Several minutes later, Rafael moved toward the left side to help the winger and full-back combine around pressure. He returned the ball with one touch, then immediately changed direction and ran back toward the penalty area.
The winger reached the outside of the full-back and drove a low cross toward the six-yard box.
Rafael attacked the space in front of the centre-back, but the defender stretched out a boot and cleared the ball half a step before it reached him.
The visitors created their first dangerous moment from the next phase.
Metz lost possession in midfield, and the opposing winger accelerated into the open side. Rafael remained near the halfway line, giving his defenders an outlet if they recovered the ball.
The nearest centre-back delayed the winger instead of diving into a challenge. Metz’s full-back recovered, forced him wider and gave the goalkeeper time to step forward and gather the eventual cross.
The goalkeeper rolled the ball short, and Metz settled again.
In the fifteenth minute, Rafael received with his back to goal and the centre-back tight behind him. The opposition’s defensive midfielder moved across to close the return pass into midfield.
That movement left Metz’s left winger with space.
Rafael held off the first contact, shifted the ball away from the midfielder and released the winger into the open channel.
The winger entered the penalty area and drove a shot toward the near post. The goalkeeper reacted quickly, pushed it behind and rose shouting at his defenders.
Rafael pointed toward the winger in acknowledgement as they moved into position for the corner.
The delivery was cleared, but Metz continued controlling the match. Their midfield pressed forward for second balls, the wingers kept the pitch wide and Rafael prevented the centre-backs from stepping into midfield without leaving space behind them.
The opening goal arrived in the twenty-second minute.
Yanis received on the right and played inside to the right-sided midfielder. Rafael positioned himself between the two centre-backs, close enough that neither could move toward the ball without leaving him to the other.
Yanis continued his run inside.
The midfielder returned the pass, received it again and moved toward the edge of the penalty area. The left centre-back finally stepped forward.
Rafael moved onto his back shoulder.
The midfielder struck a low shot through the space the defender had left.
Rafael began running before the ball reached the goalkeeper. He had been level with the centre-back when the shot was taken, and experience told him that a wet ball struck through bodies would not always be held cleanly.
The goalkeeper got a strong hand to the effort.
Instead of pushing it wide, he could only knock it back into the centre of the penalty area.
Rafael was already there.
The centre-back turned and threw out a leg, but Rafael reached the loose ball first and guided it into the exposed side of the net with one controlled touch.
For a fraction of a second, the white net was the only thing Rafael could see.
Then the sound returned.
Yanis struck him from the side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders while the midfielder who had taken the first shot arrived in front of them. Rafael pointed at him before the rest of the players surrounded them.
"That was yours," Rafael said.
"It’s got your name on it," the midfielder replied.
Rafael was still smiling when blue light appeared between the moving bodies.
[Bonus Objective Complete: Register One Goal Contribution.]
He looked away from the panel and pushed Yanis’s hand off his head before anyone could notice his attention drifting.
The celebration lasted only a few seconds. Metz returned to their half while the visitors gathered around the centre circle.
After the restart, the two centre-backs stayed much tighter to Rafael. The nearest one followed whenever he approached the ball, while the other narrowed the space behind him.
Rafael responded by playing more quickly.
He cushioned one pass around the corner toward Yanis, then ran into the penalty area and dragged the left centre-back with him. Yanis used the space outside the box to shoot.
The ball sailed over the crossbar.
Rafael looked upward. "Good news. The stadium roof is safe."
Yanis pointed at him while jogging back. "Score another before you become a comedian."
The visitors began avoiding Metz’s press by playing longer passes toward their striker. Metz’s centre-backs handled the first delivery, and the midfield competed for the loose ball.
When Metz recovered it, Rafael provided the forward option. He held off a defender, laid the ball toward Yanis and turned while the play was switched toward the left.
The left winger cut inside and shot toward the far corner. The goalkeeper pushed it away, but the rebound travelled toward the touchline and beyond Rafael’s reach.
