calling us to the center.

"Let's keep playing", he said firmly, his voice heavy with restrained anger, "We're not giving them even half a step. I want intensity until the end, guys"

I looked at Samuel and Samuka once more. They now walked side by side back to the pitch, but didn't exchange looks with anyone, not even with their own teammates. It was as if they were in a trance.

As the ball was brought back to the center, I felt my heart racing. Halftime was over, and the second half promised to be even heavier. Rafael was on the sideline, gesturing, watching every detail, as if he wanted to play with us.

Kazana placed the ball at the center spot, adjusting it with his foot as if it were the start of everything again. The referee blew the whistle, and this time we had the kickoff. He rolled it short to Dante, who immediately sent it back to Ian, keeping calm.

"Let's move the ball, patience", Dante said, spreading his arms to organize.

Uchi gave no space. Samuel and Samuka were already pushing forward, eyes locked like predators waiting for the slightest mistake. Their number 7 shouted loudly, leading the front line:

"Press high! Don't let them pass easy! Close the middle!"

Ian managed to turn and pass to Rodrigo, who pulled down the right side. Felipe opened up to receive, and the play looked promising until one of their midfielders came in to cover.

"Get him, cut the line!", Samuel shouted, pointing with his arm.

The Uchi player stole it clean and sent it to Samuel. He spun with the ball, already calling Samuka for a quick one-two. The stadium roared with the movement.

"Come on, Samuka!", he called, laying it short.

Samuka returned it first-time, and Samuel burst through the middle like lightning. Márcio stepped up to cut, but Samuel had already released it to their winger.

"Switch it to Santos!", someone in their defense shouted.

The winger crossed low, aiming at the middle. Murilo dove to grab it before it could reach Samuka, breathing hard after the save.

"Let's react, guys!", he yelled, jumping up fast.

Murilo launched it straight to me. The ball came high, but I controlled it on my chest, already feeling the pressure of their fullback arriving.

"Close him down, no space!", I heard behind me.

I stepped on the ball and cut inside, escaping. Space opened, and I released it to Dante, who accelerated through the middle. Kazana was already asking in the pivot.

"Here, send it to me!", he shouted, spreading his arms.

Dante threaded the pass, and Kazana managed to shield, turning on the defender. He tried to strike with his left, but it was blocked. The ball spilled to Rodrigo, who hit it first-time with power. It scraped the crossbar, sending the crowd wild.

"Close one!", Ian shouted, clapping his hands.

The Uchi players regrouped quickly. Samuel gestured intensely, giving orders like a true captain.

"More focus on the rebound! Don't let them shoot from the top of the box, close that second ball!"

Their keeper restarted, kicking long. Samuka jumped to challenge Victor and managed to flick it down to Samuel. Surrounded, he still brought it under control and played out.

"Support me, Akira, come with me!", he called, sending it to the right.

He passed it to a kid with white streaks and the rest of his hair dyed completely green. I didn't remember him from the first half, probably a substitution at halftime.

Uchi sped up with short passes, every player offering, shouting, moving. It was suffocating. Rodrigo was retreating with heavy steps, and Ian came over to me, dripping sweat.

"They don't stop, man. They've improved a lot"

Samuel received again, turned, and shot from distance. The ball exploded off Márcio, and the rebound fell to Samuka, who controlled and struck with his left. Murilo parried on reflex, saving again.

"Come on, don't give up!", João Vitor shouted, trying to lift us up.

The ball fell to me on the left. I saw space and pulled the counterattack. I sprinted at full speed, wind cutting against my face. Their fullback came running.

"Hold him, don't let him cut in!", Samuel shouted at him.

I cut inside, dribbled past with my body, and pushed forward. Kazana positioned himself in the middle, Felipe was arriving on the far side. I crossed it perfectly. Kazana jumped with the defender, both clashing. The ball passed through them and dropped to Felipe, who struck first-time. Their keeper stretched full length and saved with his fingertips, keeping Uchi alive.

"Good one, Keita!", Samuka shouted, running to hug him.

The keeper got up quickly and launched again, no time to breathe. The ball traveled across the whole field and fell to Samuel. He controlled, spun past Ian, and immediately called Samuka.

"Come on, brother, let's go!"

They exchanged passes quickly, in full speed. Dante ran to close down, but Samuka managed to slip it through his legs. Samuel appeared one-on-one with Murilo and shot across. The ball smashed against the post and bounced back alive. Oliveira cleared it away desperately.

Rodrigo got it in the middle and tried to switch to me, but the ball was intercepted. Samuel stole and already opened to the winger.

"Go, Santos, push it!" he shouted.

Santos sprinted down the right, crossed hard, and Samuka went for the volley. Murilo flew again, saving on reflex. The crowd couldn't believe it.

"What a keeper this guy is!", I heard a fan shouting from the stands.

I picked up the loose ball and pushed once more. My body ached, but there was no room to think. I played it to Ian, who quickly gave it back. I beat the fullback and opened to cross. Felipe dove for the header, but the ball went over.

"Come on, guys, it's close!", he shouted, trying to pump us up.

The game was a storm. Uchi shouted the whole time, every player moving like parts of a machine.

"Close the line!"

"Drop back, hold the middle!"

"Quick, switch sides, move it!"

And we answered with grit, with our own shouts.

"Mark him!"

"Close the space!"

"Push, push, pressure!"

It was as if the pitch was a battlefield, two armies measuring strength.

Samuel received again in the middle, lifted his head, and smirked slightly, as if he was enjoying the pressure.

"Let's finish them, Samuka", he said firmly, tapping his brother.

Samuka controlled, spun past Márcio, and tried a curling shot. The ball went just wide of the post.

Murilo roared:

"No space! We can't let them shoot every time!"

On the next attack, we finally got it right. Dante stole in midfield, opened to Rodrigo, who slipped it quickly into Kazana. He shielded and rolled it to me. I cut inside and struck hard with my right. The ball deflected off the defender and went for a corner.

I went to take it. I crossed it tight, and Victor rose above everyone, heading it with power. The ball smashed against the post and bounced back. Dante went for the rebound, but sent it wide.