In my ten years of football career I’ve got nothing to show that I’m one of the greatest players in Phoenix LFA. I carry this drought in search of a team to win titles with.

Season 2018, I joined Phoenix Sporting U17 the defending champions of every title. On the 5th of March 2018 it was the cup finals of Phoenix Festival/ Easter cup/ Mandela cup whatever you wanna call it. I was pumped and thrilled about the finals as I saw a rainy cloud hovering upon me. It was Phoenix Sporting vs Faith F.C.

We were the favourites to win the tournament, not because the team won it last season but the team consisted of the top-rated players in Phoenix LFA. It was Phoenix U17 dream team.

On that day I left home early to Ryvdale park to catch other junior divisions finals. I spent much of my energy walking there, only to find grass being blown left to right and right to left by the wind and quiet as a library. “The venue has been changed to Saccrine ground for the finals” the board on the entrance red.

I had to run there to catch the game, surely I was gonna miss some of the game unless I could race like Flash. I had one hour left before the game started, I was dripping sweat and out of breath. Luckily Yusuf was late like me so I caught a ride in his car and got there on time. I didn’t know we had so many supporters and fans… and the coach’s daughters were lookin’ sweltering in their outfits.

“Man I wouldn’t mind dating one of those hot lookin’ like Bollywood girls,” I said to Yusuf

He gave me a stern look and said, “You will be on the bench if the rest of the season.”

The weather was pleasant and the daughters’ hair being blown by the wind and lookin’ like Shakira in her 2010 World Cup hit song Waka Waka. Their faces beamed with beauty.

The game was about to start and the coach’s daughters were running wild in my head like kids after eating tartrazine. I had to shift my focus to the game! The atmosphere was buzzing with
different chants and cheerings. My heart got into a formula 1 race course. I was sweating, anxious and passionate about the win we were going to achieve.

The game kicked of on a high note that made me shiver and shake in my cleats. I had to rise up to the tempo and intensity of the game, so I pulled out my big boy’s balls and started going Usain Bolt on the game. Twenty mins in the game we conceded via a freekick. My heart sank like amagwinya in hot oil. The first half went by and we were trailing by one goal and I was gazing and gasping around, my teammates were shattered with disappointment and so were our fans and supporters.

Second half rolled on and we played pressing, aggressive and attacking football with a winning mentality. We kept on pressing and pressing until we equalized in the dying minutes of the game via a stunning flying cracker from Reece. The field went crazy and buzzed like a bunch of bees. The game ended in a draw and we went on penalty shootouts.

Unfortunately we went down 4-2.

The grass was watered and graced by the tears of my comrades and leaders. In that instant the rainy cloud vanished into the heat of the scorching sun.

Oh well the underdogs came out prepared through hard work and determination whereas we as the top dogs came out with an attitude and lost.

I’m looking forward to the upcoming seasons, hopefully the rainy cloud will come back to cover the scorching sun and shower me with titles, breaking the long drought.