The pre-match press conference had been a masterclass in psychological warfare.

When asked about facing the giants of Sheffield Wednesday, Ethan had just smiled.

"Every team, no matter how big, has cracks in their armor. We've done our homework. We're confident that we've found a few."

Now, standing in the tunnel of a roaring, hostile Hillsborough stadium, the time for talk was over.

"WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO A CAULDRON OF PURE, UNADULTERATED FOOTBALL PASSION!" the commentator's voice exploded, barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

"It's the EFL Trophy Semi-Final! The fallen giant, Sheffield Wednesday, against the impossible dream, the giant-killers, the team that simply refuses to lose, APEX UNITED! A place in the final and a shot at a million pounds is on the line! The home side are the overwhelming favorites, but if we've learned one thing this season, it's to never, ever write off Ethan Couch and his band of teenage miracles! AND WE ARE UNDERWAY!"

The whistle blew.

And the plan, the secret, beautiful, and utterly ruthless plan, was immediately put into action.

From the very first second, it was clear that Apex United was a different animal.

The ball was worked to David Kerrigan.

Kerrigan then did a little dance, a ridiculous, pointless-looking shimmy that had no bearing on the game whatsoever, but was designed for an audience of one.

The captain, a proud, seasoned professional, just glared at him, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.

"Well, a strange start from Apex United," a second, more skeptical voice chimed in. It was Gary 'The Gaffer' Stone, joining Tactics Tim for the big match.

"Their winger seems to be auditioning for a dance show rather than playing football."

The game continued.

Every time Kerrigan got the ball, he would do something infuriating. A needless step-over.

A casual, no-look backheel. A little wave to the defender after beating him.

In the 12th minute, the trap was sprung. Kerrigan received the ball, did a quick, cheeky nutmeg on the furious defender, and was immediately, cynically, and brutally scythed down from behind.

The referee blew his whistle and brandished a yellow card.

The defender, his face a mask of pure rage, screamed in the referee's face, earning himself a long, stern lecture.

"And the mind games have paid off!" Tactics Tim announced, a note of glee in his voice.

"David Kerrigan has gotten under the captain's skin, and he's drawn a foul and a yellow card! A brilliant, if slightly villainous, piece of strategy from Ethan Couch!"

The resulting free-kick was in a dangerous position.

Emre Demir whipped it in, a perfect, curling delivery.

Grant Hanley met it with a powerful header that forced a brilliant, fingertip save from the Wednesday keeper.

But just as Apex seemed to be taking control, the game was turned on its head.

In the 19th minute, a simple, hopeful long ball was launched forward by Sheffield Wednesday.

Ben Gibson, the Apex center-back, misjudged the flight of the ball, letting it bounce over his head. The Wednesday striker was onto it in a flash, clean through on goal. He took one touch and calmly, coolly, slotted the ball past an onrushing Angus Gunn.

1-0 to the home side.

The stadium erupted. It was a goal that came from absolutely nowhere, a single, calamitous defensive mistake.

"AND THE GIANTS HAVE THE LEAD!" the commentator roared.

"A disastrous, inexplicable error at the back from Apex United, and they've been punished in the most ruthless fashion! For all their clever tricks and mind games, a simple, basic mistake has cost them dearly!"

But on the sideline, Ethan didn't panic. He just clapped his hands.

"No problem! We go again!"

His players, their faces a mixture of frustration and defiance, responded.

They went back on the attack, their passing sharp, their movement incisive.

Then, in the 28th minute, came the moment of pure, unadulterated, beautiful chaos.

Apex won a corner. Emre Demir jogged over to take it. He looked into the box, at the giants of the Wednesday defense. He looked at the goalkeeper, who, as Liam's report had predicted, was standing a few yards too far off his line, organizing his defense.

A slow, wicked grin spread across Emre's face.

He didn't whip it into the box. He didn't play it short.

He just... shot.

He struck the ball with a technique that was a work of art, a vicious, curling, in-swinging strike that started a yard outside the near post and bent, and bent, and bent, a beautiful, impossible, physics-defying arc.

The goalkeeper, seeing the danger far too late, scrambled desperately back towards his line.

He dived, his fingers clawing at thin air.

The ball kissed the inside of the far post and nestled, with a kind of gentle, beautiful arrogance, into the back of the net.

He had scored. Directly from the corner.

The entire stadium, all 30,000 fans, fell into a state of profound, stunned, and reverent silence.

"HE'S DONE IT! HE HAS ACTUALLY DONE IT!" Tactics Tim's voice was a hoarse, disbelieving shriek. "AN OLIMPICO! I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE LIVE! EMRE DEMIR HAS SCORED DIRECTLY FROM A CORNER KICK! That is not a goal; that is a miracle! That is a work of art! It is 1-1, and I think I need to sit down!"

Gary 'The Gaffer' Stone was just speechless.

"Fluke," he finally managed to grumble, but even he couldn't hide the look of stunned admiration on his face.

The Apex players were buzzing, a team of giant-killers who now believed they were invincible.

Just two minutes later, as the game hit the 30-minute mark and the home side was still reeling, they won a penalty.

A mazy, brilliant dribble from the now-unstoppable David Kerrigan saw him brought down in the box by the still-furious, still-rattled Wednesday captain.

The referee pointed to the spot. It was a clear, undeniable penalty.

Kenny McLean, the veteran, the calm head, stepped up.

He placed the ball down, took a deep breath, and with a simple, no-nonsense approach, he passed the ball into the bottom corner as the keeper dived the other way.

2-1 to Apex United.

In the space of three minutes, the game had been turned completely on its head.

The home crowd was silent, a sea of shocked, disbelieving faces.

Ethan just stood on the sideline, a slow, triumphant grin spreading across his face.

He looked at his team of brilliant, chaotic, giant-killing heroes.

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