Novel Full Chapter 608: Increasing Threat
Chapter 608: Increasing Threat
Ito, having scored a debut goal was overwhelmed by excitement. Immediately, after scoring the goal, he rushed to the sideline to celebrate the goal.
“Ito….! Scores on his debut match,” the commentator couldn’t help but amp the moment.
With him scoring the third goal, the stadium grew incessantly loud. To the people, he was like a living legend. So, seeing him score on his debut, they couldn’t refrain from exaggerating the
moment.
Hiro, on the other hand, watched the entire celebration without getting much involved in it. To him, he appeared selfish.
Rather than celebrating the goal with the team, he cared more about himself.
Immediately after Ito scored the third goal, the opposing team made some changes in their squad. It hadn’t even been halftime, yet they were already making changes.
Ono looked at the changes the opposing team was making with his brows knitted. The player that was about to come on was the very player whom they had bought to replace him.
Seeing the change, he felt as if a hole had been carved in his heart.
Even though he was already aware of it, the change still left him disheartened.
Being close to the sideline, Hiro managed to take a glimpse of the moment.
‘Such is the fate of a footballer. You’ll only receive the limelight when you are performing well. The moment you stop contributing, you are replaced.’ Hiro contemplated.
After the change, the game resumed.
With their team leading the game with such a massive score of 3-0, Kawasaki fans were in a jubilant mood. On the other hand, the opposing fans were rather silent.
Previously, they had been trying to encourage their players. But right now, it appeared as if they had lost their previous enthusiasm.
Even many of the opposing players looked sour.
There was still plenty of time remaining for the first half to end. Precisely, that must be why, the opposing players seemed sour.
Hiro swept his gaze, scrutinizing their expression. He knew that they were starting to break. And if the situation escalates any further, there wouldn’t be any chance to retaliate.
Noticing their irritated expression, Hiro couldn’t help but think, ‘It’s only a matter of time before they crumble.’
Upon resuming the game, the opposing players began to play even more cautiously than before. It almost looked as if they were afraid to take chances.
Passing the ball cautiously, for some while they continued to pass the ball among themselves without taking any opportunity to advance.
Precisely because of their cautiousness, the match became rather boring.
Even most of their attackers had dropped deep to defend.
After catching the whiff of the opposing coach’s intention, Haruki rolled his eyes to look at the opposing coach.
With his brows knitted, Ihara was following the match.
‘Have you already given up?’ Haruki couldn’t help but scrutinize Ihara.
Since the two had spent a considerable amount of time in the league, the two had met on many occasions. So, it would be fair to say that they were familiar with each other.
And just like him, Ihara was also the type of coach who liked playing offensive football. But right now, witnessing the scene before him, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed in him. Ihara had abandoned his philosophy.
Sighing, he shifted his attention to the match, “Sigh! Seems like you’re desperate this time.”
However, even with them playing defensively, they couldn’t hold on against the offense of the Kawasaki players. Especially, Hiro the disruptor of the formation, there was simply no stopping to him.
With him on the opposing side, they found it increasingly troublesome to defend.
Although they managed to barely prevent him from scoring, they couldn’t entirely stop him from moving the ball.
Facing him was already tough enough but his vision was proving even more troublesome. He could locate spaces that seemed almost impossible to locate.
Beep!
The ball went out of bounds. At that moment, one of the opposing defenders with a number four on his back heaved a deep sigh, “Sigh…. How much do we need to hold?”
Mumbling, he turned to look at the time. There he noticed that they had to hold out for three more minutes.
“Just how does he locate such tight spaces?” looking at the departing figure of Hiro, he exasperated.
Panting heavily, he was drenched in sweat.
He could feel a bulging sensation of pain ringing underneath. Even his jersey was all messed up from tackling tirelessly without stopping.
Yugo who was already thirty-one years old was one of the toughest defenders in the league and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to point him as the best in terms of defending in his team.
Having an uncanny talent for man-marking, he was appointed to mark Hiro. Well, given the way he had been tailing him, it would be more accurate to call him Hiro’s bodyguard for the match whose sole job was to prevent the ball from reaching Hiro.
Although he had failed to stop him from possessing the ball, he had done an excellent job keeping Hiro as far away from the post as possible.
But even with him keeping Hiro away, Hiro was still managing to contribute to the team.
With his vision that seemed to transcend the world, he kept finding spaces that seemed impossible to locate.
Even now, if it weren’t for a lucky accident, he’d have delivered a magnificent through-ball. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he revealed a wry smile, “If I hadn’t stumbled, who knows what would have happened.”
He felt relieved to have been able to stop Hiro until now. But he was growing increasingly anxious. Having stuck to Hiro until now, he knew that it would be a matter of moment before Hiro broke through him.
Even with his experience and physicality, if he had to keep facing those speedy breakthroughs, sooner or later, he’d probably be unable to stop him.
Well, fortunately, the lucky accident saved him this time. But he knew that his body was starting to break after following him.