C17 The Hope of Winning the Game

Lucian stood on the sidelines with a serene expression, his eyes narrowed as he watched the offense unfold. Yet, inside, a voice was raging with defiance: "Think I'm scared? Just you wait. A team that can beat mine? Doesn't exist!"

"I've never been defeated in Europe, and it certainly won't happen here! In Vispheno, a coach who can best me probably hasn't even been born yet!"

At that moment, the soccer field presented an amusing scene. Over half of the 22 players were clustered around one goal, while the remainder stood on the opposite side, watching the opposition advance towards their goal, yet remaining unmoved.

Despite his hefty build, Suren's speed was deceptively quick. With the ball, he charged down the field like a race car on a track, swiftly making his way to the goal. Surprisingly, aside from the goalkeeper, the backfield was deserted.

Lifting his right foot, he launched the ball. The Sunny Coast Institute's goalkeeper, anticipating a shot, instinctively dove towards the ball's trajectory, only to come up empty.

As he got back to his feet, a "whoosh!" of wind stung his cheek.

"Yay!"

The Sandalwood School players erupted in celebration at the sight of the goal.

As it turned out, Suren's kick wasn't a shot at all, but a pass. Abram, following Lucian's strategic play, had dashed to the goal the instant Suren got the ball and positioned himself perfectly for the shot.

Regrettably, all eyes were on Suren, leaving Abram unnoticed, including by the goalkeeper. Despite being less than twenty meters apart, Abram had stood in front of the goal for a full five seconds undetected.

Even Suren only spotted Abram's position at the last second, prompting a split-second decision to pass the ball, leading to an astonishing goal.

This goal caught everyone off guard, including the referee, who only realized what had happened after the cheers from Sandalwood School filled the air and he blew his whistle.

"That goal was incredibly fortuitous, a series of flukes converging to even the score. But I'm certain the Sunny Coast Institute will come back fiercely, as that goal is nothing short of humiliating for them."

The commentator was relentlessly trying to save face for the Sunny Coast Institute. The goal they had just conceded was a major blow to their pride, and by extension, his as well.

Lucian's initial strategy was for the team to tighten up their defense and hold their ground, aiming to maintain the 1-1 score until the final whistle. But the unexpected goal forced Lucian to revise his tactics on the fly.

"Jermaine!"

Lucian summoned Jermaine with a confident grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Tell the team to stop hanging back. I want you all to press forward aggressively. They're frustrated and embarrassed right now. Work with Archie to intercept the ball at all costs, then launch an attack. Stick to the plan we discussed during halftime and let's net another goal."

Watching Jermaine dash back onto the field, Lucian's expression remained serene, though his heart was a tumultuous sea.

"A draw? I've changed my mind. If you're going to underestimate me, I'm going to claim victory on my home turf!"

It was impossible for Lucian not to feel irked by the commentator's mockery and the jeers from the stands. But given his disadvantage, he had no choice but to swallow his pride—until now. With this golden chance before him, he was determined to take it.

Meanwhile, the opposing coach was livid, hurling curses as he directed his team's offense from the sidelines. Lucian couldn't help but smirk internally.

"Bring it on, let the storm rage harder. The fiercer it gets, the more vulnerabilities will show!"

The tension on the field escalated as the Sunny Coast Institute's team, fueled by adrenaline, relentlessly pursued the attack under their coach's guidance. When their center forward charged with the ball, Archie stepped up to intercept but missed.

Having already been outmaneuvered by Archie for the previous goal, the center forward was keen to avoid a repeat. Spotting the oncoming challenge, he swiftly executed a long pass to a teammate.

The Sunny Coast Institute's forward, still smarting from Archie's earlier interception and the subsequent criticism from his coach and teammates, received the ball with a vengeance. He tore towards the opponent's goal, bypassing three defenders in a frenzied dash. Just as he was about to unleash a powerful shot, he was stunned to realize the ball was gone!

Indeed, his skills were formidable. Against Sandalwood School's tight defense, he moved as if he were in a deserted zone. The goal in the first half was his doing, but this time, his judgment was clouded by rage.

As he dodged the third defender, Jermaine came into play. He and Archie had been diligently executing Lucian's strategy, keeping a close watch on the ball—Archie focusing on the front court and Jermaine on the back court.

Jermaine intended to intercept the ball as soon as the opponent received it, but he couldn't quite match the pace. Thankfully, with the assistance of his teammates who hindered the opponent's progress, he managed to catch up in the nick of time, leaping forward to sweep the ball away.

Having secured the ball, Jermaine was aware that he lacked speed, especially in the back court, so he immediately sent a long pass forward while shouting, "Suren!"

His teammate received the pass and, hearing Jermaine's call, grasped his intent. Counterattacks rely on speed, so without wasting time to locate Suren, he swiftly moved the ball towards the midfield.

The ball soared through the air, and Archie leapt up, executing a lion-like header before crashing to the ground. Yet, he managed to direct the ball straight to Suren's feet, leaving the spectators' heads spinning with the rapid sequence of events.

Unexpectedly, Sunny Coast Institute had their ball intercepted with ease once again. Their players had just advanced and were caught off guard, unable to fall back in time, leading to an immediate breakdown in their defense.

Abram accelerated forward, positioning himself to receive a pass from Suren, while Sunny Coast Institute's two centre three-quarter backs were still in their defensive zone, ready to mark Abram.

As Abram approached, the defenders, in a well-coordinated move, split to challenge both Suren and Abram.