Audrey's POV
"Alright." Coach says as he passes out sheets of paper. "So before you guys go get your stuff we're gonna quickly go over the NWSL All Star roster and how to beat them."
We beat the Reign 2-1 in Seattle then we beat Utah and Chicago 3-1 and 2-0 respectively. Today is our last game in America and it's against the NWSL All Star's in Orlando. Today's also gonna be my first time playing on our tour and it will be my first time back playing at Orlando's stadium.
Coach starts talking about the roster so I look at it and see who all we'll be playing and what club they play for.
Goalkeepers:
Alyssa Naeher-Chicago Red Stars
Kailen Sheridan-Sky Blue FC
Mackenzie Arnold-Orlando Pride
Defenders:
Abby Dahlkemper-LA Knights
Abby Erceg-North Carolina Courage
Alanna Kennedy-Orlando Pride
Carson Pickett-Orlando Pride
Casey Short-Chicago Red Stars
Ellie Carpenter-Portland Thorns
Emily Sonnett-Orlando Pride
Hailie Mace-North Carolina Courage
Julia Bingham-Chicago Red Stars
Kelley O'Hara-LA Knights
Sarah Gorden-Chicago Red Stars
Shelina Zadorsky-Orlando Pride
Midfielders:
Andi Sullivan-Washington Spirit
Crystal Dunn-North Carolina Courage
Debinha-North Carolina Courage
Taylor Kornieck-Orlando Pride
Julie Ertz-Chicago Red Stars
Lindsey Horan-Portland Thorns
Morgan Brian-Atlanta Vipers
Rose Lavelle-Washington Spirit
Sam Mewis-North Carolina Courage
Forwards:
Alex Morgan-LA Knights
Ashley Sanchez-Washington Spirit
Christen Press-Portland Thorns
Kealia Ohai-Chicago Red Stars
Lynn Williams-North Carolina Courage
Mal Pugh-Sky Blue FC
Rachel Daly-Houston Dash
Sophia Smith-Portland Thorns
Tobin Heath-Portland Thorns
"That's so many people." Lisa says when Joe finishes.
"This whole thing is so stupid." I mumble.
"Are all of them going to play?" Viv asks and I nod.
"Kelley told me that they're all getting around 30 minutes of game time each." I say.
"Audrey you need to do your Instagram Story." Someone from the Arsenal media team says and hands me a phone open to Instagram.
I nod then press the record button.
"Hey fans." I say with a smile. "I can't wait to be back under the lights of Exploria Stadium tonight with the team."
I tilt the phone so everyone from the team can be shown then I put the phone back on myself.
"Side note, NWSL fans if you have my Orlando jersey and would like one of my new jersey's from Arsenal then show up wearing my Orlando jersey and I'll give you an Arsenal one in your size after the game." I say.
Balto barks so I pick him up and hold him in front of the Camera next to me.
"Balto and I will see you soon." I say as Lisa 'Waves' Balto's paw at the camera.
I press the send button, hand the phone back to the media member, grab my phone, open instagram, then repost the story I just did for Arsenal and the NWSL instagram pages.
"Hey did you guys see Real Madrid's new signings?" Viv asks.
"No, who'd they sign?" I ask.
"Ramona Bachmann and Alisha Lehmann."
"Wow." I say. "Good for them."
"Apparently they both asked for the transfer." Katie says as she reads something on her phone.
"Makes sense." I say.
"It does?" Lisa questions.
"Yeah." Jordan says. "Ramona wasn't getting the game time she wanted at Chelsea and Alisha is at a level that West Ham can't facilitate with their squad."
"LOAD UP LADIES." One of the coaches shouts then I clip Balto into his lead.
Once Balto is ready to go I grab my stuff, head out to the bus, get on the bus, then sit down next to Daan before we head to the stadium.
As we're traveling to the stadium I scroll through twitter until I come across the NWSL All Star starting line-up.
1-Mackenzie Arnold
5-Kelley O'Hara
14-Sarah Gorden
14-Alanna Kennedy
16-Emily Sonnett (C)
8-Julie Ertz
6-Taylor Kornieck
10-Lindsey Horan
17-Tobin Heath
13-Alex Morgan
23-Christen Press
"Why do some of them have the same numbers?" Daan questions.
"They're all wearing their club jerseys."
"How did they decide captain?" Jordan asks.
"Well Sonnett plays in Orlando and she's the Pride captain so I assume they wanted a Pride player to be the captain." I say then I turn my head to whisper to my girlfriend. "What's our starting line-up?"
Daan playfully rolls her eyes at me then she hands me a piece of paper with the line up on it.
18-Pauline Peyraud-Magnin
3-Steph Catley
6-Leah Williamson
12-Tierna Davidson
15-Katie McCabe
10-Kim Little
21-Jessie Fleming
8-Jordan Nobbs
14-Audrey Solo
11-Vivianne Miedema
7-Daniëlle van de Donk
"I still can't believe we signed Tierna." Daan say.
"Me either." I say and smile.
"Does she have a place to stay?" Daan asks so I look at my new club teammate.
"Hey T." I say.
"Yeah?" Tierna says.
"Have you found a place to stay in London?"
"Yeah." Tierna says. "The club helped me out."
