Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 310



Only Krnovel

Episode 310 Shutout

In the end, the seniors of the national team who supported my persuasion accepted my opinion.

There was chaos on the bench side, but because I was too stubborn, they changed it to ‘Okay, give it a try.’

Of course, they told us to try it, but everyone was incredibly worried.

And I looked towards the goal. Because it was so far away, there was no free kick wall.

The distance, location, everything was ambiguous. It was a half-space area, but it was too far to drive in directly.

The opposing goalkeeper also knew that I was always aiming for the top corner, so I was in a frustrating position to aim for the top corner.

‘They’re leaving the left side wide open.’

It was as if he was saying, if you’re going to kick, kick to the left. He was going to block the upper right corner somehow, and if he flew to the left, he would definitely fly to the upper corner, so he would fly right away.

‘It’s ambiguous. It’s too vague.’

It’s only natural that the opponent is so concerned about the top corner. All of the goals I scored from free kicks were made by aiming for the top corner.

‘Isn’t it? Has there ever been a time when it wasn’t?’

I don’t know. I don’t even remember.

But now. The World Cup final. At this crucial moment, I’m going to try a crack strategy that I’ve rarely tried before.

It wasn’t like I had coordinated with my national teammates in advance.

A strategy of crossing the ball and aiming for a header? That would be good, of course, but since it had already been shown once, the French players were also wary of that.

You can tell by the fierce competition for seats.

‘Well, the top corner. I know it but I can’t stop it. But the problem is the location.’

It’s ambiguous to aim for it directly, and if I were to cross it, there’s no point in me kicking it myself.

I looked to the left with shining eyes.

How could I not try it when he opens it so openly and says, “Try it.”

‘Yeah. Since it’s open, I’ll openly enter it too.’

Turned on quick and accurate kick.

The space I was aiming for was not the top corner. It wasn’t the bottom corner either.

‘I don’t know. This time it might get blocked.’

The referee blew the whistle to start.

I swallowed hard and moved slowly. I don’t know if it will work or not. For now, my plan is to run to the other side of the garage.

And I kicked it with all my might.

With a whoosh, my cold shot flies away coolly.

I forgot my original plan to run to the other side as soon as I got off the train and looked around.

My shot hit the line of the small penalty box (very close to the goalkeeper) inside the large penalty box.

It meant that it had hit the ground once.

The ball bounced off the grass and bounced back up, and goalkeeper Mike Menan read the direction and trajectory of my shot and reacted.

And it even seemed as if he had blocked it. No, he had definitely blocked it.

The ball hits the goalkeeper’s hand and flies straight up into the goal.

It was a goal.

“Uratcha—!”

What the fuck, this is it!

I ran towards the Korean stands, where the Taegeukgi flag was waving loudly, screaming at the top of my lungs.

It hit exactly what I was aiming for.

The shot hit the ground once and bounced, but the goalkeeper reacted and blocked it, but it went in.

In fact, I thought it would be difficult to even stop it, but Mike Menang who stopped it was amazing.

What do you know?

I blocked it, but it went in anyway!

“Aaaah! This is me! This is me!”

I pounded my chest and roared in front of the crowd. The crowd rushed forward at my roar. Then my colleagues climbed on my shoulders and put their arms around my neck.

“Eww!”

“Eww!”

“Eww!”

The roar continues.

Referee. Are you going to look at this VAR? Heheheehe

After that, I was in a state of total emptiness.

Well, what should I say?

Should I say that I was so happy that I momentarily forgot the memories of that time?

I was that happy.

I had to teabagger Mbappe, but it was such a joy that I even forgot about that.

On my way back after the ceremony, I finally came to my senses and looked at the scoreboard.

The score is 2 to 0.

Korea had a ‘2’ and France had a ‘0’. It was a score that was hard to believe even when I was watching it.

The French side is also in shock as they can’t believe the current situation. The spectators, of course, are in shock too.

