You can't Outrun the Truth

Round of 16

I'm really sorry guys :(

Leila's POV (in Spanish)

"We've played London once. That doesn't give us a lot to build off," I say in the team meeting. It was not an official one, just the players.

"But we have film. So let's just take a look at that and see how she plays against different styles," Alexia says.

"What do you know about her?" Aurelia asks.

"We don't really talk about playing styles, it's more of me convincing her Spain is better than England."

"She listened," Mapi says.

"What?"

"Oh! Never mind, nothing important."

"Can it help us shut her down?" Jenni asks.

"Nope."

London's POV (in English)

I woke up early the day we were set to play Spain. I was nervous, I was not starting but would likely be subbed in and I don't know if my knee can handle that. But I can't let the girls down so I'm pushing through it.

The atmosphere of the stadium is amazing, there are so many fans from both Spain and the US to watch the World Cup. I walked out with Mal and waited for the anthems. When the game started it was immediately scrappy with Julie fouling one of their players. In the sixth minute, Tobin was taken down in the box by Mapi and was given a penalty. We all cheered and waited for Pinoe to take the shot. She made it, putting us up 1-0. Only two minutes later though, Jenni Hermoso equalized with a great goal from outside the box after miscommunication in the backline.

"Come on girls," I muttered as I stretched. We went into the half with the match tied 1-1 and everyone was mad.

"We can't be giving the ball away in the final third. We need precise passing and to lock them down," Jill said. "London, we are going to try and rest you this game, and if we move on play you for the whole 90 minutes against France." I nod and hand Rose a water bottle. She takes it and we continue talking about what to improve in the next half.

We are given another penalty in the seventy-sixth minute and Megan takes it again. She scores and runs over to the sidelines where we all hug her. Someone's leg hits my left one a little too hard and I feel a smaller pop in my knee. I grimaced and hid my face by hugging the girls.

Spain has almost an identical goal to their first one, Vidal had a solo run from the midline and took a shot at the 18-yard box slotting it into the top right corner.

"London, you're going in soon for Alex. Score," Jill said to me. I nod and get some final instructions from the other coaches. I run onto the pitch in the 83 minute while Spain is subbing for an injury.

"I hope your players are all right," I say to Mariona, the player going on. Both Losada and Torecelli now are coming off for injury.

"Thank you, Vicky should be fine, we don't know about Vir yet," She says, somewhat surprised I speak Spanish or that I cared to say that.

We run onto the field and play starts again. Mapi keeps shutting me down and it is the most frustrating thing in the world. I'll get the ball and she tackles it from under my feet or intercepts the pass. I hate it.

"London left!" Tobin sends a pass to me and I run with the ball towards goal. Leila is racing with me and slide tackles the ball away. She comes away clean with the ball and I trip over her legs landing on my left side. My knee is screaming in pain as Leila checks on me.

"Sorry."

"Fine," I say, accepting her hand up. The 90 minutes and extra time is up, meaning we are now in overtime. Spain starts with kickoff and they start the attack immediately. Three minutes in and Vidal scores off of a corner, meaning we had to equalize so we stayed in the tournament. Christen wasted no time to get open for a pass from Rose and take the ball into the box and have a shot. It rebounded to me and I shot the ball. It curved in and I hugged Christen who lifted me up.

"For your mum." She nodded and I hugged her tighter.

Penalties. The game depended on penalties. Overtime ended 3-3 and now we were picking for penalties.

"Tobin will go first, then Lindsey, Carli, London, and Julie." We have the first penalty shot so it's even more pressure to not miss.

"I shouldn't be doing this Rose," I say as we wait at the half-line.

"You'll make it, don't worry." I nod and watch Tobin line up against Paños. Her shot is saved and I nod at her saying it's okay. Alexia stepped up for Spain's first shot and made it past Alyssa. I shifted more of my weight to my right leg and watched Linds go up for hers. She and Carli both made it, for Spain, Jenni and Patri made it. I needed to make my goal now so we stayed in the tournament. I walked to the spot and took the ball from the ref. I set it down and took a mental picture of the bottom of the ball where I wanted my foot to connect with it. My step faltered as I lined up my run and I said a quick prayer before the whistle blew. Once it did, I took a deep breath and ran up to take the shot. It drifted past Spain's keeper and i sighed out of relief as I walked back to my team.

I lined up next to Rose and leaned heavily on her as I watched Spain's next shot get saved. Julie made her penalty as well, and Alyssa tipped Spain's last shot over the crossbar. I put my head against Rose's neck and let myself fully feel all the pain. The World Cup wasn't over yet, but I was no longer any help to the team.

"What's wrong? Are these happy tears or sad tears?" Rose asked, hugging me to cover it up.

"I need to sit down." I let go of Rose and lowered myself to the ground, most of the girls were celebrating with Alyssa and I smiled watching them.

"Not celebrating?" Leila asked as she sat down next to me.

"No, and I don't think we can get coffee anymore," I respond and wipe a tear away.

"Why? Think of it as sympathy coffee."

"I messed up my knee in the last match and played on it. I'm not sure I can walk back to the locker rooms."

"London! That is so irresponsible! There will be more World Cups, you need to get that checked. Now."

"I'm fine. I'll go later. You should be with your team."

"So should you. So how about this? I walk over to your coach, tell her to see you, then go with my team?"

"Fine. I'm sorry you guys are not going through."

"Next time we will." I didn't make any attempts to move other than to lay down and look at the sky. The sun was lower so it wasn't in my eyes and I focused on the moving clouds.

"London! What's wrong?" I heard Jill's slight British accent and sat up.

"I'm so so sorry. I thought I could manage it but it just got worse and now it's really bad," I rush out. Fresh tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

"What happened?" She sits on the grass with me and I tell her about what happened against Sweden. She helps me up and helps me walk off of the field and into the physio room. They look at my knee and test its mobility and I can tell by their faces it isn't good.

"We need to go to a hospital to be sure."

After hours of scans and waiting the doctor came back into the room.

"Unfortunately, it looks like you tore your MCL and will need surgery to fix it."

"When am I back playing football?" I ask. Jordan tore her ACL last November and was out for like eight months.

"The expected recovery time is nine to twelve months. You will be on crutches with a brace for around six weeks and we will need to check your knee one or two weeks after surgery.

Well... did any of us see that coming?