Chapter 61 - 59 - See It Through

Chapter 61: Chapter 59 - See It Through

Laval pushed more players forward now.

Their right-back advanced earlier whenever the ball reached midfield, while one central player began moving closer to the striker instead of holding his position in front of the defence. Metz dropped several metres and spent the next few minutes following the ball rather than keeping it.

A switch found Laval’s left winger with room near the touchline. He drove outside the full-back before cutting possession back toward the edge of the box, where a midfielder arrived onto the pass and struck first time.

The shot clipped a Metz defender and lost enough pace for the goalkeeper to adjust and gather.

Laval came forward again after the restart, but the next cross carried beyond everyone.

Metz slowed the game once they recovered.

A defender played into midfield, Caron turned away from pressure and Rafael came underneath to return the next pass before moving toward the defensive line again.

The ball travelled out toward Perrin.

Two Laval players closed him near the right side of the area, but Perrin slipped possession into the overlapping full-back’s path and continued inside.

The cross came toward Rafael at the near side.

The centre-back rose first and headed it away.

Rafael turned toward the second ball, but Caron reached it before him and moved possession back outside.

The next ten minutes gave neither side much. Laval continued trying to find width, while Metz kept enough threat on both sides to prevent their full-backs from advancing together.

When the referee eventually blew for halftime, Rafael followed the others toward the tunnel with Metz still leading 1–0.

The dressing room stayed busy during the interval.

Water bottles moved around while several players changed shirts, and the staff went quickly through Laval’s higher midfield and the space Metz had found whenever they escaped the first line of pressure.

Rafael drank and listened with his elbows resting on his thighs.

Nobody needed to talk about the corner.

A few minutes later, the call came to head back out.

Laval pressed higher from the restart.

Their striker closed the first pass toward one side while the nearest midfielder followed Caron, and Metz had to work the ball backwards before switching toward the opposite full-back.

Rafael shifted with the attack.

When possession eventually reached him near halfway, a centre-back was already tight behind him and Caron was too far away for Rafael to turn safely into the pressure. He returned the pass and held his position long enough to keep the defender with him while Metz moved the ball elsewhere.

The next time Laval pressed, Metz escaped through the left.

Caron collected near the centre circle and rode the first challenge before releasing the winger ahead of him.

Rafael moved centrally with the retreating defence.

The winger carried toward the corner of the area, where Laval’s full-back closed the direct route toward goal. Instead of forcing the cross, he checked inside and found Caron, who had continued forward.

Caron shifted the ball across the top of the box.

Perrin arrived from the right and struck before the nearest defender could get across.

The shot travelled low across the goalkeeper and inside the far corner.

Perrin spread his arms as he turned away.

Rafael ran over with the others and caught him around the shoulders as Caron arrived from behind. Perrin shouted something that disappeared beneath the noise, then pushed Rafael away with a grin as the referee called them back.

Metz led 2–0.

Laval restarted before the celebration in the stands had completely settled.

Their full-backs began crossing halfway whenever possession was secure, and the midfield took greater risks with passes ahead of the ball. Metz were forced deeper for longer stretches, which left Rafael competing for clearances rather than receiving controlled service.

One dropped toward him on the right side of halfway.

He moved underneath it with the centre-back pressing through his back, cushioned the ball down and pushed it toward Caron before the defender could come around him.

Laval closed Caron and recovered the next pass.

Another clearance sailed over Rafael altogether and returned to their centre-backs.

He turned with the rest of the team as Laval started again.

The visitors worked possession toward Metz’s right, where their winger received near the touchline and drew the full-back out. A midfielder came across in support, took the return pass and slipped the ball back into the channel while the winger continued his run.

The full-back tried to recover inside.

The winger reached the byline first and drove the ball low across goal.

A Metz centre-back stepped toward the delivery, but a Laval runner crossed his path and reached it in front of him.

The finish went beyond the goalkeeper.

The scorer turned away while one of his teammates ran straight into the net for the ball.

Metz 2–1 Laval.

