[It's in! It's in! Just 16 seconds into the first half! South Korea have scored in 16 seconds! They've actually made it happen!]
[Can you believe it, viewers in Korea? Japan's sacred ground, Saitama, has collapsed from a single strike by Ho-young. And it came from just one attack!]
The overheated stands split instantly between joy and despair.
On one side, the cheers for South Korea erupted even louder, while on the other, the Japanese supporters fell completely silent, as if struck dumb.
At that moment, Ho-young calmly jogged along the touchline.
If anyone scored today, they had promised the seniors they would celebrate with a "walking ceremony."
Park Ji-sung, Ki Sung-yueng, and the other players followed behind him without a word, joining the leisurely walk.
That was when the Japanese crowd began to boo.
"This is a foul! A foul! Who attacks right from the start like that!"
"Bakayaro!"
"He must have taken something!"
"Booooooo!"
As the relentless jeering continued, Ho-young stopped in front of the supporters' section behind the goal while performing the walking celebration.
Then, turning his back to the stands, he raised both thumbs and pointed to the name "WOO" printed on his back.
The gesture caused an uproar not only in the stadium but also online.
Posts interpreting his celebration poured out like a waterfall.
['Woo' win.]
[What a 'woo'-ful bunch.]
[Japan is just a 'woo woo' snack.]
[Don't 'woo' cry, Japan.]
[Woo-kee-kee, Woo-kee-kee.]
[Yeah. I'm WOO. Now stop barking.]
└ That one seems the most accurate lol
└ Turns out the Japanese fans were secretly his supporters?
└ They must be completely flustered lol
The Japanese supporters who had been shouting "boo" eventually fell silent.
For a brief moment.
"Ueeeeeegh!"
That was the most they could manage.
They could not very well start shouting "oooh" instead.
At the sight, head coach Heo Sung-soo could not suppress his laughter.
"Well, I'll be."
After staying up two full nights devising tactics, he felt both empty and refreshed at the same time.
Ho-young's ability rendered both teams' tactics meaningless.
He had joined the national team only a few days ago, yet he was already displaying his full capabilities without restraint.
'Giving him a free role was the right call.'
To Heo Sung-soo, Ho-young was like a savior.
He was already the face of the national team, a presence that surpassed the manager's own authority.
Even Shevchenko, who once led Ukraine's resurgence, had not reached this level.
Because South Korea were considered underdogs, Ho-young's brilliance stood out even more, and expectations placed upon him were enormous.
If the team performed well, Ho-young received the praise. If they performed poorly, he would be the one blamed.
In that sense, Ho-young was both a reliable weapon and a shield for the coach.
He was not using him as a scapegoat, but it undeniably reduced the burden on his shoulders.
And with this World Cup.
'The group draw is favorable.'
It was as good as the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
If they defeated Nigeria and Greece, reaching the Round of 16 was almost certain.
With a bit of luck in the knockout draw, they could face Uruguay or Mexico in the Round of 16.
The team's goal of achieving their first-ever away World Cup Round of 16 could even turn into a quarterfinal appearance.
Moreover, the current squad was being praised as the most promising in years.
He had a good feeling.
'Right. Crush Japan and head to South Africa.'
Clenching both fists, Heo Sung-soo felt his dream of becoming another legendary manager after Guus Hiddink might not be so far-fetched.
On the other side, coach Okeshi furrowed his brow deeply.
It felt like a nightmare.
'Damn it.'
A misjudgment.
He had made the wrong call entirely.
Even proven tactics struggled to contain Ho-young, yet he had chosen to test an experimental system against him.
It was recklessness beyond reason.
Trying to boost the team's momentum a month before the World Cup had instead become a disastrous move.
At least he regained his senses now, switching to a 5-4-1 formation and reinforcing the defense.
Any resolve to avoid defeat at all costs had long collapsed.
Scoring no longer mattered.
There was only one objective.
'We must prevent a heavy defeat.'
1-0.
Even if they had to circulate the ball for the remaining 89 minutes, they had to avoid humiliation.
They could not allow their momentum to shatter before the World Cup even began.
The whistle blew.
The match resumed.
[Japan have changed their shape. They've narrowed the gaps between players and dropped their defensive line.]
[They're clearly trying to avoid conceding more. It looks like they'll use only their own half and run down the clock. If a clear chance comes, they might attempt a counter-attack.]
The entire defensive line dropped deep, circulating the ball around the penalty area.
It was virtually a ten-man defense.
But Ho-young actually welcomed the change.
'This will be interesting.'
They were already leading 1-0.
It meant he could focus purely on attacking without tracking back constantly.
'From here, we press high, force errors, and stretch their defensive spaces.'
Right on cue, instructions from Heo Sung-soo followed.
A signal to apply tight pressing and maintain aggressive, quick movement.
'Good.'
From that moment, Ho-young pushed forward.
He had not slept well the previous night, so there was some fatigue, but his physical condition was still solid.
He was fully prepared to dismantle Japan.
[24 minutes into the first half, Japan continue to circulate the ball.]
[Honestly, I'm not sure how to commentate this. It looks like they came out for a passing drill. This isn't right.]
Commentator Park Moon-seok tilted his head.
Japan's play was that poor.
They dropped their line completely, using only their half and exchanging passes among the defenders.
At first, it seemed like patient build-up, but even after 20 minutes, there was no real progress.
The voices of the Japanese supporters gradually grew quieter.
They still cheered for their team, but even to them, it was difficult to watch.
And what about the Korean fans.
[This gives me chills. Is this even football?]
[They got hit once by Ho-young and completely lost their nerve lol]
[At this rate Japan's pass accuracy might hit 100 percent]
Then, at that very moment.
