Would You Mind If I Play? - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Lightning-Velocity Objective

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The qualifiers had been of a single-elimination format, and each colleges would draw heaps forward of the match to determine at which faculty the sport could be performed. After a number of rounds, the final 4 would then enter the semi-finals earlier than enjoying both a 3rd or fourth inserting match, or the Grand Finals at Luoyang’s Xigong Stadium. Every match could be broadcasted reside on the town’s tv channel; contemplating Zhongyuan’s presence within the Luoyang aggressive district, to enter Xigong Stadium was an awesome honor for most of the highschool soccer groups within the area.

…

Saturday, 2.45pm; the Nationwide Excessive College Soccer Championship Regional Qualifiers—Luoyang Division—the “Chenguang Cup”

The opening ceremony of the competitors was held at Zhongyuan Excessive’s stadium, and by 3.00pm, each match in 32 excessive colleges would kick off concurrently on the sound of the chief referee’s whistle.

After they drew heaps, it was determined that the Shu Guang–Zhong Xin sport could be performed at Shu Guang’s grounds.

When Zhang Jun arrived at school at 1.30pm, he thought he was the earliest till he noticed that nearly everybody else had already arrived.

“Actually! It’s nonetheless so early, what’s there to do right here?” He exclaimed in slight disgruntlement.

“Aren’t you right here too?” Yang Pan stated a little bit loudly as he approached him from behind with headsets on.

“She dragged me right here.” Zhang pointed at Su Fei by his aspect.

“Roger! Roger!” His teammate nodded.

Su Fei pointed at Yang and instructed her neighbor, “Do you see that? Now that’s chilling! Listening to music earlier than the sport.”

Zhang pouted. “It’s simply to cover his nerves.”

In some way, Yang heard him by means of his headsets. “No! No! Soccer and music are my life! Right here we go! Ale, ale, ale! Go, go, go! Ale, ale, ale!”

His teammate flung his head round as he sang the lyrics to the French World Cup theme track, “The Cup of Life” at high of his lungs. As he did so, Zhang backed away and tugged their staff supervisor alongside. “Watch out, he’ll chew.”

…

Three luxurious coaches full of folks drove into Shu Guang Excessive because the clock palms reached 2.25pm; their opponents had arrived. The sight instantly caught the eye of all of the Shu Guang gamers, who had simply been warming-up.

“Zhong – Xin – Heavy – Equipment – Technical,” An Ke learn out the phrases inscribed along with the autos. “Hell! Industrial colleges are actually loaded! One journey and it’s three buses; what a parade!”

The main coach door opened slowly and the Zhong Xin staff alighted; the opposite two buses had been for his or her cheerleading staff.

Trying on the big buses, Zhang recalled the time when he, as a second-year, debuted for Kai Tuo Center College alongside Yang Pan, Yuan Gang and Liu Peng. Their faculty didn’t have a reserved bus for the scholars then, they usually ended up having to journey on a supply truck; throughout that event, the coach and their advisor had been seated up entrance, whereas the entire staff was left to squeeze into the truck’s loading space.

However within the current, most colleges now had their very own staff bus; a few of them had been at the same time as massive and as luxurious as Zhong Xin’s. It was simply inside a span of two years! Within the blink of a watch.

On the sight of Zhang, who was staring intently on the buses, Ren Yu De requested, “What are you fascinated about?”

The opposite mumbled in response, “Reform and Opening in China is such an exquisite factor!”

“Loony!”

As quickly because the Zhong Xin cheerleaders obtained off the bus, they instantly claimed a spot on the podium and sounded their drums. They raised big flags and hung up all kinds of their staff’s slogans. They had been actually a cheerleading staff that had been by means of the “battlefield” and had been able to charging the environment virtually immediately. By comparability, Shu Guang’s college students had been correctly detached in the direction of their faculty staff’s match; there have been no struggle drums, no flags, no chanting of catchphrases, and never a single cheer.

Watching the opposing staff’s cheerleaders seemingly change the world they had been visiting into their house floor, even Shu Guang’s headmaster, Qiu Zhengmin moaned, “Simply have a look at their vigor, how might we not lose?”

Within the locker room, the roar of the Zhong Xin cheerleading squad seeped by means of regardless of locked doorways and sealed home windows. Zhang Jun smiled bitterly to himself. “Who’re the house staff once more?”

Ignoring the rowdiness outdoors, Liang Ke growled, “I’ll title the staff lineups first.

“Keeper, No.1, An Ke.

“Heart-backs, No.3, Li Xiaopeng. No.4, Li Jieguang.

“Left again, No.6, Xie Yu. Proper again, No.5, Liu Hui.

“Defensive midfielder, No. 8, Su Li.

“Left Midfielder, No.20, Ren Yu De. Proper Midfielder, No. 7, Yang Pan.

“Attacking Midfielder, No. 10, Wang Bo.

“Strikers, No. 9, Zhang Rui. No.11, Zhang Jun.”

After itemizing the names of their starters, Liang Ke drew a breath earlier than persevering with, “On this sport, we’re enjoying in a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond-shaped midfield. A participant to be careful for is their No.10, Shui Huajun. His particular person talent is great, and as an attacking midfielder, his want for objectives exceeds that of even strikers. Within the quarter last match towards Zhongyuan final yr, he alone exerted heavy strain upon their defenses. That’s why you need to by no means calm down when marking him.

