I've Watched This Match, We Will Win!

Beep!

A whistle blows: Serie D, Palermo vs. San Remo.

Per tradition, the home team is listed first; this is Palermo's home turf.

With the timing, the location, and the crowd all on their side, they hold every advantage.

Thus, right from the kickoff, Palermo plays with the momentum of a "champion."

They launch a fierce offensive.

San Remo, meanwhile, is forced into a passive defensive shell.

The commentator says: "We can see that Palermo's recent breakthrough on the right flank was extremely threatening. If not for the outstanding performance and successful interception by San Remo's left defensive midfielder, Lu Yang, Palermo would be celebrating a goal right now."

"Thirty minutes into the match, and while there hasn't been a goal yet, we believe one will come soon, as the gap between the two sides on the pitch is simply too large."

"Palermo's possession rate is as high as sixty-five percent, and San Remo, who previously played a wave of attacking football, is being absolutely battered today."

"You have to realize, in their last ten matches, San Remo's average possession was around fifty-five percent. They have never been the inferior side, but today..."

"Moric doesn't dare to launch an attack at all; instead, he has poured his energy into defense, which has left San Remo almost completely devoid of a midfield. If the second half continues like this, Palermo's possession rate will only climb higher!"

"The first half ends with a score of zero to zero. Palermo held sixty-nine percent possession and took over a dozen shots, yet even so, they failed to find the back of the net."

"By comparison, San Remo played with none of the flair of a top-tier team; they only managed a single shot in the entire first half."

The commentator is somewhat speechless, having originally expected a brilliant, century-defining clash of attacks.

He never imagined San Remo would lack all ambition, adopting a "defend to the death" stance.

They didn't even start their primary right winger today, opting instead for an extra midfielder to form a 4-4-2 formation.

Talk about playing it safe!

It seems Soto was right; San Remo's primary task for the remaining matches is to scrape for points, even if it's just one.

They are prioritizing maintaining a top-five ranking and have no delusions about chasing the top three, which are already out of reach.

Should one call Soto uninspired, or simply prudent?

In the locker room.

"Very good, you all performed well in the first half. The rest of you, keep it up in the second half; defending them is victory itself," Soto says, relaying his strategy. "But Moric, you must find opportunities to launch attacks in the second half!"

"Lu Yang, I authorize you to decide how to play based on the flow of the game in the final ten minutes, but you and Moric must never push forward at the same time!"

"Vedian, I am allowing you to forgo defensive duties in the second half. You must prove with your performance whether you deserve such a privilege!"

"Rondo, you will play the full match. I hope you don't get injured, but I hope even more that the team doesn't concede!"

In the locker room, everyone is on high alert.

The second half begins.

The audience still sees a dull match.

But the professional commentator has already sensed a shift in the wind.

Commentator: "We can see that within five minutes, Vedian has launched three charges, and two of those were set up by quick long passes from Moric."

"San Remo is clearly not content with just a draw. Their lack of ambition in the first half was merely a facade; they are looking for a chance to steal a goal!"

"Oh! In the sixty-ninth minute, Moric makes his move! He stops passing frequently and, relying on his individual skill, dribbles past the opposing defensive midfielder and pushes forward!"

"Lu Yang quickly drops back to the center to fill the gap in the formation left by Moric's surge. This is Lu Yang—a player who knows exactly what to do and when. His positional sense is excellent."

"In the past, Lu Yang would have pushed up with Moric, but this time he stayed back. It's not hard to see the special instructions Soto gave them."

"Soto is an excellent head coach; he knows what matters most."

"The pass! A great chance! Vedian cuts inside and collects the ball. It's a semi-breakaway; he can shoot now. With his ability, he is very likely to draw first blood for San Remo..."

The commentator's voice cuts off abruptly.

It is replaced by a whistle on the pitch.

Palermo's number 5, a center-back, fouled Vedian inside the penalty area.

He is shown a yellow card.

And San Remo is awarded a penalty!

"A penalty! It's a penalty! San Remo's chance has arrived! They defended for the entire match like turtles, enduring all sorts of humiliation. But at this very moment, it has all become worth it!"

"Vedian has shown his immense value in counter-attacking. Look at his positioning when Moric passed the ball; there were at least three defenders in front of him, but in an instant, he outpaced them all to reach the ball's landing spot."

"Moric's pass was so cunning—who could have guessed he would put it there? This is the instinct of a top-tier midfielder. He gave up midfield control today; he is no longer the midfield commander, but he has become a lethal midfield assassin."

