They say ominous feelings rarely miss the mark.
That saying applied perfectly here at Montaigu Stadium.
"Hey! What are you doing? Don't leave space, press him!"
24 minutes into the first half.
Sakho hastily began organizing the defensive line.
With the pressure in midfield finally relieved, Korea began to counterattack.
It was sharp and explosive, like a soda can popping open — refreshing yet dangerous.
The attack started with Lee Chung-yong, playing as an attacking midfielder.
Though his usual position was right winger, he was deployed today as a playmaker specifically to take on France.
And it was finally beginning to pay off.
Thud!
The ball dropped to Ho-young's feet.
It was the first time in a while.
Perhaps that made it all the more welcome, as Ho-young surged forward like an unbridled colt — aggressive yet controlled.
Such freedom in his movement.
His storming run tore apart the composure of the French defense.
From their perspective, it was enough to make them curse.
"Hey! Sakho! Stop him!"
A defensive midfielder who had just lost track of Ho-young shouted, shifting the blame.
"This crazy bastard."
Sakho.
It was finally his turn to step up.
'That's right. Come to me. I'll stop you no matter what.'
With complete focus, Sakho stood in Ho-young's path.
And one thought flashed through his mind.
'This is my chance.'
A chance to impress the scouts.
"Argh!"
Yeah, right. He wasn't impressing any scouts now. He was about to get on his coach's bad side.
He had opened up the path for Ho-young like an automatic door.
It was inevitable.
Sakho was strong in physical battles but lacked speed.
'How is he so fast…'
Before the thought even settled, Ho-young suddenly changed direction, slamming on the brakes and opening up a clear path.
Slide.
The center of the field was wide open.
Naturally, Ho-young went for it.
He slipped through a gap and unleashed a powerful mid-range strike with pinpoint precision.
It marked the first goal of the tournament — the opener of the match.
Thud!
The net rippled violently.
"Whooo!!"
Watching Ho-young's wild celebration, Sakho recalled what his coach had said before the game.
—Be careful of the boy named Ho-young Woo, born in '93.
"Shit."
Too late for regrets.
No, there wasn't even anything to regret.
Sakho had been cautious of Ho-young.
But he still got torn apart.
That's why the frustration boiled within him.
The resentment burning deep in his chest was rising fast.
More than ten minutes passed since Korea's opening goal, and while the stadium remained subdued, the warm weather gradually brought smiles back to the French crowd.
The match, once tilted, was starting to balance out again in France's favor.
Although they were still down 1-0, France had regained control. With that alone, the crowd believed they could turn things around at any moment.
That's the beauty of football, and the reason fans cheer their teams on.
The 15,000 fans who came to witness their nation's victory roared with renewed energy.
Just before the first half ended.
France made a tactical adjustment in preparation for the second half.
They shifted from central-focused play to utilizing overlapping runs from both full-backs, seeking new attacking routes from the flanks.
The change in tactics proved effective.
Through France's signature polished and precise link-up play, they gradually took over the wide areas of the pitch.
That led to numerous battles for space all over the field.
It was clear the French coach was attempting to compress Korea from the flanks toward the center, increasing pressure.
As a result, Korea's defensive line began to loosen slightly, and Quentin seized the opportunity to fire a thunderous mid-range shot.
It went straight to the goalkeeper and was blocked without much trouble, but it was definitely a promising attempt.
But no one could have predicted what came next.
The Korean goalkeeper launched a goal kick that soared deep into French territory, sparking an aerial duel.
Suk Hyun-jun, standing at 180 cm, used his size to win the header.
And then.
"Shit."
As the ball dropped right in front of Ho-young's feet, Sakho's pupils widened.
The air suddenly felt cold.
His chest tightened as if he couldn't breathe.
Gone was the pride. All that remained was fear.
It was instinct.
"Y-you…"
Even so, Sakho forced himself to shake off the anxiety and tracked Ho-young's movement.
His mind was going hazy, but he had to give it everything.
If he got beaten again here, it might be the end.
'What if he tries to dribble past me again?'
An unnecessary worry.
While Sakho was busy overthinking, the ball had already left Ho-young's foot.
Tap!
Ho-young chose not to dribble, but to pass.
The target was Lee Chung-yong, who had slipped into the right side of the box.
He struck the ball cleanly with his instep, and it flew into the net.
It was Korea's second goal, just before the end of the first half, a crushing blow that deflated the French crowd.
A chill swept through the stadium.
Though, that only applied to the French side.
Korea, now up 2-0 against France, was in celebration mode.
"Nice pass!"
Clap!
Ho-young high-fived Lee Chung-yong, then turned his gaze sideways.
Mamadou Sakho was down on the ground, clutching his head in despair.
'Looks like he's really pissed.'
Mamadou Sakho.
A French prodigy who might one day become Paris Saint-Germain's youngest captain and be called the second Lilian Thuram.
Ho-young had known about him for a while.
He was a globally recognized talent from his mid to late teens, and anyone who liked football video games would be familiar with his name.
'He didn't develop quite as expected because of injuries and whatnot, but he was definitely a top-tier talent. And seeing him in person confirms it.'
Especially his physicality.
That's why Ho-young deliberately avoided physical duels and focused on exploiting space.
He targeted Sakho's poor defensive awareness.
Thanks to that, he had come out on top.
Though there was a three-year age gap, it wasn't a major issue.
He'd faced players born in 1990 plenty of times in Brazil.
Sakho wasn't a real rival.
But his raw talent was outstanding.
