"The teams are back from their break. The first half ended with the two teams having a difference of two goals."
"Well, I don't think Chiyoda should panic just yet. With what we saw before the first half ended, they could get another."
"Ooh! Looks like Chiyoda is having a change of tactics. They've gone with the 4-2-1-3 formation. Seriously, a change of formation doesn't really make a team. We hope to see a better performance in the second half."
-[WHISTLE]-
"And the second half has begun..."
Kaneko passed the ball to Jo, who tapped it to the left to keep possession.
Hiro kicked the ball back to a defending midfielder who chipped it over the centre line and to Jo, who gently padded it down his chest.
"We can see some nice passes from Takamori. Looks like they're going in for another goal."
"They are, but would they score a goal early or not? Chiyoda needs to act fast to take the momentum in this second half."
Akaji stepped in front of Jo.
"You're not getting past." He mumbled.
Jo grinned widely. He stepped over the ball once, making Akaji shift to the wrong direction.
He chuckled softly, "Why'd you guys suddenly change formations? Do you think you'll change the scoreboard just by doing that?"
Akaji stuck out his leg, but Jo rolled it back.
"Loser. I'll just get going now." He sprinted forward with the ball.
He glanced back at Akaji, who didn't give a muscle.
'Hm? Did he give up? Tsk, this isn't fun at all.'
Jo scanned the field for Kaneko, who ghosted into space, 'Sorry for keeping you waiting.'
He then whipped a cross towards the middle.
"Oh! Jo's found Kaneko!"
Yusuke stepped into the lane of the pass and jumped up, then headed the ball to Kimishita.
'Tsk, I can't believe he was right.' Kimishita thought when Yusuke kicked the ball to him.
「"When the game starts, try marking Kaneko discreetly. He's the kind of player who ghosts into space. Since Yusuke is also that kind of player, I think he'd be able to steal the ball." Atsushi had explained.
"But why should I focus solely on Kaneko?" Yusyke asked.
"That's because..."」
'Jo would always pass to Kaneko! How'd I not notice that?' Kimishita clicked his tongue.
"Ooh! They've intercepted the pass and are now going for a counter!"
Kimishita played the ball forward for Atsushi, who tapped the ball with his heel, successfully nutmegging the player who stood behind him.
He turned and got behind the player. He carried the ball forward.
Hiro rushed in front of him and blocked him.
'He got past me last time cause I wasn't focused. I won't let him get past me this time.'
Atsushi glanced left and right, and then he used the outside of his foot to strike the ball forward.
"What?!" Hiro asked, turning to see Shoichi successfully control the ball.
"Such beautiful passes among this team. They seem different from how they were back in the first half!"
"Looks like their coach has said something's to them during the break. With the signs they're showing, they might be in for a second."
Shoichi kicked the ball to Akaji, who turned and passed back to Atsushi.
"Ooh! He's free!"
"Shoot!!" The audience screamed.
Atsushi took a shooting stance, but his cleats were about to strike the ball. He paused, then threaded a pass to Shoichi, who, without a second thought, struck the ball into the net.
"GOAL!!!!" The commentator shouted.
Shoichi clenched his fists tightly and raised it above his head, "YES!!"
Takamori's keeper hit the pole again and again while Shoichi celebrated.
Shoichi turned to Atsushi, who spread his arms open.
He ran towards him and jumped into his arms.
"Nice goal, Shoichi." Ryuto slapped his back.
"Nice passing, guys." Akaji said, walking towards them.
Atsushi placed Shoichi on the floor, "Okay, let's keep this form up."
"Chiyoda fc are now just a goal away from Takamori! Takamori need to get back this momentum, or they'll be conceding a third!"
Chiyoda jogged back to their positions after the celebrations.
"Tsk, let's get this over with."
The whistle was blown, and the match continued.
Takamori Titans kept up with their fluid passes behind and even changed to a defensive tactic at some point.
The point is that the team's kept stealing passes, intercepting and defending seriously after Shoichi's goal.
The mark on Atsushi became quite intense, and because of that, he wasn't able to receive any passes.
[76:34]
Kaneko weighted a pass towards Jo, who was on the run.
Kimishita then rushed towards Jo and tried stealing the ball from him, but Jo passed it Kaneko.
'Wait, how'd he get past Yusuke?' Kimishita turned back and saw Yusuke being blocked by a defending midfielder from Takamori.
'Dammit! This guy's also stopped me from dropping back. Akaji and the others won't fall back on time!' He grit his teeth, trying to push him aside.
"Whoa, whoa there. You might get a card."
Kimishita froze, "Go to hell!"
"Ooh!! Looks like Kaneko is going solo on this one! Time's ticking, and this is probably the best approach they can follow!"
"Oh no, this team's done for." An old man among the audience sighed, shaking his head.
"Don't be quick to judge. Maybe the keeper would surprise us." A young man beside him said.
Ichiro bent a bit, totally focused on Kaneko.
"You're not getting past me." Yui stood in front of him, ready to steal the ball.
"Pfft, what does a girl like you think you're doing? You can't possibly take the ball from me. Y'all are just here filling the empty positions." He chuckled.
Yui didn't say anything to him, but just waited till he moved.
He scoffed, then scooped the ball up with his cleat and flicked it over Yui's head.
'This is it, when I trained with Ryuto and Shoichi. Ryuto used this move often!'
She immediately turned and blocked Kaneko from going after the ball.
She was successful, but he had fallen on the floor after her elbow brushed against his jersey.
[WHISTLE]
"Ohh, she fouled him there." The commentator sighed.
"Wh-what? But...!" Yui started.
Atsushi ran towards the referee, who was already digging his hand into his pocket.
"Damn loser! Such a wimp!" Someone shouted.
"Are you blind Ref?! That was a dive!"
But the ref didn't listen to whatever they were saying.
The referee resisted the temptation to take out a card after Atsushi and Akaji spoke to him.
"But I didn't mean to..." Yui mumbled.
'They won't believe me anyway. This is how I've always been. They won't believe whatever I say.' Her head drooped.
Atsushi placed his hand on her shoulder and bent a bit, "Nice reaction there. Don't mind the ref. Everyone knows it wasn't a foul, so let's just keep this up, and believe Ichiro too. He'll stop the ball from going in."
She looked up to him as he smiled and nodded.
"Guys, get into positions."
Kaneko placed the ball on the free kick line. He exhaled deeply before striking the ball towards the net.
Ichiro dove towards the right and successfully punched the ball out of the field.
"Ooh! The keeper's beaten it away. What's with that guy? Is he only good at falling?!"
Yui heaved a sigh of relief when the ball went out.
"Nice save, but get ready for the corner. No one knows how that'll turn out." Atsushi said.
Jo stood at the right corner, ready to take the corner kick.
Immediately the whistle was blown, he crossed it into the box.
Everyone jumped to either score or intercept the ball, but it went low, and someone else poked it into the net.
"GOOAL!! Takamori is back into the game, and with little time left!"
"Dammit!" Kimishita cursed, kicking the pole.
The midfielder who scored rushed to the left corner and began celebrating with his team.
Atsushi exhaled deeply, 'Is it too late already?'
He turned and walked back to his position.
'No, I refuse to back down like a coward. We've still got a little over 5 minutes left until the match ends. We can still get a goal!'
"Raise your heads, guys! It's still too early to give up. The match doesn't end until the last whistle of the game is blown. Let's keep fighting till the end, even though victory is not assured!"
"Yeah!!"
'Well, it's not like I haven't gotten what I wanted anyway.' His lips tugged upwards as he looked away.