While the coaching staff watched the match from the bench, we sat in the stands just behind them. From there, we discussed the players on the field and commented on the game among ourselves.
Fifteen minutes had passed since the match began. Both teams were creating chances at each other's goal. The ball was in Adam's feet in midfield. He was communicating with those around him, directing the play and preparing an attack. After watching for a while, I began to understand how important Adam was to the team.
Adam dribbled the ball into the opponent's half. After observing the situation, he spotted Luis, the team's number ten, in space and made the pass. Luis advanced together with Benjamin and Callum. The opposing team had only two defenders left to stop them.
Luis noticed Benjamin on the right and passed the ball to him. Benjamin pushed forward down the right side. When he entered the penalty area, he slipped a through pass to Callum. Callum struck the ball first time, sending it toward the goal. With a perfect finish into the near bottom-left corner, the ball hit the back of the net.
We celebrated the goal with the Greenfield Rovers supporters in the stands. I was truly surprised by the team's chemistry. No matter how good my individual attributes were, I knew I would need a lot of experience to adapt to this kind of team play. In the future, through both the system and my own efforts, I had to get used to this harmony and become an important part of the team.
Even though Liam usually acted cold, I could see his excitement while watching the match. It was obvious that he loved football. Just like in my previous life, I was drawn to people who watched football with passion. I felt that if I could break down Liam's cold exterior, we could get along very well.
After celebrating the goal, we continued watching the match. Soon, halftime arrived. The first half ended in a 2–2 draw. Although our attacking line was strong, the weaknesses in our defense were clear.
Coach Connor and the rest of the team headed toward the locker room. At that moment, the assistant coach gestured for us to come over, inviting us to experience the locker room atmosphere.
When we entered the locker room, we saw Coach Connor drawing several tactics on the board and giving the players strict warnings. After finishing the diagrams, he spoke to each player one by one. His tone was firm and controlled. However, instead of fear or anger, the players showed deep respect.
Even when Coach Connor scolded the players, his advice always helped them improve. He was a retired footballer and was only in his second year as a head coach. Still, his influence on the players and his tactical analysis made it clear that he would become a much greater coach in the future.
After the locker room talk ended, we returned to our seats in the stands, and the second half began. For the rest of the match, our team controlled the field. Because of that, we managed to score three more goals.
The match ended with a 5–3 victory for Greenfield Rovers.
After watching the match, I felt that I might soon get a chance at the left-back position. No matter how high Dylon's attributes were, he did not perform well at left-back. Because of this, I had a real chance to take the position from him.
When the match ended, the players returned to the locker room to get ready. We followed them to listen to the post-match talk. The atmosphere inside was full of excitement. Since we arrived before Coach Connor, we congratulated the team on their victory.
A few minutes later, Coach Connor entered the locker room and celebrated the win with a few short words.
As I took in that atmosphere, feelings I had never experienced before began to rise within me. I wanted to earn a place in the lineup as soon as possible and stand on the pitch in place of the players who were playing now.