Great sportsmanship

All eyes were on Lucky as his school prepared for a football match against their long time rival.

The rivalry between Success High School, where Lucky was schooling, and King's High School dated back to more than a decade. The winning was evenly distributed. Each side had won five times each and drawn thrice in the thirteen times that they had faced each other. Out of the five wins of the Success High School team, Lucky participated in three.

His emergence as the top striker of the school team has contributed in no small measure in helping them win all the three encounters in which he participated. Whenever they have a match against any team, the hope of the team is always placed on Lucky's shoulder.

Lucky was a humble player. He is always wearing contagious smiles even when tormenting the defenders of the opposing team. He scored a hat trick in their last encounter.

The match was a decisive one. The winner would be representing the state at the national stage.

"Your job is one," Mr Philips, the physical education teacher who doubled as the coach of King's High School football team addressed his central defender, Paul. "Make sure that you tame Lucky. If you can keep him out of the game, then we are sure of winning. Don't give him breathing space."

"As Paul is keeping Lucky from poaching goals into our net, you will try to create a counter attack through the wings," he turned to the defensive midfielder to inform him of his role in the game plan. "Our wingers are fast runners. This game is a must win for us. We must represent the state in the upcoming national sports festival for secondary schools."

The Success team, on the other hand, were banking on their recent record of success.

"Make sure that you feed Lucky with the ball upfront," Olu, the physical education teacher who also doubled as the football team coach, advised the entire ten men that would be playing with Lucky.

"I know that you will be their main target," he turned to Lucky. "You need to give us the goals very early so that we weaken their morale with it."

The day of the all important match arrived and both teams got set for the kickoff of the match. The schools were in the field with their bands. Solidarity songs with their individual teams and players were booming.

The referee blew the whistle to signify the kickoff.

Within the first minute of play, an accurate pass was delivered to Lucky who had brilliantly positioned himself to receive the ball with the intention of translating it to a goal. Standing closely with him was Paul. He was doing all he could to play to instructions.

As the ball landed on the chest of Lucky, he made a 180° turn to fire a shot at the keeper. Mr Philips was on the touchline, shouting on top of his voice for Paul to tackle Lucky. At that time, Paul was only negotiating with the ground. In his attempt to contest the ball with Lucky during the latter's turn, he found himself on the ground. The students of Success High School spontaneously shouted 'goal' even before Lucky shot the ball. The shot delivered by Lucky hit the crossbar.

Their hands were on their heads in disappointment. That shot was the first among many others on target.

The more Paul tried to mark Lucky, the more he was ridiculed with Lucky's skills. The next major attempt by Lucky had him dribble past three defenders to shoot the ball at goal.

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The keeper made a brilliant safe. The first half of the encounter ended goalless. It was a match of Lucky against the King's High School team. He had 10 shots on target in the half but none translated to a goal. Paul's team had only one shot on target.

They had a fifteen minute break with the coaches talking to both sides on what to do to win the match in the second half.

"Shot on target is not and can never be a goal. Give me goals. We are supposed to be leading with at least five goals by now," Olu admonished his team.

"As you are going back to the pitch, I want you to give me a goal and defend the goal for the rest of the match," Mr Philips instructed his team.

They got back into the pitch and the second 45 minutes began. Lucky resumed his fine form in the game. He was playing the round soccer game as if he was born with a ball on his leg. Within 10 minutes of the resumed play, Lucky had garnered another three shots on target. This is the first time that Lucky would be having such a number of shots on target against any team without a goal.

The ball went into the 18-yard box of the Success team. A wrong tackle was done on King's striker and the referee awarded a penalty.

Lucky watched far from the other half of the pitch as Paul placed the ball to the right while the goalkeeper dived to the left. The penalty was converted to a goal.

With just two shots on target since the beginning of the game, King's team was leading with one goal.

10 minutes to the end of the encounter, the search for goals by Lucky and his teammates intensified.

King's team played perfectly to instruction. The coach removed three forwards and replaced them with defenders. Lucky was held down from constituting further threats to the team. He lost the tempo and he couldn't get any shots on target in that last ten minutes.

The game was held without more goals till the final whistle was blown.

Lucky started chewing on his lower lip and his eyes welled up in tears. He sat down on the pitch with his head between his hands. Tears flowing down his cheeks.

King's team supporters (majorly the students) were jubilating with songs of victory.

Paul walked up to Lucky and pulled him up.

"You deserve to win. I am the dirtiest player right now because of how you schooled me on the pitch with your skills. You are a winner. Gear up and take this as one of such unexpected experiences in a football game," he consoled Lucky.

Lucky pulled off his jersey after getting on his feet and exchanged it with that of Paul.

"You are a great sportsman. If I was told that anyone would console me for this loss, I wouldn't have believed it could ever be you. Your level of sportsmanship is second to none."

They exchanged their jerseys and joined the respective teammates.