This Isn't Over!

As the most dazzling star in Ajax's youth training camp, Ryan Babel was in a bad mood right now.

He had thought Almere would be a pushover, but they turned out to be a tough nut to crack.

John Rep had once again lined up in a 4-3-3 formation for this match, but only the right winger, Yang Yang, was actually pushed forward, while the other players formed three tight defensive lines, holding their ground within thirty meters of their own half.

This posed a huge obstacle to Ajax's attack.

As the team's star player, Ryan Babel was under close surveillance from the opposition, making it hard for him to shine, which left him secretly anxious. His eyes kept darting toward the shabby VIP stand.

The First Team's Chief Assistant Coach, Luther Carroll, and the youth team's Head Coach, Marco van Basten, were both sitting there. These were the men who could decide his career path, and Babel naturally wanted to put on a stellar performance in front of them, hoping to earn a spot on the First Team for the new season.

But unexpectedly, Almere's defense was extremely tight—did this look like an under-18 team?

As the center forward up front, Babel was tightly marked by Almere, making it hard to get the ball, let alone leverage his speed and technical skills. Seeing that his team's passes couldn't break through the opponent's defense, he decisively drifted wide.

Back in the youth team, van Basten had once encouraged him, "Keep working hard, and you can become the next Thierry Henry."

Those words had always motivated Babel, so even though he was right-footed, he preferred to operate on the left flank.

That was Henry's most lethal zone.

Ajax's players had great chemistry, so as soon as Babel drifted wide, the others immediately understood and slowed the attack slightly, giving Almere a chance to catch their breath. But in reality, they were just setting up the next wave of offense.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Babel, now out wide, seized a moment when Almere's defense relaxed. He cut in from the left flank into the box and got a very dangerous scoring opportunity, but unfortunately, he didn't strike the ball cleanly and missed the chance.

The time was the thirteenth minute of the first half.

After creating that threat, Ajax's morale surged, and they soon launched another wave of relentless attacks.

The gap in strength between the two sides was vast, and Almere's goal was under constant siege, their defense teetering on the brink.

Yang Yang waited up front for passes from his midfield and defensive teammates, but he found it difficult.

At least, harder than Head Coach John Rep had thought before the match.

Ajax had clearly come into this game with a fire in their bellies, determined to take down Almere on the road. Combined with the huge disparity in strength between the two teams, Almere had little chance to create opportunities.

He wanted to help his team, but Ajax simply didn't give him that chance.

Thomas Vermaelen and Urby Emanuelson were always hovering around him, and with his own team's midfield and defense mostly focused on defending, Yang Yang could barely get the ball, let alone help his side.

"I have to do something," Yang Yang muttered to himself.

He felt he couldn't just keep waiting.

So he chose to drop back and defend.

"The gap in strength between the two teams is just too big."

Watching Yang Yang start to fall back into his own half to defend, John Rep shook his head helplessly.

The sheer difference in overall strength left Almere with no choice but to defend—or even just hold on for dear life.

The situation on the pitch was even worse than he had assessed before the match. Clearly, the arrival of van Basten and Luther Carroll had greatly boosted Ajax's players' fighting spirit and commitment, something John Rep hadn't anticipated.

"What do we do now?" Dick Van Pool asked, worried.

John Rep could only shake his head helplessly.

At this point in the game, as the team's Head Coach, there wasn't much he could do. It all came down to the players on the field.

The fact that the team had made it to the sixth round, eliminating teams like Volendam and challenging Ajax head-on, was already an honor in itself, even in defeat. He just hoped they wouldn't lose too embarrassingly.

Another Ajax attack was thwarted, but the ball was quickly passed back into Almere's thirty-meter zone, where Maduro picked it up in the middle.

Ajax's front three for this match were Fedi Elmas, Ryan Babel, and Tom De Mul, while Maduro was flanked in midfield by Abolah and Amrabat.

With Sneijder and De Jong called up to the First Team, this was Ajax's youth team's main lineup.

Facing a third-tier team like Almere's youth side, Ajax was brimming with confidence. Even though they hadn't broken through early on, most players weren't panicking. They kept the pressure on, patiently waiting for an opening.

But every one of them was desperate to impress the two men sitting in the stands.

Maduro was no exception.

As the team's midfield core, he received the ball, quickly raised his right hand to signal his teammates to hold steady, and calmly controlled the tempo. But after passing the ball to Amrabat, he spotted an opportunity, surged forward, and raised his hand again to call for it.

