Connections

43

*

ICC Final: Atletico Madrid v Man City Women

"Here is your chance to go and prove to the world of women's football that we are still pushing the top teams, that we can keep the pressure on and eventually overtake them" I explain.

"We have fallen to defeat against this team before and I know first hand how hard it was to accept leaving the competition in the first round" I add, "but I will not let you take this opportunity and throw it away from the first whistle. I do not want to see disappointed faces at the end and if we do lose, I want to lose having done our best and having put every ounce of effort into this game" I say.

Faces look back at me and Steph's eyes lock onto mine and she nods.

"Alright let's go" I smile and the girls stand up to make their way over to the door into the corridor and tunnel. Nick, myself and the staff follow behind and walk through to the pitch, passing the Atleti players that now have Toni in their ranks.

We take up our positions in the dugout and wait for the referee to lead the two teams out; WakeMed Soccer Park full of US fans of both clubs.

"Please welcome the teams of Atletico Madrid and Man City Women".

"Show time" I say to Nick, "show time indeed" he replies as the two groups of players line up across from us.

The squads are announced as the two shake hands and then proceed to having their photos taken before they gather for one last group huddle with us, the staff and the rest of the players.

"Ok, focus. This is a big game for us and we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They will come at us with everything they've got but I want you to absorb that pressure and put it back on them" Nick explains, "they haven't lost that many players since our Champions League game and so it makes our job easier, we have the advantage with our losses and additions" he adds.

"I know you can do this. I know you haven't been together as a group for that long but you have bonded extremely quickly and better than I imagined" I smile, "we don't need to win this to show we are serious about our football, we already know that and so do our opponents whether here or in the WSL. But let's go out there and give it a flipping good go" I explain.

The team nods as Jill leads a 'Team on three' for the girls before they head onto the pitch and take up their starting positions.

Atleti start with the ball, Toni playing it back to Amanda Sampedro, only for the midfielder to lose possession to a pressurising Janine. She finds Laura on the wing but the forward struggles to get past Menayo and she loses out to the Atletico defender. The ball is played long over the top for Ludmila, the speedy Brazilian forward we came up against in our UWCL meetings tricking Gemma; leaving her behind.

Steph steps up to defend, Aoife and Demi tracking Toni and Virginia Torrecilla, the rest of the girls getting up to cover the opposition.

Ludmila crosses the ball into the box, KB staying on her line as there's a scramble, Aoife heading it away before Toni drills in a low shot to KB's left. Thankfully she spots it and is able to shift her feet and positioning to get there and send it out for a corner.

Toni steps up and swings the ball into the area, Aïssatou Tounkara and Silvia Meseguer getting up to head it, the ball calmly collected by KB.

*

"Steph! Let Caz take this one" I shout across to the captain, both her, the midfielder and Georgia are lining up to take a shot at the free kick.

The three of them look across at me and both Steph and Georgia give me the thumbs up, setting themselves up for a diversion while Caz plants her feet and focuses her attention on the goal.

"Top left" I mutter, standing with one arm tucked underneath the other, my free hand resting on my chin; biting my nails. I watch as the Atletico players set up to defend and then the referee blows her whistle, Georgia making the run to draw the Atleti players out before Caroline plants the ball in the top right.

"Yesss!" I scream, unprofessionally throwing my arms in the air as Caroline comes running over, hugging me and then getting lost in the crowd because the others have joined us.

Once back on the pitch, I go back to my seat with a huge smile on my face and watch the referee get the game back underway; Janine passing it back to Georgia. "I'm going to make a substitution in about ten minutes" Nick says, "Jill for Patri?" I ask and he nods, "yes, she's look tired plus Guijarro knows a lot about this team" he adds.

"Patri?" I call down the line, "you're going in for Jill in ten minutes" I say simply, holding up my hands to show how long she'd got and who she was going in for.

I think she got the jist of it because she nods, albeit slowly but it's good enough for me.

*

Steph's P.O.V.

"Congratulations" Lottie smiles, coming over to hug me while the rest of the team are still shaking hands with the Atleti girls, "thank you" I reply, "nice call on the free kick" I add.

"I knew all three of you were capable at taking it but I thought having seen Caroline's against Jamaica I thought, this is pretty similar and why not?" Lottie replies and before I can answer we're interrupted by the Atletico coach taking Charlotte away to congratulate her. I let her go before I make my way around the remaining Madrid girls, shaking hands with them etc and then returning to my own girls for a post match huddle.

"Congratulations" Nick says as Charlotte squeezes into the huddle next to Twadds, "this was our chance to show that we can take on the best, much like playing Lyon and we proved today that they are capable of being toppled from their pedestal" he explains.

"You played some good football tonight and worked well as a team given how short a time you've been together" Charlotte now says, "as promised you will get to meet my sister later but I think we better change out of these clothes" she smiles and we laugh; Jill leading a 'team on three'.

*