The players and the coach of the Inkford University football team had their back against the goal as they were all afraid to see the ball enter the goal, which was going to be the final nail in the coffin there would be no time left to get a goal if they were to concede a goal.
On the other hand, the Victorian Count and the crowd were buzzing. They had not witnessed a game with this amount of passion and suspense-filled inside 90 minutes of football in years of this competition, and the mouths of the fans were filled only with compliments for the Victorian Count because he was the one who came up with the idea of a special entry into the top four.
"Here steps the captain of Faith University to take the vital penalty... Can she win it for Faith University, or is there yet another twist in the competition... She steps up to take it... AND IT'S A SAVE!!!!!!!!!! The hopes of Inkford University are well and truly alive. I don't think I've seen anything this spectacular in my life ever..."
The commentators didn't fail to describe this moment of magic, and they portrayed their passion with their beautiful words during commentary.
"SALLY, WE LOVE YOU, HOW ON EARTH DID YOU MANAGE TO SAVE THAT? I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH." The feeling of the whole team was over the moon. They screamed in joy and pure love for their goalkeeper Sally as soon as they heard the commentator scream that she saved the goal. After the crucial save, the Inkford University team realized that it's their day and have every chance to turn around in the last ten minutes. Indeed the penalty miss would pile up the pressure on Faith University, which they are already facing ever since Inkford scored their first goal.
"It didn't even surprise me, and I knew a penalty miss was coming. Some captain you are, a captain is someone who relieves the stress of the team, but unfortunately, our captain only seems to keep piling up the stress. Of course, you want to go ahead and shout at us now? Go ahead because usually we're the ones who clean up your mess." Faith University had lost faith in their captain, she knew she would soak into the pressure, but there was no stopping her from taking the penalty because her egoistic mind was always about herself. She put herself before the whole team, and that was always her downfall- the biggest flaw of being a captain.
"It is now assured that you've spoken too soon. Life comes at you real fast, and in this sport, even faster. You were the one who influenced me to speak. I was not the one who started the mockery."
Although momentum, morale, opportunities, and luck favored Inkford University, the most important thing, which was the scoreline and time was not in their favor. They had to score as fast as possible, or all their efforts would go to waste.
Inkford University was desperately seeking answers to save this game. Finally, the coach called the captain over to her to have a word to change a few tactics, " Amy, I don't know if this might work, but my gut feeling is asking me to send Clara to attack along with you. We're already losing, so we might as well risk everything we have to get something out of this match."
In the last attempt to salvage something from this game, the coach decided to put Clara and Amy to attack in the opposition territory. The intention behind this tactic was Clara's height, and she was the tallest on the entire pitch. Therefore, they planned to attack the opponent using Clara's height advantage as she was pretty good at winning headers.
"Clara, the coach has asked you to play as a forward with me. We're going to play long balls; please win the headers. It is going to be our approach to the game, win us the game, Clara. We believe in you."
Commentators were at it, enjoying every second of this match. " We're entering the last 5 minutes of this match. At the moment, for Inkford University, it seems as though they're so close yet so far situation. They have been doing everything right except for scoring one goal. Scoring one goal would bring this game into an extra 30 minutes thriller. What will be the outcome of this match? If you'd ask any neutral in this crowd, they would indeed say they don't want this game to end."
"It has been a good watch this game, but now we're finally coming to an end. We've entered the last minute of this game, it has been a great show of character by Inkford University, but it looks like it's all over now. OR WAIT, SURELY NOT, SURELY YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME ANOTHER TWIST RIGHT AT THE END? Inkford has only gone and done it; they have turned it around in the dying moments of this game. I can not believe it. I am witnessing one of the best matches the Victorian Cup has ever produced, and the Victorian Cup hasn't even started yet." It was a commentator's curse for Faith University, as the old sayings go, a one-goal lead could be the worst cushion of hope and belief. Unfortunately, a one-goal lead is never enough. Many wasted opportunities cost Faith University a fixed victory in 90 minutes of the game. All to do in the next 30 minutes with all of the momentum going in favor of Inkford University.
