3024-09-27

【Aiden in English】

        For the past three games, we have either tied or totally wrecked the other team. But today, it was our turn on the chopping block. DC United has never given the opponent team any hope of winning by now. They had no mercy at all. In fact, our Philadelphia Union was sort of scared by them.

        First off, DC United looked intimidating. Their sizes gave the feeling that we were boys playing men's game. Speaking off their size, they were all at least a few inches taller, and those few inches made a giant difference in the game. They controlled everything in the air. And most importantly, with a longer body, they kicked harder. We couldn't do anything when they got the ball of the half-field and let it rip. DC Unite weren't just strong, but also fast. How fast? Well, fast enough to run circles around us. So the only logical thing to do was to stay near the goal. The game so far wasn't going so well.

        At half time, we were losing 2-3. Coach Nathan made a few tactical adjustments to our offense. So we looked at our advantages. We might not have many, but nothing is perfect, even DC United. He put the fastest people on offense as usual. Except when we got the ball, the mid-fielders would take it and boot it up the field. DC United might be big. But the bigger, the slower. We were certainly faster than them. So we took this weakness and exploited it, making it their downfall. That's how we managed to grab two goals. That's when our team collapsed.

        I was put in a striker for a little. As our team booted the ball up field, I chased after it and the ref blew the whistle for offside. I looked at the ref as if he was delusional, because there was a defender between me and the goal. Then everything fell apart. After the ball was kicked back onto our side of the field for the like one billionth time, Ameer got his hands on the ball. Because the whole enormous blood-thirsty DC United was rampaging down the field right at him, Ameer kicked the ball...... right into the goal. And that seemed to be the end for us. Three minutes later, the score was 7-4 DC United.

        Just like that. Just like that with just a bad call, the game turned around. Sometimes a small thing may result in a different result.

【红霞译文】

        在过去的三场比赛中，我们费城工会队不是逼合对手，就是把对手打得一败涂地，但“十年风水轮流转．百年田地转三村”，今天我们终于沦落成被收拾的地步。华盛顿特区联队严阵以待，从未给挑战者任何侥幸机会，不能不叫我们胆颤心惊，强中自有强中手，能人背后有能人。

        首先，“联队”气势如虹，球员人高马大，跟他们同场较量好像娃娃兵童子军与诸候群雄抗争。说起个头，对方至少要比我们高出几英寸来，而这几英寸的差异对比赛来说举足轻重，他们完全掌握空中优势，最重要的是身子长踢球就狠。他们一旦中场得球便长驱直入，令我们束手无策。另外，“联队”不仅身体壮，而且速度快，到底有多快呢？这么说吧，反正快到足以包抄我们。大敌当前，我们只好退守家门，视死如归，比赛局势十分紧迫。

        中场休息时，我们暂以二比三落后。教练内森为我们前锋主攻做了一些战术上的调整，争取发掘优势。虽然本队实力有限，但金无足赤人无完人，即使华盛顿特区联队也是如此。教练跟往常一样，叫最快的球员冲锋陷阵；一旦球在我们脚下，中场得能文能武，既要组织进攻，又要参与防守。“联队”也许在身高上占了上风，不过个子越大，速度越慢，而我们恰好相反，个子不大，可速度飞快。就这样，我们扬长避短，向对方发起快速进攻，终于如愿以偿进了两球，大家欣喜若狂。

        我暂踢前卫位置，当兵临对方城下，自己冲球狂奔而去，这时裁判鸣哨判我越位，我看着他，真想告诉他看花了眼，在我和球门之间还有对方防守队员。从此以后，形势急转直下。球被压在我们半场踢来踢去，千钧一发之际，队友阿米尔得球，杀气腾腾的“联队”一窝风地朝他涌来，阿米尔临门一脚……，球应声入网。我们精疲力竭，至此使出了全部吃奶的力气。三分钟过后终场结束，华盛顿特区联队又以七比四大获全胜。

        竞技场上瞬息万变，由于一次晦气的误判而改变输赢胜负。可见，有时因小失大可能会影响全局。