Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 207



Only Krnovel

Episode 207

My mouth is watering

The game has begun in earnest.

The first 45 minutes were a sort of exploratory battle.

‘I don’t know what the hell I’ve been searching for for 45 minutes…’

Anyway, that was the reality.

Perhaps because they thought the flow of the game in the first half was off, Japan took the lead in the early part of the second half.

As soon as the second half started, my teammates fell like autumn leaves, not knowing that the opponent would attack like this.

The defense is breached with a few passes, and a one-on-one chance is created in an instant.

However, since Kim Min-je was next to him and the angle was narrow, it was not a dangerous situation.

The shot from the top striker Ueda landed right in my arms, and as soon as I received the ball, I shouted to my senior teammates.

“Everyone, wake up! What the—!”

As soon as the second half started, he shouted excessively at his teammates who were playing without paying attention and sent them far forward.

Six red and blue uniforms gather on the flank and fight for the ball as I send it over.

Two people competing for the header.

Then two more people jumped and kicked.

It seemed like Japan would get the ball after a close match, but Lee Kang-im’s tenacious fighting spirit prevented it.

He infiltrated the path where two Japanese players were making short passes and stole the ball with a sliding tackle. When the Japanese player tried to block it by putting his foot forward, the ball hit his leg and bounced forward, rolling into the Japanese camp.

“Whaaaa …

Compared to the first half, which was more boring than expected, the second half started with the audience cheering as if they had been waiting for this moment as the two sides fought without avoiding confrontation from the beginning.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

Hwang Eul-jo chased the loose ball with one defender at his heels, while Son Heung-min ran with two defenders at his heels.

The Japanese players were unable to keep up with Hwang Eul-jo’s speed, and Hwang Eul-jo entered the penalty box and calmly shot. However, the shot went straight to the center of the goalkeeper and was blocked…

“good!”

It was a good try.

Rather than just playing soccer where the ball is passed around, we should play exciting soccer like this even if we don’t score a goal.

I cheered and clapped my hands from behind.

The people watching also got excited in the open stadium as soon as the second half started.

The cheering voices grew louder, and when the Japanese players caught the ball, they were booed. When the Korean players caught the ball, they were met with expectant voices.

It was similar throughout the first half, but towards the end, it was quiet no matter who caught the ball… … .

And the Japanese attacks continued.

The momentum was so great that it could be called a ground attack.

It was only temporary, but we were trapped in the camp and were being beaten unilaterally.

A cross coming from the side.

When the box is full of players who kick away the attack, Japan receives the ball again and floats the ball into the box.

Another aerial ball battle.

Players either bring the ball to their heads and try to kick it away or fight fiercely for an attack.

I was relieved that I couldn’t see the trajectory, but I didn’t let my guard down. You never know when or how the flow will change.

“…after.”

It’s not easy.

The ball went out of bounds.

If you could do this, why were you so scared the first half?

After receiving the ball from the ball boy, I kicked it forward with all my might.

The Japanese players certainly looked like they had a fighting spirit. They were so full of fighting spirit that they even tackled Lee Kang-im, who had won the ball.

However, Hwang Yu-beom then caught the ball and ran towards the Japanese camp, so the referee did not blow the whistle due to the advantage rule, and Hwang Yu-beom went to Son Heung-min.

Son Heung-min then drags two players out to the flank and passes the ball to Lee Kang-im, who is positioned in the center outside the box.

It seems like he just fell down, but Lee Kang-im jumped up like a grasshopper and was in a good position to receive a pass.

And… … there is something called gaze theory.

When a player looks at something in a certain situation, he focuses on it and his eyes are drawn to it, but in that situation, he cannot see the surrounding situation in detail.

It was like that now.

As many as six Japanese players all had their eyes on Son Heung-min.

Son Heung-min is widely acknowledged as the best winger in Asia, and it was only natural that all eyes would be on him.

The Japanese players were completely down on Son Heung-min because they were all aggro towards him, and there were no Japanese players around Lee Kang-im, who received Son Heung-min’s pass.

The shooting angle is wide open and there is no control.

And Lee Kang-im is a player who really likes this situation.

Lee Kang-im did not hesitate.

Two touches.

Receive with your right foot, and shoot from mid-range with your left foot!

A refreshing shot flies out that makes your heart burst open.

Lee Kang-im’s left-footed shot was aimed at the top corner of Japan’s right goal, and the opposing goalkeeper was unable to block the unchecked shot as the shooting angle was completely open.

It wasn’t enough to stop it.

It only took a split second for that lightning-like mid-range shot to shake the Japanese goal net.

The net rippled greatly, and Lee Kang-im scored the opening goal.

Even from the Japanese goalkeeper’s perspective, it was a frustrating shot, as I could clearly see it was difficult to block.

‘If you stop that, you would have gone to Man U… .’

I liked it, laughing inwardly.

You hit so hard, but you didn’t prepare for the counterattack at all. Or maybe you couldn’t do it?