"You're right. I'm not special or anything the whole city assumed me to be, but I don't have to be special because the whole team together is something special. Like I said earlier, I'm here to do the talking on the pitch, we're here to win the match, but you're here to create a rivalry with me and win when there is no rivalry between us." An act of sweet revenge? The match did not end yet, and anyone could win the game but understanding the circumstances, it was all Inkford's to take the top four spot in the Victorian Cup.
"What an end to this 90 minutes of football, Action-packed and drama till the very end, 30 minutes more to be played it cant get any better than this? Surely not."
"I can't even believe what you guys have gone and done out there. I can't be more proud of this team. Do you realize you have an opportunity to make me more proud, don't you? Don't get ahead of yourselves and think it will be a simple task for the next 30 minutes. It was a game of two halves. They had the better first, and we had the better in the second; we seem to be riding the momentum, so we must not stop here. We go for the kill in the last 30 minutes."
Five minutes break after the full-time whistle was now completed, and the players began walking into the pitch for the game to start. "Hopefully, both teams are energized to pick up from where they had left off before the full-time whistle. It has been the most challenging game to be a commentator in emotions flowing and action-packed even though we are neutrals. It is the reason we love it so much."
The game had only begun a few minutes before, and there was a goal already. "Oh my god, this has to be one of the greatest comebacks I have seen by a University ever in my life. Inkford University leads 3-2 in the match; they have turned into a completely different team in extra time. Confident and ruthless, they are attacking with a purpose to finish the game off."
As ruthless as it gets, the team knew they just had to get the job done, and they did it brilliantly. " It is the 115th minute in the match, and Inkford University leads 6-2. Amy's captaincy has to be admired as she was injured sitting on the bench and willingly stepped into the field and scored a hattrick for Inkford. It is undoubtedly done and dusted now, and it is impossible for another twist."
It was great determination and persistence shown by Inkford University. Even their opponents had nothing but respect for them. "Do you see now? I am just an average werewolf, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'm ever going to give up against the best teams around here. I live for moments like these, challenging moments that surpass help me surpass my limits at the moment. I don't want to be the best player or the best captain. I don't want to give up; it's how I was raised." A lesson taught well to Faith University's captain was speechless in shame because she had accepted defeat. She had respect towards Amy now as she defeated her by being the better captain. It was a specialty of Amy that wherever she went, Amy earned respect from all of the opponents because her attitude was unmatched and likeable.
A Victorian cup hosted by Victorian Count was a competition between the best Vampires and Werewolves, ranking points determined the best teams from Vampires and Werewolves, and Victorian Count's officials would select two of the best over the current year's performance. Although Victorian Cup had different rules, a team could contain boys and girls to make it more competitive as Vampire and Werewolves differed from humans. However, the strength of the gender was on par compared to that of humans. The other rule was rivalries aside, and it must be a fair game at all costs. Any act of malice by a team would be considered as a disqualification for the team.
Amy gained quite the popularity over a few months, but her display against Faith University stood out the most. As she was walking back home from her practice session, she crashed into someone. "Uh.. Sorry I was zoned out. I wasn't seeing where I was going; I'm sorry."
He replied, " As expected from a famous captain who's thinking about how her headlines would be spreading over the city, of course, she's going to be zoned out, isn't she? Besides, it's finally good to have our rivals creep into the cup only to be washed away by us. We despise the werewolves. By the way, I'm the captain of Eclipse University, Matts Humming."
Amy was shell-shocked. She not only found him attractive, but she loved the arrogance in his voice and attitude. For a moment, it felt like love at first sight, but she was reminded by herself that it's a Vampire, Although he is quite different from others.
"We're not here just for being in this competition, we're here to knock you off your throne and dominance in this cup you've been having over the years."
Matts Humming was left in awe as he confronted Amy. He was sure that she was not just saying all those things out of overconfidence. When he looked into her eyes, he knew it was pure confidence.
He discovered that he had a soft spot for a specific Werewolf. It was the start of something magical.