February 24, 2020,
Segunda División Matchday 29,
Rayo Vallecano vs. Huesca
Stadium: Vallecas Stadium (Home)
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Rayo Vallecano
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: Stole Dimitrievski
Defenders: Luis Advíncula, Alejandro Catena, Esteban Savić, Antonio Luna
Defensive Midfielders: Santi Comesaña, Mario Suárez
Midfielders: Isi Palazón, Óscar Trejo, Álvaro García
Forward: Lu Chuan
Huesca
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Álvaro Fernández
Defenders: Pedro López, Jorge Pulido, Josué Sá, Javi Galán
Midfielders: Pedro Mosquera, Mikel Rico, Juan Carlos
Forwards: David Ferreiro, Shinji Okazaki, Cristo González
The referee's whistle blew, and Vallecas Stadium instantly erupted.
The shouts of thirty thousand fans converged into a tsunami of sound, and red and white scarves flew through the air.
This was not only a battle for the top spot but also a fight for dignity between a working-class team and a "La Liga-bound team."
In the core area of the South Stand, a "female fan" wearing a wig, freckles, and an ordinary old jersey nervously gripped her companion's arm.
Esther had never been so close to such a fervent atmosphere; the stands beneath her feet vibrated with the fans' jumps, and the immense sound made her eardrums buzz.
"Lu Chuan! Lu Chuan!" The fans around her screamed at the top of their lungs, spittle flying.
Esther tried to immerse herself in this fervent ocean, her heart pounding. Her palms were already soaked with sweat as she tightly gripped the armrest of her seat.
As the match began, the away team, Huesca, took the initiative and displayed strong overall strength.
Their midfield iron triangle of Mikel Rico, Mosquera, and Juan Carlos firmly controlled the pace of the game through smooth passing.
Huesca's formation was extremely well-positioned; every pass had a clear objective, and every run was full of threat.
Rayo Vallecano's players clearly felt the pressure, and their passing began to become hurried.
"Their passing is too fast!" Suárez shouted on the field, sweat dripping from his forehead.
Japanese forward Shinji Okazaki's movement was extremely active; his tireless pressing and flexible runs made Rayo Vallecano's defense look very disheveled.
This experienced veteran's every forward run was perfectly timed, and every retreat allowed him to link up with teammates.
In the 18th minute, Shinji Okazaki received a pass from a teammate in the penalty area; his shot was at a tricky angle, and the ball grazed the post and went wide.
Rayo Vallecano's goalkeeper, Dimitrievski, broke out in a cold sweat.
"Too close!" Esther's heart was in her throat, and the fans around her let out groans of frustration.
Huesca's attacks came in waves, and Rayo Vallecano's defense was shaky.
Mikel Rico's organizational ability in midfield was fully demonstrated; every one of his passes was perfectly weighted.
In the 26th minute, disaster struck. Mikel Rico received a back pass from a teammate outside the penalty area. He didn't hesitate, taking a direct long-range shot.
The ball spun rapidly in the air, hit a Rayo Vallecano defender's leg, and took a fatal deflection.
Dimitrievski had already prepared to dive to his right, but after the ball changed direction, he had no time to adjust his body and could only watch as the ball flew into the net.
"Damn it!" Paco Jémez fumed on the sidelines, clutching his head in his hands.
0-1, Rayo Vallecano was trailing at home.
A huge sigh swept through the South Stand, and the previously fervent fans instantly fell silent.
Esther's palms were sweating with tension, and the fans around her began to curse loudly.
"What kind of defense is this!"
"That bastard Rico!"
"Where is Lu Chuan? Why isn't he coming to save the day?"
This raw, direct outpouring of emotion gave Esther a whole new understanding of football.
She finally understood the pressure Lu Chuan was under, and the heavy burden on every player's shoulders.
On the field, Lu Chuan was being tightly marked by Huesca's center-back, Jorge Pulido.
Pulido was an experienced defender, full of subtle fouls, constantly harassing and provoking Lu Chuan.
"Kid, your good days are over," Pulido whispered provocatively in Lu Chuan's ear, his elbow subtly nudging his ribs.
