Chapter 433 Kawasaki vs Kobe VIII
"Who knows?" Hiro feigned ignorance.
As Coach Tatsuya entered the room, the meeting commenced. He meticulously highlighted their flaws and strengths, pointing out gaps in their formation, and shared his analysis of the opposing team. Notably, he made no mention of any tactical changes, indicating his satisfaction with the current squad.
However, time and again, he kept on mentioning the importance of the game.
Time slipped away like sand through an hourglass as Coach Tatsuya delivered his talk. By the time he wrapped up, halftime had come to an end. The players then quickly hydrated and cooled down in the remaining moments before heading back to the pitch.
After the end of the halftime, slowly players of both teams emerged onto the pitch. Fans who had left their seat to get something to eat hurried to their seats. At the same time, as players emerged onto the pitch the stadium shook with the cheers of the fans.
Glancing at the scoreboard, Hiro took a deep breath, feeling the surge of energy lingering in the stadium. "Here we go," Hiro muttered to himself, steeling his resolve.
Then as they all positioned themselves in their respective position, the second half commenced.
Beep!!
As much as they played with a renewed sense of vigor, the opposing team was not to be underestimated either. They had already recovered from the last-minute disappointment in the first half. And, right now they were playing as if they had been reborn.
Their defense was like a well-oiled machine.
It wasn't just the players, their fans had also recovered from the loss. And, right now, they were showing their full support to their players.
Alongside the electric cheers, the sounds of drums echoed in the stadium, further enhancing the atmosphere and the appeal of the stadium. The electrifying atmosphere of the stadium only added pressure on the players, making the match even more intense.
"Damn..., What's with the fans today?" one of the reserve players of Kawasaki commented, appearing rather anxious.
But little did he know, it wasn't them who had outsmarted him. But it was Asahi who had outsmarted both of them.
Asahi's reaction was quick. A lot quicker than anyone had expected of such an old player. Perfectly timing Tominaga's reaction, Asahi lobbed the ball, causing Tominaga to strike the air.
With just one touch, he managed to trick both Daichi and Tominaga at the same time. Then without wasting any time, while the opposing players were still in confusion and awe, he struck the ball hard and sent it flying.
That momentary distraction proved to be quite fatal for the opposing team. Not only did they allow Asahi space to operate, but they also delayed their positioning.
Taking advantage of their momentary distraction, Hiro rushed in from the flanks.
"Watch out," Kenji shouted as he retreated rapidly.
His heart raced as he looked at the figure of Hiro. Previously, he had beaten the entire defense of their team. And, having seen such a marvelous performance, he couldn't help but worry about Hiro recreating the scene from before.
So, while retreating, he focused his attention on tightening the defense of his team. Making Hiro his priority target, he immediately ordered his teammates to fill in the gaps so that he wouldn't get any chance to break free.
However, due to his obsession with Hiro, he made huge errors. Hiro wasn't the only attacker he had to be cautious of.
Tatsuki being the poacher he was, sneakily approached the goal from the blind spot of Kenji, the defensive cog of the opposing team. If it were any other time, he might not have been able to do so. But, now Kenji's whole attention was drawn toward Hiro.
So, it was possible for him to sneak in.
It wasn't just Tatsuki, but Ayato as well. He too sneaked his way into the opposing box. Roberto had moved up the field to provide some support to Hiro as well.
So Kenji had to be cautious of him as well. Though they had the numerical advantage, Hiro was enough to cover up their numerical superiority by himself.