“Mona, can you please stop this you are doing? You know, I don't love seeing you this way. Please, just keep calm and wait for the next match, I'm sure you would have been better by then." Alicia tried to cheer up Mona as she used her face towel to wipe the tears on Mona's face.
They both went to the field, as Mona was their captain, to train as they had a difficult match ahead.
“We need to devise a means to win the match at all costs," Alicia opened up as she saw how tough their opponent was.
“We have to watch some of their matches just to see how they play and who their hitman is," Mona replied.
Two days later, after practice, they all gathered and started watching the previous matches of their opponent.
“I think the same Henrietta who scored the two goals against us in our last friendly match is their hitman," Alicia said.
“No, she is not. Watch their captain closely; you will see how skilled she is. I think we need to watch her closely in the next match. Although it's going to be a home and away match, We are to play away first," Mona observed.
“You are right. I saw some elements of skillful acting in her. No wonder she was made their captain," Alicia replied.
Two days before the match, they embarked on serious training, where they had to train with all seriousness. As Mona, the captain, was dribbling, one of her mates, who was the central back, wiped her from behind as she was about to net the ball. She fell and sustained a serious injury. Mona was carried on a wheel out of the field. She was unable to walk properly with her left leg. The injury was so serious that she was out of the squad. Mona began to cry to her peak. She cried and lamented bitterly.
“Does this mean I'm going to miss the tough match?” She yelled out loudly.
“Just don't cry anymore. Just tell us what to do, and we shall win the match no matter what," Alicia and others opened up as they tried to cheer her up.
Mona was not ready to listen but was still in her mood of crying.
It was D-Day for the match, and Mona was up and doing just to make sure she put her team first. She tried to tell them who would give them problems and who should tackle her. “Please, Max, you are the one who is fit for Henrietta, our opponent's captain, since your stature is greater than Henrietta's. I think if she sees you coming or tackling her, she will give up her fate of scoring," Mona advised her team.
“I will make sure to tackle her to her last breath," Max replied.
“Don't forget that while tackling her, others will find their way into our box 18. So, you just need to make sure not to allow others to penetrate the scoring position. You should know what I meant. Lionel Messi’s position and Ronaldo's position in terms of free kicks must be avoided. This means none of you must make the mistake of committing fouls in those positions." Mona tried to be a good sportsman as she advised her teammates in her absence.
“Alicia, your role is to make sure to score since I will not be in the game to pour or put in my best to score," Mona said to Alicia.
“I will try my best to play to the best of my ability and to fill your space," Alicia replied.
“Good of you, guys. I think you are good to go," as Mona cheered her team up.
They entered the field and started the game. The game was full of tension and heart attacks. Mona was in the field but in a wheelchair. She tried her best to talk to her teammates just for them to put themselves together and never forget what she had told them. Their opponent was pressing them to the fullest, as they were not playing to their satisfaction. The first half ended in a goalless draw. Mona gathered them and talked to them once again. They all followed her guidelines as they resumed the second half. When it was 90 minutes, the game changed drastically in their favor. They began to press their opponent. The ref gave them 4 minutes of extra time. They played just as if they were angry. When it was the last minute, Alicia passed the ball to her mate and back to her as she walloped the ball straight to the post. “It's a goal…” The commentator shouted, and the crowd pushed the shout further.
The game ended with a lone goal in favor of Mona's team.
In the second leg, Mona was fit to play. She warmed up as she watched the flops of their opponent's players. She used that as an advantage. When they entered the field, as she had asked her teammates to be strong and play like never before, her first touch took her to box 18 of her opponent's side, and she immediately converted the ball into a goal. They were two goals ahead of her opponent.
They took that lone goal until the final whistle. Their opponent's captain, Henrietta, was crying bitterly. Mona went straight to her and began to cheer her up, playing the path of sportsmanship was her brilliant character.
They both made friends, and it was a great win for Mona.