"A truly excellent midfielder can create a fatal opening even with limited possession!"

"We can see Rondo walking toward the front of the pitch; he is San Remo's first-choice penalty taker."

However, just as Rondo reaches the midfield, he suddenly grabs Lu Yang, who is standing nearby.

"What's wrong?" Lu Yang looks at Rondo and notices his expression is somewhat grim.

"My leg... it doesn't feel right," Rondo whispers.

Lu Yang's expression shifted drastically. If Rondo ran into trouble, the team's defensive line would...

"You can't keep playing!" Lu Yang began to shake his head.

"I know, but the team needs me for this match." Rondo was clearly hesitant.

"The team needs you, but not just for this match—for every match that follows!" Lu Yang looked at Rondo.

The latter nodded, then signaled to head coach Soto for a substitution.

The stadium erupted instantly.

"Oh, we see San Remo's penalty taker Rondo signaling for a substitution. Given the way he was walking, it's highly likely he's injured." The commentator quickly identified the cause. "It must have been that challenge earlier, when he and the Palermo player..."

On the sidelines, Nagy began to warm up rapidly.

Meanwhile, Soto was already analyzing the situation with his coaching staff.

Who should take this penalty?

Rondo handed his captain's armband to the San Remo center-forward; he was the vice-captain, but he was not the designated second penalty taker.

The team's second penalty taker was the right forward, but that guy wasn't on the pitch today.

"Moric has the best technique," Tom suggested.

Moric, who had come over to the sidelines, frowned. "I am willing to shoulder any responsibility the team entrusts to me, but I've been involved in too much defensive work today. My feet are a bit numb, which is why a few of my passes earlier were actually off-target."

Moric was a true professional; he was speaking from the heart.

If his passing had been sharper earlier, Vedian would have been able to shoot immediately upon receiving the ball without needing to adjust, and this penalty wouldn't have even been necessary.

He had been stepped on and collided with by the opposition's pressing multiple times today, which had a significant impact at such a critical moment.

These factors are hard for those who don't play the game to grasp, as neither the players nor the coaches usually speak of them.

Sometimes, a penalty might even be retaken several times late in a match, and the players' condition can deteriorate with each subsequent attempt due to fatigue, numbness in the feet, or psychological pressure.

Soto fell into deep thought.

No one on the team was more reliable than Moric.

Especially since... Moric was the one who had declined this penalty.

Moric had stated that he wasn't in a position to take this spot-kick.

Even if Soto ordered him to take it, he could still do so, but what would be the point?

That would be a waste of Moric's good intentions; he was being selfless.

But Moric hadn't considered that if he, the player with the best technique on the team, refused to take the penalty in the interest of stability, then how could anyone else dare to step up?

Can you guarantee a goal?

No!

Is your technique better than Moric's?

No!

If that's the case, why not let someone with more confidence take it?

Don't forget, Soto had said before that San Remo couldn't afford to lose a single match!

With the way things were going today, and with Rondo coming off, this penalty would likely determine the trajectory of the entire match.

And this match would likely determine the trajectory of San Remo's entire season.

When the stakes are high, the pressure mounts.

When the pressure mounts... aside from those with nerves of steel or those who thrive on chaos, most people perform worse than usual.

Wait!

Soto's eyes lit up. Nerves of steel?

He looked at Lu Yang.

Just then, Lu Yang stepped forward and said, "Coach, let me take it. I will definitely score!"

Lu Yang appeared extremely confident.

Soto nodded.

And so, the spectators saw the San Remo players huddle for a moment, after which their left defensive midfielder, Lu Yang, walked toward the penalty spot.

"Oh! What's happening? Lu Yang is actually the one taking the penalty for San Remo?"

"With San Remo's first and second penalty takers both out, it's certainly not easy for them to find a suitable replacement, but..."

"Doesn't Moric have the best technique? Shouldn't he be the one taking that penalty? I recall him scoring several long-range goals this season; he possesses the technique and the ability."

"Moric seemed to say something earlier and pointed to his foot. I suspect his foot is also bothering him. Palermo's lockdown on Moric today has made him suffer; he likely picked up an injury during the physical battles."

"San Remo's center-forward missed two consecutive penalties when Rondo was absent. This match is too significant; he might not be able to handle that level of pressure."

"But why Lu Yang? Although he has scored from long range before, his technique is definitely not considered top-tier."

