"No..."
"Please..."
"Not another goal."
Belagus steadied himself and struck the ball.
"What a save from Dogo!"
"I.Land have their goalkeeper to thank once again!"
The ball was punched clear.
But the danger wasn't over.
Comoa's left-back charged onto the loose ball and fired a fierce volley back toward goal.
The shot flew like a bullet.
For a split second, hearts stopped.
Then...
The ball sailed just wide.
Goal kick.
I.Land restarted play from the back.
Comoa guessed the visitors wanted to slow the tempo and build patiently, so instead of pressing recklessly, they held their shape.
Andol received the ball before passing to Kibb.
"Oh..."
"It's coming to me."
"Where do I go?"
With no time to think, Kibb simply cleared it.
The clearance spun high into Comoa's half.
Their central midfielder calmly brought it down with his chest.
That was all Shroder needed.
He pounced.
Winning the second ball, he drove forward at full speed.
Everyone expected him to shoot with his weaker foot.
Instead—
He faked the shot.
The goalkeeper committed.
Shroder shifted the ball onto his stronger side.
The far post opened up.
"Samba!"
Shroder squared the ball.
The crowd erupted.
"Wonder Feet!"
"Wonder Feet!"
Samba met the pass first time.
Grim threw himself across to block.
"Elastico!"
One touch.
The defender was beaten.
Samba fired.
The goalkeeper recovered brilliantly, tipping the shot behind toward the corner flag.
Samba refused to give up.
He sprinted after it.
So did Comoa's left-back.
Using the outside of his right foot, Samba controlled the ball before it crossed the line.
He glanced into the penalty area.
Movement.
Someone was arriving.
Two quick step-overs.
Cross.
"And Kibb is inside the box!"
Kibb attacked the ball with a powerful volley.
CLANG!
The crossbar.
The rebound bounced back to him.
Without thinking, he struck it again.
CLANG!
Off the bar again.
"Seriously?!"
Kibb clenched his teeth.
Comoa's goalkeeper gathered the loose ball and immediately launched a counterattack.
"OW!"
Shroder smacked the back of Kibb's head.
"Why are you in the box?!"
"Aren't you supposed to be defending?"
"If they score from this counter, you're dead!"
Ricardio controlled the long clearance.
Within seconds, he slipped the ball to Melphes.
The attack developed quickly.
Knowing Dogo liked to rush off his line, Melphes tempted him forward.
The goalkeeper took the bait.
At the perfect moment—
Melphes squared the ball to Belagus.
First time shot.
The ball rose over Dogo...
But curled just over the crossbar.
Corner kick.
Belagus frowned.
"Wait..."
"I didn't rush that."
He turned.
Behind him, Kibb stood bent over, breathing heavily.
"That rookie..."
"Wasn't he in our penalty area just seconds ago?"
"Yep," Melphes replied.
"He sprinted all the way back."
Belagus laughed.
"Idiot."
"He nearly cost his team trying to play hero."
Kibb struggled to catch his breath.
A shadow stopped beside him.
"Huh?"
Dogo.
"What the hell were you doing?"
"Trying to score?"
Kibb scratched his head awkwardly.
"I..."
"I couldn't find a safe clearance."
"And..."
"Well... inertia happened."
Dogo sighed before smiling.
"Thanks for tracking back."
"But focus."
"They've already created two chances from corners."
Melphes walked over to take it.
As everyone took their positions...
Kibb remembered something.
Before the previous corner...
Melphes and Ricardio had exchanged a few words.
Belagus had also spoken with them.
Then...
That eye contact.
Belagus.
Ricardio.
"There it is."
"I've got it."
The whistle blew.
Melphes rolled the ball short.
Exactly as Kibb expected.
Ricardio received it.
One touch.
A curling trivela cross toward Belagus.
Kibb burst forward.
"I knew it!"
He intercepted the cross before it reached its target.
One powerful clearance.
The ball sailed deep into Comoa's half.
Jolar looked up.
"That should be Grim's ball..."
Grim jumped.
Lost his footing.
Slipped.
"My chance!"
Jolar exploded through the middle.
The goalkeeper rushed out.
Jolar stayed calm.
One delicate chip.
The ball floated over the keeper...
...and into the net.
"GOOOOOAAAL!"
MATCH SCORE: 0–1
Jolar (39')
Kibb stood frozen.
"…That was my clearance."
"…An assist?"