My Goalkeeping System

Chapter 190 Let Down By Poor Finishing

The match had just entered the ninetieth minute and so far Unique FC had been the ones dominating the game possession-wise.

After that shocking free-kick catch from Dave, no Benfica player had touched the ball, and the duration was still increasing.

Minino received the ball from Roberto and feigned shooting at the player right in front of him before he sent the ball to Ferran.

Ferran got past the midfielder marking him with some neat footwork and now he had a lot of space to run down the middle.

He raced down the middle and when he got close to the cluster of players right at the edge of the box, he feigned shooting toward the goalpost before he rolled the ball to Mateo.

Mateo tried to dribble his way past the player marking him before he changed his mind and switched the ball down the wing and ran down there a little before he sent the ball flying into the box.

The ball went straight for Carlos who quickly brought it down with his chest but before he could do anything with it, he was dispossessed by a defender under a rough challenge that should have been a foul but it seemed like the referee didn't see it.

"That attack has been stopped right in its tracks," Jim commented.

The player quickly pushed the ball forward before he sent it flying toward Eryk who was zooming past Adolf and Pirlo.

The striker had gotten the better of both defenders but just as he was about to place his foot on the ball it was quickly taken away from him with a swift drift, there was no other player ahead of him other than the goalkeeper himself, Dave Richard.

"Who would have thought that Dave Richards would leave his line and make his way all the way to the middle of the pitch," Jim said.

"That was a very risky move but getting right is something good for the team, a one-on-one situation isn't good for anyone," Steve commented.

Dave had to play it short to Minino before quickly returning to his goalpost as none of his teammates far ahead were in good positions.

The match continued with Unique FC creating two good chances and firing two good shots at their opponent's goalpost but both attempts had been saved by the goalkeeper.

The first attempt came from a powerful shot from Ferran from twenty-five yards out, the ball was sent low toward the left side of the goalpost, the goalkeeper didn't exactly save that one as it hit the post before he was able to catch it.

The second attempt came from Gregory, after terrorizing the defenders on the right wing for a while, Carlos sent the ball into the box for Gregory to meet it with a powerful header.

The ball was directed toward the top right side of the goalpost as the goalkeeper dived toward it, but the ball ended up hitting the crossbar and luckily for them, the goalkeeper was fast enough to get to the rebound before Carlos could.

"I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Benfica have gotten tired here while Unique FC are still relentlessly pushing for that equalizer," Jim said.

"No, there's no exaggeration there," Steve said.

The match was now eighty minutes gone and Benfica had just won a corner kick after a potential cross from Lokaviç had been blocked by Roland and sent over the line.

"Benfica's second corner kick of the match," Jim said. "Corner kicks are one of the trickiest spot kicks for Unique FC to defend, can Benefica take advantage of this one after failing to do so from their first corner kick?"

Lokaviç stood over the ball waiting for the referee's whistle and as soon as he heard it, he sent the ball flying into the box.

Eryk won the aerial duel against Adolf and sent the ball flying toward the top left side of the goalpost but Dave reacted quickly with his right hand to knock it down and just before Jan could get to the rebound and do something dangerous, he rushed toward him and sweep the ball off his feet before quickly getting up on his feet and pushing the ball out of the box.

"Oh, that is wonderful from Dave, just wonderful." Jim expressed.

'This is my chance.'

<Yeah, Mateo's free on the left wing>

The goalkeeper pushed the ball a little further before he quickly sent it flying toward Mateo.

Mateo was unmarked as he neatly trapped the ball with his left foot but before he could turn with the ball, the ball was quickly swept off him by a midfielder who had caught wind of their strategy and quickly closed up on the winger at the right time and in the right way.

"That's good from David, who knows what will happen if Mateo is set loose like that again."

As the match hit the ninetieth minute, Unique FC began to get desperate, they wanted that equalizer by all means possible and they were running out of time.

The official with the board raised his board that there was going to be three minutes of added time and that meant that they only had three minutes to get that equalizer or they would lose the match.

Benfica's left back passed the ball to their central midfielder but Ferran quickly popped up from nowhere and intercepted the pass before he sent the ball to Minino and with the players quickly pushing toward him, Minino had to send the ball to Dave who had left his box to receive it now.

The goalkeeper quickly pointed toward the box, signaling his teammates to head there and after doing that, he pushed the ball forward a little before he pulled his leg back and sent the ball flying toward the area.

"Long ball from Dave."

Gregory quickly followed the ball as it closed up on them and once the ball was close enough, he dived toward it and sent it flying toward the top right side of the goalpost with a header, unfortunately, his aiming still wasn't good and all the goalkeeper could do was watch as the ball flew over the bar.

"That could have gone right in a lot of ways."

As soon as the ball flew over the bar, the referee blew his whistle thrice to bring the match to an end.

"And there you have it, the final whistle," Jim said. "I have to say, Steve, this was one heck of an entertaining match."

"I strongly agree, and I feel really sorry for Unique FC, they fought really hard and should have gotten that equalizer and even a winner, they were better than Benfica, something that I didn't expect but their finishing was what let them down."

As soon as Dave heard that final whistle, he slowly crashed to the floor with a frustrated look on his face, yes it was just a friendly but he didn't like the fact that they had just lost after playing like that.

Accepting a defeat when you know you played absolute trash was easy but doing your best and dominating and still end up losing was devastating.

<Hey, it was just a friendly, no big deal>

'I know but telling myself that won't make this feeling go away.'

***

New year mass release goals.

A magic castle= one extra chapter.

Two magic castles= two extra chapters.

Mass release for goals met last month will still be rewarded on the due dates.