Fweeee!
The final match began as the referee's whistle pierced through the commotion of the spectators.
Team D chose a more defensive 5-3-2 shape, obviously planning to absorb the pressure and respond with quick counterattacks, while Team A took their places in the well-known 4-2-3-1 formation, with Benjamin on the left wing.
It was evident that Team A was in charge from the first kick as they controlled possession, using quick passes and strategic placement to keep the ball moving.
Team A's midfielders outmanoeuvred Team D's whenever they attempted to press, keeping the ball under control.
Benjamin, who was waiting for the ideal opportunity to make his move appeared concentrated and alert as he hugged the touchline on the left wing.
His thoughts were racing as he examined the defenders on Team D. "They're playing deep with the intention of waiting for us to make a mistake."
Just five minutes into the game, there was the first significant opportunity.
Luka passed to Benjamin who swiftly considered his options before running down the wing. Lars tightly marked him and lunged in for a tackle, but Benjamin saw it coming.
He did a quick feint to the right, gliding past Lars before sending a low cross into the box.
Pieters met the ball and fired a shot on goal but the goalkeeper for Team D made a spectacular diving save to push the ball just wide of the post.
Pieters' eyes gleamed in frustration, but Benjamin remained unfazed and jogged back to his position. He could sense that the opportunies were coming.
Soon after that, there was another attack.
About thirty yards from the goal, Team A won a free kick. This time, Daarn sprang over the defenders and headed the ball toward the far post after Luka whipped in a dangerous cross.
The crowd gasped as the ball, which had made a good connection, brushed the crossbar and went out for a goal kick. Daarn balled his fists in frustration at the ball going off target.
Team A increased the pressure with each minute that went by.
Their attacking midfielder, Luka, controlled the game's pace by continuously passing the ball to the wingers and striker, where Benjamin and Elias took turns in trying to get past Team D's defense.
However, Lars was in charge of his team's defense and proving to be a rock at the back. He shut off passing lanes or forced Benjamin wider than he intended to go each time he attempted to pass him.
'He's quite good,' Benjamin thought as he looked over his shoulder at Lars, who had begun to prepare himself for the next attack.
Benjamin had another opportunity around the ten-minute mark. Tariq swiftly picked up a loose ball in midfield and sent a brilliant pass through to Benjamin.
Benjamin found himself in space close to the box's edge as he ran towards the ball. He glanced up and saw Pieters running for the nearby post.
Benjamin instantly latched on a curled cross with the inside of his right boot into his path.
Pieters struck the ball with a powerful volley, but the goalkeeper made another incredible save just barely pushing the ball out for a corner.
The stands erupted in moans as yet another chance was lost.
Benjamin chose to stand just outside the 18 yard box as Luka was getting ready to take the corner, in order to avoid being seen by Team D's defenders who were intent on marking the players inside the six-yard box.
Luka delivered the corner with Daarn in his sights but Lars was there once more, rising high to head the ball clear.
However, Benjamin was already moving when the clearance fell straight at his direction this time. After the ball bounced once, Benjamin didn't hesitate as he realized instantly that this was his chance.
He moved and used all of his strength to swing his right foot through the ball.
Time seemed to slow down as the ball shot toward the goal. The spectators held their breath and watched on.
The shot was powerful and accurately arrowed toward the top corner of the net. Until now, the goalkeeper had been invincible, but now he could only watch as the ball sailed past him.
The ball nestled at the back of the net after smashing into the top corner.
Benjamin turned to rush toward his teammates, who embraced him in jubilation as the fans yelled with excitement.
"Finally," he thought as his teammates cheered and gave him pats on the back.
The goal seemed to suddenly ease the tension that had been building over the first fifteen minutes.
Luka held him by the shoulders while grinning and shook him. "Ben, that was a rocket! No one is going to stop that."
Benjamin gave himself a moment to smile, "Just had to catch it right," He tried to act calmly as he said that but his heart was still racing in excitement.
Team A's confidence soared as the game resumed. They pushed even harder now, hoping to end the game early on since the goal had turned the tide in their favor.
For the first time, however, Team D appeared shaken. After remaining strong for the first quarter of the game, their defensive wall was starting to show cracks.
Lars was slowly getting frustrated and he tried reorganized his backline, but the relentless push from Team A was wearing him down.
