With good performances after another, the Spanish National Team reaches the final against Portugal. It was 1-1 until Andres Alonso scored an own goal that led to Spain losing the final. Devastated and full of regret after seeing negative comments af...
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Lisbon, Portugal
Euro Final
Rain poured down on the green pitch of the Estádio da Luz as seventy thousand spectators chanted in support of their country. Even on a pitch-black night, the stadium shone brightly from perhaps ten or twenty spotlights. As two players collided, water splashed onto the sidelines, and the referee blew the whistle to signal a pause. The referee approached the players and requested the team medics. Three medics dashed onto the football field, clutching medical bags in their gloved hands.
Both the Portuguese number 14 and the Spanish number 9 rolled on the ground, clutching their heads and backs in agony as a result of the collision. The on-field medics determined that these players would not be able to continue the game, and the two players groaned their way off the field in separate plastic carriers.
This is when Andres Alonso, the Spanish number 21, heard his coach call his name from the sidelines and asked him to change into his jersey. Even though he had been informed that he would not be playing in the final against the finalist and home ground advantage holders, Portugal, Alonso did not hesitate in doing what his coach had asked him to do.
Andres removed his Adidas zip-up jacket, revealing the Spanish national team's white and red uniform. The crest, with its gold and red colors highlighting the Spanish flag, stood out the most. He'd never been more proud of himself. As the game continued with one less player on each team, he slipped knee pads between his socks and did a quick warmup. The coach summoned him and explained the general tactics and rules to him. Hold the ball and move forward, waste time if you can and bring it to overtime. These words echoed in his mind as he jumped up and down, adrenaline coursing through his entire body.
The referee blew his whistle once more for a stoppage as an electronic number board in the hands of a bald official on the sidelines displayed Andes' number 21 in green and the injured player's number 17 in red. Normally, he would have to wait until the other player exited the field, but because the other player had already exited, Andres Alonso stepped onto the field as the crowd cheered on.
When he looked to his right, he noticed that the Portuguese manager had also brought on a replacement for his injured player. Ricardo Fernandes of the Portuguese national team was the culprit. Ricardo was tall and muscular, which would normally slow him down, but Fernandes was a bullet train. Andres had faced him in an international friendly, which Spain had won by one goal, but the number seven had caused a lot of problems for the Spanish backline.
Andres wasn't bad himself; he had a lean build and was quite tall, around six feet and two inches the last time he checked, which was ideal for a player of his type.
As the referee blew the whistle for the game to resume with a dropkick, the two new players on the field exchanged competitive glances.
Andres was a deep-lying midfielder who could get out of tight spaces with his excellent dribbling and ball control. Despite his experience at the club level, this was his first call-up to the Spain National Team at the age of 24.
