The roar of the stadium still echoed in Mateo's earsas he jogged back to his position after scoring.
The adrenaline buzzed through his veins like lightning.
But he knew —the job was far from done.
Egypt wasn't broken yet.
In fact, they came back angrier, sharper, more physical.
Their midfield tightened the pressure,their defenders marked tighter,and their wingers sprinted forward every chance they got.
Germany couldn't afford to relax —and Mateo knew it.
40th Minute
An Egyptian counterattack tore through Germany's left flank.
Mateo, though primarily an attacker, didn't hesitate.
He sprinted back —pressing, harassing, chasing down the ball.
At the perfect moment, he executed a clean sliding tackle, winning possession and springing a new German attack.
The crowd roared their approval.
The commentators praised:
"Look at that work rate! González is everywhere today!"
Halftime
Germany entered the tunnel leading 1-0,but the mood was serious.
Coach Markus Schuster gathered them tightly in the locker room.
"You've done well," Schuster said, voice sharp and clear."But it's not enough.Egypt won't stop.They'll throw everything they have in the second half.You must stay disciplined."
His eyes locked onto Mateo's.
"And you — keep dictating the tempo.You're controlling the battlefield.Don't stop."
Mateo nodded, feeling the weight and pride of the responsibility.
Second Half
As predicted, Egypt came out like lions unleashed.
The game turned brutal.
Hard tackles.Aggressive fouls.Scrambling defenses.
For twenty grueling minutes, Germany fought to hold the line.
Mateo was kicked, pushed, grabbed —but he didn't falter.
Every time he got the ball, he created danger.
Every touch, every pass, every run —he made Germany breathe again.
68th Minute
Mateo danced past two defenders near the sideline,cut inside, and launched a through ball into space.
Lukas sprinted onto it,cut past the keeper,and slotted it home.
2-0!
Germany erupted in celebration.
Mateo raised both fists into the air,his teammates crashing into him in a group hug.
Another notification sounded in his mind:
[Assist Registered: +Small Reputation Boost.]
Final Minutes
Egypt fought desperately but couldn't break Germany's solid defense.
Mateo controlled the game like a maestro —slowing it when needed,accelerating it when he saw an opening.
His Game Management Awareness skill showed its value,reading the flow, predicting dangers before they appeared.
Final Whistle
Germany 2 - 0 Egypt
The stadium exploded with cheers.
The players shook hands,some collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.
Mateo lifted his head toward the stands where his family and Klara cheered wildly.
He smiled, overwhelmed.
"One step completed."
"Many more to come."
Inside his mind, the System chimed again:
[Quest Progress: Advance Through Group Stage Without Defeat — 1/3 Matches Completed.]
[Bonus Progress: Rebuild International Reputation +4% (Current: 64%).]
As he left the field with his teammates,Mateo knew the world was starting to see it.
Not the tragedy of Argentina.
Not the boy who had been betrayed.
But the future legend who would reshape football history.