Twenty minutes into the second half, team white has taken over completely. They've bagged four goals against team red, and ever since Leon's solo strike, the red team has barely managed to venture into the white team's half. It's like the white team's been playing keep-away out of spite, stringing endless passes together and making the reds chase shadows.
Out of nowhere, Nikolai intercepts a lazy pass from the DM and starts charging forward into midfield. His teammates spread out into open spaces, looking ready to receive. But just as he's about to pick his pass, the white team's defense locks down every option, leaving him stranded.
With no clear outlet, Nikolai takes matters into his own hands, committing to a solo run. Both Leon and Che notice the opening and dart inward, hoping to give him an out. Nikolai spots Leon, who's got space to make a move, and quickly slips him the ball.
Leon grabs the pass and starts sprinting toward the center. His striker cuts diagonally across the pitch, drawing defenders with him and creating a lane for Che on the left side. Instead of playing the striker, Leon fires a pass to Che, who's completely unmarked—the right-back is nowhere to be seen.
Che picks up the ball and charges down the left flank. The right center-back closes in fast, narrowing the gap between them. Just as the RCB gets close, Che surprises him with a pinpoint ground pass through traffic to the striker. The ST has the LCB on his left and the LB breathing down his neck on the right.
The ball zips toward him with blistering speed and backspin. The LCB dives in with a sliding tackle, narrowly missing as the ball rolls cleanly onto the striker's feet. The ST takes off, the LB chasing him like his life depends on it.
Within moments, the striker hits the box and smells blood—a chance for glory. He glances up, eyes the keeper's positioning, and fires a low, venomous shot toward the bottom left corner. The keeper stretches his fingers to tip it away, but the ball's power and placement are too much—it hits the net.
Both center-backs throw their hands in the air, glaring at each other in frustration. The keeper, visibly fuming, claps his hands furiously, shouting at the defense. Che sprints over to the striker, patting him on the back.
"What a pass," the striker says, still catching his breath.
"I know," Che replies with a smirk, jogging back to midfield.
Score: White (4 - 2) Red
The game restarts, but it's still the white team dictating play, pressing hard and controlling the tempo. They earn a corner kick, but the delivery fails miserably, barely clearing the first man. The red team kicks the ball toward the sideline on the right.
As it bounces toward the edge of the pitch, Leon and the white team's DM engage in a heated footrace. The ball takes a wild bounce, just shy of going out of play, and the DM slows down, assuming it'll cross the line.
But Leon doesn't stop. Sprinting past him, he dives for the ball and heads it forward just before it crosses. He steps briefly out of bounds but quickly cuts back into play, regaining control. The DM tries to react, but Leon knocks the ball forward and leaves him trailing with pure pace.
Che also sprints down the center of the field, setting up a dangerous two-on-one scenario against the white team's RCB, who stays unnervingly calm, evaluating the situation. With the striker still behind, helping defend the corner kick, it's all up to Leon and Che.
Leon drifts inward, closing the space between himself and Che to center the attack. The RCB adjusts immediately, blocking the channel between the two, forcing Leon to either thread a risky pass or take matters into his own hands.
Leon doesn't hesitate, opting to keep the ball and push forward himself. He knows Che wouldn't win a footrace and his lighter frame wouldn't fare well in a one-on-one duel with the defender. He accelerates, leaving Che in the dust as he charges down the center.
The LCB starts closing in slowly, reading Leon's run. Leon glances over at Che but realizes too late that he's drifted into an offside position. With Che out of the play, it's now Leon versus the RCB.
As Leon approaches the box, the RCB lures him inside, carefully cutting off passing lanes. Leon slows his pace just as he enters, quickly noticing that the RB has regained his position and is now covering Che.
Leon fakes a shot with his right foot, angling the ball for his left. The RCB bites, committing to block with his right foot. As Leon strikes with his left, the RCB uses the momentum of his failed block to pivot 180 degrees, swinging his leg around to deflect the shot. The ball ricochets off his foot and flies back toward midfield.
Immediately, team white seizes the opportunity, launching a deadly counterattack. A crisp sequence of four passes later, the ball is whipped into the box from the right wing, and their striker rises high to hammer it home with a header.
Che and Leon stand frozen for a moment, staring at each other.
"What the heck was that?" Leon mutters, throwing up his hands.
Che shrugs. "No clue, man." The disbelief hangs thick as they trudge back to restart the game.
Score: White ( 5 - 2 ) Red