Breakfast In Bed

SheBelieves Cup - USWNT v France

"Come on Lys. Get out of your own head. Goals happen. We still have a lot of game left." Becky told Alyssa, cradling her head in her hands. "We can still win this. PK's happen. We have your back."

"Yeah. Right. Ok. Let's go." Alyssa nodded, and Becky let go, stepping back to take in the goalkeeper. She still looked upset, but her eyes had refocused on the task in front of them.

There were still 80 minutes or so left in this game. They had come back from goal deficits before, even against big name teams like France. If she could keep them from scoring again, the offense would have a chance to tie the game up. All her and the defense had to do was give them that chance.

The game restarted, and in a flash, France was back down the field again. Her three back of Becky, Allie, and Casey were doing their best to contain them. Casey got burned by Le Sommer on the left. Alyssa knew she wouldn't catch her. She saw Becky swinging back on the right towards goal. Allie wouldn't swing over fast enough to prevent Le Sommer from getting a shot off. So, Alyssa rushed off her line. She had to close the angle and force a tough shot.

Le Sommer ripped one with her left foot. Alyssa stretched and managed to get her fingertips on it. She couldn't keep the ball out. It spun towards goal. Becky ran her best to get to it, but she couldn't reach it in time. France scored again, in the 9th minute.

The goalkeeper banged her fist on the turf, frustrated with her performance in the opening minutes. It felt like nothing was going right. First giving up the PK, and now this. She shouldn't be playing against France, who was she kidding. She wasn't ready for this no matter what Jill or Graeme thought. Everyone was seeing what she already feared. She wasn't ready to play the big teams at the international levels. Maybe she would never be. Why else would she have not gotten a cap until 2015?

"Alyssa!" It was Carli who was trying to get her attention. "Lys we are still in this. Let's go!" The goalkeeper's head snapped up and she nodded. It would do no good to zone out now. She didn't think Jill would pull her before half time – she had to keep it at 0-2 for the rest of the first half. No matter what. She looked out to the downfall faces of Casey and Allie and the stone face of Becky.

"We hold here. No more screw ups. Becky swing inside. Allie take the right. Don't let up. Run them down. Formations be damned, she was going to format her defense to give them a fighting chance. Jill can yell at halftime.

The two made the switch as the game restarted. France, now sitting on a 2-goal lead, wasn't satisfied. They threw everything forward, wanting to crush the Americans in front of a home crowd. The American midfield collapsed, with no real direction or sense of purpose they were sliced apart by France's passing. The cheering crowd focused in on the defense, attempting to rally them to hold strong.

And the defense held. With Becky shifted to center back, she could instinctively cover Allie and Casey. Alyssa stayed back on her line, playing more conservative after getting burned twice early on. She made a few good reactions saves and yelled herself hoarse trying to get the team to play good defense. By the skin of their collective teeth, the whistle blew at half with the score still 0-2. Alyssa couldn't be more grateful. She grabbed her towel and water bottle before following the defense in. Her fiancé slowed her pace, allowing she could walk with her.

"How are you holding up?" She spoke quietly, not wanting to grate on Alyssa's nerves nor draw the attention of their teammates.

"Rough half." Alyssa mumbled as she shrugged. "Thought we ended ok. No idea what happened the first 10 minutes."

"Yeah I don't have an answer for that one either." Becky nudged her. "But we turned it around. Now the offense just has to bail us out."

"Yeah I am not counting on it." Alyssa sighed before smiling when she saw Ash and Jane waiting for her in the tunnel.