"Are you staying by yourself?"
"No." Tierna says and shakes her head. "Steph and I are rooming together...and we're suppose to be getting another roommate."
"We're trying to sign someone else?" Jordan asks.
"Apparently."
"Do you know what position?"
"Probably a Keeper." Jessie says.
Manuela was sold to Real Madrid for some reason.
"Well then." I say as we pull up to Exploria stadium.
Once the bus stops outside of the stadium we get out, grab our bags then head to the locker room. When we get to the locker room I head to my locker then look at the armband wrapped around the hangar my jersey is on.
"I'm Captain?" I question then turn around.
"Show 'em what their missing." Kim says then she smiles.
"Oh." I say then I bend down and clip Balto's lead onto him. "Wanna go for a walk?"
Balto barks and jumps around so I stand up, put my AirPods in, grab my phone, put my music on, then we walk out of the locker room and head for the pitch. Once on the pitch I notice the fans have started arriving so I keep my distance from them and walk on the side of the pitch.
When Balto and I get to the standing only section of the stadium I wave to the Black Swans section.
The NWSL decide to let each teams supporter group have a section in the standing only section so there's 12 clubs sharing 6 sections.
Oh yeah...The new clubs are the LA Knights, Atlanta Vipers, and that weird Louisville team.
A lot of the Black Swans wave back then Balto and I continue walking around the stadium until we get to the tunnel. Once in the tunnel Balto and I head back to the away team locker room
When I get to the locker room I head to my locker then take off my necklaces, earrings, and nose ring before I start to change. I then change into my warm up shirt, game shorts, my socks and my rainbow and white boots.
After I'm dressed I head out to the pitch with the rest of the team. When I get on the pitch I run through my warm ups with the starters for a while then head back to the locker room. Once in the locker room I change out of the training top and change into our Green away jersey. After I'm dressed I wait around in my locker as the coaching staff do their last minute talks then the starters and I head to the tunnel and I line up at the front of the line with Balto.
When the ref tells us too we head onto the field then stand in line while the announcer announces both line-up.
"AND CAPTAINING ARSENAL TONIGHT...AUDREY SOLO." The announcer shouts then the whole stadium starts clapping so I clap back.
The announcer finishes announcing all 33 NWSL All-Stars then we shake hands with everyone.
While shaking hands all of my national team teammates and former club teammates hug me
After we finish shaking hands Sonnett and I meet for the captains stuff.
"Hey Sonny." I say and smile at my favorite Pride center back.
"Hey Audi." Emily says then we do the coin toss.
I win the coin toss and we get ball then Emily and I shake hands one more time before Balto and I head to the bench.
"Alright Balto." I say as we get to the end of the bench. "You stay here okay?"
Balto barks at me so I pet him one more time then the team does our team huddle before we head onto the field and get ready for the kick off.
Viv takes the kick off and once she passes back to Kim I run into the other half.
In the 5th minute of the game Taylor gives away the ball to Katie who then plays a ball up to Jessie. My favorite Canadian then threads a ball over to my girlfriend while I run to the back post. After Daan gets the ball she looks up and see's my run so she crosses the ball into my path.
I run onto the ball then volley it past Arnold putting us 1-0 up.
Once the ball hits the net I kiss the tattoo of my Mom's name on my wrist then hold my hands up to say I'm not gonna celebrate.
My teammates then gather around me and we hug before we head up field for the restart.
In the 15th minute the NWSL team gets a corner so Christen runs over to take it. I, on the other hand, wait up field with two of the defenders.
After the ref blows her whistle Christen crosses the ball into the box, but it misses her intended target so Leah boots it out of the box. Viv is the first one to get to it so I take off upfield with a defender following me. My second favorite Dutch player sees my run so she passes the ball towards me.
Once the ball reaches me I run directly at the woman who used me to get over her ex. When I get to Alanna Kennedy I do everything in my power to make her look silly then eventually I do a skill that causes the older woman to fall to the ground.
"Bitch." I say right before I fire the ball towards net.
I watch as the ball flies past Arnold's outstretched glove and into the back of the net then I kiss the tattoo of my Mom's name on my wrist before I head back up field.
As I'm running back to our half I jog by the seats where every NWSL's teams' GM's are sitting and when I get to Erik Ustruck I flip him off.
"Fuck you." I say then I keep it moving.
When I get to our half I hug the girls then the ref gives me a yellow card.
"Worth it." I say as the NWSL ladies restart the game.
In the 25th minute the NWSL team earns a goal kick so Arnold plays it short to Sonnett who then runs towards me. I disposes Sonnett as she tries to run past me then I control the ball before I head towards goal.
As I head to goal I look up and see Viv streaking towards goal so I thread the ball towards.
After the ball has left my foot I feel studs crash into my right foot then I collapse to the ground.
While I'm on the ground I look around and see Alanna was the one who fouled me.
"What the fuck Lana?" I angrily question.
Alanna tries to say something, but my Aunts push her away then they surround me.
"Where does it hurt?" Alex questions.
"Woah." I say as I get tired suddenly.
"What's wrong?" Kelley asks.
"I'm really sleepy." I mumble then I close my eyes.
"AUDREY STAY..."