As the free kick was about to be taken, Takahashi approached Okamoto.
"Okamoto!"
Okamoto turned, and Takahashi motioned for him to come closer.
"Watch number 24. He's fast, yes, but above all, he's physically strong. Don't engage one-on-one; keep your distance and anticipate his movements."
"Understood."
Kobayashi readied the free kick, signaling his teammates to push forward. He launched a long ball toward their number 9, who managed to head it under Aoki's pressure, pushing almost to midfield. The ball landed at Ito's feet, and he controlled it effortlessly.
Nishimura's eyes followed every movement.
—
Later, back on the Shūdan-teki training field, Coach Ishii gathered the team.
"Listen up," he began, holding a magnetic tactics board. "Maebashi Ikuei's main strength is possession. They move the ball to create space, especially on the wings, to set up dangerous plays. But we can exploit that—we're faster than them in short bursts. Still, they're not dumb; they'll anticipate our counters."
Sliding two yellow magnets toward the pitch center, he added, "If I had to guess, they'll push their wingers into the final third alongside their number 10, Ito, to dominate the attack."
—
Ito lifted his head and immediately spotted number 7 arriving near the edge of the final third.
—
"How do we stop them, then?" Tamura asked.
Ishii held a red magnet over a yellow one."The key is to stop the heart of the team—Souta Ito—without ignoring the others. Nishimura," he said, pointing, "you'll have to sacrifice yourself to mark him at all costs."
—
Nishimura approached Ito, trying to intercept the ball. But Ito had anticipated it. With a subtle touch of his right sole, he sent the ball back to his half, effortlessly bypassing Nishimura's pressure, and passed calmly to number 5.
Nishimura clenched his fists in frustration.I can give my all, but I can't predict him!
Ito signaled number 5 to slow down and passed sideways to number 6. Riccardo moved in to pressure him, but number 6 passed to Takahashi, who had slipped past Riccardo's side. Riccardo quickly closed the space, forcing Takahashi to act faster.
Takahashi returned the ball to number 7, who cut inside, followed closely by Shimizu. He sprinted past Ono and received a return pass from number 7 in a one-two that left both Riccardo and Nishimura behind.
Takahashi surged into the opponent's half, a faint smile on his face. But he didn't expect Aoki, reading the play perfectly, to slide in from the defensive line and disrupt the ball.
The ball bounced free. From the bench, Coach Suzuki jumped up."Good call, Aoki!"
But the ball landed at Ito's feet before Nishimura could reach it. He immediately passed to number 9, who darted into the box using the space Aoki had created.
Noguchi stepped in to block, careful not to foul. Number 9 shot first-time with the instep of his left foot, aiming low at the far post.
Andou reacted explosively, stretching just enough to deflect it wide. The assistant referee signaled a corner kick.
Noguchi ran to Andou, giving him a high five."Nice save!"
"You too—forcing him to shoot early," Andou replied.
—
After practice, Coach Ishii addressed the team again.
"Another major threat is Haruki Ishikawa, a third-year. Last year, during the national tournament, he scored 26 goals across qualifiers and finals. He's strong, fast, and has an incredible eye for goal. He can finish from almost anywhere."
—
Ishikawa, 1.82 meters tall with short white hair and gray eyes, positioned himself in the box for the corner. The first pairs jostled for the best position.
The referee blew the whistle, and Ito delivered the cross. Okamoto and Aoki leapt but failed to make contact. The ball fell to Takahashi, who headed it toward goal from close range.
Andou reacted instantly, diving to block it. Takahashi's frustration was visible as he retreated, Noguchi watching him carefully.
—
"If Maebashi Ikuei has a weakness," Ishii had said, "it's in their defense—but only if Yuki Takahashi, their captain and backbone, isn't there. Without him, they probably wouldn't have won the nationals."
—
Noguchi's jaw tightened.Damn it! What have I done these past three years? I want to be the backbone of this team too!