Attached - Mallory Pugh/USWNT

Chapter 32

April 15th, 2022 - USA vs England - 51st Minute 

Morgana's POV: 

England came back and scored 1, making the game 3-2, us still in the lead. 

I looked up at the screen, and I saw that the camera had focused in on me for some reason. I saw just how bad my eye looked, as well as the bruises going down my arm. 

I unintentionally made a funny face and the crowd laughed like crazy, making me laugh too. Then Hatch took the kick, and the game went on. 

Sanchez got to goal once, but it was saved by the goalie, as well as one of Hatch's shots. And Mal got caught offside once. 

An English player wiped out Emily Fox, but the play kept going. Nobody knew what to do, so I sprinted back as fast as I could, trying to help cover girls in the middle. A girl ran to the goal as the ball was crossed, and the girl hit Alyssa, making her fall over, and then another girl cleaned up the trash and finished. 

USA 3, England 3. 

Then the whistle blew, and the ref said "NO GOAL!" and gave the girl that hit Alyssa a straight red. 

They were down 2 players, but we only had them by 1 goal. 

We all checked up on Alyssa and Emily Fox had already been pulled off, so they were going to give her a sub, who was Emily Sonnett. 

The ref went over to England's coaching staff to tell them that they had to calm down their girls, and they could have 2 more reds before they had to forfeit.

"We got this, girls. I believe." I said to my team in the huddle. "Let's go. Do you believe Mal?" 

"Yes I do." 

"How about you, Kelley?" 

"Yep!" 

"Sanchez?" 

"I believe we can win this." 

"Alright. Hands in now." I said. 

Everybody quickly put their hands in, and I took a deep breath. 

"We're gonna do a little cheer my club team did when I was younger. Ready?" I asked. 

"Ready." Hatch said. 

"Mal join me on the second. Here we go." I took a deep breath. "I believe on 3! I believe on 3! 1, 2, 3..." 

"I believe!" The team yelled. The stands went wild. 

It was pretty cringey, but whatever to get the fans going and get the confidence for the team. 

I ran to my spot on the field as Alyssa and the defense set up for the kick once the ref came back onto the field. 

No scoring or major fouls for the next 15 minutes, then in the 70th minute Ashley Sanchez ended it. 

I crossed the ball into the middle, where Ashley ran in and headed it in. 

USA 4, England 2. 

I ran to Ashley and we did our goal handshake. 

"Goal! #8, Ashley Sanchez!" Said the announcer. "Assisted by Morgana LaRue in the 70th minute." 

Nothing for the next 18 minutes, until I decided the scoreline wasn't big enough. England was down 2 players to red cards, and we were only up by 2. Not enough. 

"Morgana LaRue: hair as gold as her heart." 

Hatch's voice echoed in my head as I gathered the energy to score again. Sophia had subbed in for Mal, she was out of concussion protocol and ready to play.