A one-goal deficit forced Team Y to attack.
Team Z wasn't stupid. As long as you were determined to park the bus in front of your goal and look for counter-attacking opportunities, then we would just pass the ball around in our own half and wait for you to take the initiative to attack. We simply wouldn't give you the chance. Not only that, but we would also wait for your mistakes and counter-attack you in return.
The soul of Team Y was not the most radiant "Kumamoto Prefecture's Top Scorer," Okawa Hibiki, but Niko Ikki, who was constantly doing the clean-up work in the backfield. This type of player was born to be a good captain. In this match, he took the initiative to withdraw from the front line, dropping back to the defensive midfield position to do the dirty work, with the aim of leading by example and uniting Team Y.
It could be said that the real competition of the first selection's second round had only just begun. After experiencing the chaos of the first round, every team had to make changes. If they didn't change and continued to fight individually, only elimination awaited them.
The two sides chased each other for 20 minutes. The first ten minutes saw Team Z besieging Team Y, while the next 10 minutes saw Team Y taking the initiative to attack. Niko was always wary of Team Z's counter-attacks, because if Team Z scored another goal, the match would most likely be over for them. Therefore, although Team Y strengthened their offense, they didn't commit too many players forward. For a time, Team Z's defense looked as solid as a fortress.
Unable to break through after a long period of attack, Team Y began to play possession football in their own half. But their possession play was very disorganized; it looked like they were passing just for the sake of passing. This was the so-called "ineffective possession." It seemed like their possession rate was high, almost catching up to Team Z's, but most of the time, they couldn't push the ball into Team Z's territory and couldn't create any threat.
Soon, Team Y couldn't stand this tedious rhythm and launched another attack.
It was again an attack initiated by Niko. He ran from the backfield to the midfield, took the ball from a teammate, and then launched a long ball directly into Team Z's territory.
The right wing!
Team Y's right winger controlled the ball, quickly went down the line, and as soon as his teammates were in position, he immediately sent in a cross. But his passing intention was too obvious, aimed directly at the top scorer Okawa Hibiki, hoping he could create a chance.
Kunigami Rensuke and Raichi Jingo countered with a "double ghost-slams-the-door" pincer, one on the left and one on the right, trapping Okawa Hibiki, who couldn't even jump.
In the chaos, the monk Igarashi Gurimu got to the first ball and subconsciously gave it to Isagi. Kira Ryosuke saw this and immediately turned to run towards the opponent's half. Their little group had already discussed it: you pass to me, I pass to you, the main theme is "unity."
Isagi received the ball, but after taking just a few steps, he was met by the opponent's midfielder charging towards him. Seeing the other's posture, it was clear he was coming to crash into him. He didn't hesitate, looked for Kira's position, pulled the ball to the side with his right foot, and was about to pass it to Kira.
However, at this moment, with a swoosh, Tendou flashed past him like a beam of light from not far away. He looked at him and said, "Pass the ball here."
Isagi was stunned and, as if possessed, pushed the ball over to Tendou, completely forgetting about Kira.
Niko quickly directed the defense, "Mark your men! Don't panic! Stick to the plan!" After speaking, he led two defenders to pounce on Tendou.
Seeing this, Tendou charged forward to meet them like a hurricane. His eyes glinted like lightning, his Six Eyes seeing through the opponent's future. He pushed the ball to his left, and it looked like another three-cut change of direction. This sounded simple, but considering Tendou's speed and how quickly he released the ball, the players of Team Y felt it was unsolvable, possessing a kind of "greatness in simplicity" beauty.
"Don't look down on me! You... will be tamed by me." But Niko was already prepared. He had studied the recordings of Team Z's matches many times and finally came to a conclusion: as long as they could contain Tendou, their probability of defeating Team Z would reach 70%. Just like with AC Milan back then, if you could contain Kaká, you had a high chance of winning.
"Big Data Statistics: Three-man pincer defense, frontal breakthrough success rate 56%, direct shot success rate 1%. Pass option: Right wing goal success rate 0%, left wing 64%. Big Data recommendation: Pass to the left wing, Bachira Meguru!"
Without much hesitation, Tendou chose the pass with the highest probability of scoring. The target was Bachira on the left wing. Kira Ryosuke on the right was too deep; passing to him would be offside, which was why the goal probability was 0%.
