Maddie's pov:
As we headed into extra time, the tension was almost unbearable. Leah pulled me aside just before the whistle blew, her eyes intense with focus. "Maddie, you've got this. We all believe in you. Just keep pushing."
I nodded, absorbing her words, and took a deep breath. The whistle sounded, and the game was back on. I charged onto the field, my mind and body driven by pure determination. Every pass, every move felt critical. I could feel the weight of the match on my shoulders, but I thrived under the pressure.
Spain's defense was relentless. Every time I tried to break through, they were there, blocking my path, intercepting the ball. But I didn't let it discourage me. I knew I had to keep pressing, to find a way.
The first half of extra time ended, and we regrouped. My teammates were exhausted, but their eyes were filled with resolve. As the second half began, I felt a renewed surge of energy. This was our moment.
The minutes ticked by, the game teetering on a knife's edge. Then, I saw my chance. Beth Mead broke forward on the far side of the pitch, her speed leaving her marker behind. She sent a perfect cross into the box, and I knew this was it.
I launched myself into the air, executing a bicycle kick. The world seemed to slow down as the ball soared past the Spanish goalkeeper and into the net. The roar of the crowd was deafening.
"GOAL!" The commentators' voices echoed in my ears as my teammates rushed towards me, their faces lit up with joy. We had done it. We had taken the lead.
The final minutes of extra time felt like an eternity. We defended with everything we had, each second a battle. When the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match, I felt a surge of emotions overwhelming me.
I sank to my knees, the tears falling freely. We had done it. I had done it. The weight of the past weeks, the doubts, the struggles, all of it faded away in that moment of pure triumph.
My teammates gathered around me, lifting me to my feet, their faces beaming with pride and happiness. Leah hugged me tightly, her voice filled with emotion. "You were incredible, Maddie. Absolutely incredible."
I hugged her back, my heart bursting with gratitude and joy. "We did it together. All of us."
As we celebrated on the pitch, the reality of our achievement began to sink in. We were through to the final. The journey had been tough, but we had persevered. I looked around at my teammates, my friends, and felt a deep sense of pride.
This was our moment, and nothing could take it away from us.
The energy in the changing room was electric. As soon as we stepped off the pitch, the cheers and laughter of my teammates filled the air. The adrenaline from the match still coursed through us, and we were all riding the high of our hard-fought victory.
Mary Earps, our goalkeeper, was one of the first to come up to me. She grinned and gave me a playful nudge. "Thank God it wasn't me in the Spain goal for that bicycle kick, Maddie. I would have needed a chiropractor!"
Everyone burst into laughter, the tension from the match dissolving into joy and camaraderie. Mary's joke lightened the mood even further, and I couldn't help but smile at her infectious humor.
"Seriously, Maddie, that was out of this world," Beth Mead said, giving me a high-five. "You saved us out there."
"Yeah, Maddie," Leah chimed in, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You were amazing. That goal was something else."
I blushed at the praise, feeling both proud and humbled. "Thanks, everyone. I couldn't have done it without you all. We fought hard together."
The room was filled with congratulations, back pats, and more jokes. Someone turned on some music, and soon enough, the entire team was dancing and celebrating. The joy was infectious, spreading through everyone in the room.