Lu Chuan tried to break free, but Pulido's body immediately stuck to him. Every time Lu Chuan tried to turn, Pulido would use his body to block his path.
"Referee! That's a foul!" Lu Chuan raised his hand in protest, but the referee ignored him.
Paco Jémez was furious on the sidelines, shouting at the pitch: "Speed up the passing! Use the width of the field! Don't get bogged down in their midfield swamp!"
Paco's face was flushed, and his tactical notebook was soaked with sweat.
Huesca's tactical deployment was too successful; they had successfully dragged Rayo Vallecano into their preferred rhythm.
Lu Chuan began to drop deeper and move wider more often, using his runs to create opportunities for his teammates.
He understood that under such tight marking, individual ability was difficult to exert; they had to find a breakthrough through team cooperation.
In the 40th minute, Lu Chuan moved to the right wing and received a pass from Comesaña.
He observed the situation in the penalty area, where Álvaro García was battling an opposing defender for position.
Lu Chuan adjusted and delivered a precise cross with his right foot.
The ball traced a beautiful arc in the air, accurately finding Álvaro García's head.
"Goal!" Esther jumped up excitedly in the stands, completely forgetting her disguise.
Unfortunately, Álvaro García's header was too central, and the ball flew directly into the Huesca goalkeeper's arms. The opportunity slipped away.
"What a shame!" The fans around her let out frustrated cries.
In the final minutes of the first half, Rayo Vallecano desperately sought an equalizer.
Trejo's long-range shot went wide of the post, and Isi Palazón's breakthrough was thwarted by an opposing defender.
The referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half, and Rayo Vallecano went into the dressing room trailing by one goal.
The players walked with heavy steps towards the tunnel, their faces etched with disappointment.
In the noisy stands, Esther felt a pang of concern for someone for the first time.
She saw Lu Chuan's back and a surge of heartache. She wanted to rush down and hug him, to tell him everything would be alright.
"They'll definitely adjust their tactics in the second half," the fans around her comforted each other.
"Lu Chuan won't let us down, he never does."
In the locker room, the players' spirits were low. The way they conceded the goal was frustrating, and the opponent's strength was putting pressure on them.
Captain Trejo stood up, patting his chest: "The second half is ours! We can't disappoint our fans!"
His eyes gleamed with determination, and his voice was loud: "We've come this far, we absolutely cannot fall here!"
Lu Chuan walked over to Álvaro García, who was also being restricted, and whispered comfortingly: "Don't worry, their stamina will drop in the second half, and opportunities will definitely come."
Álvaro García nodded, clenching his fists: "I believe in you, Lu."
Paco Jémez drew a new formation on the tactics board, his expression serious and focused: "We need to change our approach; we can't be led by the nose anymore."
He pointed to the arrows on the tactics board: "Lu Chuan, in the second half, you'll drop back to the attacking midfielder position, responsible for organizing attacks. Trejo, you'll push furthest forward, using your experience and runs."
The players gathered, stacking their hands together.
"For Rayo Vallecano!"
"For promotion!"
"For the fans in the stands!"
The second half restarted, and Rayo Vallecano's formation underwent a subtle change.
Lu Chuan and Trejo made an unspoken positional swap; Lu Chuan suddenly dropped back to the attacking midfielder position, while Trejo pushed furthest forward.
This unexpected change instantly confused Pulido, who had been marking Lu Chuan.
His task was to tightly mark Lu Chuan, but now that Lu Chuan had dropped back, should he follow him or stay in the defensive line?
Huesca's coach, Míchel, frowned on the sidelines; he sensed a dangerous aura.
Rayo Vallecano's change caught him by surprise, and his tactical plan might need adjustment.
"Mark him!" Míchel shouted at the pitch, but his voice was drowned out by the fans' cheers.
Lu Chuan received the ball in the attacking midfielder position; his vision was wider, allowing him to better observe the situation on the field.
Pulido hesitated for a moment, then finally chose to follow him forward.
"Now!" Lu Chuan thought to himself, the opportunity had arrived.