When Lee Kang-im scores the first goal, the stadium shakes as if an earthquake had occurred.

I think this is the time when the expression “the axis is shaking” should be used. My eardrums rang from the tremendous noise, and Lee Kang-im roared as he ran around the ground.

Now that I’m one point ahead, all that’s left is to defend that score. And that’s something I’m more confident about than anyone else in the world.

‘Besides, since Japan lost a point, they will either come out more aggressively to try to recover somehow or try to maintain their current momentum. In other words, Korea may try to score an additional goal through a counterattack.’

3-0 in the Japan expedition.

3-0 in Korea.

If we get completely swept 6-0, won’t we be able to say we’re the best in Asia in the future?

I smiled and rubbed my hands together.

My mouth is already watering.

* * *

Second half 20 minutes.

Both Korea and Japan played the substitution card.

Korea replaced striker Hwang Eul-jo with Kim Jun-young.

Hwang Yu-beom, who was playing as a volante, was replaced by Hong Hyeon-seok.

Japan replaces left winger Maeda with Minamino.

Kubo, a right midfielder, to Mitoma.

Right winger Doan Ritsu to Asano.

Kim Jun-young was expected to warm the bench in this game as well, but surprisingly, he played.

‘If you can do even half of what I showed you last time, it’s a success, Junyoung.’

Since they are opponents, it won’t be easy to stand out… … Even if you prove yourself in a match like this, no matter how stubborn the manager is, he will be defeated.

Kim Jun-young, who came into the field as a substitute, ran as fast as he could to his position. He looked excited. He probably didn’t think he would be playing in this game.

And then the game resumes.

The score is still 1:0.

Japan maintained an offensive stance, but they always deployed defensive numbers in the back space, perhaps because they had conceded a goal in one counterattack.

Because several people were placed in the back space, the sharpness of the early part of the second half was definitely dulled.

however…….

‘It’s dangerous!’

Japan’s mid-range shot.

The problem comes next.

It was a very threatening mid-range shot, but it hit the goal post and unfortunately did not go out of bounds.

The ball bounced out and was caught by substitute Mitoma with Kim Yang-kwon by his side, and the trajectory was immediately created inside the goal.

I approached slightly, predicted the timing of the opponent’s shot, and then dove. It was a save.

He also held the ball firmly and did not miss it to block the variable.

“Okay!”

Mitoma was blocked by my shot and shouted in Japanese. I’ve heard that a lot. It sounded like a curse. From Mitoma’s perspective, the current situation was exactly the kind of situation where he would curse.

I caught a loose ball that bounced off the goal post and hit it right in front of my nose, but it was blocked… I would be pissed too.

But that’s that.

“Yang Kwon-yi, hyung! You have to stop him from getting kicked! What are you going to do if you just sit there blankly?”

“Oh, okay. Sorry.”

Ah, Yang Kwon-shi-chi.

I can’t say anything since he’s going to retire soon…

I looked around and saw a familiar face in the distance. He raised his hand and asked for a pass, and I did so.

“Old!”

He threw the ball with all his might and passed it straight to Kim Jun-young.

The guy received the ball on his chest from his spot and kicked it with his left foot.

Then he turns around and runs away, pushing aside Endo who was marking him.

‘oh?’

Is it true that a Manchester United second-team player treats Liverpool’s regular player Endo like that?

As soon as he said that, he was caught and the ball was taken away. However, because the method was quite crude, the referee blew the whistle and Endo received a verbal warning.

Well, I could see a hand on my shoulder.

‘It looks like it needs a little more step up.’

If he was promoted to the first team, trained with them, and even played in games, his stats would have risen quickly, so it was quite disappointing.

* * *

In fact, Choi Jun-ho and Park Jun-seo had been commentators for a long time, so their ability to read the flow of the game was better than others.

So I could tell.

“What should I do with this?”

First half 45 minutes.

In the eyes of both of them, it was a performance that was close to a disaster. It was a match that was close to the biggest event in Asia, not just East Asia, but also the first half of which was so boring.

The first half was so boring that viewers watching on TV were more focused on eating chicken than on the game.

And, a boring first half is likely to lead to a boring second half.

As halftime approached, the two referees were worried about the second half.

But time passed, and soon the second half began.

“You have to be careful―!”

Commentator Park Jun-seo’s cry.

As soon as the second half started, Japan’s offensive was unusual.

The subsequent attacks also put Korea in danger, and based on the momentum and flow, it seemed as if Japan would soon score the first goal.

“… We faced a major crisis in the second half, but I believe that the national team will overcome this crisis safely.”

“Yes. And the moment I told you! Kim Min-woo blocked it! It was a perfect save!”

A few minutes later, what happened next was dramatic.

The players were tangled up in a fight for the ball, then South Korea made a sudden counterattack. And when all eyes were on Son Heung-min, who had slipped to the side, he made a single pass.

Lee Kang-im’s mid-range shot after receiving a pass.

The referee committee members jumped to their feet and shouted, “Gooooooooooo!”

It was a moment when the frustrating situation was resolved in an instant.

