After completing the usual pre-match formalities, the players and referees took their positions on the pitch, ready for kick-off.
Nishimura studied the opposition's shape.
Just like Coach Ishii said... they're lining up in their usual 4-3-3, but with an attacking approach, pushing one of the midfielders into an advanced playmaking role...
His eyes then settled on Maebashi Ikuei's number ten.
So that's one of Maebashi Ikuei's famous gems... Souta Ito, the false attacking midfielder in this system...
The referee blew the whistle to start the match.
Maebashi Ikuei kicked off.
The number nine immediately laid the ball back to Ito, who played a first-time pass out to Morita on the left wing.
The winger tried to drive forward, but Shimizu closed him down aggressively, forcing him to play the ball back to the number six.
The midfielder evaded Riccardo's initial press before passing it further back to Takahashi in defence.
With space opening up ahead of him, Takahashi carried the ball forward.
Until Riccardo stepped up to press him.
The moment he noticed him, Takahashi suddenly accelerated, leaving Riccardo genuinely impressed as the Maebashi Ikuei captain burst past him and carried the ball just outside his own penalty area.
He's quick for someone his size...
Riccardo immediately turned and chased after him.
But so am I!
Maebashi Ikuei's number five noticed Riccardo rapidly closing the gap.
"Man on!"
Takahashi glanced over his shoulder.
Just as I thought, he's fast... but I'll beat him the same way I always do—with my physical strength!
Planting his left foot, Takahashi spun to his right, using his body to shield the ball.
But the instant the two collided, every bit of confidence he had in winning the physical battle disappeared.
How is he this strong?!
Riccardo managed to get a touch on the ball, but Takahashi just managed to spin back to his left before quickly playing it to the left-back, number twelve.
The pass, however, was almost entirely instinctive.
He hadn't seen Shimizu closing him down at full speed.
Damn it!
Shimizu stole the ball.
After the challenge, both Riccardo and Takahashi fell to the ground, though not before the Maebashi Ikuei captain accidentally struck Riccardo's right leg.
The referee waved play on.
Shimizu took a couple of strides before lifting his head.
Before the opposing full-back could recover his position, he slipped the ball to Riccardo, who had already gotten back to his feet ahead of Takahashi.
As soon as he released the pass, Nishimura sprinted across to the left side of the pitch, cutting in front of Riccardo, who played the ball perfectly into his path.
Takahashi was left stunned.
What an incredible combination!
Without taking a touch, Nishimura switched play to Tanaka, who suddenly found himself one-on-one with the number twenty-six.
Tanaka sharply cut inside to his right, driving into the upper edge of the opposition's penalty area.
Kobayashi focused on Tanaka...
...but then noticed Riccardo charging into the box like a freight train, with Takahashi desperately trying—and failing—to keep up.
Takahashi's actually struggling!?
Kobayashi stepped off his line, anticipating a cross from Tanaka toward Riccardo.
But instead, Shūdan-teki's number seven suddenly unleashed a powerful, rising shot towards the far top corner.
Kobayashi, however, pulled off a miraculous save, stretching out his long right arm to get a touch on the ball and leaving Tanaka speechless.
The ball, however, remained loose inside the penalty area, with Nishimura and the number three both racing to reach it first.
Nishimura came within inches of scoring, but Kobayashi reacted like a wild cat, diving onto the ball and smothering it.
Unable to stop his momentum, Nishimura collided with the goalkeeper, prompting the referee to blow for a foul for charging the keeper.
While the Maebashi Ikuei players rushed over to congratulate their goalkeeper, the scouts were buzzing with excitement.
Murakami, barely able to contain himself, quickly jotted something down in his notebook.
"There's the first miracle from Maebashi Ikuei's new gem!"
Tanaka punched the air in frustration.
"Damn it!"
Nishimura walked over to him.
"You made the right decision... but we already knew their new goalkeeper is practically a wall."
"I know... Next time, I won't waste your assist."
As both teams returned to their positions for the free kick, Takahashi called over the number three.
"Okamoto!"
Okamoto turned towards him, and Takahashi gestured for him to come closer.
"Keep an eye on number twenty-four. He's quick, but more importantly, he's incredibly strong. Avoid taking him on one-on-one whenever you can—try to beat him to the ball instead."
"Got it."
Kobayashi placed the ball for the free kick and gestured with both hands for his teammates to push up.
He launched a long ball towards their number nine, who managed to win the aerial duel and flick it on despite Aoki pressing him almost as far as the halfway line.
The ball then dropped to Ito, who brought it under control.
Nishimura watched him closely.
[Flashback]
"Alright, everyone, pay attention for a moment. Let's go over Maebashi Ikuei's tactics. Their greatest strength is their possession-based football."
Coach Ishii pointed at the tactical board as he moved the magnets around.
"They use it to create space and attack down the flanks. We can even let them have possession—we're faster than they are. But don't think they're naive. They'll adapt."