[Mamadou Sakho]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B+3), Natural Muscles (B-), Solid Sliding Tackle (B-), High Work Rate (B-), Decent Ball Interception (C)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required conditions.)
(Condition 1: Play one match together)
(Condition 2: Successfully dribble past him)
(Condition 3: Record one attacking point)
'Wasn't it around the time he transferred to Liverpool?'
There was a funny story about Sakho.
During a medical test, he supposedly broke the testing equipment because he was too strong.
Whether it was real or just media spin was unclear, but after today, it felt like it might be true.
'Natural Muscles!'
This was a huge gain.
That was why Ho-young approached Sakho and offered a hand.
The match wasn't over yet, but he felt this level of sportsmanship was appropriate.
But then.
"Ugh… you damn bastard… sniff… ruthless jerk…"
It wasn't confidence behind his gesture.
Far from it. Sakho no longer even had the will to fight.
He was practically sobbing.
Just like that, host nation France began to collapse.
The second half unfolded with the same intensity as the first.
While the gameplay itself was evenly matched, the team with the clinical finisher took control — Korea.
In the 67th minute of the second half, Suk Hyun-jun scored another goal, and Ho-young was subbed out in the 80th minute to conserve energy.
He was used to playing 80-minute matches in the Brazil U-15 league, so a full 90 minutes would've been too much.
He had already exerted himself heavily in the first half, and with the win nearly secured, it was time to prepare for the next match.
By the 88th minute.
As jeers filled the stadium, France finally pulled one back.
They added another in the 93rd minute, reigniting a glimmer of hope, but it was too late.
And finally.
Beep!
It was an exhilarating match, but one that ended in misery for the home fans.
South Korea had won 3-2.
'That was close.'
While resting on the bench, Ho-young accurately assessed the team's problem.
Stamina.
As the match wore on, the difference in fitness levels became obvious.
'The second and third matches will be tough.'
The next day was the second match against Ivory Coast, and the day after that, a game against Germany.
There was only one solution — to give everything they had.
'But first, let's choose the talent.'
There were three options.
1. Natural Muscles (B-)
2. Solid Sliding Tackle (B-)
3. High Work Rate (B-)
'Already got High Work Rate from Oscar, so the muscles are the way to go.'
Earlier this year, he had obtained [High Work Rate (B-)] from Oscar, so there was no need to hesitate.
'Alright. This away trip is off to a great start.'
The first day of the tournament.
Ho-young had laid the foundation for a successful run.
Even though the match had ended some time ago, French coach Laurent remained deep in thought.
Understandably so, he had expected a guaranteed win today.
'This is trouble.'
Now the pressure was enormous.
As the host nation, reaching at least the final was a must, so they had no choice but to win the next match against Germany.
'Still, that Ho-young kid… I heard he only recently joined the team, but he seems to have great chemistry with the others.'
An unexpected dark horse.
Laurent was both surprised by the Korean team's performance and shocked by Ho-young's talent.
'At this level, they could even make it to the final.'
In truth, the gap between Eastern and Western nations isn't as wide in youth football as it is at the senior level.
Powerhouses like Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy don't completely overwhelm Asian teams.
Just last year, Japan had won the tournament.
'So this year's underdog is Korea? We might have to face them again.'
The thought deepened.
It might be easier than facing England, the tournament favorite, but…
'Actually, maybe not.'
If England's squad was rated a 5, Korea's would be a 3.
But Korea had one world-class wildcard.
Ho-young.
'Their coach isn't even using him properly. But based on skill alone, he can control a game all by himself — assuming he meets basic physical requirements.'
If they faced each other again, shutting down Ho-young would be the top priority.
The answer would lie in physicality.
Laurent turned his head.
He asked a black youth player sitting on the bench due to a minor injury.
"If we face them again, can you stop him?"
A boy who would later be known as a pioneer of brute-force football.
He answered with steely eyes.
"Heh. Coach, you don't even have to ask."
That was the confidence of someone built like a tank.
As the game ended, the stadium screen lit up with Ho-young's face.
[HOMME DU MATCH: 7, HO-YOUNG WOO]
Since it was the opening match, the Man of the Match was announced immediately after the final whistle, and Ho-young was the one chosen.
The stadium erupted with curses.
Some claimed France had no future, that Korea had ruined the tournament, others criticized the match itself. Some even commented that Ho-young didn't look Asian.
But at the same time.
"He's good."
"He deserves to be MOM."
Though France lost, many still gave Ho-young credit for his performance.
It wasn't as thrilling as a senior national team match, but it was still a rare treat to witness such talent.
Soon after, interviews began in several places.
Naturally, Ho-young was approached for a player interview, and as expected for such a prestigious tournament, a translator was provided by the organizers.
Most questions were about France.
"You went up against Mamadou Sakho several times. At first, it looked tough, but you beat him four times. Was it an easy match-up?"
"No, it was definitely challenging. He's really strong. But I think I was able to win by exploiting small gaps."
"I see."
As Ho-young answered clearly, the reporter asked another tricky question.
The interpreter's face stiffened slightly.
"Uh… so it seemed France had a lot of problems today. What do you think is wrong with the French team? What should the French players learn from you?"
"Problems?"
Ho-young looked genuinely puzzled.
"No, I think France was strong. Honestly, it was a game that could've gone either way."
Since they were the host nation, one wrong comment could bring backlash.
Finally, the last question came.
"Can we expect Korea to finish first in the group? Germany is seen as a title contender. What are your thoughts on that match?"
The match against Germany was set for two days later.
"Sounds fun."
It had been three years since they last met at the MBS Youth World Cup.
He was looking forward to a rematch.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)