“However, he does have a little bit weak spot—he isn’t a lot of a staff participant regardless of his function as an offensive midfielder, and he tends to go on solo excursions. So, simply watch him, and Zhongxin wouldn’t be a lot of a risk. He’s all yours, Su Li!”

“You’ll be able to rely on me, Coach!”

“Wang Bo, your activity is to go to the left in addition to proper flanks to unleash our agile and expert wingers.”

“Okay.”

“We should win this sport! Our opponents could underestimate us, and this might be our likelihood. Simply assault on the get-go and rating one whereas they’re nonetheless moving into the sport!” To say the least, Liang Ke had grow to be very assured in regards to the staff’s assault since Zhang Jun, Yang Pan and Ren Yu De joined the squad.

“It’s virtually time,” Su Fei reminded him.

“Proper! One final request, it doesn’t matter what occurs, all of you need to keep on the offensive!”

“Yeah!”

It was Su Fei’s first time witnessing each beaming lad on the squad trying like males.

Because the staff stood as much as depart the room, Yang Pan tugged at Wang Bo. “You simply should go to the flanks. Regardless of how far, how briskly and the way robust, I’ll get to the ball!”

Watching Yang Pan’s departing shadow, a pensive Wang Bo caught as much as Su Li and whispered one thing into his ear.

“Is that… okay?” Su Li requested in shock.

Wang Bo, with a face of utter seriousness, answered, “I belief him!”

…

Chen Huafeng arrived early on the Shu Guang grounds with digicam in hand as he waited for the match to start out. The sport had attracted fairly the variety of reporters, however Huafeng knew that all of them got here for the Zhong Xin squad and their No.10, Shui Hua Jun.

The stands erupted because the three match officers led the 2 groups into the sphere, though many of the noise had been notably cheers for the Zhong Xin faculty.

After the nationwide anthem, the hosts shook palms with the guests, though Zhang Jun allowed his hand to linger for a number of moments when he grasped Hua Jun’s hand; he needed a superb have a look at the participant Liang Ke had described as a person, whose “want for objectives exceeds that of even strikers.”

And he was actually a sight to behold, with a well-built physique and a top of virtually 185cm.

Seems like our captain can have his palms full!

Su Fei sat beside Liang Ke and requested whereas she organized her pocket book, “Coach, you simply instructed them that we have now to win. Are you actually that assured?”

“Nope!”

“… Then why did you…”

“I would like them to have faith. If we will’t win this, we gained’t progress. The boys know this higher than anybody else.”

Then, as if remembering one thing out of the blue, the coach rushed to the technical space and screamed, “Yang Pan! Yang Pan!”

After the participant ran to him, he instructed, “Keep in mind, with out my permission on this sport, no lengthy photographs.”

Yang nodded.

…

The referee checked out his watch, it was virtually 3.00pm. He signalled for the groups to take their positions they usually waited for his whistle for the kick-off. Shu Guang would put the ball into play first; Yang Pan and Ren Yu De had been already standing tightly by the middle line.

Even the stands had been quiet as everybody waited.

The referee checked out his watch as soon as extra.

*Preet!*

Kick-off!

Zhang Jun hammered the ball to Zhang Rui and rushed ahead into the opposition’s half with nary a care. Amassing it, Rui handed it to Wang Bo outdoors the circle, who in flip delivered it to Su Li.

That was when the captain raised his leg excessive, sending the ball lengthy and much to the best. The Zhong Xin gamers in addition to the spectators had been left befuddled—did his nerves get to him already?

Certainly, Su’s highly effective supply had despatched the ball straight to the baseline. However, because the ball virtually went out of play, a shadow, as swift because the wind caught as much as it—it was Yang Pan! Along with his 10.52-sec/100-m velocity, he obtained to the ball proper when it virtually went out of play and crossed it in entrance of the Zhong Xin space.

Zhang Jun was already there at that actual second, and he leapt for a header!

Objective!

Exact supply! A lovely objective! A partnership of extraordinary synergy!

Nearly as quickly as he blew the opening whistle, the referee rapidly blew one other to sign the objective, 1:0! The sport had simply gone on for 9 seconds, and Shu Guang was already main 1:0 over Zhong Xin, the squad that positioned fifth final yr!

Within the lead-up to the objective, the Zhong Xin gamers barely moved whereas their cheerleaders had been additionally left dumbstruck. However the scoreboard slowly flipped and it was clearly 1:0; Shu Guang was main.

Even the Shu Guang staff and its supporters had been left speechless—solely Zhang Jun and Yang Pan celebrated the objective. Once they lastly got here round, they exploded in delight, lastly beating the Zhong Xin staff in cheer.

Behind the Zhong Xin objective, Chen Huafeng was so excited he needed to name his chief editor earlier than remembering that he didn’t deliver a cellphone with him. Nonetheless, he managed to seize the second the objective was scored.

He at all times believed that the Shu Guang staff might deliver many surprises—however to the extent of a objective being scored simply 9 seconds after kick-off. This will have simply been the quickest objective ever recorded in a national-level competitors!