My Ultimate Gacha System-Chapter 186 - 178: Germany vs England U21 [IV]

Chapter 186: Chapter 178: Germany vs England U21 [IV]
Demien received with time and space, and he drove forward five yards before Germany’s center-back stepped out to close him down, and rather than forcing a dribble that wasn’t there he cut the ball back toward Merrick who had supported the attack, but the pass was slightly overhit and rolled out for a throw-in on the opposite side.
"Walter getting involved now," Jessi Ball noted. "Trying to make things happen but the execution isn’t quite there yet. Needs time to settle into the match tempo."
81’ - 85’ |
The decisive sequence began not with brilliance but with disorder in the eighty-third minute as Germany tried to build from the back under pressure from Whitmore and Teller who had pushed high to disrupt the passing lanes, and midfielder Keller attempted a rushed clearance toward the sideline to relieve the pressure.
The ball dropped awkwardly near Demien on the right touchline, and he positioned himself to receive but misjudged the bounce slightly as Brandt arrived with immediate pressure, and Demien’s first touch glanced off his shin rather than controlling cleanly, and the ball threatened to spill out of play while Germany’s players stepped forward sensing an opportunity to win possession in a dangerous area.
For a split second the crowd’s noise rose in anticipation because a turnover there would give Germany a counter-attacking opportunity with England’s shape stretched, and Demien’s chest tightened as he recognized the mistake happening in real-time.
But his reaction was instantaneous as he accelerated after the loose ball, and rather than trying to shield with his feet which would take too long, he used his body to cut across Brandt’s path while poking the ball inside with his right foot toward the center of the pitch where Whitmore was positioned.
The recovery wasn’t elegant but it was effective, and Whitmore collected the ball with his head already up scanning for options, and he immediately spotted that Hezii_2G was caught high up the pitch on Germany’s right side while center-back Kübler had stepped out to pressure Teller, and space existed on England’s left flank if the switch came quickly enough.
Whitmore played the ball diagonally across the pitch toward England’s left side with one touch, and the pass was weighted perfectly to find Muir who had dropped to receive between the lines, and suddenly England’s transition was on as Germany’s defensive shape scrambled to recover.
Muir took one touch to control as Germany’s midfielder pressed him, and his second touch released the ball into the channel behind Schott who was turning to chase but couldn’t match Teller’s acceleration, and the England striker had timed his run perfectly to stay onside while driving into the penalty area with only Reimann to beat.
The stadium’s noise dropped suddenly as the German crowd sensed danger, and Teller took one more touch to steady himself as Reimann charged out to narrow the angle, and the striker’s left foot connected cleanly with the ball as he struck low across the goalkeeper’s body toward the far post.
The shot skimmed across the grass with pace and precision, and Reimann’s diving hand couldn’t reach it as the ball rolled into the bottom corner of the net before settling against the side netting, and for one suspended moment the stadium was silent before the small section of England supporters erupted with noise while the German sections fell into shocked quiet.
GERMANY 0-1 ENGLAND (83’)
"GOAL!" Jessi Ball’s voice exploded over the broadcast. "England have taken the lead! Mason Teller finishes brilliantly! What a counter-attack!"
"Clinical from Teller!" KingD2605 added. "But look at where that move started—Walter recovering possession under pressure, Whitmore switching play instantly. That’s quality transition football when it matters most!"
Demien turned immediately with both fists clenched at his sides and shouted once into the noise—a release of tension and validation—before Whitmore arrived first and pulled him into the edge of the celebration with both arms wrapping around his shoulders, and Merrick thumped his back twice while the rest of England’s players converged near the corner flag where Teller was being mobbed by teammates.
The celebration wasn’t excessive but it was real—relief mixed with satisfaction, belonging earned through contribution—and Demien felt the weight of seventy-three minutes watching from the bench lift as his involvement had directly led to England’s breakthrough.
On the touchline Carsley nodded once while his expression remained neutral, and he was already turning back toward his bench to prepare for Germany’s expected response because seven minutes plus stoppage time remained and the match was far from over.
The German crowd’s noise had transformed from anticipation to frustration, and scattered whistles mixed with urgent shouting as their team prepared to restart while the scoreboard confirmed what had just happened in bright digital numbers.
86’ - 90’ |
Germany responded with immediate urgency as KingD2605 drove the midfield forward with aggressive positioning, and Hahn pushed higher up the pitch while Schott stepped into England’s half to add another body to the attack, and suddenly crosses were arriving from both flanks as Germany committed numbers forward in search of an equalizer.
Rowe cleared one desperately with a powerful header that sent the ball forty yards downfield, and Price dealt with another by heading it out for a throw-in near the corner flag, and the crowd grew louder with every recycled ball and every throw-in earned near England’s defensive third because the home supporters sensed their team could still salvage something if they maintained the pressure.
England’s defensive shape stayed compact as players dropped deeper to protect their lead, and Demien found himself defending in his own half more than attacking as Germany’s left-back Brandt pushed higher and higher with each passing minute.
At the eighty-ninth minute the fourth official raised his board showing four minutes of added time, and the announcement drew groans from the England players who had hoped for less while the German crowd’s noise intensified because four minutes meant opportunity remained.