"Perhaps it's a reward from Soto to Lu Yang? But personally, I think this could easily turn into a punishment! If Lu Yang fails to handle the pressure and misses the penalty, he will become the team's scapegoat!"

Standing at the penalty spot, Lu Yang's brows were furrowed, his gaze radiating a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque tenacity.

Someone once said that if a player possessed Messi's rhythm, Ronaldinho's ball control, Bale's speed, Robben's cut-inside, Ronaldo's finishing, Neymar's dribbling, Xavi's vision, Iniesta's through balls, Van Dijk's physicality, and Cristiano Ronaldo's eyes, he would become the greatest player in football history.

This statement was clearly a joke at Cristiano Ronaldo's expense.

But are the eyes truly useless?

The eyes are the windows to the soul.

Some have said that LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo are very similar, but that is only because they are both aging athletes. In fact, fans who understand both know they are nothing alike.

Their eyes are fundamentally different!

Yet, if you have seen Cristiano Ronaldo's eyes and also seen Kobe's eyes, you would realize that their gazes are actually remarkably similar.

That extreme thirst for victory and the rigorous demands they place on their own statistics make them seem somewhat out of place during a match.

But this also represents their determination.

Never underestimate the heart of a champion!

From Lu Yang's eyes, the Palermo goalkeeper could see Lu Yang's resolve.

That absolute determination to win!

"This kid is definitely going to unleash a powerful shot, perhaps even a thunderbolt capable of killing someone!" the Palermo goalkeeper was certain. "And before his eyes turned resolute, he looked to my left!"

He wouldn't even be surprised if Lu Yang tore through the net with this strike.

This kid, who excelled at long-range shots, would bet everything on the miracle of raw power!

Tweet!

The referee blew his whistle.

Lu Yang began his short run-up.

As he reached the ball, he raised his right foot high.

At that same instant, the Palermo goalkeeper pushed off hard with his right foot, launching himself toward his left in anticipation.

Bang!

Almost at the same time.

The ball left the ground.

The Palermo goalkeeper was already flying through the air.

But there was no joy in his eyes.

Only terror!

Not just him, but everyone on the pitch wore an expression of shock at this moment.

Those on the Palermo side were thinking, "How could he dare!"

And those on the San Remo side were also thinking, "How could he dare!"

The ball did not rocket away.

Instead, it traced a spoon-like arc through the air, a chip that floated into the net, dropping slowly only after the goalkeeper had already landed.

"GOAL! It's in!"

"Unbelievable! How could he dare to kick it like that!"

"A Panenka! Lu Yang actually pulled off a Panenka!"

"Does he even know what this match means?"

"Big heart! This is absolutely a player with a big heart!"

"The King of Last-Minute Goals, Lu Yang, is online! His Panenka will surely become the most dazzling goal of this Serie D round!"

"Are you crazy!" Moric rushed over to celebrate with Lu Yang immediately. "You are absolutely a madman! Tell me, have you seen this match before! Tell me, we win this match, right!"

Moric was so emotional he even shed tears.

In truth, the moment he admitted he was not in good form, he had already begun to regret it.

Because he remembered that he was the player with the best technique on the team.

If he didn't take that penalty, who else would dare to?

He was the core of the team, always putting the team first and hoping to make the best choice for them, but he had overlooked the human element.

This was only Serie D, not Serie A, nor the Champions League.

It wasn't the kind of match where one goal could make you a legend, and there weren't many people fighting to take the penalty here, especially given that missing it would inevitably make one the team's scapegoat.

But Lu Yang saved him.

Lu Yang stepped up.

He was always like this—always worthy of trust, always the strongest pillar of support.

"Yes, I have seen it! We will win!" Lu Yang hugged Moric, roaring wildly!

A Panenka penalty is an immense pressure for anyone, and he was no exception.

But possessing the "Totti Panenka Chip," he found that taking a penalty with a chip was actually more reliable than striking it directly.

At the very least, he wouldn't sky it.

He feared that if he struck it directly, he might blast it into the stands; after all, he was under pressure too, wasn't he?

And as it turned out, Totti was worth the trust!

Watching Lu Yang celebrate wildly, Soto wore a smile: "We've got this match in the bag!"

Tom said: "But Rondo has already been subbed off, our defense... might concede."

Soto said: "I know, but... we've got this!"

Tom fell silent, looking toward Lu Yang and Moric; was it because of these two kids?

Through these penalties, they had been baptized and elevated!