Little Sanchez // USWNT

Chapter 55

Ainsley's POV

I peered up at the countdown on the jumbotron. Everyone screamed the numbers as they counted down from 10, and when it hit one, everyone started screaming so loudly that I could hardly heard the whistle. Everything went fuzzy for a split second, then I was receiving the ball and dropping it back to Lindsey.   

My feet felt stuck in the ground when I looked over to the bench, Ashley watching the ball intently. I still feel sick over how she was treated this whole tournament. We can only hope she'll see the field today when we cruise past Sweden to go to the quarterfinals. 

The press expects nothing from us, absolutely nothing at all. Nobody believes in us, nobody thinks we can do it. 

But I do. 

I know everyone is going to leave everything they have out on the pitch tonight, especially myself. I may never be back here. I may never go to another World Cup. I may never even touch the field again for the USWNT. But I'm here right now and all I can do is my best. 

The game was dull. Super duper dull throughout the first half I generated a good opportunity by megging a defender and playing a through ball to Lindsey, who barely missed the net. I also took a rip from a few yards outside the box that the goalkeeper saved. Alyssa had two saves but nothing too crazy. 

The halftime speech was as dull as the game. I kept looking at Trinity, who appeared to be dying in the corner. She woke up the other day with the flu and is doing her best to play through it. She was playing well considering, but there was no way she'll last a full 90. She looks like shit and can't stop coughing. 

We know we have to step it up or this game is over. 

It's my time to shine and I know it. I have to step up when no one else will. I have to show the world that I am so much more than just the freshly 19-year-old little sister of another player on the team. 

We walked back out onto the field and I was ready to go. I know what needs to happen and what I have to do to get it done. 

The whistle blew and I immediately went sprinting for the ball. When I won it, I looked for options. 

Nobody is up and open for me. 

I decided to take the ball on my own, so I took off down the sideline, making sure to embarrass a defender in the process. I embarrassed another when I slowed down and took her on 1v1, getting by her and getting into the box. 

Before the defenders could close in on me, I took a shot that missed the net by just inches, coming hard off the post and Sweden clearing it away. 

Shit. 

Not to be full of myself, but I was the only player on my team that played like I actually wanted to be there other than Naeher. 

We were lucky in the 78th. Someone lost their mark on a set piece and a Sweden player went to head the ball into the net. The header scraped the crossbar and went over. 

Three minutes of stoppage time. 

In the second minute, Lynn came streaking down the right side of the field, Rose down the left, I stayed towards the middle. She found space behind the Swedish defenders and played me the ball. I ran onto it and slotted it past the goalkeeper. 

In a moment that didn't feel real, I sprinted across the field and Lynn came after me. I made it to the bench and jumped into Ash's arms, breaking into happy tears I was unable to contain. The whole team came over to us and did a gigantic group hug, subs included. The sound in the stadium was deafening, and that's when I knew I'd done it. 

I found my moment of glory. I found my moment that players long for. I found my moment that some of the best players in the world never get to experience. 

I have literally never been happier in my life. 

After lots of head pats, back slaps and cheek kisses, we all made our way back to the center circle. 

The ref was standing in the middle and it looked like a few Swedish players had swarmed her. Lindsey went over to see what was going on. The ref looked annoyed with the other team, her head turned away, talking into her mic. Lindsey was desperately trying to figure out the situation when the ref rolled her eyes and signaled that she was taking a look at VAR. 

My heart dropped slightly and I stared at the ground. Rose and Julie came over to Lindsey and I and we tried to figure out what could have happened. 

"They're checking for offside. It's all just to shut them up. Nobody's off, they weren't even gonna review it initially." Lindsey told us. "The ref is annoyed but they wouldn't back down. I think it's a tactic to throw everyone off and get Sweden an extra minute or two to equalize." 

"Fucking annoying if you ask me." I rolled my eyes and Julie put her hand on my shoulder. 

"It is slightly annoying. But I wouldn't worry at all." She said. 

The amount of noise in the stadium got eerily low. We were all holding our breaths even though we knew the goal would stand. 

"She's been over there a long time." I heard Rose whisper to Lindsey. "I don't like that." 

I felt a fucking deep pit form in the bottom of my stomach but I didn't let my stone face expression crack. Everything's fine. 

"She doesn't have a clue." Julie whispered in my ear. I nodded. No change in expression because I know there is or will be a camera on me at some point soon.

When the ref came running out, the stadium somehow got even quieter than it was previously. She adjusted her microphone and got ready to speak. 

"After review, we have ruled the United States goal to be offside." 

Immediately the stadium got loud again and the cheers of the Swedish players echoed in my ears. I watched my teammates bombard the ref. Knowing I was too upset and tired to put up a fight, but I went over to her anyway. I pushed all of my teammates aside, including Lindsey, and straight up asked her why. 

"What was offside about that, ma'am?" I said with a bit more venom than I intended.

"Number 16 was on your left and her right foot was over the line." 

"Rose? She wasn't even a part of the play. She didn't touch the ball! That's not how it fucking works. Have you ever fucking watched soccer? Can you go check it again? She wasn't even a part of the play, damn it." 

She reached for the card and Julie and Lindsey stepped up next to me. Julie grabbed my arm to pull me back but I ripped it away. 

"Can you go check it again?" I asked again, losing the venom and gaining a hint of pain, something I've never shown on the soccer field. 

"The decision has been made." 

I turned away before I said something she could hear and get a red. 

"Yeah go fuck the Swedish players and don't forget to pull up their pants after." I rolled my eyes while Rose shoved me in the opposite direction. Lindsey shooed away the rest of our team and the ball was given to the Swedish goalkeeper for the free kick. 

We played for another minute with nothing and then we were into extra time. 

I played all of extra time. I was so tired that I almost stayed down when I got knocked over. 

But that would be backing down, and that's not something Ainsley Sanchez does. 

Nothing in extra time. 

We move into PK's. 

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hey y'all! hope you're enjoying this so far. sorry the update took so long, the writers block with this one hit hard. i will be wrapping this up in a few chapters because it's starting to get pretty long. make sure you go check out my new story 'the secret game' and don't be afraid to leave ideas in the comments! thanks everyone :)