NOVEL NEXT Chapter 188: The Kickoff
November 23rd, 2010
The players left the locker room, the noise from the stadium already rumbling above them.
They walked into the tunnel, side by side, boots knocking against the floor.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Everyone just focused on the game ahead.
Then Dev broke the silence.
"Crowd's loud today."
Max gave a short nod and said, "Let's give them something to cheer for."
Jamal spoke quietly. "Get ready. The first few minutes can decide everything."
Niels followed behind, calm as ever.
"Play together. That's all we need."
The referee signaled.
The tunnel opened.
The roar of the crowd grew louder as they stepped out onto the pitch.
The two teams stepped onto the field as the announcer called out the lineups over the speakers.
The players walked toward the center circle, their faces serious and focused.
They shook hands with each other, a polite gesture that felt almost strange in the tense moment.
Dev's hand was steady and firm as he met the hands of the Leverkusen players. He could sense their quiet confidence, the calm strength behind their eyes.
Kickoff:
The referee blew the whistle, and the match was officially underway.
The first ten minutes felt like pure chaos.
Leverkusen pressed hard, surrounding Crawley from every side.
Whenever a Crawley player got the ball, two Leverkusen players were already there, giving no time to think or move.
The open space Crawley had enjoyed in previous games disappeared completely.
Instead, they faced constant, tight pressure that didn't let up for a second.
Passes that usually went straight to their teammates were now quickly cut off by the defenders.
Crawley's usual smooth and confident style fell apart, turning into a frantic scramble just to keep the ball.
Niels stood on the sideline, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his face tight with worry.
This was exactly what he had expected.
Leverkusen wasn't going to let them play their usual smooth, flowing game.
Instead, they'd make Crawley fight for every inch on the field.
The crowd's cheers had turned frantic shouts and desperate calls filled the air, matching the tension on the pitch.
At the fifteenth minute, frustration almost spilled over.
Reece Darby made a sloppy pass that Leverkusen quickly stole.
They immediately launched a fast counterattack, sending a long ball over the Crawley defense.
Their forward broke free, sprinting toward goal.
Liam McCulloch raced back to catch him, but the forward was too quick. He took a low, powerful shot that skimmed just past the post.
The crowd gasped all at once, then held their breath for a moment before slowly exhaling.
It was a sharp warning Leverkusen was dangerous and ready to punish any mistake.
Niels stood on the sidelines, watching carefully. He saw the pattern: Leverkusen played with a quiet, controlled fury, pushing hard but steady.
Still, he knew they couldn't keep it up forever, they would tire.
He glanced at his watch. It was time to change things up.
The team needed a new plan, a different way to break through the defense.
Niels had to find the right move to unlock the game.
He waited for a break in the play, then hurried to the touchline, his jaw tight and eyes sharp.
The noise from the crowd was deafening shouts, chants, and desperate calls that seemed to push down on everyone.
He waved Dev over and leaned in close, his voice low but urgent.
"Listen carefully," he said. "Stop trying to force space in front of their defense, it's not there.
We're pushing our full-backs up, one at a time. That'll pull their wide players out and open gaps.
You need to drop deeper, and one of the strikers will move wide.
We have to pull their defense apart, there's no margin for error.
The crowd is tense, and so are we. This is our chance to break through, and we can't afford to miss it."
Dev's eyes widened for a split second.
It was a risky move pushing the full-backs forward could leave them exposed to a fast counterattack.
But he trusted Niels's judgment.
He gave a sharp nod, his jaw tightening, then sprinted back onto the pitch, ready to rally the team and make sure everyone understood the plan.
Dev's heart was pounding as he shouted to his teammates over the noise. "Full-backs push up, one at a time! Then I'll drop back, with strikers moving wide, we need to stay ready!"
The team quickly moved into their new positions.
Leverkusen's defenders noticed and looked unsure.
The crowd grew louder, full of hope and tension.
Every pass and move felt very important.
Dev took a deep breath and looked for a chance to break through.
The pressure was high, but they had a plan.
Maybe this time, they could score.
The change was small but it worked. In the thirty-ninth minute, Callum Haines, the left-back, made a bold run forward.
It caught Leverkusen off guard and pulled two defenders away from the middle.
Just like Niels had said, the space opened up.
Dev dropped back to pull a midfielder out of position, while Thiago moved wide to the right.
The ball was passed to Thiago, who didn't go for goal himself. Instead, he sent a low, hard cross into the box.
Max was waiting in the perfect spot and took the ball with a clean, one-touch finish.
The ball hit the back of the net.
GOAL! CRAWLEY TOWN 1 - 0 BAYER LEVERKUSEN
The stadium exploded with noise, a wave of relief and pure joy.
The goal wasn't just skill it was proof of their patience, discipline, and faith in Niels's plan.
They had found the weakness in Leverkusen's defense and they took full advantage.
The Crawley players sprinted toward Max, their faces glowing with excitement.
The crowd cheered louder than ever, their voices carrying the team's renewed hope.
For the first time in the match, Crawley felt in control.
Leverkusen's players regrouped quickly, their expressions hardening. They knew this was a warning Crawley wasn't going to back down, especially on their home ground.
The next minutes would be crucial.
Niels stayed calm on the sideline, watching his team with a steady gaze.
The hard work was paying off, but the fight wasn't over yet.
Leverkusen quickly restarted the game, eager to respond.
From the kickoff, they pressed forward aggressively, pushing Crawley deep into their own half.
Their attackers moved fast, closing down every pass and forcing mistakes.
The ball flew from side to side as Leverkusen hunted for an opening, their players relentless in their pursuit.
Midfielders crashed into tackles, and defenders stayed tight, allowing no space for Crawley to settle.
The stadium buzzed with tension as Leverkusen's fierce pressure threatened to break Crawley's lead.
Niels paced the sideline, shouting instructions to keep the team focused and ready.
The battle was far from over.
Leverkusen's attack showed no sign of slowing, and Crawley had to dig deep to hold their ground.
As the clock neared halftime, Leverkusen's pressure only increased.
Jamal, playing as the pivot defensive midfielder, anchored the Crawley midfield.
He broke up attacks with sharp tackles, intercepted passes, and shielded the defense with steady positioning.
His calm, focused presence helped the team absorb the pressure.
Dev worked tirelessly alongside him, pushing forward when possible but always ready to help win the ball back.
He moved with purpose, distributing passes carefully to keep control under the mounting pressure.
With only minutes left before the break, the crowd held its breath.
Every touch from Jamal and Dev mattered, they were the heartbeat of the team, holding the line and keeping Crawley's lead intact.
Niels watched from the sideline, knowing these final moments before halftime could change everything.
When Crawley got the ball, Dev pressed forward, sensing a chance to extend their lead before halftime.
He took the ball into the attacking third, weaving past defenders with quick, sharp moves.
Spotting an opening, he fired a low, powerful shot toward the goal.
The Leverkusen keeper reacted quickly, diving to block the ball and pushing it wide.
The stadium held its breath as the ball bounced away from danger.
Just then, the referee blew his whistle, signaling the end of the first half.
The players let out deep breaths, the tension easing for a moment.
Crawley had the lead.
But in the tunnel ahead, Niels knew the real storm was still coming.
They walked off the pitch, chests heaving, faces showing their exhaustion but they had the lead.