15 First Assist
Under the signal of the fourth official, Zhang Xu excitedly touched the grass beneath his feet and briskly stepped onto the field. He quickly ran over to Driss, conveyed Coach Mazu's intentions, and then positioned himself behind Driss on the left, fully prepared for the resumption of the game.
Tienen was awarded a throw-in near the sideline, and in the spirit of sportsmanship, the Tienen players kicked the ball out of bounds.
Alexander, White Star's defender, took the resulting throw-in. His throw was precise and well-targeted. He threw the ball to Vincent, the team's center-back. Vincent, positioned near the edge of their penalty area, received the ball but quickly found himself under pressure from Tienen's forwards. Their aggressive pressing forced Vincent to make a quick decision.
Opting for safety, Vincent passed the ball back to Kevin, their goalkeeper.
Kevin, known for his footwork and composure under pressure, didn't hesitate. He immediately looked for an outlet to continue the play and spotted left-back Rosario in a good position.
As Rosario received the ball, he noticed Zhang Xu, who had made a timely run, signaling for the pass.
Rosario hesitated for a moment, harboring some doubts about Zhang Xu, the newcomer to the team. However, upon closer inspection and realizing that there were no better options, he decided to trust his teammate and passed the ball to Zhang Xu.
As the pass from Rosario approached him, Zhang Xu positioned himself to receive it, but his first touch betrayed signs of nervousness. Instead of cushioning the ball close to his body, which is the ideal technique for maintaining control under pressure, he misjudged the force needed. This resulted in the ball bouncing a meter away from him.
This error momentarily exposed the ball to Tienen's forwards, who were quick to spot the opportunity to intercept. But Zhang Xu, despite the initial fumble, displayed remarkable agility and quick thinking. He reacted instantly, swiftly closing the gap he had inadvertently created.
With a rapid adjustment of his position and a quick extension of his leg, Zhang Xu managed to reel the ball back under his control. He didn't allow the mistake to unsettle him; instead, he refocused and identified the best course of action.
Seeing Driss in a better position, Zhang Xu made a quick decision. He delivered a crisp, accurate pass to the team captain, to avert the crisis.
"Haha, I knew some random Chinese rookie wouldn't be anything special!" Upon witnessing Zhang Xu's initial touch almost resulting in an error, Jerry mocked, "Mazu, the head coach for White Star, must have lost his mind, allowing a novice like this Chinese kid to debut in a game like this! Haha!"
Hearing the crowds taunts and jeers at the incident, Zhang Xu calmed his breathing and forced himself to regain composure. He cautiously patrolled the area between Driss and the defensive line, covering any potential defensive vulnerabilities that might arise.
....
"Alex with the pass! Opportunity! Ahh the Chinese rookie intercepts right in the path of Alex's pass?"
In a moment of swift action, Alex for Tienen had attempted to capitalize on an opportunity, sending a forward pass into the attacking third. However, Zhang, the Chinese rookie on the team, displayed keen defensive awareness. He read the trajectory of the pass and intercepted it with precise timing. Zhang's interception was a blend of quick footwork and anticipation, stepping in front of the intended recipient at just the right moment to cut off the pass.
....
"Manuel with a dribble! He's gotten past White Star's core, Driss! Damn, Manuel's touch was too heavy, and the new debut swoops in and stops him right on his tracks!"
On a breakaway Manuel for Tienen seized his chance to counterattack. He initiated a dribble, showcasing his agility and close ball control. Maneuvering past White Star's midfield, he confronted their defensive core, led by Driss. However, in his eagerness to break through, Manuel overestimated his final touch. The ball rolled slightly too far ahead, allowing for a crucial intervention. Zhang, demonstrating his quick adaptability and defensive instinct, swiftly closed down the space and dispossessed Manuel, effectively halting his advance.
....
"D'Angelo! Shoots! Ahhh! Unbelievable, the Chinese debut, Zhang, manages to block it, and the ball goes out for a corner!"
The game's intensity continued to escalate as D'Angelo, Tienen's forward, found himself with a shooting opportunity. He unleashed a powerful shot towards the goal, aiming to capitalize on a momentary disarray in White Star's defense. Yet, Zhang, in an impressive display of reflex and commitment, managed to throw himself in the ball's path, blocking the shot. His timely intervention diverted the ball off course, sending it out for a corner.
