I AM the Football Star

Chapter 50: Chapter 21: This Strong After Getting First Blood? (Part 2)

The match began in the nineteenth minute.

Lu Yang received a powerful clearance from the central defender at the back.

However, the way he received the ball was quite unexpected.

He actually jumped up directly, performing an elegant scissor-kick in the air to stop the ball.

The entire move was incredibly cool and stylish.

The fans erupted in cheers, as if he had just scored a goal.

Meanwhile, the other teammates expressed their understanding.

After all, Lu Yang had just completed his ”coming of age” ceremony, and although Sofia was known for her allure, her public denunciation of casting couch incidents four years ago revealed her as a traditional woman.

So there was a high probability that Sofia also just had her ”coming of age” ceremony last night.

It’s understandable that Lu Yang was a bit excited after claiming his first ”victory.”

Young boys, after getting ”excited,” tend to get very enthusiastic.

But just as everyone’s attention was drawn to Lu Yang’s flashy stop, Lu Yang suddenly made a long pass.

The football didn’t fly very high and was much faster than his previous passes.

So much so that most of the Pagani Race players didn’t react in time.

The ball flew straight toward the top of the arc of the Pagani Race penalty area.

And when they sensed the threat.

The San Remo central forward, not usually known for his speed and offensive positioning, completed a beautiful ghostly run. He appeared right on the ball’s landing spot, easily received it, dribbled twice, then shot, successfully helping the team take the lead.

Morici was stunned.

Was that a low pass?

When did Lu Yang learn how to do that?

Wasn’t he only good at those high and slow heavier spin passes that are typically useful for shifting or redirecting attacks?

When did he learn such a more threatening quick pass?

In the thirty-ninth minute of the first half.

While Lu Yang was dribbling across the field, he suddenly made a long pass.

Again, it was a low pass.

And this time, it was Morici receiving the ball up front.

Morici’s position was a bit far from the penalty box, but the advantage was that there was no one around to defend, a perfect empty spot.

He naturally tried a long shot, hoping for some luck.

And luck was on his side today, as the long shot resulted in a goal!

Lu Yang bagged his second assist!

During halftime, everyone looked at Lu Yang, with strange expressions in their eyes.

This guy... after coming of age, does it feel like his way of playing is different? How did he become so ”accurate?”

Lu Yang never had such a strong assisting ability before.

He was more adept at seizing opportunities and ”stealing” goals.

In the second half, the situation changed suddenly.

Pagani Race’s offense finally bore fruit.

In the sixty-third minute of the match.

They bombarded the goal and successfully scored, narrowing the score to one to two.

And soon, Morici made a long pass to the right winger, who shot but was blocked, earning a corner kick.

Morici took the corner, and Naji, the central defender who had a starting opportunity today, scored with a header, changing the score to one to three, pulling the team out of crisis.

Indeed, when the team concedes a goal, Naji is often on the field.

His defensive ability is still quite unsteady at the moment.

San Remo wants to develop him, and it requires a cost of conceding goals match after match.

But Naji’s potential in headers, and his determination to gain weight, still moved Sotu, gradually forming a rotation with another defender in the later stages.

The Pagani Race’s offense was fierce.

Although they were trailing, they played very brilliantly.

Moreover, they soon gained possession through a frontal pressing, and then the team’s central forward successfully scored.

This goal was partially due to a problem on the defensive line, but the goalkeeper of San Remo was more at fault. It was his weak pass back to Naji that allowed Naji to lose the ball.

The score was now three to two.

Very insecure.

And now, the match was only in the seventy-fifth minute.

There were nearly twenty minutes left, and San Remo seemed to be struggling to hold on.

The opponent’s attack was too ferocious.

And while the Pagani Race wasn’t great at defense, their pressing in the midfield and pre-forward line was quite effective. Morici bore the brunt of it, finding it somewhat difficult today in terms of organizing the attack.

At the very least, he didn’t have many opportunities to make killer passes, only guiding the team’s attack.

This wasn’t highly efficient nor direct in terms of gameplay.

At a critical moment, it was still Lu Yang.

He helped cover for Naji in the back and successfully disrupted the opponent’s shot.