As if refusing to allow even that, South Korea's attackers intensified their press.
There was no real need to do so while leading 1-0, but they aimed for a convincing victory to raise the team's momentum.
"Press them and force a long ball!"
It was captain Park Ji-sung's shout.
At the same time, the midfield four in the 4-4-1-1 system, Park Ji-sung, Ki Sung-yueng, Kim Jung-hoo, and Lee Chung-yong, pushed their line higher and applied compact pressure.
Full-backs Lee Young-pyo and Cha Du-ri used their pace to remain alert against potential counter-attacks.
[Up front, Ho-young and Lee Keun-ho are applying intense pressure. The match tempo is rising rapidly. Japan's defensive shape is starting to crumble.]
[Lee Keun-ho cuts off the pass! He couldn't win it, but that was a good attempt.]
South Korea's pressing did not stop.
The more Ho-young roamed, the quicker the ball moved, and the higher the tempo climbed.
Japan's defenders grew increasingly tense, hurriedly passing backward.
Their accuracy visibly declined, and the ball began flowing back to goalkeeper Narazaki more frequently.
[Our players' energetic movement is suffocating Japan.]
[Could this also be considered playmaking?]
[Of course. Playmaking can happen even when the opponent has possession. The meaning is still the same, creating the play.]
[Indeed. Viewers, Ho-young's playmaking has begun. Japan's defensive line looks visibly nervous.]
Though not entirely factual, the highly excited commentator spoke first and analyzed later.
From his perspective, Ho-young's movement was that fascinating.
The pressing only intensified.
If anything, it grew stronger with momentum.
[Something feels like it's about to happen. It may not look like much, but for defenders on the pitch, that kind of pressure is extremely unsettling. Under pressure, mistakes you never usually make can happen.]
[Ahhhhh! Right as you said that!]
Tap.
Left side of the attack.
Park Ji-sung's sudden press forced an error from right-back Nagatomo.
He hurriedly cleared the ball backward, but the pass was inaccurate and rolled into open space near the right corner.
Fortunately for Japan, left-back Yuki Abe was nearby.
[Yuki Abe sprints toward the left corner to collect the ball.]
[Ah, ah! But behind him! It's behind him! Ho-young is coming!]
Behind Yuki Abe.
From at least 20 meters away, one player charged forward at terrifying speed.
It was Ho-young.
As if he alone were in fast-forward, he stormed past Abe in the blink of an eye.
It took less than two seconds.
And immediately after.
Tap!
[Ho-young gets to the ball!]
[Yuki Abe stretches a leg!]
With a desperate sliding tackle, Abe slid across the turf.
Ho-young had lightly lifted the ball just a fraction earlier, evading the tackle by a split second.
[Abe slides smoothly past. It looks like he's on a slide. He needs to recover quickly!]
[A perfect chance for Ho-young!]
Completely free from pressure, Ho-young noticed Narazaki off his line and calmly chipped the ball.
'No!'
Narazaki scrambled back toward goal, but the ball had already sailed over his head and dropped into the net.
Chaos erupted.
[Gooooooal! Ho-young scores his second! He's dropping a bomb on Saitama Stadium!]
Yuki Abe, responsible for the mistake, wore the expression of a man who had lost his country.
Boos poured down on him and Narazaki.
It was an unbelievable error.
But the most stunned person was Abe himself.
'What am I supposed to do against someone that fast?'
He had not switched off.
He gave everything, but his body and ability simply could not match it.
[LOL who's faster, a four-legged Abe or Ho-young?]
└ Is he a centaur lol
└ Still think Ho-young's faster
└ Obviously
Online and offline, Korean fans savored the moment.
Yet there was still room for more.
It was already satisfying, but the clock had only reached the 40th minute.
There was time for at least one more goal.
And as if on cue, the opportunity came five minutes later.
[Ki Sung-yueng prepares for the corner. They exchange signals.]
[Japan have somehow held firm despite the chaos, but this could be different.]
Just before halftime, Park Ji-sung earned a corner.
Centre-backs Lee Jong-soo and Kwak Tae-hwi came up into the box.
Ho-young positioned himself near the far post inside the area.
That was when Ki Sung-yueng delivered the corner.
[The cross goes toward the edge of the box!]
[Ho-young breaks out! Is he hitting it first time?!]
A pre-planned surprise tactic.
Timing his run to the edge of the area, Ho-young shaped to shoot even before controlling the ball.
A turning shot.
In such a crowded area, the probability of success was low, but for someone capable of spectacular goals, it was worth attempting.
Japan's defenders leaped to block the expected strike.
But.
Their eyes widened.
The shot stayed glued to the ground instead of rising.
And then.
Thud!
It buried itself into the left corner, rattling the net violently.
A low-driven shot that exploited the defenders' anticipation.
"Ho!"
[Oh! It's in! It goes in again! It's a hat-trick!]
[Incredible. After Cha Bum-kun in 1975 and Park Sung-ho in 1979, Ho-young becomes the third player to score a hat-trick in a Korea-Japan match.]
3-0.
But there were still 45 minutes to play.
Japan's players looked as if they wished for a meteor to fall onto the pitch.
It was that devastating.
The second half proceeded without incident, and a surging South Korea continued to batter Japan relentlessly.
Ho-young was substituted in the 55th minute to manage his condition.
The result was naturally a resounding victory for Korea.
The final whistle blew.
[With Ho-young's hat-trick leading the way, South Korea sink Japan 5-0 on aggregate score today. It's their best result since the 5-1 victory in 1956.]
[Without a doubt, this was the greatest Korea-Japan match ever. Let's hope our players carry this momentum straight into the World Cup.]
On the road to the World Cup.
Japan had become the perfect sacrifice.
(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.)