Free T.J. and the Penalty by Theo Walcott Page A

getting ready to clear it, and Tulsi saw her chance. As the ball hit the ground she controlled it with one touch and then flicked it between the legs of the stranded defender. A perfect nutmeg!
    While the defender was still wondering what had happened, she sprinted forward and buried the ball in the net. Parkview were through to the quarterfinals.

C HAPTER 18
    PARKVIEW WON THEIR quarterfinal 4 – 0, with two goals apiece for Tulsi and TJ. It was a very one-sided game and Jamie didn’t have to make a single save. ‘It’s weird,’ he said after the game. ‘If we play against a really good team then I have loads to do, but if we play brilliantly then it’s boring. I mean, it’s just like watching from the touchline.’
    ‘No, it’s not,’ said Rob. ‘You can’t just watch. You have to be ready all the time in case there’s an attack.’
    Jamie shook his head. ‘You saw that game,’ he said. ‘They hardly even got in our half.’
    ‘Would you like to know who you’re playing in the semifinal?’ Mr Wood said, smiling. ‘It’s Hillside. They’ve won all their matches so far, just like you.’
    The Parkview players looked at each other. ‘They’ve got this new player,’ Tulsi said. ‘He’s Chinese. He’s called Deng.’
    ‘And he’s completely brilliant,’ said Jamie. ‘We played them in the park and they beat us twenty-three two.’
    ‘You know what?’ Marshall said. ‘It’s about time you guys started believing in yourselves. As far as I can see, you already beat the best team in the tournament – Saint Joseph’s. You put them out! And you did that without even playing that well. You’ve got a great team and you’ve got a great coach. And great supporters too,’ he added, with a glance at the far touchline, where the cheerleaders were having a wonderful time. ‘Go out there and really show them what you can do. Just look. I reckon your whole school is here!’
    TJ looked. What Marshall said was true. During the morning the crowd had been swelling. Whole families were there, with lots of little kids running around playing football. And all the teachers were there too, even Mrs Logan, the deputy head. And Mr Coggins, of course. Mr Burrows was walking towards them now, with a tall grey-haired man who looked somehow familiar. Mr Burrows looked unusually cheerful. ‘You remember Mr Turvey?’ he said, and TJ found it hard to recognize the inspector without his grey suit on.
    ‘I wanted to see what was so special about this football team that seems to have turned your whole school around,’ Mr Turvey said with a smile. ‘Good luck in your semifinal, everyone!’
    The referee was waiting. ‘OK,’ said Mr Wood. ‘Jamie in goal, Leila and Tommy at the back, then Rodrigo and Rafi, and TJ and Tulsi up front. You know what to do.’

    TJ looked at Deng, as they took up their positions. He was still grinning, as if someone had just told him a very funny joke. ‘Why are you all looking so worried?’ said Leila.
    ‘You haven’t seen him play,’ Rafi told her.
    ‘But we’ve got Jamie in goal now,’ Leila said. ‘He won’t let them score.’
    Jamie blushed, and the Parkview players laughed. Suddenly TJ felt a million times better. ‘We can win this,’ he called. ‘Come on, Parkview!’
    The Parkview supporters took up the chant. ‘PARKVIEW!’ they yelled, as the dinner ladies and the cooks went into a complicated routine. ‘COME ON, PARKVIEW!’
    Krissy Barton kicked off, and the barrel-shaped Kelvin played the ball out to Slim, the Hillside captain, who was playing on the wing. He pushed the ball back towards Deng. The pass was hit well enough, but Rafi was on fire. He darted in and stole the ball before Deng could reach it, and passed to Leila, who moved it on to TJ.
    Instantly Deng moved over to try and cut off his run, and TJ knew that this was like a duel between the two of them. If he could beat Deng, if he could put doubt and fear into Deng’s heart, then it would change the