The next few minutes became harder to control.

Laval attacked whenever Metz lost possession, and several attempted clearances either travelled beyond Rafael or reached a defender before he could compete.

When Metz finally found him along the ground, Rafael received with pressure behind him and Caron still several metres away. He protected the ball until Caron came close enough, then rolled it back into his path before turning upfield.

Caron carried away from the first challenge and found Perrin outside.

Metz moved out with the ball and gained enough time for the defensive line to follow.

Laval eventually recovered and attacked through their right again. The full-back combined with the winger and sent an early cross toward the penalty spot, where a Metz defender climbed above the striker and headed clear.

Rafael moved forward with the line as the ball travelled out.

He reached halfway, settled between the centre-backs and drew a deeper breath while Laval collected the clearance.

The visitors rebuilt from the back, and when the next pass went toward the left centre-back, Rafael curved his press to close the easy return inside. Perrin pushed toward the full-back outside him, forcing the defender to release the ball early.

Laval switched through midfield.

Rafael turned and recovered.

His first acceleration came cleanly, but when the ball was moved back toward the centre and forced him to change direction again, the second burst lacked some of the sharpness from earlier.

He shortened his steps, recovered the distance and found his position before Laval played forward again.

A few minutes later, Metz cleared from near their own area and Rafael chased toward the right touchline.

The centre-back reached the dropping ball first, but Rafael got close enough to prevent him turning comfortably inside and forced the next pass toward the line.

Laval worked around him eventually, although the delay gave Metz time to push out of their own third.

The ball went out for a throw soon afterwards.

Rafael looked toward the technical area when the fourth official stepped forward.

Renaud had already removed his training top.

The board went up.

Rafael’s number was on it.

He jogged toward halfway while Renaud waited beside the official, and they slapped hands as they crossed without stopping.

Renaud went straight into Rafael’s position between the centre-backs.

Rafael continued toward the bench, accepted a bottle from one of the staff and sat down while Laval restarted.

With fresh legs up front, Metz had an easier target for the next clearance. Renaud competed under contact and forced the centre-back to send the ball out rather than bringing it down cleanly, then held another pass near halfway long enough for Caron to join him.

The foul that followed gave Metz another few seconds away from their own penalty area.

Laval still kept coming.

They forced a corner with a little over five minutes left, sending both centre-backs forward while Metz crowded the area.

The delivery dropped around the penalty spot, where a defender met it first and headed clear. Laval recovered outside the box and shifted possession toward the right, but Perrin closed the winger quickly enough to send him back toward midfield.

Metz eventually won it and found Renaud near halfway.

He protected the ball with a defender against him and moved it into Caron’s path.

Caron had open grass ahead but turned back, allowing Metz to pass across midfield while Laval chased.

By the time the visitors forced another turnover, another chunk of the clock had gone.

The fourth official raised the board for added time.

Laval found one final opening down the left.

Their full-back passed inside and continued forward, receiving the return with enough room to cross early toward the far post.

A forward rose above the defender and headed down toward goal.

The Metz goalkeeper got both hands behind it and held the ball against his chest.

Rafael stood with the other substitutes while the goalkeeper stayed down for a few seconds before getting back to his feet.

The clearance travelled toward halfway, where Renaud challenged for it and Laval recovered one more time.

Their first pass back into midfield had barely arrived when the referee checked his watch and blew.

Saint-Symphorien rose around the final whistle.

Rafael stepped away from the bench with the other substitutes as pale blue light appeared across his vision.

[MISSION COMPLETE: MAKE THE START COUNT]

[Objective Complete: 1 Goal Contribution]

[Bonus Objective Complete: FC Metz Victory]

[Rewards Available]

Rafael closed the panel without touching the rewards and walked back onto the pitch.

Perrin was already surrounded near the centre circle, while Renaud came back from the forward line and Caron met one of the defenders on his way across.

Above them, the scoreboard remained unchanged.

FC METZ 2–1 LAVAL

MORALES 28’

PERRIN 54’