"Astrid how do you feel today?" One of the multitude of reporters asks me as the team warm up.

Today's our Round of 16 game against Italy and today is also the first time any of the team have had media contact since the North Korea game.

Today is also the first day I've been in the public eye since the North Korea game.

"I feel fine." I admit. "I had a bit of a breakdown yesterday knowing someone tried to kill me, but it's not the first time so I'm doing okay."

"Can you talk us through what happened?" Alex Curry asks.

"Yeah." I say and clear my throat. "After the game ended I shook hands with the North Korean coach then I started walking to the refs which is when I started feeling bad. I quickly shook the refs hands then I returned to the locker room and threw up in the toilet. My twin found me hunched over the toilet so she got my wife who then got the paramedics as I tried to stay awake. Ash and Alyssa then carried me to the training table in the locker room before the paramedics came into the room and it's all a bit hazy from there."

"Did they say what the North Korean coach gave you and how it got into your system?"

"I can't remember the name of the poison, but it got into my system via a strip that was transferred from her palm to mine when we shook hands."

"Did they tell you what happened to the North Korean Coach?"

"The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, The CIA, and the FBI reviewed the footage then they went to the North Korean Team Hotel and arrested her."

"What happens now?"

"Um I don't really know." I admit. "Right now I'm just focused on beating Italy and moving on to the next rounds."

"How's your family dealing with all this?"

"Um they're doing okay. Tobin and I's families are still coming to grips with what happened, but I think they're okay now."

"And your daughters?"

"They have no clue what's going on which is nice." I admit and shrug. "They've been keeping me entertained with their cuteness and letting me not dwell on what happened."

"ASTRID." Ali yells causing me to look at her and see her waving me over.

"Bye." I say then leave the tunnel and walk onto the pitch towards Ali. "Yes?"

"They need the line up" Ali says and points to the scoreboard people.

I nod then check over the line up.

"Here ya go." I say and hand the line up to the scoreboard operator.

"Thank you." The scoreboard man says then Ali and I walk away.

"So how was the media?" Ali asks.

"A lot less invasive than I thought they'd be." I admit as the team walks by us then Ali and I head with into the locker room.

Once in the locker room I wait for the girls to change then I do my last minute team talk. After that's done the girls do their last minute preparations then everyone heads to where they need to be and a few moments later the starters come onto the pitch. Once the starters are on the pitch I stand around as the anthems are played then, as the rest of the pre-match is happening, I walk over to the Italian coach and shake her hand, but this time I have a glove on my hand.

Once the handshake is over I head to my touchline as the starters get to their positions.

"LET'S GO GIRLS."

- - - - -

"I know you all are tired, but I need you to dig deep for me alright?"

The girls nod so I leave the huddle and let Julie do the captains talk then the team head.

We're about to go to into the second period of extra time with Italy since nobody could score in the regular 90 minutes. Lindsey scored in the first fifteen minutes off a free kick so right now we're up 1-0

"This is gonna be a long fifteen minutes." Ali mumbles as the game resumes.

The game actually flies by until almost the end of extra time

In the last minute of extra time Italy win a corner so the girls mark their players. The ref blows her whistle then an Italian player sends a ball to the front post. Mal tries to head the ball away from goal, but she gets bumped into which sends the ball into the net for an own goal.

When the ball hits the back of the net the referee blows for full time meaning we're going to penalties.

The girls jog over to the sideline, but Mal lags behind so I walk towards her

"Come here." I say and pull Mal away from the team.

Once we're away from everyone I hug the youngster and let her get her emotions out for a minute.

"Got everything out?" I ask and Mal nods. "Good now let's go win."

I lead Mal back to the team then everyone huddles together.

"We're shooting second and shooting in front of our fans." Julie says and I nod.

"First five shooters are Alex, Christen, Tobin, Mal, then Lindsey." I say and everyone nods.

The 11 players on the field are called over by the rest so the rest of us line up on the touchline then I wrap an arm around Ash and an arm around Ali before we watch the two teams take their penalties.

The first three penalties go by fairly quickly with all three from our team converting their penalties.

Alex put hers top left, Christen put hers bottom right, and Tobin put hers middle left.

Alyssa saved the first Italian penalty, but the next two Italians scored so we're up 3-2 in the shoot out.

When Tobin gets back to the team at midfield all attention turns to Alyssa and Sara Gama, who's waiting to take her penalty. A moment later the ref blows her whistle so Gama runs up and puts her foot through the ball. Alyssa dives to her right and a second later she parries the ball away.

"YEAH LYS." I shout.

"WAY TO GO LYS." Ash shouts.

"THAT'S MY WIFE." I hear Hanna shout from the stands.

Hannah and Alyssa got married after SheBelieves this year.

As Gama walks back to her team Mal starts walking up to the spot then she turns and looks at me.

"I believe in you." I mouth then Mal nods and continue's walking to the spot.

Once Mal gets to the penalty area she takes the ball and sets it down then she waits for the whistle. A moment later the ref blows her whistle so Mal runs up and puts her foot through the ball.

Everyone in the stadium watches as the ball goes just past the outstretched hand of the Italian keeper and into the back of the net.

When the ball hits the net everybody on the team sprints towards Mal, who's running towards me.

When Mal gets to me she jumps into my arms and we both tightly hug each other.

"You did it Mal Pal." I say and kiss Mal's head. "You did it.