Kapitel 11: Team A vs Team C

Every name that the head coach called out was greeted with a combination of sighs, smiles, and disappointed expressions.

The list grew longer and Benjamin's heart pounded in his chest as his name still hadn't been called. He glanced around, seeing glimpses of the hopeful expression on the others.

He could see the weird guy, Lars, standing calmly as though he already knew what would happen to him.

"Benjamin Yinka Rijkaard."

The words rang out like music to his ears. Unaware that he had been holding his breath, he let out a quick gasp as relief swept over him like a tidal wave.

He made a quick glance around and caught Lars's eye. Lars grinned, giving him a thumbs-up, and Benjamin nodded back, trying to remain composed.

He wasn't the type to celebrate early; the real test was still ahead.

The head coach continued calling names until he reached 64 boys, leaving the others to quietly gather their things and head off the pitch, their hopes dashed for now.

Benjamin felt a strange mixture of sympathy and relief that he wasn't among them as he watched them go. But he had to push those thoughts aside quickly.

The head coach looked at the expressions of the remaining boys and said, "Okay, congrats to those who made it. Now that you've made it through the first round, things get serious. You will be separated into teams for the trial matches. You can demonstrate your tactical awareness, teamwork, and ability to play under pressure during these games."

Benjamin paid close attention as the coaches started separating the participants into teams. He was placed in Team A along with fifteen other boys.

As he walked over to join his new teammates, he quickly scanned the faces, trying to recognize anyone.

A few familiar ones stood out, players he'd seen during the drills but no one he knew well. Lars, he noticed, had been assigned to Team D.

The teams were quickly formed, and the head coach wasted no time explaining the next part. "You'll play two matches. For the first round, Team A will face Team C, and Team B will face Team D. The winners from those matches will face off in a final to determine the top performers of today's trials."

A coach was assigned to each team and Benjamin was taken aback when he noticed Coach Jansen approaching his team.

He felt a little more at ease at the coincidence because Coach Jansen had already watched him play and was aware of his strengths and weaknesses.

Coach Jansen called the boys attention with a clap of his palms. "All right, Team A, pay attention. Even though I know you're all eager to get on with it, we need to discuss tactics. We'll keep things basic because we don't have much time."

The boys gathered in a huddle as Coach Jansen started outlining their strategy.

Benjamin nodded in agreement as he took in all that was said. A strong defense and rapid attack transitions were prioritized in the selected 4-2-3-1 formation.

Benjamin was assigned to his preferred position on the left wing where he could use his speed and skill to break through the opposition's defense and set up his teammates for opportunities.

As Coach Jansen spoke, Benjamin's mind raced. He knew his left leg wasn't at full strength yet, but that didn't matter, he'd have to compensate with his right.

His ball control, passing and shooting had improved, and he'd need to rely on those skills to make an impact in the wing.

"You'll need to work as a unit," Coach Jansen said, looking each player in the eye. "It doesn't matter how good you are individually if you can't play as part of a team. Communicate, cover for each other, and keep the ball moving."

The boys nodded.

The teams were sent out to their respective sides of the field, and the referee's whistle signaled the start of the match.

For this trial matches, it'll be 30 minutes per half and a 5 minutes break. Team C, their opponents, took a balanced 4-4-2 formation. They had some strong, tall players in defense and a few quick-looking forwards.

From the opening whistle, the game was fast-paced, a whirlwind of end-to-end action, both teams trying to assert dominance over the other.

Benjamin could feel the intensity of the game from the start.

Team C came out aggressively with a strong desire to impress the scouts. Team A was forced to retreat inside their half as a result of their high press.

The ball zipped across the field as Team C launched an attack down the wings in an attempt to take advantage of any openings in Team A's defense.

However, the defense of Team A commanded by Daan, a strong center-back, was holding strong.

Benjamin's eyes darted between his man and the ball while anticipating the next move as he tracked back to assist with cover. He could sense the stress rising as Team C moved the ball swiftly in search for openings.

Their forwards worked well together, running quickly and making a few early shots that made Team A's defense nervous.

The Team C winger fired a dangerous cross into the box after sprinting quickly along the right flank.

Freek, the man in goal for Team A, jumped up and punched it out.

Team C's center midfielder received the clearance and quickly attempted a long-range shot, but it went harmlessly over the bar.

Benjamin let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The first few minutes were intense, and the pressure from Team C was relentless, but they hadn't broken through.

In the 8th minute, one of Team C's midfielders dribbled past their central players, cutting through the defense with a through ball toward their striker.

It appeared as though they might score for a moment as the striker grabbed the pass. However, before the striker could get his shot off, Freek, the goalkeeper for Team A, sprinted off his line and bravely dove to smother the ball.

As the match went on, Team A eventually settled into a rhythm.

They took some control of the midfield as they began to thread passes together. Benjamin saw that the game was changing in the team's advantage as they settled into their roles.

Team A launched the next assault. Tariq, their central midfielder, swiftly changed the play after intercepting a pass and sent the ball out wide to Benjamin.

The wind brushed past Benjamin's face as he accelerated down the wing. His first touch was a little heavy but he managed to get control of it.

As he got closer to the defender, his thoughts were racing. Should I make an inside cut? Or keep going down the line?

Faced with two options, Benjamin opted to keep pushing down the line, but just as he was about to whip in a cross, a defender slid in with a well-timed tackle, knocking the ball out for a throw-in.

Benjamin grumbled, but he quickly moved past the missed opportunity and jogged back into position.

Team C swiftly regained possession of the ball and delivered a long ball to their striker, who had been lurking at the halfway line. The striker ran toward the penalty area after gaining control of the ball.

Together, Daan and Johan, the defenders for Team A, contained him and made him attempt a shot from a difficult angle. Thankfully, though, it flew wide off the post.

Both teams were unable to gain the upper hand in the first ten minutes of the match, which was an end-to-end battle.

Benjamin was gradually getting used to the game's tempo and finding his rhythm.

Despite the lingering soreness in his left leg, his body was holding up well, and his mind remained clear.

All he needed was a chance to make a impact.