The field stretched wide and green under a cloudy sky. Tristan lined up his shot at the goal.
He kicked — but the ball rolled slowly straight into the goalkeeper's waiting gloves. 'Come on!' Tristan muttered, stomping his foot.
He chased the bouncing ball back to the spot. Time for another try.
Tristan took a big run-up and swung his leg hard. The goalkeeper leaped — and slapped the ball onto the crossbar!
The ball clattered down. Tristan held his ears, then wiped dirt from his knee and ran back.
On his third try, Tristan feinted left, then right. The goalkeeper dove the wrong way — but Tristan slipped on the wet grass.
He crawled after the trickling ball, but the goalkeeper scooped it up. Tristan sat in the dirt and watched a cloud drift by.
Tristan stood up. He took a deep breath and focused on the top corner of the net.
He wound up and kicked with all his strength — the ball flew past the goalkeeper's outstretched fingers!
It rocketed into the net! Tristan froze — then jumped, arms wide, shouting, 'Goal!'
His teammates swarmed him, lifting him up. The goalkeeper clapped and grinned.
Tristan patted the warm ball, looked at the goal, then at the sky. Tomorrow, they'd play again.