"Don't worry, we'll lose the match."

"I can't believe we won!" I thundered over the others who were dancing, flailing their arms wildly in the air. We had won the football match.

"Listen, we have to work as a TEAM, guys. This isn't individual. However great I maybe at playing soccer but if I play for myself, if I play individually, if we don't have team work my team will never win, nor will I. So, listen (Defenders) we (Strikers) won't let the ball even come to our goal post or any near if we both (Strikers) have team work. So you both please don't worry or be nervous as I can see you are. And you, you don't worry the least. You are the safest person. We and the defenders won't let the ball touch our side. You can even stand there dozing if you want. Okay, okay be alert if you need to."

I abandoned the rest of the players and cornered my partner, the other striker.

"This is very important, I don't know if we'll win, in fact, I'm pretty sure we'll lose in the first match itself, like we did the last three years. But listen, if you start, pass the ball to me and then again..."

I lectured her untill we heard the ear-splitting, clear announcement. I don't know if she was bored but she did look inspired by everything I had said.

We never had teamwork between us, we two. Not last year, not even the year before or before that too. She played for herself. I played for myself. Not this year, no, this year we were understanding towards each other, we were but, yes, working as a team.

Our team staggered towards Pitch 6 in a single file, I, leading everyone from the front. 

We formed a circle and the referee gave us instructions. 

"Is this clear or do I have to repeat myself? Did everyone hear me out?"

"Yeah, we're not short of hearing." someone muttered from behind.

"What did you just say?" I didn't know if it was a question or just a statement.

The other team strode in. They were wearing red tee shirts and we were wearing green. They surely looked tough. 

My team looked at me.

"Don't worry guys, we're going to lose." I smirked at my own joke and everyone knew it wasn't serious, so they  giggled a bit too, but nervously.

I wasn't a bit nervous. Of the seven of us, including the substitutes, I was the only one who wasn't taking everything seriously though I was the striker, though I was the one who gave lectures and everything, though I was the one leading the team. I was confident we would come first from the last. I was confident we would lose. 

A player never knows whether she is good at playing the game. I was no exception. Unless someone tells you, (except your mother).

"I think I won't start this time. You do it." I suggested my fellow striker.

"Should I?"

"You should."

"Are you sure?"

I gave her a I'm-hundred-percent-sure-look. 

We took our positions and waited for the referee to blow his whistle.

A shrill, high-pitched whistle screeched along the pitch. 

It was our start.

She passed the ball to me and sprinted forwards, towards the opponent goal post.

Our opponents, who were wearing red jerseys (us-green) crowded over me- or the ball maybe. I don't know what came into me but I shooted the ball towards her so fast, the red team was slow understanding what was happening. And there were shouts from my team members. I knew it was a goal.

"Yayy! We did it! It was our first goal!"

And that's when my fellow striker understood teamwork is important.

The referee scribbled on the paper and we continued playing. 

This time I started. I dribbled the ball across the pitch, the red team right behind me and passed it to my fellow striker. All the red tee shirts ran across to her. She passed it over to me and I shooted a goal!

We won the first match - 2:0. We hadn't let them manage even a single goal! We had won the first match! And so there was another match awaiting us fifteen minutes after. 

We shaked hands with the other team.

"Well played."

"I can't believe we won!" I thundered over the others who were dancing, flailing their arms wildly in the air. We had won the first match.