....
As the game continued, both the commentator and Tienen's fans in the stadium were surprised to find that the Chinese newcomer, whom they hadn't paid much attention to, made almost no mistakes after his initial touch.
Instead, under the relentless offensive onslaught of Tienen, Zhang Xu consistently appeared in the weakest defensive spots of the team, intercepting the ball with precision.
He displayed an active work rate, fierce yet clean tackles, and unwavering defensive commitment. In the remaining ten minutes of the first half, Zhang Xu showcased remarkable defensive skills, significantly thwarting Tienen's attacks.
With Zhang Xu's efforts and his teammates' cooperation, the precarious situation that White Star had found themselves in gradually stabilized. The team, which had been purely on the defensive, started to regain their morale, opening up their play and challenging Tienen in both offense and defense.
Seeing this, Coach Mazu's brows finally relaxed. He turned to Philip and praised, "This was originally a gamble, but it seems like we've made a brilliant move! Philip, Zhang has truly lived up to your expectations!"
"Haha!" Philip proudly chuckled. "I've said it before; this kid's ability already merits a place in the first team. Moreover, I think this kid has a touch of magic in him. Anything that seems impossible becomes routine for him. Haha, Mr. Mazu, it looks like we made a very profitable deal this summer!"
"Haha! Indeed, we've picked up a gem that no one else wanted!" Coach Mazu and Philip exchanged a knowing smile.
The first half of the game quickly came to an end.
Naturally, Tienen was dissatisfied. Their players stared at White Star's No. 15, wishing they could crush the Chinese kid who had almost single-handedly thwarted their attacks since coming on.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xu left the field alongside his teammates, entered the locker room, and patiently awaited the head coach's instructions while taking a break.
Coach Mazu and Philip accompanied the players, both with smiles on their faces.
"Alright, everyone," Coach Mazu began, "although we are trailing in score, I'm pleased that, despite the disadvantageous conditions of playing away and being behind, all our players have shown their abilities. Despite Tienen's continuous attacks, we've held our defensive line! Well done!"
"Here," Coach Mazu pointed to Zhang Xu, "I want to give special praise to our student scholar, Zhang. He performed excellently in critical moments and gradually turned the game around for us!"
Hearing the coach's praise, Zhang Xu wasn't shy. He stood up excitedly and called out, "Brothers, we've got this in the second half! Feel free to attack, and let those Tienen bastards experience our strength!"
"Yes! Crush them!"
"Guys, enough said. Victory, victory, victory!"
Zhang Xu's words resonated with his teammates, and the fear that had been lingering from the first half dissipated. The players laughed and cheered, ready to show Tienen what they were made of in the second half.
Coach Mazu and Philip exchanged glances and shook their heads, both amused. Coach Mazu murmured to Philip, "This kid is doing even better than me. A few words from him immediately boosted the players' morale, and I don't have much left to do!"
"Be content!" Philip laughed. "A player who makes your job easier, aren't you happy about that?"
Coach Mazu rolled his eyes at Philip and then clapped his hands to refocus the players' attention on him. He continued, "Alright, everybody, we are still behind, we need to make adjustments. Why were we so passive in the first half?"
With a serious expression, Coach Mazu took out a tactical board and pointed out the mistakes each player had made during the game.
Afterward, Coach Mazu continued, "In the second half, the opponent will definitely continue their attacks. I hope our defensive line remains solid! Zhang? Zhang? What are you doing?"
Coach Mazu suddenly noticed that Zhang Xu seemed distracted, and he couldn't help but get annoyed.
"Oh, sorry!" Zhang Xu, nudged by a teammate, quickly realized his lapse and responded, "Coach Mazu, don't worry, I'll give it my all and make sure Tienen's attacks hit a dead end!"
"A dead end?" Coach Mazu chuckled. "Alright, I'll leave this task to you, Zhang, to ensure that Tienen, well, finds a dead end!"
"Determined to complete the task, Coach Mazu!" Zhang Xu stood up straight, saluted with a standard American military salute, and replied firmly.
