Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 20



Only Krnovel

Kim Jun-young spat.

As I kept running without stopping, a sweet smell started to come out of my mouth.

‘I can’t move my body.’

Although each half is only 40 minutes long compared to an adult match, it was really difficult for Kim Jun-young to start in every match.

In particular, coach Yoo Jin-ho forced physical sacrifices on him, so even though he was a striker, he had to run around the field.

So, I pushed myself to my limit in every game, and in the final game, I felt like I was out of energy before the first half was even over.

‘And the opponent is too strong.’

They were on the same level or stronger than the title contender Jungang Cheongun High School, who we met in the round of 16. I don’t know if it’s because I feel that way because my stamina is low, but that’s how it felt.

“Ahhhhhh!”

A loud roar erupted from the audience.

It was already the seventh valid shot.

Kim Jun-young was truly in awe of Kim Min-woo, the stone that rolled in.

‘How can you be so good at that? How many times have you blocked it already?’

This isn’t the first or second time the opponent has had such an attacking opportunity in this tournament.

Every time that happened, Kim Min-woo blocked it every time.

This time it was the same, he was making saves in one game that would have taken other goalkeepers 10 games to make.

After showing such super saves every time, Kim Jun-young couldn’t even imagine Kim Min-woo conceding a goal.

“You really block really well···.”

The Taebaek First High School defender who was marking him muttered quietly. Kim Jun-young spat out the saliva that had gathered in his mouth again and said.

“If it weren’t for you, hyung, we wouldn’t have been able to get here. Isn’t it awesome?”

“···Yes. He’s pretty awesome. He’s really awesome. It looks like he’s going to debut as a pro, right?”

“Are you just going to debut as a pro? I think you’ll be selected for the national team. Something like a representative for your age group.”

The opposing defender looked indifferent and showed no reaction.

No matter what, I guess he didn’t want to praise the opposing team’s goalkeeper that much.

‘Oh, sir. I think it’ll be fine if I just do a little better.’

Kim Jun-young took a deep breath and ran at full speed. Just then, a goal kick flew in his direction, and he began to compete with the opposing defender with whom he had been talking.

“Hey, let go! Your clothes are going to tear!”

He overreacted, but the opposing defender did not respond.

Kim Jun-young collapsed after being overcome by his opponent’s rough attempt at a duel.

I quickly raised my hand, but the referee didn’t even look at me.

“Don’t blow the whistle for this… Nimmi.”

Kim Jun-young stands up again with a sigh.

The stolen ball was already far away, toward the opposing defense.

***

First half.

I hate to say this, but I literally got completely stripped down.

Taebaek First High School tore through Suyang High School as if it had been put through a threshing machine.

Meanwhile, the fact that they didn’t concede a goal was not due to luck, but thanks to goalkeeper Kim Min-woo.

Kim Min-woo, the stone that rolled in, was not just any stone, but a firmly embedded rock that blocked all wind and rain.

Kim Min-woo’s very existence was a blessing to Yoo Jin-ho, no, to Suyang High School.

Eugene Ho had to admit with a sigh that his tactical setup in the first half was a mistake.

Of course, only inwardly. There is no need to complain that it is because of my incompetence. It will only damage your reputation.

“Coach. It seems like the kids have lost a lot of stamina.”

It was Coach Kim.

Coach Park, who was standing next to him, also cautiously added.

“The side effects of having fixed members participate in tournaments are coming up···.”

“What the hell are you talking about!”

The situation was so unfavorable that he was annoyed, and Yoo Jin-ho shouted at Coach Park, who was making strange remarks, and pushed him away.

“If you make one mistake in the tournament, you’re out. Then, you should go with Plan A’s fixed members. Why don’t you flexibly select the members? It’s not like our power is that strong!”

“···Oh, yes. That’s right. I made a slip of the tongue, Director. I’m sorry.”

Coach Park clenches his teeth and lowers his head.

‘What the hell. When we were winning, we told him to replace the starters and give them a rest, but he didn’t even listen!’

Although his teeth were gritting, the best thing for the coach was to bow his head.

“Whew. During injury time, don’t try to do anything and just block.”

“Yes, sir.”

*Injury time (an expression meaning extra time)

Fortunately, no goals were conceded during the two minutes of added time, and the first half ended with a whistle.

Most of the spectators watching the game were disappointed that not a single goal was scored and went to the bathroom or chattered among themselves.

Yoo Jin-ho bit his lip as he watched the players coming in, looking very tired.

‘It is clear that change is needed.’

The starting members were completely exhausted. Even goalkeeper Kim Min-woo had a dark expression on his face, as if this match was no ordinary one.

After hesitating for a moment, Yoo Jin-ho placed the tactical board in front of the players.

In fact, the tactical meeting with the coaches had already been completed and all that was left was to make his own decision.

“Okay, everyone, pay attention. There will be a major tactical change as soon as the second half starts. Everyone, pay attention.”