The ball quickly returned to Maduro's feet, but he didn't let it stop. Instead, he sent a diagonal pass out to the left side of the box. Babel, playing as the center forward, had once again drifted wide. He beat the Almere defender to the ball, laid it off to Fedi Elmas, and pointed toward the inside.

Elmas understood immediately and played the ball to the top-left arc of the penalty area. Babel, who had been on the left flank, suddenly burst forward like a sleek cheetah, shaking off his marker and sprinting at full speed toward the ball.

From Maduro's diagonal pass out wide, to Babel's layoff and backheel, to Elmas's cross-field pass—the whole sequence was a smooth and fluid series of one-touch passes. Ajax's players showcased both their individual brilliance and the club's youth development philosophy.

When everyone saw Babel shake off his defender and charge toward the ball, countless fans gasped in shock.

The area at the top of the box was completely unguarded now!

This Ajax prodigy was hailed by Van Basten as the second Henry. As a right-footed player, letting him get the ball at the left edge of the penalty arc—how dangerous was that?

But it all happened in the blink of an eye. By the time the Almere players reacted and tried to chase, it was already too late.

The nearest Nick had just shaken off Elmas and turned to give chase when he felt a figure streak past him, angling toward the ball at a speed even faster than the premeditated Babel.

Babel focused on counting his steps, adjusting his stride, his eyes locked on the Almere goalkeeper. As he reached the ball, he planted his left foot and swung his right, feeling an unprecedented sense of certainty. He knew that once this shot was off, it was as good as in.

This ball, I have to score!

But just as he brimmed with confidence, certain of victory, something felt off. Before he could react, someone darted out from beside him, beat him to it, and poked the ball away.

At the critical moment, the final strike was ruined.

Furious and frustrated, Babel didn't pull his leg back. Instead, he drove his shot squarely into the other player's calf.

Yang Yang, who had sprinted back from the front to defend, hit the ground. Before he could even feel relief from his crucial clearance, a sharp pain shot through his calf as he took the kick, and he let out a cry.

Henk Dimer and Nick, nearby, immediately erupted in anger and lunged at Babel. Ajax players also rushed over, first shielding their teammate.

The main referee blew his whistle at the right moment. He walked over to check on Yang Yang, confirming it was just a kick to the calf with no serious injury, then got up and approached Babel, reaching into his chest pocket.

Yellow card!

Not only that, but the referee sternly warned Babel to control his temper, or he wouldn't hesitate to give him another.

The Ajax rookie glared at the Almere players, didn't even glance at Yang Yang still on the ground, and turned away.

In contrast, Thomas Vermaelen, Maduro, and several other Ajax players gathered around, checking on Yang Yang's injury. Only after he stood up did they disperse to prepare for the restart.

"If he doesn't change that temper, it'll ruin him one day."

On the main stand, Van Basten shook his head and sighed after watching Ryan Babel kick Yang Yang in the calf, get a yellow card, and then storm off without any grace.

Not pulling back and deliberately kicking a defender is a dirty trick, common in professional matches. Even with a yellow card, no one would blame Babel for it. But after kicking someone, not bothering to help the opponent up—that proved he was truly enraged, and that was the real problem.

Van Basten really rated this player. He had speed, technique, a good build and height. As long as he kept improving, he believed Babel had a bright future, which was why he used Henry to motivate him.

But Babel's biggest issue was his personality. Even within Ajax, he seemed out of step with the team.

It wasn't noticeable in the youth squad, but in the First Team, being able to bond with teammates and integrate into the locker room was crucial.

Yang Yang, on the other hand, after taking that kick, had his teammates step up for him. Vermaelen, Emanuelson, and Maduro, among other Ajax players, came over to check on him. He showed no sign of taking it out on anyone else and instead thanked the Ajax players for their concern.

All of this was a sign of maturity. In comparison, Babel fell short.

"This Yang Yang really surprises me. He tracked back from the front to the edge of the box and, at a critical moment, dared to make a crucial clearance even at the risk of getting kicked. That's no small feat," Luther Carroll said, growing more impressed.

Ronald Koeman's preferences as a coach were similar to Van Gaal's—he valued strong tactical discipline. As the Chief Assistant Coach of the First Team, Luther Carroll knew that well.

Tony Bruns Slots, watching Yang Yang on the field bending over to massage his right calf, said with some concern, "I hope he's not injured."

But on the pitch, Yang Yang, while rubbing his calf, looked up at the opponent ahead, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"This isn't over."