Only Friends

Chapter 54 - Preparations

After the season in England was over, it was time to start preparing for the World Cup. Our past two world cups hadn't been our best so we knew we had to redeem ourselves. Adding to that, this world cup was on home soil. We had the home advantage. It was our time to shine. It was our time to prove to Australia that we were ready to win. Ready to fight. 

When all competitions ended in May, the Matildas spent June competing in friendly matches before heading over to Australia to start the world cup in July. We headed to North America, to play the US, in Seattle, and then Canada in Vancouver.

Kristie left a few days before Sam and I did, as to arrive on time for her own camp. Sam and I were both excited to play the US, but I know she hates versing Kristie, in any circumstance.

"Have you got all your stuff?" I asked Sam, as I walked into her apartment to pick her up before heading to the airport.
"Have you got your passport?" I overheard a voice coming from Sam's phone, which was propped up against a glass. It was Kristie's voice.
"Hey Kris," I said to her, putting my face in the camera as Sam was in the other room, desperately trying to finish packing.
"Hey babe," Kristie answered me, "Sam needed help packing."
"No I didn't!" Sam called out from the other room.
"Sam we really have to go, or we are going to be late!" She then came hurrying in, her passport in one hand and bags in the other.
"I'm ready." She was out of breath, obviously tired after her quick packing session.
"Let's hope you don't forget anything because we aren't going to be back until after the World Cup!"
"I promise I haven't." We then left the apartment, after Sam hung up the phone with Kristie and headed to the airport to get on a plane to Seattle.

When we arrived in Seattle, all the girls were excited to play some international soccer. We hadn't played a match in a couple months, and it felt good to be back with the girls, ready to start the next adventure. The World Cup did scare me, quite a lot. In 2019, I played, but wasn't in form. I wasn't performing to my best. I had so many thoughts bubbling through my brain at the time. It was only 3 months after the incidents, and I still hadn't fully recovered. I still hadn't completely got to where I had been before. But, as no one knew, I couldn't pull out of the tournament. I had to keep going. Eighteen year old me, had to keep going. Had to keep pushing.

But this World Cup was going to be different. It had to be. I was going to fulfil the potential I know I had. I was going to use that energy and anger and fight, and play my best. And international friendlies against the best ranked team, was the way to start.

When we arrived at the ground for the game against the US, I was excited to go out and play. As the starting line up was announced (Tegan, Claire, me, Alanna, Ellie, Kyah, Hayley, Caitlin, Sam, Mary and Emily), Sam and I sat at our cubbies tying our shoes.

"Have you talked to Kris? Do you know if she is playing?"
"Yeah, she's starting," Sam replied.
"What about Sam?" I said, asking about Kristie's sister, Sam.
"Yep. She is too." So as Sam had to verse both her girlfriend and her girlfriends sister, I was basically versing my two sisters. Although they aren't my sisters (technically), we always joke that they are. I guess it is tough versing against them. I much would rather having them both on my team than not.

As we lined up, in the tunnel, I saw both Sam Mewis and Kristie.
I ended up lining besides Sam Mewis, who turned to look at me. She smiled a big grin, and we both wanted to give each other a hug, but we started to walk out as soon as we were about to.
"I'll talk to you after the game," she said, as we moved onto the field.

As we sand the national anthem, I had my arms around Emily and Hayley. Sam, as she is captain, is the leader of the line, and beside her is Tegan, as goal keeper.

The game was a tightly contested one. For the Matildas, we played with cohesiveness. We were understanding and reading each other, communicating accurately, which helped us have a lot of the possession in the first half. As I brought the ball up from the defensive end, I spotted something. Caitlin, was alone on the wing, with clear sight to the corner. I skipped the pass to Alanna (which is where I was meant to go to) and passed it over to Caitlin. This caused us to have the break, and numbers in the box. Caitlin held the ball down to the corner, and crossed it into the box. Mary got her foot to it, but it was cleared out by the goal keeper, but the ball landed at my foot. I was just outside the 18 yard box, and again I saw something. I saw a clear line to the top of the goal. I saw a passage that the ball could travel through. So, I hit it and hard. I smacked it with my foot and it glided through the air. It swooshed into the back of the net, passing Alyssa, the US goal keeper. We were up 1-0. All the girls came rushing over to me, as I jumped and punched the air, so elated to have a goal against the best team in the world.