I’ve been stingy with player substitutions so far, but I couldn’t help it when I got pushed back this much.

We replaced the midfielders who had been working too hard, and Kim Jun-young who had worked hard······.

‘No. No.’

Eugene Ho’s fingertips, which were trying to move the tactical words, stopped for a moment.

Kim Jun-young may be young, but judging from his current form, his decision-making ability is better than that of star player Han Seung-woo.

Then, I suddenly remembered the time when I had lashed out at Kim Jun-young. The time when I had demanded that Kim Min-woo change his position and stop being a striker because he hadn’t scored a single goal.

When I think about that time now, I can only laugh.

‘It was only natural that I couldn’t score a single goal against that guy.’

I didn’t know it then…

“Okay, our tactics are going to change a lot.”

Eugene Ho’s hands moved quickly.

Swish, swish, swish, and then the 4-4-2 formation became 4-5-1.

Also, the center forward was not Han Seung-woo, but Kim Jun-young. The players were surprised by this tactic and there was a brief commotion.

“Quiet. The attack is a lone striker and the midfielders are in a V-shaped position. Seungwoo takes over where Seungmin leaves off, and the defensive midfielders······.”

The reason for changing the 4-4-2 tactic, which had led to endless success, was due to physical issues with the players and the need to replace many of the existing players, but the basic foundation was ultimately recognition of the opponent.

It was an acknowledgement and respect for the opponent that if you don’t change your tactics and stick to the idea that ‘we weren’t wrong’ or ‘we can win if we just reduce our mistakes’, you will eventually lose.

The 4-5-1 formation is a very defensive formation. It is usually used when the team is winning or trying to force a draw.

Well, there are five midfielders and only one striker.

The reason why Yoo Jin-ho adopted this tactic······.

“Don’t think of winning, think of dragging yourself into a swamp. As you all know, we are clearly at a disadvantage compared to our opponents. Right? If it goes to a penalty shootout, who will feel the pressure more? Huh?”

Everyone is quiet.

Eugene Ho also wanted an answer, so he continued talking because it wasn’t what he had wanted to say.

“We won’t lose this game even if we don’t win, but they already came out assuming victory. Do you see those people over there? Do you see those banners? If they don’t score, it’s not us who get anxious, it’s them. So we’re going to take advantage of that… Kim Jun-young.”

“Yuck!”

Kim Jun-young swallows hard and answers when his name is suddenly called while he is drinking water.

“We take advantage of the opponent’s impatience and aim for just one shot. To be clear, if the game goes on for 70 or 80 minutes without scoring, the opponent will definitely open up the back space. It will be like it’s going to explode, but it won’t. Our Minwoo will ultimately do that. Right?”

“Yes, sir.”

It may be a bit irresponsible to say this, but it was just soccer.

Kim Min-woo, stop him!

Kim Jun-young, put it in!

It can’t be helped because the difference in strength between the teams is so big and there are also physical problems.

Usually, even in big competitions like the World Cup, weaker teams will continue to send out their best first-team players, while stronger teams will send out their first-team players, and then, when they think the opponent is a bit easy or they are winning, they may send out their second-team players. This is to conserve stamina.

However, Suyang High School was clearly a weak team in this competition and did not have the courage to do so.

However, Yoo Jin-ho learned one clear lesson from this incident.

‘Next time, I’ll have to trust Kim Min-woo and show some guts. Even if I fight him in full condition, he’s a tough opponent, but with physical problems on top of that, he’s no match at all.’

After that, the coaches came out and explained the detailed strategy. If the manager explained everything alone, the coaches would just be blank-faced scarecrows standing by.

***

Shin-Ah and her family were completely absorbed in this final.

How can a game be fun when you’re getting beat up endlessly?

Especially the thrill of not being able to score a goal because of the goalkeeper’s continuous saves. The disappointed expressions on the opposing players’ faces. And the sighs of the spectators cheering for the opposing team.

It can’t be this delicious.

So this is what it means to be full without eating.

And in the second half, the situation got worse. Suyang High School played defensively, so the opponent had fewer scoring chances than in the first half, but now it was openly half-court.

There were a few times in the first half when they hit and ran, but now, 15 minutes into the second half, the counterattack scenes from the first half are nowhere to be found.

But still, it was fun.

“Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!”

Those who cheered for Taebaek First High School would shout that whenever the attacker caught the ball. And when the ball was blocked by the goalkeeper or the defensive wall, they would sigh or shout among themselves.

“Ah, why can’t I make it! I had so many chances, but I missed them all! Oh my!”

At first, people would cheer for me even when I missed a few shots, but as it piled up, they were now getting angry.

It’s only natural that the game is becoming frustrating due to the outrageous decision-making.

“Kekekeke.”

Shin-ah laughed wickedly and took out her cell phone.

And I captured their reactions on camera, so I could look at them when I was feeling depressed or sad.

