CHAPTER 36: 11 VS 11

The System Administrator’s message, with its blend of Orwellian surveillance and helpful HR policy, was unsettling.

But as Kenny McLean wheeled away in celebration, the immediate reality of the match took over. Ethan pushed the thought of the ’Real-Time Sync’ to the back of his mind.

He had a game to manage.

The goal, born from a moment of pure tactical insight, did more than just put Apex United on the scoreboard. It injected a massive dose of confidence into the entire team.

The players, who had been struggling against Bolton’s disciplined shape, now believed.

They believed in the system, and more importantly, they believed in their manager.

"See? Patience!" Grant Hanley barked from the back, a note of pride in his voice. "We move them around, the gaps appear!"

On the wing, Jonathan Rowe was playing with a newfound swagger. "Keep giving me the ball! Their full-back is terrified!" he yelled to his midfield.

Bolton, for their part, looked stunned. Their game plan had been perfect.

They had been in complete control, only to be undone by a single, ghost-like run from a player they hadn’t even considered a threat.

Their manager was on the sideline, frantically trying to reorganise his midfield, but the damage was done. Apex had the momentum.

The rest of the first half was a joy to watch. The front three, who had been isolated and frustrated, were now linking up with a fluid, intuitive grace.

In the 38th minute, David Kerrigan received the ball on the left. Instead of his usual head-down, chaotic dribble, he looked up.

He saw Emre Demir drifting into a pocket of space.

Kerrigan played a sharp, incisive pass into Emre’s feet.

Emre, without even looking, cushioned a first-time, no-look layoff into the path of the overlapping full-back, Giannoulis.

It was a move straight off the training ground, a perfect triangle that sliced the Bolton defense open.

Giannoulis’s cross was just a little too high for Viktor, but the crowd roared its appreciation for the slick passage of play.

"Oh, that is lovely football!" the commentator purred. "That is the potential of this young Apex attack on full display! Quick, one-touch passing, intelligent movement... Bolton are being pulled apart here!"

The half-time whistle blew with Apex United firmly in control, leading 1-0.

The home dressing room was a different world from the tense, nervous space it had been an hour ago.

The players were buzzing, replaying the goal and the slick passing moves.

"Kenny, you old fox!" Josh Sargent said, who was on the bench for this game. "I didn’t know you had a run like that in you! I thought your legs were just for standing."

McLean just grinned. "There’s life in the old dog yet, son."

Ethan let them enjoy the moment before clapping for attention. "Excellent half," he said, his voice ringing with pride. "That was perfect. We were patient, we waited for our moment, and we executed. That goal wasn’t luck; it was a plan. That’s the standard, right there."

He looked at his front three. "David, that pass to Emre for the triangle? That’s the stuff. When you link up like that, you’re unplayable. More of that. Viktor, your movement is pulling their defenders all over the place. Keep doing it. A goal is coming for you."

"But," he continued, his tone turning serious, "this game is not over. One-nil is the most dangerous scoreline in football. They will come out in the second half and throw everything at us. We cannot get complacent like we did against Orion. We stay focused, we keep the ball, and we look for that second goal to kill the game. Let’s go finish this."

The second half began, and Apex picked up right where they had left off.

They were playing with a confident, almost arrogant swagger.

Emre Demir was at the heart of it all, a midfield maestro conducting the orchestra.

He was untouchable, gliding away from challenges, spraying passes left and right.

In the 52nd minute, he produced a moment of pure magic.

He received the ball under pressure, dragged it back with his studs, and executed a perfect ’Zidane turn’, spinning 360 degrees away from two bewildered Bolton midfielders.

He then looked up and clipped a 40-yard diagonal pass that landed perfectly on Jonathan Rowe’s chest.

"Sublime skill from the Turkish prodigy!" the commentator exclaimed. "He is running the show here at The Apex!"

The Bolton players were getting visibly frustrated.

Their disciplined game plan was in tatters, and they were being made to look foolish.

The tackles started to get later, the challenges more aggressive.

In the 59th minute, the simmering frustration boiled over.

David Kerrigan received the ball on the left wing.

He had been a constant thorn in their side, a whirlwind of tricks and unpredictable runs.

The Bolton right-back, who had been chasing his shadow all game, had finally had enough.

He lunged in, late, high, and completely out of control, scything Kerrigan down from behind.

It was a horrible tackle. The whistle blew instantly.

Kerrigan hit the turf with a yelp, rolling in agony.

His teammates immediately surrounded the Bolton player, a furious Grant Hanley leading the charge.

A shoving match ensued.

Ethan’s heart leaped into his throat. He was just about to shout for the physio when Kerrigan did something unexpected. He stopped rolling.

He looked up, saw the chaos he had inadvertently caused, and a slow, wicked grin spread across his face. He wasn’t hurt. He had been exaggerating, trying to ensure the foul was punished.

The referee, after restoring order, marched over to the Bolton right-back. He didn’t hesitate.

He reached into his back pocket and brandished a straight red card.

The Apex crowd roared with approval. Bolton were down to ten men.

"And it’s a red card!" the commentator announced. "A moment of madness from the Bolton full-back! A reckless, dangerous challenge on the tricky David Kerrigan, and the referee had no choice! Bolton are down to ten, and their mountain just became a mountain range!"

The game seemed over as a contest.

Apex was a goal up and a man up. Kerrigan, after receiving a bit of "magic spray" from the physio, got to his feet, gave the crowd a theatrical bow, and prepared to continue.

But the referee wasn’t finished.

He turned his attention to the grinning Apex winger.

He had seen the miraculous recovery. He had seen the theatrical bow.

He clearly didn’t appreciate the gamesmanship.

He marched over to the stunned David Kerrigan.

"What’s this for?" Kerrigan asked, his smirk faltering.

The referee’s face was a mask of stone.

He said something Ethan couldn’t hear, then reached into his top pocket.

He pulled out a yellow card.

Then, he pulled out another one!

He showed Kerrigan the first yellow card, for unsporting behavior.

Then he showed him the second yellow card, for dissent.

Then, with a final, dramatic flourish, he showed him the red.

David Kerrigan was sent off.

The stadium fell into a state of absolute, stunned silence.

In the space of thirty seconds, the game had gone from 11 vs 11, to 11 vs 10, to 10 vs 10.

Ethan stood on the sideline, his mouth hanging open, completely speechless.

His agent of chaos had just created a little too much chaos.