Willy hadn't only dropped Georgi and Luca from the squad but he had even ordered the two to leave the premises.
If those two stayed on the pitch, it wouldn't end well. The already perilous situation might even escalate further. So due to such concern, he dismissed them entirely from the venue. As for their punishment, it could be decided later. After all, he still had a match to prepare.
So, he couldn't be bothered by their dismissal.
Even after their dismissal, he calmly explained his strategies so that they could play well in the second half. But even so, he could only put his hopes on his players to execute his strategies. There was nothing he could do but trust his players.
The opposing side started the second half strong despite the pressure from the supporters.
Especially their captain, he was more clinical than ever.
From the flanks, he generated countless opportunities for his teammates in a matter of minutes. It was as if he had finally decided to play seriously.
Compared to his performance in those few minutes after the start of the second half, his performance in the first half seemed like he wasn't playing seriously.
But how could they allow him to move freely in their watch? Just because he began to play more impressively didn't mean that they would sit back with their arms folded.
As soon as they sensed danger they immediately put him under their radar. They kept a close watch on him and every time he got the ball they pinned two players on him.Taking him on a duel was akin to providing him a free route.
Yet despite all their efforts in the 54th minute of the game, he broke free from their entanglement. Firstly he tricked his marker who at all times shadowed him like his shadow. Then as he received the ball, he once again tricked Tomiyasu who was supposed to stop him. Taking advantage of his acceleration, he purposefully created a scenario where they had to compete for the ball. It was a battle of speed which Tomiyasu failed.
But even so, he didn't let his team down. Though he couldn't salvage the ball, he forced Kvicha into a rather tight spot, greatly limiting his chances to shoot.
Kvicha, however, swiftly changed his direction to move into a more favorable spot.
Before deciding, he swiftly glanced around him in hopes of finding his teammates. Since he was already inside the opposing box if he could pass the ball they'd have a much better chance of scoring.
Also, he wasn't selfish enough to take the shot from such a difficult spot.
The chances of succeeding in that position were rather minuscule. There was a huge
probability that the shot might go awry.
So before concluding, he tried to weigh his options.
Though it might appear as if he had been thinking a lot. But in reality, he didn't take much time to think. A glance was all it took for him to conclude.
Then he swept his leg.
Aya who had been observing him ardently was quick to react. The moment he swept his leg, he spread his legs, attempting to block the shot.
However, he was fooled.
Although the opposing number seven made it seem as if he was gonna shoot when he swept his leg he didn't actually shoot. Instead, he crossed his leg and shot from his other foot. Rabona!
From a spot so tight, he pulled a magnificent rabona!
At once as the ball swerved past Aya and rattled the net, the entire stadium erupted.
"Goal!"
Forgetting all their hatred they relished the moment. Cheering at the top of their voice they could hardly restrain themselves from relishing the moment.
Their captain had delivered.
The moment they had been desperately waiting for was finally here. So, how could they refrain from celebrating?
Listening to the euphoric roar, Willy couldn't help but put a faint smile on his face. It was such a joyous moment yet for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to indulge fully in the
moment. It might be because they still were losing despite the goal.
But unlike his peers, he didn't shout out loud or cheered excessively when they scored.
The cheers of the crowd grew even stronger after that goal. As for the performance of the opposing players, it continued to rise steadily.
The fans no longer pursued the matter regarding the dismissal of their starting goalkeeper which made it easier for the opposing players.
Regaining the support of their supporters, it became even more easy for them to play. Their passes became more fluent than ever and the mistakes they made also lessened.
Willy who had been watching his players from the sidelines was satisfied with the performance of his players. But even so, he couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy.
It was a feeling as if his team was still missing something.
But he wasn't sure what it was.
As the match progressed soon he realized what had been causing that uneasy feeling in him. After that second goal though their performance seemed commendable, they still failed to
score.
No matter how hard they tried after that first goal, it seemed as if they couldn't penetrate the opposing goal. It was as if they were hitting an invisible wall.
'It's almost time'
Nanami thought as he watched his players struggle.
Though they had done a commendable job keeping the opposing side at bay, he could vividly
see their struggle.
In today's match, he had started many new faces.
And they hadn't disappointed him either. But he knew that it was time he made some changes.
So as the clock passed the 70-minute mark, he decided to make some changes.
Then he solemnly turned to look at the reserve box and said in a flat tone, "Kenji, Sato,
Tominaga, Watanabe, Kubo, you're up. Go warm up."
They had been focused on the match. But when they heard his command they immediately
stood up. Finally, it was their turn to shine.
"Seems like the Japanese coach is finally deciding to make his move"
The commentator said upon noticing the movement in the Japanese reserve box.
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