Classroom of the Elite: After the Intelligence Update, They Always Want to Win Me Over!

The match resumed.

Shimizu Akira's team visibly tightened their formation. All eleven players retreated into their own half, standing like a wall in front of the goal.

Nagumo Miyabi's team had even more possession, nearly eighty percent, yet they had fewer shooting opportunities than before.

Whenever they tried to pass the ball into the penalty area, they found at least two defenders blocking the passing lanes. If they forced a shot, it would either be blocked or sail wide.

"They're running down the clock." Hashimoto Masayoshi ran up to Hirata Yosuke, panting. "This won't work. We don't have the stamina to last the whole match."

Hirata Yosuke knew that, of course. Defending consumed more energy than attacking. When attacking, you could stand still and wait for the ball; when defending, you had to keep running, covering gaps, and marking opponents. If they kept defending like this, they would definitely collapse in the second half.

But he had no other choice.

If they pushed forward now, they would only concede more goals. If they defended, at least they still had a chance.

In the thirtieth minute of the first half, Nagumo Miyabi got another chance to shoot. He received the ball at the edge of the penalty area, dribbled sideways for two steps, opened up some space, and fired. The ball skimmed across the grass toward the bottom-left corner of the goal. The goalkeeper reacted quickly, diving out and tipping it beyond the end line with his right hand.

Corner kick.

Nagumo Miyabi walked to the corner, set the ball down, and took two steps back.

He looked up at the situation in the penalty area, took a run-up, and struck the ball. It curved through the air toward the center of the box.

Amid the chaos, one of the opposing