Chapter 627: Japan vs Portugal

Chapter 627: Japan vs Portugal



The stadium was a cauldron of emotions, pulsating with anticipation and vibrant hues as the crowd roared, their chants reverberating across the stands.

A clear partition could be seen in the stands, one side surging with the supporters clad in blue and white, while the other blazing like a fiery ocean of fire with their supporters clad in the iconic red jersey of Portugal.

It was like the clash of water and fire.

Japanese supporters enthusiastically waved flags emblazoned with the rising sun, their voices united in unshakable support for the team. Meanwhile, the Portuguese supporters proudly fluttered their flag and banner, belting an anthem of pride.

Truly, the stage had been set for one of the most anticipated matches in the group stage. With both their qualification in jeopardy, both sides were desperate to win the match.

Inside the tunnel, the atmosphere was equally tense, tension palpable in the air.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Both the teams were lined up side by side. As if a wall had been erected between the two sides, there wasn't any interaction between the two sides.

Hiro, however, could feel sharp gazes pointed at him. It felt like he was being stalked but whenever he turned to find out, the gazes he felt would immediately disappear.

'Am I the target?' Hiro thought, after feeling that eerie gaze for the fourth time.

Hiro silently rolled his eyes, jumping from one individual to the next. But he couldn't find anything abnormal. It looked like they were minding their own business.

'Am I overthinking?' Hiro questioned himself.

Finally, after a while, the players entered the field. Instantly, the atmosphere of the stadium soared to an unprecedented level.

Like the rumble of thunder, the crowd echoed, their cheer shaking the entire stadium. Upon hearing the electrifying roar, Hiro couldn't help but steal a peek at the crowd. While sweeping his gaze over the stand, Hiro's gaze fell on one particular spot.

At that spot, he noticed a huge poster of the legendary Portuguese, fluttering freely.

'They love their GOAT, don't they?' Hiro's eyes constricted a little.

Glancing at the sideline, Hiro found the man himself— Cristiano Ronaldo. He was calm and focused, unfazed by the buzzing atmosphere around him.

Well, given it was his last World Cup, he must be anxious right?

However, Hiro couldn't detect a sublime hint of anxiousness on his face. Even so, Hiro could tell that he was masking his emotions.

However, one thing was made clear, Yamada was pulling strings for Japan. So, the entire focus was on Yamada rather than Hiro.

Even so, Hiro wasn't upset about it. Rather, he was elated about the outcome.

The less he attracts attention, the more he can operate. With time, he would vanish from their sight, and they'd probably loosen their guard around him.

That's the moment, he'd strike.

In the 39th minute, suddenly the game became even more intense. Bruno supplied a magnificent through ball to Leao. Upon collecting the ball, Rafael began to sprint.

With swift nimble steps, he sprinted like a horse.

Immediately, Hiro's gaze scanned through the pitch. He found a total of five potential threats. The first was the sprinting Felix, the second Goncalo Ramos, the third Bruno, and two

more rushing up front.

The most logical option for him would be to stick with Bruno since Bruno was the closest to him. However, Hiro drifted to the defending third instead.

The second option would be the other two sprinting from the midfield.

But he knew that Yamada wouldn't drop deep and Endo himself would position there.

Rafael easily passed through one of their fullbacks. Then rather than crossing, he began to cut inside the box. There Hiroki Ito awaited him while Tomiyasu man-marked Ramos and at the same time blocked the passing route to Felix.

Suddenly, Felix began to cut inside as well. However, he began to drop back to the edge of the box rather than inside box.

At that moment, almost everybody anticipated Rafael to pass.

But instead, he lightly nudged the ball, venturing deep into the box. Hiroki extended his legs to stop him but failed to land a touch.

At that moment, everybody had thought that Rafael would score.

The Japanese audience was prepared to wail over the goal, their faces pale and horror- stricken. On the other hand, the opposing fans who stood behind the goalpost were prepared

to throw their arms in the air and celebrate.

Their eyes sparkled with excitement. But only some looked dull and worried.