Chapter 351: Second Half Begins! Hannan University High’s Blitzkrieg Attack?!
Honestly, the decision itself was quite surprising. After all, while putting Jun off the midfield would be beneficial, not only to help fill in the blank in the midfield but also to handle Jui Hata on the back, Makino’s presence there was also quite irreplaceable. While yeah, he wasn’t the tallest and the fastest one, his command and game-reading ability were something that the team relied upon.
As a defender, Jun was not really that good at taking command. He was always a reactive one, waiting for Makino to give an order. That was why he didn’t work well as a sole defensive midfielder earlier. Partnering him with Sano would only get the same result, as those two boys had never been in a leadership position.
If anything, putting Ishinori would be more reasonable. While the boy was quite low-key, his defensive area was wide, and he could cover wider ground in the pocket area. However, among the four central defenders, he was the fastest one here, and his role as the one who covers any leaks at the back couldn’t be denied. His support defense was top-notch, and once he was taken off the back, the team’s whole defensive line would be weaker.
Honestly, Ishinori was like a tiny screw in a huge machine. People might not know if he existed, but once he was taken off, the whole thing would crumble immediately.
It also helped that Makino was a better player when holding the ball. It might not be a necessity as a center back, but having a defensive midfielder who was good with his feet would definitely be a big help for the team. That was why Kazawa was often chosen compared to Fujinaga.
With all of the reasons there as the consideration, it was no wonder that in the end, Kumiko chose the captain for this task. Makino also recognized this as he said, "Don’t worry, I will handle this." He nodded, not shying away from the responsibility.
"Good. The second half will be tougher for us, so hold your own ground until the end and let’s create history for Hokkaido!"
"Heck, yeah!"
After this, all the players rose immediately, getting ready for the second half. The mere mention of them being so close to create history was enough to ignite their spirit again, getting rid of all the tension on their shoulder.
Jun could also be seen letting out a relieved sigh. After all, his biggest worry was that he would be replaced before he could touch the pitch in the second half, the same scenario that he faced against Sapporo Otani in the past. Now, it seemed he was overthinking here, and Kumiko was still trusting him enough to do his job.
Soon enough, they all went into the pitch again; the cold couldn’t bother them anymore. However, Hannan University High was also on the same wavelength here. They stared coldly at the moment their opponent stepped outside of the tunnel; the smell of gunpowder was so strong in the air.
It was clear that the second half would be explosive, both literally and figuratively.
"Come on, get ready to handle the back!" Higo smacked Jun’s back quite hard. "You will switch with Sano to handle that Jui Hata. Your height is more suitable for that. Just don’t let him face the goal so easily and always communicate with the others if you can see where he would send the ball!"
"Yes, Senpai!" Jun nodded solemnly.
Hannan University High also made a change. The left midfielder was off, being replaced by a player with the jersey number 16. Denki, the one who would face that boy, narrowed his eyes a moment, trying to assess that boy’s capability. Unfortunately, before a head-on confrontation, he wouldn’t be able to figure out anything here.
"Hannan University High, get ready! You are taking the kick-off!" The referee also arrived at the scene, holding the ball in his hand before putting it on the white spot on the center line.
"Yes, Sensei!" Kento Miyaura and Jun Hata, the two forwards from their team, came hurriedly, standing there while also waiting for the whistle to be blown again.
The referee didn’t start the game immediately. He checked several things first, coordinating with whoever they were on his earphone to make sure everything was ready. Once things were settled, he finally had the whistle on the tip of his lips, and then...
FWEEE!
"Come on! Let’s start the party!"
Right off the bat, Jui Hata kicked the ball a little bit further, passing it straight to Taiga Nagai on the back. Then, the next series of moves caught all the Hakodate Nishi players off guard. They saw at least six opponent players blitzing their way so coordinately on their own territory, a familiar scene for the Hakodate team.
"I get the center! Tiger-san, give it to me!"
"Matth! Get ready for the second ball! Don’t let it go!"
BAM!
’A fucking blitzkrieg attack?! Are you kidding me?!’ Makino couldn’t help but curse, somehow unable to process everything for a second. ’How could they imitate this shit so well?!’ He asked himself incredulously.
Yeah, this was the exact replica of their own Blitzkrieg attack. No one noticed this, but Hannan University High really met all the requirements for this attack to be successful. They had a player on the back who could launch a Hail Mary pass to the front, a tall target that would win all the aerial duels there, two resilient midfielders to pick up the second ball, and two rapid wingers that could penetrate from the flank.
They should’ve noticed the uncanny resemblance Hannan University High had with their own team, but no one expected the opponent to imitate it so perfectly like this.
"Ha! I get this!" In his first duel against Jun, Jui Hata dominated so easily, getting the higher point before heading the ball through the joint area between Jun and Denki. "Captain, finish it!"
There, somehow, Kei Murakami managed to sneak out of everyone’s blind spot, appearing straight at the area where Jui Hata passed the ball. All the Hakodate Nishi players widened their eyes in shock, and only one word crossed their minds.
"FUCK!"