He moved the magnets representing the wingers towards the centre.
"They'll most likely shift their attack through the middle, with the wingers drifting inside alongside their number ten."
[End of Flashback]
Ito looked up and instantly spotted Morita arriving from the wing into the attacking third.
[Flashback]
"Obviously, we can't pull our full-backs out of position and sacrifice our counterattacks."
Ono looked confused.
"So how are we supposed to stop them?"
"The key is to shut down the heartbeat of their team: Souta Ito. But without neglecting everyone else."
Coach Ishii pointed at Nishimura.
"That's why, Nishimura, you'll have to sacrifice yourself and stop him by any means necessary!"
[End of Flashback]
Nishimura charged at Ito, attempting to intercept the pass.
Ito spotted him early and calmly shielded the ball.
Using the sole of his right foot, he rolled it back towards his own half, slipped past Nishimura's pressure, and casually played it to the number five.
Nishimura looked visibly frustrated at how effortlessly he'd been beaten.
I can sacrifice myself all I want, but I can't even intercept him!
"Watanabe!"
With a simple hand gesture, Ito signalled for Watanabe to slow the tempo.
The midfielder understood immediately and played the ball sideways to the number six.
Riccardo closed him down straight away.
"Pass backwards Kikuchi!"
Kikuchi without hesitation passed the ball to Takahashi, who had pushed forward together with Riccardo.
The Shūdan-teki striker stared at him in surprise.
What an unusual defender...
Riccardo immediately pressed the ball again, trying to speed up the play.
Takahashi passed to Ito, who had dropped all the way back into his own attacking-third area, with Nishimura following closely to contain him.
The instant Takahashi released the pass, he burst forward.
Ito spotted the run and returned the ball first time into his path, completing a one-two that completely took both Riccardo and Nishimura out of the play.
The two could only stare in shock.
What an incredibly attacking style!
The defender surged all the way into the opposition's half.
Ono stepped across to confront him, but Takahashi played another forward pass, this time to Morita, who drifted inside with Shimizu tracking him.
Without slowing down, Takahashi continued his run, charging past Ono.
The number seven returned the ball into his stride, just as Ito had done moments earlier.
Takahashi was about to collect it.
A confident smile spread across his face.
Almost there!
But he hadn't expected Aoki to arrive out of nowhere.
Reading the play perfectly, Aoki broke away from Shūdan-teki's defensive line and launched himself into a sliding tackle.
The ball ricocheted away.
On the bench, Coach Suzuki couldn't contain his excitement.
"Excellent decision, Aoki!"
A moment later, however, his expression changed when the loose ball fell to Ito, who got there before Nishimura.
Ito lifted his head for an instant and spotted the number nine completely free.
"Make the run, Ishikawa!"
In one swift motion, he threaded a through ball into space for his striker, who exploited the gap left by Aoki and burst into the penalty area.
Noguchi tried to slow him down without conceding a penalty.
But Ishikawa struck it first time with the instep of his left foot, aiming a low drive across goal towards the far post.
The ball flew off his foot at pace, arrowing towards goal.
With explosive reflexes, Andou stretched at full length and managed to get the slightest touch on it, diverting it behind for a corner.
The assistant referee pointed towards the corner flag.
Corner to Maebashi Ikuei.
Noguchi walked over and held out his hand to Andou.
"Great save!"
"You did well too. You forced him to shoot early."
Coach Ishii watched Maebashi Ikuei's Ishikawa take up his position inside the penalty area for the corner.
[Flashback]
Coach Ishii addressed the team on their own pitch after training.
"Another major threat is third-year Haruki Ishikawa. Last year, he led Maebashi Ikuei to the national title with twenty-six goals across the prefectural and national tournaments. He's physically powerful, quick, and has outstanding goalscoring instincts. Give him half a chance, and he'll put the ball in the net."
[End of Flashback]
The players took up their positions inside Shūdan-teki's penalty area for the corner, which Ito would deliver from the right.
The usual physical battles had already begun, with players wrestling for the best position before the cross came in.
The referee blew his whistle, and Ito immediately curled an inswinging cross into the box with his right foot.
Okamoto and Aoki both leapt for it but failed to make contact as the ball sailed over their heads.
It dropped a little deeper, where Takahashi beat Noguchi to it and powered a header towards goal.
The header was straight down the middle, but it was struck from close range with tremendous power.
Andou reacted instantly, parrying the ball away with his right hand.
Before anyone could pounce on the rebound, he threw himself forward and gathered it safely.
Takahashi looked disappointed at the missed opportunity, but slowly jogged back towards his own half.
Noguchi watched him leave.
[Flashback]
"If Maebashi Ikuei has one weakness, it's their defence. But that's completely offset by Yuki Takahashi, their captain and the pillar of the team. Without him, they probably wouldn't have won the national championship."
[End of Flashback]
Noguchi's expression tightened with frustration.
Damn it... What have I been doing for the past three years...? I want to become the pillar of this team too!