CHASING GOLD: World Cup

Chapter 31

Tuesday
It was the semi-final game against Sweden. The stakes were high. For some reason though, team USA was calm. They felt no fear. The lineup was the same with a change of Carli in for Rose and Sam in for Moe.

Andy woke up and smiled as she felt Theo next to her. "Morning princess." Theo whispered.

"Morning baby." Andy said, sleepily.

The two got up and got ready and waited for Alex and Tobin. The four went down to breakfast and sat down to eat.

"Ok ladies. Same line up as the Japan game but Carli you're in for Rose and Sam you're in for Moe." Jill said. The team nodded. "Alex, captain." Alex gave a thumbs up, as her mouth was full and she didn't want be rude and open her full mouth. Jill and Tobin shared a look and Tobin nudged Alex and the two shared a look before getting up and walking over to Jill. "Now, Tobs and Alex have something to say so listen up." Jill had the camera crew record the moment upon Tobin and Alex's request.

"So, the world knows Andy as my daughter." Tobin said, looking at Andy. "But inside this room, everyone knows her as mine and Alex's daughter. And we have something for our daughter." Andy gave her moms a questioning look. Andy looked at Theo, who smirked. Andy rolled her eyes and focused her attention back to her moms. "Kiddo. Your mom and I wanted to give you something special." Tobin continued. She looked at Alex and the two shared a smile. Jill handed Tobin a box. "Come up here kid." Tobin said, motioning for Andy to come up to the front. Tobin held the box out for Andy. Andy gave her moms a look and Tobin and Alex just smiled and motioned for her to open the box. Andy started opening the box. "Along time ago, I told Alex that I loved her. She told me the same thing." Tobin continued. Andy unwrapped the item in the box and her eyes widened. "So. As Andy opens this box, Alex and I tell the world that we are together and have been for almost 7 months now. And Andy is our daughter." Tobin finished. Andy pulled out a jersey. The front number said 13 and the back said 17 and the name read Morgan-Heath. She turned the jersey around and displayed the back of the jersey. The cameras moved around the little family.

The family was huddled together and pictures were snapped. Almost all the players had their cameras out and recorded the sweet moment. Andy hugged her moms and thanked them and the coaching staff. Soon after that, the players went to their rooms to get ready for the game. And soon enough, they were piled onto the bus and headed to the stadium.

*****

Andy walked out onto the field with Theo and the players starting on the bench, her new jersey on. She watched her moms take the field. She watched Tobin pat her chest and point to the sky. She smiled when Alex got Tobin's attention and made her hands into a heart symbol. Andy just loved watching her moms be so in love with each other. And she loved that they could be together in public now.

The ref put the whistle to her mouth and blew it and the semi-final game was under way. Alex passed the ball back to Kristie. Kristie passed it over to Sam. Sam passed it up to Tobin. Tobin ran up the field and kept her head up. She megged two defenders and ran forward again. She looked for Alex and Carli in the box and lofted the ball up. Alex was shoved down but Carli was able to jump up and head the ball into the net. Not even 20 seconds had gone by and the USA was celebrating their first goal.

It was the 16th minute and Lindsey ran towards the Swedish player, Caroline Seger. She megged her and looked up to see Carli open. She passed up to Carli who found Sam in the middle of the field. Sam turned back seeing no opening in front of her and found Abby. Abby passed it over to Becky who passed it up to Kristie. Kristie found Alex and passed it up. Alex turned on a dime and ran forward. About 5 yards from the 18, Alex looked up to see Tobin and Carli running into the box. She lofted the ball but before Carli or Tobin could get to it, the Swedish keeper, Hedvig Lindahl, punched it away. Sam collected it and watched as Lindsey, Alex and Carli ran into the box, with Tobin on the side. Sam lofted the ball up. As it came down, Alex brought her left leg up in time and placed it perfectly into the back of the net. The US was celebrating again and Alex ran to Sam and then Tobin. The US was up 2-0.

Halftime came up rather quickly but also ended rather quickly. Soon enough the two teams were back on the field and play had resumed. In the 56th minute, Sweden's midfielder, Elin Rubensson, passed the ball up to Sofia Jakobsson who lofted the ball up and into the box. Stina Blackstenius headed the ball but Hope Solo caught it easily and raced towards the top of the box and passed it up to Kelley.

In the 78th minute, Sweden threatened the USA again. With Stina Blackstenius running forward, she passed the ball over to Sofia Jakobsson who one touched it but Hope got her hand on it and it fell wide to Becky who cleared it out.

With Tobin and Alex being subbed out in the 80th minute, the USA was just 2 added time minutes away from securing their spot in the final. Mal Pugh poked the ball away from the Swedish midfielder, Madelyn Janogy, to an open Kristie Mewis. Kristie passed to her sister, Sam, who passed it back to Kelley. Kelley passed it back to Hope who pushed it over to Sonnett. They were just wasting time now. The USA kept passing back and forth and finally, the final whistle blew. The USA rushed the field as they celebrated the win. Tobin and Alex held each other tightly on the field.

"I really want to kiss you." Alex shouted to Tobin over the screaming and cheering.

"Then do it." Tobin shouted back. She smiled and grabbed Alex's face gently and pulled her close. When their lips connected, it seemed as if the screams and cheers got louder but also softer at the same time. The two smiled into the kiss and pulled away. Andy hobbled over to her moms and hugged them both tightly.

"Congrats moms!" Andy said. "Like my jersey?" She shouted. Alex and Tobin smiled at the jersey they had given their daughter earlier that morning. The three went to go celebrate with the rest of the team.

Team USA had beaten Sweden 2-0 in the semi-final and the final game of the World Cup was set. In about a weeks time, the USA would face off against the host country in probably the biggest game ever. A rematch game.

It was USA vs FRANCE.