"This was all his doing," he said, casting a somewhat resentful glance toward Benjamin. He thought, 'I'll have to be more ruthless with my tackles.'
Benjamin kept his focus and attention on the game in the meantime. The idea crossed his mind as he scanned the field for another opportunity: "One goal isn't enough." He was starting to get the feel of it, and his left foot was more fluid than before.
He was locked in.
Team A kept controlling possession as the game went on, driving Team D farther and farther back while frustrating them and hoping they would make a mistake.
The game had devolved into a one-sided assault, and Benjamin was aware that more goals would be scored if they continued at this rate.
But for the time being, he gave himself a break and looked up at the scoreboard as the twentieth minute mark had just passed. Team A had the upper hand and was in control of the game so far.
And Benjamin? He was far from done.
The pace was still set by Team A as the game progressed and In an effort to find openings in Team D's unwavering defense, they moved the ball fluidly from one side of the field to the other.
Despite their early resilience, Team D's backline suddenly appeared stretched as a result of Benjamin, Luka, and the others' constant onslaught.
Team A finally had another opportunity to score in the 28th minute.
The defensive midfielder Bram timed his challenge after spotting an approaching ball from Team D's midfielder. He claimed the ball cleanly and turned to avoid a tackle from his opponent before playing a fast pass to Luka without wasting any time.
Luka's lightning-fast reflexes performed a miracle once again. He saw Benjamin cutting in from the left wing and used a clever flick to slide the ball through his marker's legs and into Benjamin's path.
Benjamin's heart was pounding as he caught the ball. He looked up to see Lars closing in on him with intention of obstructing his path.
'Not this time,' Benjamin thought as he pushed the ball ahead with a burst of pace.
Lars couldn't keep up with the young winger's speed. Benjamin swiftly turned to his right and continued, Lars following two steps behind him.
As Benjamin ran down the center of the field, the audience was buzzing with excitement. He looked up to assess his options and spotted Pieters ahead.
The striker couldn't move freely since he was locked between two of Team D's defenders. Benjamin was aware that in order to release Pieters he needed to pull them out of position.
Benjamin picked up speed, edging in the direction of the defenders and pulling one of them toward him. He closed in just enough, then played a through-ball between the defenders with great timing.
Pieters burst past his only marker and latched onto the pass after he was finally free and onside.
Benjamin held his breath, watching as Pieters dribbled into the box, now one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Time seems to slow down.
Pieters remained composed, took a single touch to regain his balance, and then coolly slid the ball into the goal, sending the goalkeeper diving the wrong way.
Pieters raised his arms in celebration as the crowd roared loudly. Benjamin couldn't help but smile as his teammates rushed over to him. They were now two goals ahead thanks to the successful intricate play.
Benjamin approached Pieters with a jog and gave him a pat on the back. "Nice finish," He said in a voice that could almost be heard over the cheering fans.
"Thanks for the setup," smiling broadly, Pieters remarked. "You made it look easy."
Even when the game resumed, Team A was already decisively ahead. Team D appeared devastated, their former self-assurance clearly fading. Now, their defense was struggling to keep up with Team A's unrelenting assaults.
Up until the minutes passed, Team A continued to dominate, pushing high and holding onto the ball until the first half came to a close.
The midfield was being dominated by Bram and Tariq, who swiftly put an end to Team D's attempts at a few counterattacks.
Lars was constantly having difficulties because Benjamin was running down the left wing while his adrenaline was still pumping from the assist.
Benjamin's adrenaline was still surging from the assist and he continued to make runs down the left wing, causing constant problems for Lars and the rest of Team D's defense.
He could sense their frustration building, especially Lars, who was no longer able to contain him as tightly as before.
As the first half neared its conclusion, Benjamin slowed his pace for a moment, catching his breath and looking at the clock.
He was aware that they couldn't afford to drop their guard as halftime drew near. Team D might come back to the game with just one error.
The referee blew his whistle to finish the first half just as he was thinking that.
Benjamin and his teammates walked toward the sidelines, wiping the sweat from his brow.
He glanced over at Lars who was walking off with his teammates, head down and frustration clear on his face.
'Not so haughty now huh?' he thought to himself with a smirk on his face.