Chapter 203 Strike first
The noise in the stadium escalated as the referee signaled the start of the match. It was evident that Standard FC enjoyed immense popularity, with their skilled players surpassing the earlier teams, drawing more enthusiastic fans.
Possessing the ball, Standard FC showcased exceptional dribbling and precise passing, outperforming Kan's previous opponents.
As the game unfolded, Alfred couldn't help but remark, "They're kind of good, actually, especially the lady with the Eleven Jersey!" However, no one responded to his observation.
Analyzing the situation, Emily expressed her skepticism, "They might have good midfielders, but the problem might be that they lack good strikers...!"
Her bias against the team stemmed from her sister being a part of it, surprising her that her sister excelled as a midfielder.
Before Emily could finish her statement, Evelyn executed a precise pass to the burliest player on the pitch, a muscular figure adorned with the Nine Jersey.
The ball barely touched the ground before the burly player, donning the Nine Jersey, unleashed a powerful shot toward the opponents' goalpost.
The sheer force behind the strike left the goalkeeper helpless, unable to intercept the ball as it nestled into the back of the net. The fans erupted in joyful celebration at the swift goal.
"Their strikers are hungry for goals too!" Alfred observed, acknowledging the prowess of Standard FC's forward line.
"Their defense might be leaky; look, that defender is overlapping. Any fast striker can run past him and score," Emily analyzed, noting a potential vulnerability in Standard FC's defensive setup.
In perfect timing, a striker from the opposing side seized the ball and spotted the open space created by the overlapping defender. He played the ball and accelerated.
Turning to glance, he noticed the defender not pursuing him, wearing a nonchalant smile.
"Why ain't he hittin' me with that follow, man? Dude's like a total scrub on defense!" the player muttered to himself as he approached the goalpost.
As he prepared to kick the ball, it vanished before him. Bewildered, he looked up to find the defender he had left behind now sprinting towards their goalpost with impressive speed.
"How the heck did he pull that off? Is he, like, crazy fast or something?" the player contemplated, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Laughter erupted from the fans who were well aware of the defender's remarkable speed.
The defender swiftly crossed the ball, leading to another goal scored by their attacker with a powerful header, doubling the lead.
Wick couldn't help but express his admiration, saying, "Their team is almost complete; their defenders are also good. I'd love to face this team as my opponents."
Evelyn and her team continued their dominance, scoring almost every 7 minutes.
Evelyn herself joined the scoring spree that had the fans cheering louder.
"I'm into that lady," Alfred commended.
By halftime, the scoreline stood at 6 goals to none, with the opponents failing to register a single shot on target.
The second half mirrored the first, with Standard FC scoring more goals, concluding the match with a resounding 13:0 victory.
The opposing teams left the pitch disheartened, while Evelyn and her teammates departed with joyous celebrations, their dominant performance etching a memorable win in the match.
After the training sessions, they returned to their hostel, had a meal, and went to bed early, knowing their first match awaited them in the morning.
The next day, an alarm beeped, stirring movements in the hostel. Eager to play their first match, the players were already up, waiting for the right moment to get out of their beds.
Kan swiftly washed up and dressed, focusing on buckling his shoes as Emily returned from washing herself and getting dressed.
"Today, we begin!" Emily exclaimed, sitting beside Kan on his bed.
"Yeah," Kan replied, engrossed in securing his shoes.
"I'm a bit nervous, you know," Emily confessed.
"Nervous? Why?" Kan inquired.
"I really don't want to mess up on the pitch today. It would hurt if we lose the match because of any mistake I make," she added.
"Mess up? I believe in you, sweetheart!" Kan reassured her, placing a kiss on Emily's cheek. She smiled and sighed, then stood up, ready to address the team.
"Today is the day we show the people out there that we are up to the task! We might not have the fans we need to cheer us up, but we have the spirit," Emily declared, turning to glance at Kan for a moment before continuing.
"We should all believe in ourselves that we can do it, and nothing will stop us. We are...." Emily continued before being interrupted by Alfred.
"Ah, come on! All these speeches won't make any difference. If you're good, you're good, but if you ain't, you won't make the game any better!" Alfred stated with a smile.
Everyone turned to look at him after such a bold statement. "Come on, guys, we're getting late!" Alfred added, heading for the door.
The others had no choice but to follow since they couldn't afford to be late, risking a walkover. They quickly made their way to the pitch, which fortunately wasn't far from their hostel.
As they reached the pitch, they entered the stadium's dressing room where Coach Nami awaited them. Without delay, she delved into the formation and the starting lineup for the day.
"The formation remains the same, with four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards," Coach Nami explained, pointing to the board on the wall displaying the setup.
"The goalkeeper remains constant, as do you four in the defense," she continued, pointing at the defenders.
"The starting midfielders will be you three," she said, singling out Emily and two others.
"Now, for the forwards," Coach Nami declared, lifting her gaze to scrutinize the players before her.
"Wick, you'll be taking on the role of the left wing today," she announced, carefully considering her choices for the crucial striker positions.
"Alfred, you'll be our striker today," Coach Nami declared.
"Not just today, forever!" Alfred proudly added with a silent assurance.
"And for the right wing, I need someone like... Kan. You'll be starting."
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