He stopped his run rather than chasing a ball he could not win.
Metz regained possession soon afterward and circulated it through midfield. Rafael stayed between the centre-backs until the pass reached Yanis on the right.
Then he checked short.
The left centre-back followed him for two steps, expecting the pass into his feet.
Rafael felt the defender’s movement behind him. He did not turn his head or signal to Yanis. He simply waited until the winger brought the ball under control and looked forward.
Then Rafael changed direction.
He moved across the centre-back’s blind side and into the channel between him and the full-back. The defender tried to turn with him, but his attention had remained on the ball for half a second too long.
Yanis released the diagonal pass.
Rafael had remained level with the centre-back until the ball left Yanis’s foot. Only then did he accelerate beyond him.
The pass reached Rafael inside the penalty area.
His first touch carried the ball across his body and away from the recovering defender. The goalkeeper advanced several steps, lowering himself to cover the near post and reduce the angle.
Rafael did not hesitate.
With his second touch, he passed the ball low across the goalkeeper and toward the far corner.
The goalkeeper stretched out his right leg.
He missed by inches.
The ball struck the inside of the post and settled in the net.
Rafael turned as Yanis sprinted toward him with both arms spread.
"That was all me!" Yanis shouted.
Rafael caught him around the shoulders. "The match sheet will have my name."
"Only because it doesn’t have a column for the important part."
Their teammates reached them, and the small crowd behind the barrier applauded while several Metz substitutes shouted from the touchline.
Blue light appeared again.
[Match Contribution Updated.]
[Goals: 2.]
[First-Half Brace Registered.]
Rafael dismissed it before the celebration ended.
Metz led 2–0, but the visitors did not collapse. They pushed their midfield higher and began challenging more aggressively for every loose ball.
Rafael received near the halfway line and laid the ball off before the centre-back arrived late through the back of him.
The contact sent Rafael to one knee.
The referee blew his whistle and called the defender over. Rafael stood without rolling across the grass or demanding a card. The referee gave the centre-back a firm warning and pointed toward the place of the foul.
During the final minutes of the half, the visitors produced their strongest spell.
Their right winger reached the byline and lifted a dangerous cross toward the six-yard box. Metz’s goalkeeper came through traffic and punched it away. The ball dropped near the edge of the area, where an opposition midfielder struck the follow-up into the body of a defender.
Metz cleared under pressure.
The ball travelled toward Rafael with two defenders closing him. He could not bring it down safely, so he leaned into the nearest centre-back and redirected the clearance toward Yanis with the side of his head.
Yanis collected it and carried the ball beyond halfway, giving the rest of the team time to leave their penalty area and recover their shape.
Metz found one final attack before halftime.
Rafael received near the edge of the box, returned the ball to an advancing midfielder and immediately ran toward the near post. The midfielder moved possession left, and the winger delivered before the defence could settle.
Rafael reached the cross with the centre-back pressed against his shoulder.
He turned his right foot toward the ball, but the contact and the angle prevented him from controlling the finish. His effort travelled narrowly wide of the near post.
Rafael exhaled once and turned back into position.
The chance had been difficult. Missing it changed nothing about the two he had taken.
The referee ended the half before the goalkeeper could restart.
Metz walked toward the changing room with a 2–0 lead.
Rafael entered between his teammates, breathing hard enough that he could feel each breath against the back of his throat. The number nine shirt clung damply to his shoulders.
Inside, players dropped onto the benches and reached for their drinks. The physiotherapist checked the ankle he had taped before the match, while the goalkeeper spoke to one of the centre-backs about the cross he had punched clear.
Yanis sat beside Rafael and opened his bottle.
"Two goals," he said. "One created entirely by me."
Rafael drank his water and let him continue.
"Without that pass, you have one rebound and nothing else."
The changing-room door opened.
The coach entered, waited for the conversations to fade and looked around the room. His eyes passed over Rafael before moving across the rest of the team.
Then he gave one satisfied nod.
"Great job, boys."