The French crowd, which had been cheering enthusiastically just moments before, was completely demoralized.

And I saw Mbappe on the way.

The guy fiddled with his nose. He made eye contact with me, and then… …he avoided me first.

“Haha.”

I feel a refreshing feeling as if dopamine or something is spreading throughout my body. Now, my opponent will attack me without hesitation… What can I do?

All we have to do is block it without fail.

I ran briskly to the goal with light steps.

Now, there really isn’t much time left, but it’s not over yet, so let’s be careful and thorough until the end.

Because I don’t want to give up a goal to Mbappe and give him the title of the first player to break my clean sheet.

* * *

The score is 0 to 2.

36 minutes in the second half.

This situation reminds me of the last World Cup. It was like this then too.

Because they turned the game around by scoring a penalty kick goal in the 34th minute of the second half and adding an additional goal in the 36th minute.

Can you still do that now?

‘no.’

It was incredibly difficult back then, but now it’s nearly impossible.

Mbappe has already missed a penalty kick that he should have taken.

There are 9 minutes left. Including the extra time, it’s probably 13 to 15 minutes.

If it were any other team, it might have been possible. But this team here.

‘I don’t know if it’s possible to score a comeback goal.’

Mbappe is in a miserable situation right now and it makes him laugh. But no matter what the situation is, you have to do your best.

You must never give up, no matter what the situation.

As long as there is even a 1% chance of winning, you have to give it your all.

Because this moment will never come back.

The score was 2-0, but Mbappe and the French national team showed their strength once again.

We burst forward as soon as the referee blew his whistle to start.

There wasn’t much time.

So, you have to attack with all your might.

* * *

“Can you believe it? Korea is ahead 2-0 against France!”

The commentators raised their voices as if they had witnessed an absurd scene.

“South Korea beat Germany 2-0 in the group stage of the World Cup in Russia, and now, eight years later, they are beating France 2-0 in the final! No one could have predicted that score!”

“Kim looked shaky in the Brazil match, but in this match against France, he showed an ironclad performance and blocked captain Mbappe and other players. And!”

And the French attack resumes again.

Side. It was Mbappe’s solo dribble run.

Even though the second half was almost over, Mbappe’s speed was not much different from the first half.

Mbappe was running like crazy down the flank, outpacing the Korean defenders at a pace that even Kim Min-je couldn’t cover.

“Come up fast! Kylian Mbappe!”

“Get into the box in an instant!”

“Kim is guarding in front of the goal―!”

The moment the distance seemed to be getting a little closer, Mbappe glanced at the goal and aimed for the far post at Kim Min-woo. It was a very quick shot. And―

“Kwaaaaaah! Even this is blocked! Kim! Crazy save! Who the hell can get through that player!”

As the embodiment of 1:1, this was Kim Min-woo who frustrated situations that seemed certain to go his way.

Mbappe was so frustrated and angry when he missed this crucial moment that he opened his mouth wide and screamed. He looked up at the sky, got down on his knees…

“Mbappe is frustrated! After Holland, after Neymar, even Mbappe can’t get through Kim!”

The British commentators shouted in a delighted voice when France was put through this. They are from the same Europe, but they cannot stand by and watch their neighbors do well.

“The situation is difficult! France! In 2018, in 2022, and in 2026! They have reached the finals of all three World Cups, but four years ago they were defeated by Argentina. And today, they are expected to be defeated by Korea!”

“It was a loss, but France regrouped. The end of regulation time is approaching, but we still don’t know the game. France is a country that has pushed Argentina into overtime in similar situations!”

The French offensive continued.

They were so aggressive that the back space was wide open, and the Korean attackers tried to counterattack by breaking through the back space, but the score was maintained at 2-0.

So again in the 43rd minute of the second half.

This time, it was a mistake on the part of the Korean side during the defensive process. They passed the ball in a narrow area, and the French players were stuck man-to-man, so the ball went to a French player while passing the ball.