In Niko's field of vision, Tendou's right leg swung back. This was his dominant foot; the possibility of a pass or a dribble was fifty-fifty. Niko quickly made a judgment, "Don't even think about passing!" He stretched out his foot to block Tendou's intended pass to Bachira.
But instead, he saw that the backswing of Tendou's right leg was not as large as expected. He gently tapped the ball back and then circled around to his left foot.
BAM!
The ball instantly lifted off the ground and shot towards Bachira's position.
"A Rabona pass?!"
The pupils under Niko's bangs quaked. Was this really a fancy move that a 193cm high school center forward could pull off? This pass completely shattered all his predictions. He was a player who was extremely good at thinking, the same type as Isagi Yoichi. Tendou's Rabona had disrupted his entire plan!
"The strong physique of a European player, the gorgeous footwork of a South American player." The more Ego Jinpachi watched Tendou, the more he felt he resembled Kaká. Even that bewitching face was the same, as if meticulously crafted by God.
Bachira received the ball and immediately started his forward run. A flip-flap took him past one person, and then a Marseille Turn took him past a second. This fast dribbler's footwork was all flash and no substance. Tendou was certain that if this guy ever made it to the professional stage, he would be tackled so hard his own mother wouldn't recognize him. But the kids in Blue Lock were very friendly; no one made any overly aggressive moves.
He cut inside with the ball all the way to the penalty area. With a powerful push from his right foot, he shot the ball towards the goal. But the shot was blocked by a Team Y defender's outstretched leg at the last moment.
But it wasn't over. Tendou had already seen the ball's landing spot, and with a single step, he was the first to reach it. By now, Team Y's defense had recovered, and Team Z's players had also pushed up. The penalty area was in chaos.
What Tendou's Six Eyes saw was not just the goal in front of him.
"Big Data recommendation: 10-man scramble in front of the goal. Direct shot success rate: Top right corner 40%, top left corner 44%, center 23%, bottom left corner 50%, bottom right corner 29%."
"Pass success rate 86%. Big Data recommendation: Pass, right side of the six-yard box, Isagi Yoichi. Goal probability 91%!"
Isagi Yoichi?
Tendou was stunned for a moment. His Six Eyes had indeed seen Isagi making a rapid forward run. But in his field of vision, it was clear that shooting himself or passing back to the trailing Kunigami for a long shot were better opportunities.
Time waits for no one. Tendou chose to trust the results calculated by his Big Data Statistics.
He directly lifted his foot to kick, but he didn't connect with the ball. A feint fooled the Team Y defender, and then his left foot followed up with a poke. The ball instantly hugged the turf, slid through the legs of five or six players, and into the right side of the six-yard box.
The penalty area was in chaos, crowded with players in two different colored jerseys.
Isagi's brain was working at high speed. He had found an excellent angle. This was his talent, his outstanding spatial awareness, always able to find the most dangerous areas for both the opponent and his own team.
Then.
While Isagi was still thinking, even if I run over there, can Tendou even see me? the ball had already quickly passed through the heavy defense and rolled in front of him. It was a fatal through-ball, as if he had turned on God's-eye view.
Isagi was almost knocked out by this surprise. But again, there were too many people in the box; there was no time for him to adjust and then shoot.
"Then I'll just have to surpass myself!" Isagi roared in his heart.
After entering Blue Lock, he clearly realized that he was not a genius. His dribbling, ball control, height, and feel for the ball were not outstanding. The only thing that could be called excellent was his brain and thinking ability. But with thinking alone, he wasn't good enough to gain a foothold in Blue Lock, let alone surpass those geniuses.
The moment he started running, he seemed to see Tendou's back in front of him. In that instant, the sadist cells in his body were completely activated.
"I will surpass you, Tendou!"
Isagi threw himself forward recklessly. Without waiting for the ball to stop, he slammed his foot into it, blasting it into the back of the net.
By the time the players of Team Y came to their senses, the ball was already spinning in the net. Isagi also crashed onto the turf due to inertia.
The field suddenly fell silent.
Then the whistle blew.
After a sharp BEEP!, the four English letters "GOAL!" appeared on the screen on the wall!
...
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