Rondo controlled the football, passing it back to Lu Yang.

Lu Yang performed a V-shaped pull, dodging the opponent’s pressing, then seized the opportunity to make a direct low long pass, sending the football to the opponent’s half of the field.

This pass was very fast as well.

And since the Pagani Race pushed their players too far up, it was a great counterattack opportunity.

And like a cheetah, Vedian, in this match with few opportunities, finally seized a glimmer of light, taking the pass directly one-on-one.

With a bang!

Vedian scored a goal.

The score was four to two.

Now, only the last ten minutes of the match remained.

Lu Yang poured his heart and soul into the defense.

Even Morici gave up organizing the midfield, forming a double defensive barrier with Lu Yang, parking the bus in their half.

Afterwards, Pagani Race didn’t have any good scoring opportunities again.

The final score was four to two.

Judging by the score, San Remo’s advantage seemed clear.

But those who had watched the match knew that San Remo’s play was quite perilous.

Facing such a team with strong attacking power, San Remo has yet to find their own style of play.

Should they resolutely defend, or chose to counterattack strongly?

This is a question!

Because if they opt for steadfast defense, Morici’s talent would be wasted, and Vedian would become an invisible player.

If they choose vigorous offense, then without Lu Yang’s care, San Remo’s defense would still be precarious.

Lu Yang is the adjustment dial between attack and defense for the team, offering them two choices when facing difficulties, which is much better than having no choice at all.

But there is only one Lu Yang.

To speak plainly, San Remo is already an ”elite” in the Italian D Division now!

They are used to playing aggressive football and are not willing to relinquish control like they did in the past, then switch to defensive counterattacks.

This is the reason they appeared to struggle significantly at times during this match.

Fortunately, this game saw Lu Yang perform exceptionally, recording three assists, completing his first career hat trick, and it was an assist hat trick.

But the truth is, Lu Yang’s assisting capacity is not as strong as everyone perceives. His passing is generally not precise enough, and still lags behind Morici.

The most critical aspect is that when the opposition is fully prepared, Lu Yang doesn’t have many opportunities to make long passes.

Morici can break free and then make a pass, a necessary skill for a midfielder.

But Lu Yang has only a V-shaped pull and scissor-kick.

A single trick can last a lifetime, but it can’t be used everyday.

San Remo needs to adjust their mindset and quickly determine their playing style when facing strong opponents.

Lu Yang also needs to think of ways to enhance either his passing or evasive ability.

The latter is more effective, but exactly how, depends on the luck of the draw with his random packs.

That’s not something Lu Yang can control.

...

Coach Sotu addressed the team’s issues after the match.

”We are now in the top five of the league,” Coach Sotu remarked in a post-match interview, ”but that doesn’t mean we are a strong team yet. Among these five teams, we are still the weakest. We have no reason for arrogance or complacency, and we will continue trying in every way to play well when it comes to our matches just as before.”

Attitude speaks volumes.

Coach Sotu wants the team to resort to defensive counterattacks against stronger teams.

After the conclusion of this match, Lu Yang received Sotu’s second-stage recognition.

He saved the team at their most dangerous moment.

Rondo might not think that playing against Pagani Race was crucial for the team, but that’s exactly what Sotu believed.

As a result, Lu Yang was awarded the star skill, Sotu’s Copper Wall and Iron Wall!

His stats have improved in the team’s most vulnerable moments.

Even though not everyone thinks playing this match against Pagani Race was very important for the San Remo team, this is what Sotu believes.

Therefore, Lu Yang’s defensive positioning has increased from 50 to 55.

Intercepts improved from 55 to 60, top-notch in the Italian Third Division.

He is activated with a Breakout of 50.

Intercepting has gone up from 55 to 60, topping the Italian Third Division.

Blocking activated, 50.

Simultaneously, his physical talents have been enhanced.

Foot power activated, 50.

Jumping has increased from 50 to 55.

Tackling from 63 to 65, extremely strong.

Stamina activated, 50.

Injury resistance activated, 50.

This almost gave him a state of quality transformation in defense.

He transformed from a strong defender in the Italian D League to a strong defender in the Italian Third Division!

Yet, this is still not his whole story.