90+1’ - 90+4’ |
Deep into stoppage time Germany’s pressure finally told as another cross from Weiss was half-cleared by England’s defense but only as far as the edge of the box where Hahn was waiting, and he struck immediately as the ball dropped, but his shot was blocked by Keane who threw his body in front of it, and the ball deflected out toward the right touchline rather than going behind for a corner.
The ball broke wide again and Brandt collected it near the corner flag, and he swung another cross back into the box with his left foot, and England’s defensive line hesitated for half a second—not dramatically, just enough—as they tried to judge whether to step up or hold position.
That half-second was enough.
Hezii_2G arrived late at the far post, completely untracked by England’s defense who had focused on the central threats, and the German right-back struck cleanly on the half-volley as the ball arrived, and his right foot connected with perfect timing.
The shot skidded past Whitfield’s diving hand and into the corner of the net before the goalkeeper could adjust, and the stadium erupted with noise that felt like a physical force as eighteen thousand German supporters released their collective tension through celebration.
GERMANY 1-1 ENGLAND (90+2’)
"GOAL! GERMANY EQUALIZE!" Jessi Ball’s voice carried the drama. "Hezii with the late, late equalizer! What a finish under pressure!"
"Untracked at the far post!" KingD2605 added. "England’s defense lost him in the chaos and he’s punished them clinically! Germany have salvaged a point in stoppage time!"
Hezii wheeled away toward the corner flag with both arms spread wide, and he was immediately swallowed by celebrating teammates as KingD2605 and other German players pumped their fists nearby while the home crowd celebrated wildly, and the noise level was deafening as Germany’s players embraced near the touchline.
England’s players stood still for a moment scattered across the pitch with hands on hips and heads tilted back processing what had just happened, and the disappointment was visible in their body language because holding the lead for only ninety seconds before conceding felt particularly cruel.
Demien glanced once toward the goal where the ball was being retrieved before jogging back into position with his jaw set tight, and his chest felt heavy with frustration because the moment of contribution that had created England’s goal now felt diminished by Germany’s immediate response.
The referee restarted play after Germany’s celebration finally ended, and England tried to create one final opportunity as they pushed forward desperately, but Germany’s defense held firm and clearances went long, and when the referee checked his watch and raised the whistle to his lips, the match was over.
Fweeeeeetttttttt! Fweeeeeetttttttt! Fweeeeeetttttttt!
FULL TIME: GERMANY 1-1 ENGLAND
The final whistle brought mixed reactions as Germany’s players celebrated like they’d won while England’s players moved with visible frustration, and the contrast in emotional response suggested who felt they’d earned the better result even though the scoreline showed a draw.
Demien walked slowly toward the center circle where teammates were beginning to exchange handshakes with German players, and his mind processed the ninety minutes—seventy-three spent watching, seventeen spent contributing, one moment that created a goal, one defensive lapse that had allowed an equalizer.
The system interface materialized in his peripheral vision without warning, and the familiar blue panel appeared as he moved across the pitch.
「MATCH COMPLETE」
「Performance Analysis: Substitute Appearance - 17 Minutes」
「Key Contribution: Goal Involvement (Possession Recovery)」
「Reward: 30 MP Granted」
「Current Balance: 28 TP | 2 SP | 109 MP」
Demien blinked once as the notification faded because the system hadn’t given him a mission before the match, and receiving match points without a specific objective felt different from the structured rewards he’d grown accustomed to, and the thirty match points registered as validation even though the draw made them feel less significant than they should have.
He continued toward the German players who were still celebrating near their technical area, and through the crowd of bodies he spotted Hezii_2G who had scored the equalizer and was now exchanging handshakes with England players, and Demien caught his eye and gestured toward his shirt.
Hezii nodded immediately and walked over with a slight smile that carried mutual respect rather than excessive emotion, and they both pulled their shirts off simultaneously before exchanging them, and the fabric was soaked through with sweat and carried the weight of ninety minutes even though Demien had only played seventeen.
"Good recovery on that ball," Hezii said in accented English, and his tone was genuine. "Almost cost us the point."
"Good finish at the end," Demien replied, and his jaw tightened slightly because acknowledging the quality of the equalizer didn’t make it hurt less. "Proper timing."
"Clean finish from your striker too," Hezii added while pulling on Demien’s number 28 England shirt. "You created that well."
They shook hands once more before separating, and Demien pulled on the German number 2 shirt while walking toward the tunnel where Owen Blake was waiting near the entrance, and his roommate’s expression carried the same frustration that Demien felt because draws after leading late felt like losses no matter how you rationalized them.
"Unlucky," Owen said as Demien reached him, and the single word carried more weight than a longer statement would have.
"Yeah."
They walked together down the tunnel as the noise from the stadium gradually faded behind them, and the Germany shirt hung heavy on Demien’s shoulders while his mind replayed the sequence—the awkward first touch, the recovery, Whitmore’s switch, Teller’s finish, ninety seconds of leading, Hezii arriving untracked at the far post.
Seventeen minutes.
One goal contribution.
One defensive lapse somewhere in the chaos.
Thirty match points that felt hollow when the margin hadn’t held.
The walk to the dressing room felt longer than it should have, and Demien’s chest stayed tight with frustration that wouldn’t fade even as he tried to process the match rationally, and the celebrating German crowd’s noise followed them down the concrete corridor while England’s players moved with quiet disappointment.