C16 Counterattack
Regarding the rest of you, I want to emphasize that we're already down by one goal. If we don't manage to score in the second half, we're going to lose regardless. To me, losing by a single goal is no different from losing by ten.
So, for the second half, I need you all to go on the offensive. Attack relentlessly and score as quickly as you can to even the score.
Indeed, Lucian had no illusions about winning from the outset. We're on the Sunny Coast Institute's turf, where they have the home-field advantage. Without the system, the gap between us and them is simply too large.
In this match, if we can just draw level with them, we'll have achieved a victory. We're not aiming for all three points, just a solid one to add to our previous three, giving us a total of four.
According to the current scoreboard, No.11 High School leads with two wins from two games, earning six points. Our four points would put us in a tie for second place with Sunny Coast Institute and Millenium High.
The goal in the first half was anticipated. My plan was to go on the offensive in the second half to try and level the score if the opponent scored first. If they hadn't scored, we would have defended to the end.
A one-goal deficit isn't insurmountable. If the players stick to the strategy, we can definitely turn this around. Arnold is my ace in the hole. While he may not shine as brightly as Abram on the offense or possess the same shooting prowess, he's been focusing on speed since I took over the team. That's his edge. Plus, his longstanding friendship with Suren means they have an unmatched understanding of each other's play.
If they execute properly, they're sure to catch the opposition off guard.
Once you get the ball, immediately connect with Suren or Abram. You're also responsible for supporting Arnold's maneuvers. The more active you are, the better. That's your task once you're on the field. You don't need to keep the ball, but before the shot, you need to be where the ball is. Do you understand?
Upon arriving at the field, Lucian immediately pulled Jermaine and Archie aside. These two were the most gifted players on the team, aside from Suren and a couple of others. In Lucian's eyes, they were undoubtedly Super League material.
Once he had given them their instructions, Lucian sent them to warm up. While they lacked offensive prowess, their defensive and ball-intercepting skills were quite sharp. In previous matches, there hadn't been a need for many interceptions, so Lucian hadn't put them in the game.
Even though Lucian's team was set to kick off the second half, he made a strategic change by bringing in these two players to safeguard the ball. Their role was clear: if the ball was lost, they were to recover it.
"Ah! Sandalwood School is making a substitution! The second half hasn't even started, and they're already changing players?" The commentator, taken aback by the unfolding scene, continued with a chuckle, "Sandalwood School is truly intriguing. They're making substitutions right after the break. Their first-half performance was dismal, nowhere near their form against Millenium High. Despite parking the bus in front of the goal, they still conceded a goal to Sunny Coast Institute."
Television and radio stations only broadcast the games from the sports bureau's stadium, but commentators were present at all the other matches as well. However, since this match was on the campus of Sunny Coast Institute, the commentators were sourced from there, which naturally led to a bias in favor of the home team.
Seeing Lucian have two players warm up simultaneously, the commentator couldn't help but mock Sandalwood School further. "Their head coach is quite the character, warming up two players at once. Is he planning to bring on both? Or is it a bluff? I doubt it's the latter."
"Besides Number 31 Abram, Number 9 Suren, and Number 12 Arnold, I have no information on the rest of the players. If he's worried that Sunny Coast Institute will decipher his strategy, he's overthinking it." He laughed heartily at his own commentary.
Lucian, for his part, ignored the mockery. After all, he was there to do a job, and it wasn't worth getting upset over a minor heckler.
"Look, just as I anticipated, he's made two substitutions at once. Let's see, numbers 5 and 23. Hmm, these players haven't seen any playtime before. That clearly marks them as pure substitutes. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been warming the bench the whole time during the last game against Millenium High."
A forward from Sunny Coast Institute took control of the ball, deftly dribbling past Sandalwood School's defender. The outside defender from Sunny Coast Institute signaled for the ball, but at that moment, Archie seized the opportunity, surging forward to intercept the pass meant for his teammate!
Once Archie poked the ball free, he quickly drove it forward to prevent the opposition from reclaiming it, all while scanning the field for Suren and Abram's positions.
After a quick survey, Archie spotted Suren. Reading the intent in his teammate's gaze, Suren pivoted and dashed ahead, catching Archie's pass in stride.
Securing the ball, Suren didn't hesitate and charged toward the opponent's goal. As soon as Suren took possession, every Sandalwood School player on the pitch sprinted toward the goal with all their might.
Thanks to recent training, the Sandalwood School players were well-versed in this strategy. Confronted with a defensive counter, they instinctively launched into an offensive surge the moment they saw Suren with the ball.
Witnessing this, the Sunny Coast Institute players' first instinct wasn't to chase down the play; they were inexplicably frozen, completely caught off guard by the counterattack, which surprised everyone.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, the head coach of Sunny Coast Institute wasn't even watching the game. He was absorbed in a conversation with his trainer, treating the match as if it were just a routine scrimmage rather than a formal competition.
Even the commentator, who had been relentlessly taunting Sandalwood School, and the spectators in the stands were momentarily dumbfounded.
It's worth noting that throughout the entire first half, Sandalwood School had never fully committed to an attack. Even after intercepting the ball in their own half, they had never recklessly advanced. This cautious approach had been the subject of scorn from the commentator, who suggested they were intimidated by Sunny Coast Institute and content to play it safe.
Therefore, at this very moment, Sandalwood School made their first unexpected push forward in today's match, launching a counterattack. The sudden offensive move caught everyone off guard.