And then, of all people, Mbappe picked up the ball.

Lee Kang-im’s mistake. The defenders are far apart. Mbappe is alone in the empty space on the side of the box.

Mbappe never missed this opportunity.

He quickly strikes up and moves to the left, overtaking Kim Ji-seok, then turns to the right and attempts a curling kick.

Boohoo!

“And this attempt by Mbappe! Again, it’s blocked! Kim! The goalkeeper who revived Manchester United and the legendary goalkeeper of Hannover stops Mbappe again!”

It was an incredible save against an incredible kick. How can he block it so well?

When the attempt was again thwarted, Mbappe frowned and raised and lowered his arms.

“Both teams are playing at their best. It’s like a battle between an impenetrable shield and a piercing spear!”

“Yes! And so far it looks like a victory for the impenetrable shield.”

In that short time, there was some more back and forth, and extra time was added. It was 6 minutes. Considering that there was less delay in the game than expected, it was a pretty generous decision.

Has there ever been a time when the referee’s decision wasn’t like that today?

“France have been aggressive and dominant throughout this final, but they are really sharp at this moment. I wish they had shown this kind of form from the first half!”

6 minutes left.

During that time, France really continued to attack. In between, the Korean attackers also tried to buy time by attacking the back space, but it was still not enough to stop the French attack.

“Ah. France. Time is running out. Time is running out. Only three minutes left until the end of the game!”

As the end of the match approached, Korea’s dedicated defense shone even brighter. Now, Mbappe’s one-man carry was also losing its power.

And amidst the continued French attacks, Korea counterattacks.

It was Kim Min-woo again.

Kim Min-woo blocked France’s attack, read the players’ positions, and kicked the ball forward.

In an instant, a counterattack situation appears.

“It’s extra time in the second half, and Son, despite being a veteran, is running at incredible speed!”

It wasn’t just Son Heung-min.

Lee Kang-im, Kim Jun-young, and Hwang Hee-cheon, who only played defense.

Since most of the defensive resources were used as replacements, most of the offensive resources remained the same.

And all of those players were sprinting like crazy.

Naturally, the French players also chased after them, and the situation was reversed in an instant.

“The final goal that could completely end the game is just around the corner… …!”

Son Heung-min passes the ball to Kim Jun-young, who is running next to him. As soon as Kim Jun-young receives the ball, he passes it back to the space in front of Son Heung-min. The French defenders were unable to do anything with those two one-two passes.

“Son! I entered the box!”

Son Heung-min enters the box after receiving a pass from Kim Jun-young, and the defenders are unable to do anything.

Only the goalkeeper reacted belatedly, running forward and stretching his body, but Son Heung-min remained calm.

To the right. Shoot.

The ball went past the goalkeeper’s side.

It lightly touches the net. It was a goal.

“Son―! The game is decided!”

“Korea’s third goal goes in!”

“Who would have guessed! Korea would shut out France 3-0!”

“Goodbye France! Son, the Tottenham captain and trophy-less player of his entire career, will now lift just one trophy: the World Cup!”

The French players all collapsed to the ground after the last goal, which virtually decided the game, was scored.

All the Korean players ran to Son Heung-min and enjoyed the moment of joy.

The British commentators kept raising their voices as Son Heung-min, playing in his home league, scored what was effectively the last goal of the game.

“Son has suffered through many hardships in his career! He has been runner-up in the Champions League final, has been knocked out of the Asian Cup time and time again! And now he is lifting the World Cup!”

“Kim, who had been calling himself a kingmaker even before the World Cup began, has finally come to terms with his own words! What an amazing story!”

“The fairy tale that Kim told is now a myth!”

The score is 3 to 0.

Second half 90+6 minutes.

The game is virtually over.

Even Kim Min-woo, who was on the other side, ran over and enjoyed that moment of joy together… .