From My Love to My Life (MXM) (sequel to From My Enemy to My Love)

Chapter 39

Chet Watakeekul

The coaches came into the locker room to talk game play. The excitement in the room was like an electric current that connected us all. The game for the MLS cup was about to begin. I knew Vincent and my mom would be in the stands and I knew the rest of my family and friends would be watching it. My team had never been here before. The team we were about to play had been there several times, but hadn't actually won much. That title usually went to the team we had beat in the western conference finals. We had a good chance of beating this team too. We couldn't let the excitement be a detriment to us. We had to use it to our advantage. Use that excitement to enhance our gameplay and not distract us from it. I believed in us.

When we went out to the field to warm up, I glanced up to the stands. I found Vincent and my mom sitting next to Rusnak's wife. I waved at them. After they waved back, I turned all my attention to soccer.

When it was time for the game to start, the opposing team won the coin toss. The beginning of the game was the same for both teams. We ran along the length of the field back and forth with neither team scoring. The defensive lines for both teams were on their A game.

It quickly became apparent that the opposing defenders were being extra attentive to me and I didn't think I was going to be able to make a goal at this rate. But I was not the only member of my team who could make goals. I called out orders as we ran across the field hoping that Bradley or Kamara or any other member of our team would get a chance to make a goal while the opposing defense was too focused on me. We could change their focus to our advantage.

When we were close to the goal, Kamara had the ball. He passed it to Bradley. The defenders had temporarily left him open while they focused on me and Kamara. When they realized this, they quickly ran to stop him. He had the ball set and he kicked towards the goal. The ball rolled along the pitch heading towards the right back corner of the net. Their goalie dove and landed on top of it stopping us from scoring.

The opposing team had the ball. I ran down the field with everyone else waiting for an opportunity to possibly steal or be ready if we had the ball again. Alvarez, Nagbe, Smith and Jones were tight with our defensive line. The opposing team's striker tried to kick the ball through their line, but Alvarez was on top of it and intercepted. He kicked the ball towards Martinez who kicked it to Bradley and we were running down the field again. This time we had the ball.

The first half repeated this pattern with neither side scoring a goal. Both Bradley and Kamara got close to making a goal, but the opposing goalie stopped them just as our defensive line and goalie - Rusnak stopped them.

The whistle blew for half time. We walked back to the rest of our team and coaches. I was quickly handed a towel and a bottle of water. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and took a swallow of the water as I sat next to Rusnak.

The coaches gave us plays that would hopefully open more opportunities for our offensive line and reiterated what was working for the defensive line.

Half time ended and the game started again. The opposing side changed strategies slightly. I supposed they didn't like how close Bradley and Kamara had come to scoring because their defense was spread out more evenly between us instead of having me be their main focus.

Bradley and Kamara both came close to scoring, but again the opposing goalie was able to block the ball. Near the middle of the second half, Bradley had the ball as he dribbled along the field towards the goal. The opposing team thought he was going to pass it to Kamara when we neared the goal as that had been the pattern before. They didn't realize that in doing so they had left me open until Bradley kicked the ball past them to me instead. I received the ball, took a quick assessment of where their goalie was, and then kicked the ball. He dove for the ball, but the ball was quicker than he was and it slid past him to hit the net.