“Mom. My brother is really good. Right?”

“huh.”

Mom nodded as if she agreed.

In fact, I can’t even remember how many saves I’ve made, and I’ve given up counting.

I just blocked it a lot.

If our goalkeeper hadn’t been our older brother, we would have lost 0:7.

“That’s what the iron wall says when it sees something like that.”

It was literally an iron wall.

And as time passed, the opponent seemed to be getting more and more anxious.

It feels like the people cheering and the people running on the field are running more impatiently.

As a result, Suyang High School, which had been getting beaten up, showed some of the flashes of brilliance it had occasionally shown in the first half.

In the first half it was bright and then faded away, but this time it was real.

As time passed, the opponent’s stamina seemed to be running low, and they were not able to easily block Suyang High School’s attacks like in the first half. As a result, the time Suyang High School’s attackers spent in the opponent’s camp also increased.

“Oh, what a pity.”

Of course, they are still blocked by the opposing defense line, but let’s focus on the fact that the depth of penetration into the opposing camp has changed.

Yes, a little more time passed.

The second half quickly passed 30 minutes and then 35 minutes.

Unlike adults, high school games last 40 minutes each, so now only 5 minutes are left, excluding extra time.

“Dad, the game will be over soon, but why does your team keep playing defense?”

Shin-ah, who doesn’t know much about soccer, asked her father that question. Her father answered with a smile.

“They’re trying to force a draw and send it to overtime. They’re blatantly suggesting we go to penalty shootouts.”

“···Why are you doing that?”

“Well, that’s because the opposing team is better than Suyang High School. If it goes to a penalty shootout, the odds of winning are 5:5.”

“Aha! Even if we go aggressive, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to score a goal, and we might even lose because our defense is weaker, so let’s just go for a 50% chance with a penalty shootout, is that right?”

“That’s it. Our daughter is smart. Huh? She understood it like a charm after hearing it once.”

Shin-ah smiled brightly and squared her shoulders. Then she pointed to her chin with her thumb and said,

“Then! Whose daughter am I!”

“Hahahaha!”

“Ouch! But don’t touch my head!”

“You don’t like it?”

Dad put her head in a headlock and shook her head. Choi Sung-hee, who was watching anxiously from the side, frowned and said.

“Stop it.”

“Ehihihi!”

“stop.”

“yes.”

“As expected, the real power behind the throne, Mrs. Choi!”

Mom stopped Dad with just one word. Shin-ah gave him a thumbs-up. However, she quickly lowered her head at his cold expression.

After a little more time, regular time ran out. There were three minutes of extra time.

Suyang High School’s entire team was in the defensive camp.

It was a situation where I was lying down and saying, “I’ll cut your stomach open!” and Taebaek First High School was saying, “Just stay still!”

and······.

“Huh? Huh!?”

People cheering for Suyang High School began to stand up and shout in groups.

Kim Min-woo, who usually avoided goal kicks because he thought it would be a shitball, suddenly kicked the ball, and the ball flew far with considerable accuracy.

The attacker from Suyang High School caught it and started running with all his might.

It was like a full-out sprint, as if I was saving up my strength for this moment!

The Taebaek First High School defender, who was supposed to block the opponent, judged that he was lacking in speed and immediately bumped shoulders to challenge him, but ended up getting knocked out instead.

“Huh? What the! Whoa!”

Shin-A also woke up and screamed.

The defender who was supposed to stop Suyang High School’s attacker fell out, and the remaining defender also gritted his teeth and chased after him, but he was only a few steps behind.

And in a counterattack situation, a few steps can make a huge difference.

“Oh! Oh what the heck! Is this how it is? Run! Run!”

Dad also cheers and shouts excitedly.

People who had been beaten and had been lying down screamed with excitement.

“Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!”

“Damage! Damage!”

“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”

It’s the same here and there.

Shin-Ah thought so, but first she focused on the attacker’s sprint.

It was Suyang High School’s first solo dribble and big chance in the game.

The only person who can stop it is the goalkeeper.

Taebaek Jeil High School’s goalkeeper appears to be doing something or other, but he sticks around awkwardly.

Then, Suyang High School’s front line attacker continued to run without slowing down.

“Oh, oh, oh, oh!”

“Gyaaaah!”

Shin-Ah watched with her mouth tightly shut. Her heart was pounding so hard that she couldn’t say anything. The people cheering for the opposing team were screaming just like us.

And then the opposing goalkeeper and our striker crossed paths. The goalkeeper ran to block the ball, but the striker just tapped the ball and dribbled past the goalkeeper.

Now all that’s left is an empty goal.

Here, even Shin-A couldn’t hold back her screams. How can I bear this!

“I have to do it! I have to do it!”

And I did.

It seemed like it was going to hit an empty goal, but the ball rolled calmly and smoothly.

It was a goal.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The screams of the crowd erupted as if they were engulfing the stadium.

End

ⓒ Doctor Am

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