Chapter 452: Stealing the First Goal!
Meanwhile, on the pitch, this defensive display might not be flashy enough to be put on a highlight video to impress the fans, but all the players there knew the importance of it. That was why the excitement rose to a peak for the Young Samurai team right after that.
"Come on! We cannot do this forever!"
"Midfield! Control the ball more! Don’t lose it so easily!"
"Reduce the long ball! Hold the tempo first!"
Soon enough, they finally gained a foothold in this game. It was still shaky, but things were definitely better than when the game started earlier.
Jubilo Iwata’s midfielders also started to get more pressure on the center line. While their progressive passes were still dangerous, they also reduced the attempts slowly, not wanting to lose the ball too quickly.
Soon, the game entered a stalemate situation, where both teams were fighting for control over the midfield. More physical contact was made, and more battle was charged. Unfortunately, neither team found a solution to break through this deadlock.
At least, until the 25th minute of the game, where Mamoru Suzuki, the 17-year-old genius from Shizuoka who hadn’t shown any of his talent today, finally decided to remind everyone that he was still here.
It all came from Hinata Kida, the team’s captain, who was getting surrounded by two players at the sideline close to the team’s penalty box. Having no choice, he kicked the ball as far away as possible, hoping that it would deflect off the opponent’s body to give the ball back to the team.
In fact, even if it wasn’t blocked, it was still okay. He would still send the ball out of danger, which was a better situation than getting surrounded by the opponents close to the penalty box. That was exactly what happened, as the ball just flew back to the opposition half, where Jubilo Iwata’s defender controlled it so easily.
Or... That was what that man originally thought.
Who would’ve imagined that Mamoru, a frail-looking boy, would suddenly charge at him with top speed before charging the man without hesitation, enough to make that defender lose his balance for a moment.
BAM!
It was still quite weak to knock out the defender and made the referee blow the whistle for a foul, but the momentum was enough to let him steal the ball from that poor defender.
"SHIT! SHIT!" That defender gritted his teeth as he tried to regain his balance frantically. However, in that short time, Mamoru had already widened the distance between them, leaving that man in the dust. "FOUL HIM!" He shouted in desperation.
Of course, the other defenders didn’t just follow that impulsive shout straight away. After all, they still had more people on the back, enough to handle this situation cautiously. If anything, their approach was more logical, moving back slowly to let the team recover the defensive position first while also covering all the passing routes for the opponent.
Kyosuke Tagawa, the team’s center forward, scowled secretly as he couldn’t find a good spot to receive the ball. He got even more anxious when the boy noticed that he was getting closer to the penalty box.
’No, I cannot stay here forever! I have to make a move!’
With the boldness and desperation that came out of nowhere, Tagawa suddenly cut diagonally, moving from the middle toward the same space that Mamoru was going to run. He didn’t think that much at that time, just hoping to get a space to create a shot. However, this unfolded into a brilliant play for the national team.
Somehow, Tagawa’s move managed to get the defender’s attention, and they moved slightly toward that boy’s side, even just for a second. That was enough time for Mamoru, who had been keeping his eyes on the whole frontline, to finally make a move, passing the ball to the other flank where Tagawa started his run before.
Thud!
The ball pierced Jubilo Iwata’s defensive line so easily. If the Hakodate Nishi trio could communicate with each other right now, they would say exactly the same, ’That is exactly the kind of pass in Adailton’s clip from the video yesterday!’
On the left flank, the unsung hero came out of nowhere. It was Koki Saito, the speedy striker who had been running aimlessly since the beginning, just like Mamoru, who took advantage of this. Now that the ball was coming to his foot, the boy only had one thing in mind.
’I have to score!’
Even though the opponent’s goalkeeper also made a move to close the space, with the instinct of a striker that he honed for so many years, it was quite easy for Koki Saito to execute the play. He didn’t make things overcomplicated, just leaning his body so that it could face the goal before using his inside foot to place it to the far post, far enough for the goalkeeper to reach it.
Thud!
In the end, the only sound that could be heard there was the ball hitting the net. Then, the boy who executed it fell on the ground from getting himself off balance. However, he saw clearly the result of his shot, and all the pain he felt right now was ignored completely by the adrenaline rushing to his head as he jumped and roared.
"HELL, YEAH!" Koki Saito punched the air excitedly as he celebrated the goal. Then, he turned around, finding Mamoru approaching him, and he couldn’t help but point at the boy appreciative. "Nice pass!"
"Yeah, a good execution as well." Mamoru grinned, accepting the hug readily.
Soon enough, everyone followed, and cheers and laughter could be heard after that.
"Come on, Saito! You finally did it!"
"I know you can!"
"Fuck! Give Mamoru his flower, too, okay?! Don’t you see that pass?!"
The goal was enough to break the tension and nervousness remaining in the team. On the bench, even those who played in the last game also cheered, albeit with a hint of jealousy. Looking at this scene, Kageyama-sensei couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction.
’Indeed, it only takes one goal to change the mood of the game. Now, it is time for us to push back and show more of our potential!’
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