Chapter 657: Hero!
While Hiro prepared to take the free kick, Guardiola squinched his brows. At this point, even this man who had been maintaining an indifferent attitude throughout the game was on his toes.
With his gaze fixated on the scene before him, Guardiola stood on the sideline.
Beep!
The referee's sharp whistle cut through the eerie silence in the stadium.
Immediately, Endo sprang forward, his gaze fixed on the ball. Upon reaching the ball, Endo fiercely swept his leg.
However, he didn't touch the ball.
The opposition was prepared. Hence, they didn't react when Endo swept his leg. They remained composed as they prepared for the real threat.
Their gaze bounced between Hiro and Yamada. Cautious as they were, they were trying to figure out the real shooter.
While toggling their gaze, they couldn't help but feel uncomfortable upon looking at Yamada. Compared to Hiro, Yamada seemed more like a threat.
Before sprinting, Hiro glanced at the ball. The moment Endo would run over, it would be his time to shine. It would be the signal for him to make his move.
Hiro awaited the signal while staring at the ball.
The stage was set as England's towering defensive wall loomed ahead, a fortress of white jerseys anchored by Declan Rice, John Stones, and Reece James.
Behind them, the opposing keeper crouched low, his sharp eyes locked on the ball. However, to be able to keep his gaze on the ball, he had left one side of the post open- the side that was to be covered by the wall.
Hiro's eyes glinted with sharp focus, and the crowd's roar ebbed into an anticipatory hush as The exhaled deeply.
The ball rested still on the pitch, kissed by the fading glow of the stadium lights.
Hiro's jersey clung to him, damp with sweat, as the faintest breeze brushed his face, carrying with it the weight of millions watching worldwide.
Distracted by the noise, Yamada turned to look at the stands.
'He scored...' Yamada was speechless as he stared at Hiro in a daze.
Before him, his teammates were already rushing toward Hiro. This time he had felt as if the spotlight was on him. However, right now, at this very instance, he could see somebody shining even more ethereally than the sun.
Even his brilliant performance in today's match was completely overshadowed by Hiro. To a genius's brilliance, he had faded into the shadows.
With a hollow heart, he stood at his spot, unable to move.
"Unbelievable! Hiro has just scored a goal that defies belief-a freekick from over 35 yards!"
"Hiro, the youngest scorer in this World Cup, has just etched his name into history against a team like England. What a moment!"
The complexion of the opposing players had turned pale. They were fully aware of the significance of this goal and they could tell that their fate might very well have been sealed
now.
With limited time remaining on the clock, it was a near-impossible task to turn the tables. The Japanese fans aware of the importance of this goal couldn't refrain themselves as they celebrated this goal wildly. The entire stadium buzzed with cheers as they celebrated this late goal that could see them through the quarter-finals.
On the sideline, Guardiola, now enraged, furiously stomped his feet. Shouting, he expressed
his anger.
Meanwhile, the opposing reserve box had an entirely different scene. Even the indifferent Nanami had joined the celebration of those near him.
He couldn't feel more elated than this.
With a wide smile etched on their faces, the Japanese team celebrated the goal.
As for the man at the center of attention, he was hailed like a king. If it weren't for this man
with the number 19 on his back, this moment wouldn't have been possible.
To the Japanese people, this young man was their "Hero".