After the preemptive goal, the flow was again in Japan’s favor, but the two commentators knew.

If you score the first goal in a game where Kim Min-woo plays, you absolutely cannot lose that game.

Afterwards, player substitutions took place, with Japan replacing three players and Korea replacing two players.

Korea, which had been continuously trying to counterattack, showed a little more activity after Kim Jun-young was brought in.

“Ah, it was a clever dribble breakthrough by Kim Jun-young, but Endo Wataru grabbed his shoulder from behind.”

“Why would coach Leon keep a player like this on the bench?”

Commentator Park Jun-seo muttered. Choi Jun-ho, who was listening, let out an awkward laugh and covered up the situation.

“… … Hahaha! And Kim Jun-young immediately hands it over to Son Hong-min.”

South Korea’s offensive power has resumed.

Son Heung-min runs the ball down the left flank and is surrounded by two Japanese players who take the ball away from him.

Japan, who had stolen the ball, passed it back, and Kim Jun-young, who was nearby, ran towards them and stole the ball.

“Hey hey hey! It’s Kim Junyoung! It’s Kim Junyoung!”

In an instant, the attack unfolds again.

Kim Jun-young passed the ball to Lee Kang-im, who was loitering around the edge of the penalty box, and Hwang Hee-cheon, who was also loitering around to receive the ball, ended up losing the ball again when their paths overlapped.

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

“It was such a sudden situation that the players were not prepared―”

And when Japan centre-back Itakura tried to pass the ball to a fellow defender, it ended up slipping between his feet.

The missing ball falls to the feet of Kim Jun-young, who was beyond them as if by coincidence.

Kim Jun-young had already penetrated deep into the penalty box.

“Hey hey hey! But this is―!”

And Kim Jun-young spun around half a turn to get a shooting angle, then kicked hard with his left foot toward the opposite goal.

It was a clean shot that the goalkeeper couldn’t block, but it was obvious to anyone that Kim Jun-young was in an offside position…

“Oh, this goal, it looks like it’s offside?”

“It was a good move, but Junyoung Kim went in too deep.”

The flag of the vice-minister goes up.

Kim Jun-young also walked the ground in a sorry mood after confirming it.

“Let’s look again. Is Kim Jun-young hanging up here?”

“You’re giving it here again?”

The referees reviewed the replay footage.

The replay scene would stop at every important situation so that it could be confirmed clearly, but the problem was when Itakura gave it to Tomiyasu.

“… … Ah, this is―!”

“Wait a minute! This isn’t our side touching!?”

“It feels like Itakura passed to Tomiyasu, or tried to kick it away but ended up handing it over to Kim Jun-young instead?”

“Yes! During that process, Kim Jun-young was inside the defensive line, so it seems like this needs to be checked by VAR!”

“To explain it simply, think about the goal that Kim Yang-kwon scored against Germany during the Russia World Cup! At that time, it was recognized as Kim Yang-kwon’s goal because it was a touch by a German player!”

And the referee also put his hand to his ear as if he had received something from the video assistant referee, and then immediately made a VAR hand signal.

A hand signal that resembles drawing a television with both hands.

Naturally, caster Choi Jun-ho and commentator Park Jun-seo got excited and raised their voices in this situation.

“This is a clear shot. It was clearly Itakura’s last touch. Itakura passed to Kim Jun-young, so this is a clear goal.”

“Yes! If this had been a touch by Hwang Hee-cheon or Lee Kang-im, it would have been an offside for South Korea, but that’s not the case at all!”

And the referee looked at the scene again from the technical area and quickly returned.

“Oh, and the referee’s decision was made very early―!”

The referee acknowledged the goal as a goal for South Korea without even looking at it.

“It’s a score! The score is 2-0! Kim Jun-young scores a goal in 3 consecutive A-matches!”

“I have to praise Kim Jun-young’s concentration. Even we who were watching from above thought it was an offside, but Kim Jun-young never lost concentration and ended up scoring a goal!”

And then Moriyasu’s appearance is broadcasted to the camera. What, it was a single appearance.

“Director Moriyasu has completely lost his mind!”

“I promised that we would definitely win, but the score is 2-0! Oh, there’s not much time left until the World Cup, so I don’t know if Coach Moriyasu can continue as coach… … .”

Kim Jun-young, who scored in three consecutive games, clapped his hands in joy and received congratulations from his fellow senior players.

Park Jun-seo, who was watching, said with a hollow laugh.

“What the heck is this, Suyang High School? What does it have? They produce the world’s best goalkeepers, and they also produce the world’s best strikers?”

“I want to see Kim Jun-young playing for Manchester United’s first team as soon as possible. It’s been 12 years since Manchester United last won the league, so it’s about time they win a title.”

“Oh, of course. If you have a goalkeeper who never concedes a goal and a striker who shows decent form every game, it’s not impossible.”

And then the game resumes.

There was still quite a bit of time left until the game ended, but somehow the Japanese players’ movements felt slower than before… .

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