Miguel shot off to the right, taking with him the last energy he had left. His lungs burned, his muscles scread, but he knew he couldn't stop.
Lucas' ball ca in perfectly, a deep pass that sliced through the opposition's defense like a blade.
The fans held their breath. The narrator raised his voice, almost shouting:
"What an absurd shot by Tanaka! Miguel's on his own. It's now or never!"
The right-winger reached the ball at the last mont before it crossed the sideline and, even though his leg felt heavy, he raised his head to analyze his options.
Raphael ducked between the defenders, waiting for the cross. But Maxi Awoudja was already positioning himself to cut off any attempted pass.
"He's going to cross!" shouted Lars Lukas Mai.
But Miguel did the unexpected. Instead of lifting the ball into the box, he rolled it back, where Javier appeared like a ghost on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder didn't think twice and stuck out his foot.
BOOM!
The ball flew like a missile, straight into the goalkeeper's left-hand corner. But the opposing goalkeeper, Christian Frücht, exhausted as he was, threw himself at it.
"MIRACLE!"
His fingertips deflected the ball just enough for it to hit the post and go out over the end line. A collective sigh of frustration ca from the stands.
"What was that?! Javier hit a rocket, but the goalkeeper worked a miracle!" shouted the narrator.
Lucas clenched his fists. "Damn... that should have gone in!"
Coach Jinez, on the sidelines, shouted to the team: "Don't get discouraged! Full pressure now!"
While the corner was being prepared, the players caught their breath. The reserves were used. Now it was a battle of endurance. But there were two players who still seed to be in their pri: Lucas and Nishida.
Felix, panting, looked at Lucas and then at Nishida. "Man... how are you guys still running?"
Lucas just smiled. "Secret."
Nishida replied with the sa expression. "Only those who train know."
The corner was taken. The ball traveled through the air, zigzagging between the players until a Jonathan ier headed it away. But the ball didn't go far. Lucas was already there, waiting.
"TANAKA DOMINA!" the narrator enthused.
Nishida, sensing the danger, advanced quickly. The two returnees stared at each other for a second, and then Lucas decided. With a dry cut to the left, he pulled the ball back and tried to advance, but Nishida had seen it coming.
BLOCK! Nishida stole the ball with a perfect dribble, imdiately getting up and launching a counter-attack. The opposing team threw themselves forward with their last strength.
Lucas spun on his heels, running after him. "Nishida! You really aren't taking it easy, are you?"
Nishida laughed. "And what did you expect?!"
The entire stadium was on its feet. The comntators could barely keep up with the pace of the match.
"Lucas Tanaka is against Nishida! They don't stop! Don't they feel tired?!"
Nishida was advancing at speed, but Lucas was keeping up with him. Both were on another level, their bodies enduring a strain that the other players couldn't even imagine. When Nishida tried a long pass, Lucas stuck out his foot at the last mont and deflected the ball wide.
The crowd went wild. The narrator was already hoarse.
"Tanaka and Nishida! These two have no limits! They're single-handedly deciding this ga!"
Lucas looked at Nishida and smiled, panting. "If we go to extra ti, only the two of us will last."
Nishida smiled back. "Then we'd better finish now."
The ga restarted with a throw-in. The opposition tried to move the ball around to tire Brighton out, but Lucas and his team pressed hard. The clock struck 98 minutes. Only two remained.
That's when it happened. Nishida received the ball in midfield and tried a quick dribble, but Lucas expected.
SUTILE TOUCH!
Lucas stole the ball with a slight deflection and took off. The opposing defense was in disarray. It was now or never.
He ran like never. Miguel took off down the right flank, and Raphael positioned himself in the center. In other words, Lucas was suddenly in his original position as a left winger.
Lucas had options. He could shoot, he could play. But then he saw Nishida coming like lightning to tackle him. Despite this, Lucas smiled.
"If you think you're going to stop now..."
He used again along with . At the last mont, he pretended to cut to the right, but swerved to the left, leaving Nishida behind.
"... So you still have a lot to learn."
Inside the area, Lucas raised his head and saw the goalkeeper desperately coming out to cover.
He then used , a skill that made him the best in the world for a second. He didn't want to miss at all. The instep of his right foot touched the ball lightly. The ball rose slowly, passing over the goalkeeper who, when he understood what had happened, tried to stretch as far as he could. But Früchtl couldn't reach it.
The stadium was silent for a mont before the ball hit the net.
"GOOOOOOOOOAAAL!"
"GOAAAALLLLL!!!"
"1 MINUTE LEFT!"
"DID HE REALLY DO THAT?!!!"
"FUCK, HE'S THE BEST!"
The sound of the crowd exploded like thunder. The narrator lost his voice from shouting.
"BRIGHTON GOOOAAAALLLL!!! IT'S A GOAL TO BECO CHAMPIONS! TANAKA, NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, BUT THREE TIS!!! HATTTTT-TRICK!!!"
Lucas fell to his knees, hardly believing what was happening. His teammates ca running and threw themselves on top of him, forming a mountain.
"You did it, Tanaka! You did it!"
"I can't believe you actually scored that goal all by yourself!"
"I owe you my life, brother."
"I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep again! You're the best in the world!"
"You're great, Tanaka!"
Tanaka's hearing could no longer recognize where so many voices were coming from. He simply laughed with happiness as he was embraced not only by his teammates but also by the sound of celebration from the stadium.
This was the life he had always dread of. And if he had to die to have a life like this, he would die a million more tis.
Reviews
All reviews (0)