Sato watched Riccardo speaking with Shimizu, her blue eyes widening.
"That play… it looked impossible," she murmured. Then, glancing at Yuzuki, she noticed her grinning like a child with a new toy. "I take it you agree?"
"It certainly was! I want to try moves like that myself with the other girls!" Yuzuki replied, her dark-red hair catching the sunlight.
On the pitch, the players took their positions, muscles tensed, minds sharp. Kaneko stormed up to Aoki and Aoyama, his face red with barely contained frustration.
"How did you two let him through!?"
Aoyama stepped forward, calm and collected, meeting Kaneko's fury head-on. He was tall—1.87 meters—with dark hair streaked green and eyes as sharp as his words.
"We tried, but he slipped between us in a heartbeat! If you're so confident, maybe you should try stopping him yourself!"
Kaneko's jaw tightened. "Calm down! Focus on the game!"
Coach Suzuki gestured from the bench, signaling Kaneko to compose himself. He exhaled sharply, anger still simmering just beneath the surface, before returning to the center circle for kickoff.
The scoreboard flashed: Team 1 0 — 1 Team 2Time: 5:32
Before play resumed, Kaneko grabbed Tanaka's arm.
"Make more crosses like that first one."
Tanaka pulled back, smirking. "Sure… maybe next time I'll actually score instead of passing to the goalie."
Kaneko's glare sharpened. "Next time, I won't miss."
Coach Ishii's eyes swept the field, calculating. Then he called out to Nishimura.
"Nishimura!"
The midfielder glanced back, curious.
"You saw it, right? Then… you know what to do."
Nishimura's brow furrowed slightly, trying to parse the coach's cryptic words. The whistle blew, and the game restarted.
Kaneko passed to Tamura, who spotted Tanaka calling for the ball down the left wing, echoing the earlier play. Yet instead of delivering it immediately, he dribbled further, only to be met by Nishimura's precise press.
Ono stepped up. "Pass it here!"
Tamura obeyed, feeding Ono before looping around Nishimura. Ono recognized the opening and returned the ball, advancing Tamura forward.
Hamada moved to block, but Enomoto appeared to Tamura's left, offering an outlet. He received the pass, pressed tightly by Shimizu, yet with a deft left-foot touch, he launched a high pass to the right flank, where Nakamura sprinted.
Nakamura surged, outrunning Yasuda—but Sugimoto, anticipating the move, intercepted with a decisive header.
Noguchi, witnessing Sugimoto's intervention, lunged forward.
"Nice read, Sugimoto!"
The loose ball reached Ono, who shielded it from Nishimura and Yasuda, charging forward with a mix of speed and strength. He flicked a long pass to Kaneko.
Kaneko held off Noguchi with his body, sensing Koyoma closing in. "There!" he called, spotting Enomoto advancing on the left. He delivered the ball without hesitation.
Enomoto controlled it instantly, sliding it to Tanaka down the left flank. Shimizu, sprinting to support, struggled to keep pace.
Tanaka pushed forward relentlessly, only for Ueno to charge in, faster than expected. In a quick improvisation, Tanaka back-heeled the ball to Enomoto, who was driving toward the box.
Hamada closed in, but Enomoto shielded the ball with calm precision and advanced.
On the sidelines, Yuzuki cheered, voice bright with amazement.
"They're moving the ball insanely fast!"
Sato frowned, trying to track every movement. "I… can't even follow it all."
Enomoto sent a pass to Tamura, unmarked. He looked up—Kaneko charging into the box, Noguchi attempting to slow him. Tamura prepared a long pass—but Riccardo was already moving.
"Watch out!" Kaneko shouted.
Tamura released the ball, and Riccardo touched it lightly with his left foot, nudging it just enough to redirect the play.
The ball flew straight to Shimizu, who raced forward. The opposing half of the field was practically frozen.
"Counterattack!" Coach Ishii barked.
"Pull back!" Suzuki countered, orchestrating the defense.
Riccardo, Nishimura, and Yasuda surged forward. Shimizu led, Tanaka flanking to support. A crisp pass from Shimizu found Nishimura wide left.
Under pressure from Ono and Tamura, Nishimura slid the ball to Riccardo, who received it with his back to goal just outside the penalty area.
Riccardo's mind worked in fractions of a second. Aoki closed in; Yasuda was on the flank, Nakamura trailing. He feinted right, pivoted outside, moving into the space left by Shimizu.
Nishimura cut diagonally behind Aoki, timing the run perfectly. Riccardo delivered a sharp pass to Shimizu, who used his body to shield from Tanaka's press.
Shimizu spotted Riccardo slipping into the penalty area, Aoki glued to him, while Nishimura emerged alongside, marked by Kuwahara.
With a subtle roll of the ball, Shimizu released it to Nishimura. He looked up, spotting Riccardo near the near post.
"Second post!" he called.
Yasuda sprinted to the far post, Nakamura and Aoyama tight behind him. Tamura filled the center. Yamauchi edged slightly forward to anticipate a pass, leaving a sliver of space at the near post.
Riccardo planted himself, holding Aoki at bay with his left arm, then struck the ball with the instep of his right foot. A missile-like shot. Perfect placement. Yamauchi couldn't react.
The net bulged.
Scoreboard: Team 1 0 — 2 Team 2Time: 9:45
The field erupted. Sato gasped, Yuzuki cheered, and teammates swarmed Riccardo and Shimizu, their chemistry undeniable.
Kaneko froze, jaw clenched, eyes locked on Riccardo.
Nishimura exhaled slowly, acknowledging the precision and intelligence in Riccardo's play.