Benjamin emerged from the locker room in time to see the second half of Team B vs. Team D after taking a shower and relaxing for a while to get rid of his fatigue.
He sat on the bench with his eyes fixed on the field and his legs a little sore after his game. Luka, who had just finished stretching, sat next to him.
They both watched as Team B and Team D engaged in a fierce battle as the game progressed.
"What's the score?" Benjamin asked.
Luka leaned on the seat and said in a disappointed tone, "Team B is down 2-0. Team D has been all over them."
Benjamin's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Really? I thought that Team B would be causing them more problems."
Luka gave a nod. "I thought the same, but Team D has been playing good defensive football. They've got that guy, Lars, behind them and he is keeping everything locked down. Their attackers are also quite skilled."
Benjamin's eyes moved to the field and he saw Lars, the right-back for Team D, handling the ball with assurance, making good tackles, and passing the ball to his colleagues. Lars was obviously enjoying his game.
The second half began as the referee's whistle reverberated over the field. Benjamin leaned forward in his seat and watched intently as both teams started with new energy.
The game quickly intensified as Team B launched a barrage of attacks. They needed a goal to come back into the game.
The forwards from Team B sprinted into the last third, moving around opponents and looking for an opening. However, Team D's defense consistently remained strong in the face of such threats.
Lars in particular was all over the place blocking shots, intercepting passes, and charging down the wing to help his team in counterattacks.
Benjamin saw one such instance.
The striker for Team B was about to take a shot inside the box after receiving a fantastic through pass from his teammate. But Lars was fast to respond.
He made a sliding tackle and took the ball cleanly before sending it out for a throw-in. The striker stared at Lars in shock as he stood there. He looked at Lars as though he had just grabbed a certain goal off his feet.
"Man, that guy is on fire today," Luka said while shaking his head.
A few seconds later, Benjamin saw Lars race down the right flank. He overlapped with his winger and fired a dangerous cross into the area.
Although a defender blocked it, the intention was obvious. Lars was a continuous threat because he could contribute to attacking plays in addition to being a strong defensive player.
Despite their best efforts, Team B was unable to penetrate the defense. In an attempt to surprise the goalkeeper, their midfielders attempted long-range attempts, but the ball either flew over the crossbar or was coolly stopped.
Their faces showed their helplessness as the game continued and their desperation grew.
"They're pushing hard, but it's not enough," Benjamin mumbled as he watched the game.
Team D had the advantage because of their 4-3-3 formation, which helped them stay organized and manage the game's flow.
The midfielders of Team D pressed high every time Team B attempted to create space, cutting off the forwards' supply routes.
The contest might continue in such intensity until the clock ran out. Both teams took turns attacking, and it turned into an end-to-end match.
In an attempt to make a breakthrough, Team B threw more players forward, but this exposed them in the back.
Benjamin found himself admiring Lars's ability to remain composed under pressure. He didn't appear agitated despite Team B's relentless attacks.
He would be assisting in the start of a counterattack with a sharp pass upfield one second, and then clearing a cross with a well-timed header in the next second.
Team D scored another goal as Benjamin was reflecting on the match. Their winger squared the ball into the box after dribbling past two defenders in a quick counterattack.
Their striker was unmarked and tapped it in for a simple finish.
3-0.
The referee pointed to the center circle in other to resume the game after the goal was confirmed.
"That's game," Luka sighed saying, "Team B's not coming back from this."
Benjamin saw the members on Team B hunch over while looking depressed. Their self-confidence had obviously been crushed.
They continued to push forward after the match resumed, but thet was more out of duty than belief that they could change the course of the game.
Lars was there every time they moved forward, blocking shots, clearing the ball to safety, and making tackles.
Team B won a corner in the last seconds of the game, hoping that they could at least pull off a consolation goal.
The corner was taken by their captain, who placed the ball in the center of the penalty area. However, Lars stepped up above everyone else once more, heading the ball clear and preventing them from scoring a consolation goal.
Benjamin let out a deep breath as the full-time whistle rang out, feeling the game's intensity kick in. They had won the game three goals to nill owing in major part to Lars' exceptional play and Team D's solid defense.
Some of the players congratulated one another, but others exchanged silent words of discontent as they started shaking hands.
Benjamin glanced to Lars, who grinning and taking in the compliments of his teammates, "That kid's good, but not unbeatable. No wonder Team B couldn't break through."
Luka nodded as he overheard Benjamin, "Lars is a rock at the back. He's clever with the ball and difficult to get past. The scouts will undoubtedly take notice of him today."
As Team D exited the field, they were given twenty minutes to get ready for the final match versus Team A.
Benjamin stayed on the bench for a little while longer as he thought on his own performance earlier in the day.
Because of his left leg, he had only demonstrated around 60% of his skills, but watching Lars play let him understand how talented everyone in the competition was.
"The final match," Benjamin thought, squinting as he saw Lars leave the field. "The final match, I'll have to bring my A-game if we face off."
Benjamin was certain of one thing as he got up and stretched his legs: He would have to keep pushing himself if he wanted to stand out. Like Lars, who demonstrated today that being good was insufficient, you needed to be exceptional.
Benjamin returned to the locker room bearing that concept in mind while planning for the next game.