After Coach Mazu signaled for him to sit down, Zhang Xu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He had been somewhat distracted because he had just opened the system and realized that he still needed to complete six more interception tasks for the side quest. He had been pondering how to achieve that, and then Coach Mazu suddenly called his name.
The halftime break quickly came to an end, and both teams filed out of the locker room.
Clearly, Tienen's players had received a stern lecture from their coach, as they glared fiercely at White Star's players, as if they wanted to devour them alive.
Zhang Xu smiled and said to Driss, "It seems like they're a bit frustrated! Captain, we need to serve them some 'ice cold revenge' in the second half! Haha!"
His initially apprehensive teammates burst into laughter upon hearing Zhang Xu's jest, dispelling any remaining nervousness.
"Whistle!"
With a sharp whistle, the second half of the game began.
As Coach Mazu had anticipated, Tienen immediately launched a furious offensive, just like they had done at the beginning of the first half.
However, this time, they miscalculated.
Zhang Xu, who had been relentless in his defensive efforts since his introduction in the first half, didn't hold back in the second half either. Nearly every one of Tienen's attacks came to an abrupt halt at his feet.
In the 55th minute, the match saw a surge in intensity as Tienen initiated an aggressive offensive. Manuel, their dynamic winger donning the number 7 jersey, spearheaded this attack with a daring solo run. Demonstrating a high level of technical skill, he wove through the midfield with agility and finesse. His movements were fluid, combining swift turns and sharp accelerations to evade White Star's seasoned captain, Driss. Spotting a potential opening on the flank, Manuel, began to shift the ball outward.
But, just as he readied to execute a pass to the wide flank, he was met with an unexpected challenge. Zhang Xu, emerged in a burst of speed, clad in his team's red. His intervention was a display of defensive acumen and instinct. Zhang Xu timed his approach perfectly, lunging forward to intercept Manuel's move. He executed a textbook tackle, sliding in with precision to cleanly dispossess Manuel without committing a foul. Dispossessing Manuel with a clean, well-timed tackle.
Ordinarily, Zhang Xu would have immediately passed the ball to a safer area, usually finding Driss for a reset. But this time, a quick scan revealed a looming threat; a Tienen midfielder had cleverly shadowed Driss, rendering a direct pass risky. Adapting swiftly, Zhang Xu pivoted his strategy.
Just then, he spotted an unfolding opportunity – White Star's striker, Henry, making a swift, diagonal run behind Tienen's high defensive line. This movement presented a prime opportunity for a counter-attack. A potential game-changer. Demonstrating his new found understanding of team dynamics and the importance of quick transitions in play, Zhang Xu reoriented himself for a forward move.
Seizing the moment for a swift counter, Zhang Xu, with his exceptional teamwork acumen, swiftly positioned his body and unleashed a powerful, lofted pass. The ball rocketed from his right boot, arcing majestically over the midfield - a perfect blend of power and precision.
The ball traced a graceful arc in the air, sailed over the heads of Tienen's defenders, who were caught off-guard by this sudden turn of events.
As they scrambled to realign, the ball descended gracefully into enemy territory, right into the path of Henry.
Tienen's backline, now in a frenzied state of recovery, sprinted back desperately. But Henry, with his impeccable timing, met the descending ball with a perfect textbook example of control under pressure; he deftly cushioned the ball with the instep of his foot, keeping it close and perfectly setting himself up for the next move, controlling it effortlessly while maintaining his blistering pace towards goal.
Now, it was a critical one-on-one showdown – Henry versus Tienen's goalkeeper. The stadium held its breath.
"Damn it!" Tienen's goalkeeper cursed and faced with this high-stakes confrontation, recognizing the imminent threat, charged off of his line, attempting to narrow the angle for Henry's shot. He moved quickly, hoping to intimidate Henry into making a mistake.
But Henry was well-versed in dealing with such situations. Remaining composed, without any hesitation, he executed a quick stop with a deft feint, sending the goalkeeper sprawling left prematurely. Then, under the furious gaze of Tienen's 7,000 fans, Henry calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
Goal!
The stadium erupted as the scoreboard flickered to 2-1!
