"They can't defend you at all, brother!" Lu Yang rushed over to Ceballos and encouraged him.
"You're an absolute sharpshooter!" Ceballos hugged Lu Yang in turn, and then everyone came over to celebrate.
The goal had clearly eased the Star of Italy Team players' nerves.
They were capable of breaking through their opponents' defense.
That mattered.
Of course, Star of Italy had its own problems. They just couldn't play their usual possession game today.
A lot of people thought possession football meant passing the ball around nonstop.
But control was the real key.
To make possession football work, you needed to be able to keep the ball. When the other side wasn't pressing, you needed the awareness and ability to settle things down.
When they did press, you needed to hold on to possession.
That took technique, movement, and... physicality!
But the Star of Italy Team clearly couldn't manage it right now.
Especially when the other side pressed as a unit. Not one of their players could keep control of the ball. Even Moric couldn't withstand their tackles.
Lu Yang was steady enough, wasn't he? He'd still been brought down just now when he tried to slow things down.
So Star of Italy continued to struggle through the next stretch of the match.
And they really had no answer to the aerial threat.
The opposing number eight intercepted Ceballos again, then combined with their right forward to get past Lu Yang with a one-two.
This time, Lu Yang couldn't stop two opponents at once.
He was human, not a god.
The opposing right forward sent in a cross.
Their big striker beat Lam in the air once again and scored with a header.
His second of the match!
Millwall took the lead again.
Their head coach nodded. The big striker was their main signing of the summer transfer window, brought in to replace the other star forward they'd lost to a bigger club.
So far, the signing seemed to be working out.
Millwall might be weaker this season, but they should have no trouble staying in the EFL Championship.
If they could take another shot at stealing a trophy in the FA Cup or League Cup and make it to the quarterfinals or even the semifinals, that would make for another successful season.
By then, they'd be well on their way to earning a ticket to a top club.
On the pitch.
This time, after taking the lead, Millwall didn't let their guard down. With a brutally physical defense, they broke Star of Italy's Devil Wings once again.
They were brutal!
Even Star of Italy's big striker, Soguer, was starting to fear going into the box.
Damn, those tackles really hurt.
By the end of the match, he figured he'd be covered in bruises.
No wonder the media and coaches in modern football advised young players against playing in the English leagues. Instead, they encouraged them to head to Ligue 1, the Eredivisie, Primeira Liga, and places like that.
English football really wasn't a place for humans.
Damn, it was all tanks!
Star of Italy's attack ground to a halt once more.
And after what had happened last time, it was now hard for Lu Yang to draw defenders away from Ceballos.
Lu Yang could just about withstand the other side's challenges, but it was a fifty-fifty contest. He could hardly expect to gain an advantage.
Then, just before halftime, Moric—who had been struggling just as much—had a flash of inspiration. He unleashed his signature quick half-turn pass-and-shot!
Most players wouldn't expect someone with his back to goal to fire off a first-time shot-pass.
Millwall's defense wasn't particularly tight. Their midfield was split open in an instant, and the back line couldn't get across in time.
Lu Yang appeared in the same area where he'd scored before and unleashed another furious shot!
Yes, Lu Yang again!
The understanding between Moric and Lu Yang was that incredible.
When Moric played the pass-shot, Lu Yang was making his run, but he hadn't found an opening yet.
Moric simply trusted that Lu Yang would get to the space.
And when Lu Yang made his run, Moric hadn't even received the ball yet. But Lu Yang trusted that if he made it to the opening, Moric would get the pass there.
One dared to run; the other dared to pass.
A golden opportunity appeared.
Boom!
A Cannon Shooter's Rising Shot—unstoppable!
Bang!
But fate had other plans.
The shot struck the crossbar and bounced back out.
The whole crowd sighed.
They weren't necessarily Star of Italy supporters. They just felt that a shot that spectacular deserved to go in.
But the danger wasn't over.
The ball bounced toward Soguer, who had pulled away from his marker.
He battled with the opposing center-back and won the better position, then volleyed without taking a touch!
But perhaps the challenge had been too intense. He connected, but couldn't put any power behind the shot. The ball moved slowly.
The goalkeeper reacted in time, but the ball was spinning so fiercely that he played it safe and parried it away.
Just as Millwall's players thought the danger had passed,
Parrott, who had been lurking near the box and playing as a Right Shadow Striker today, got to the rebound first and fired off another Low Drive.
The ball slipped past several players' feet and into the net!
Star of Italy equalized just before halftime!
The score was 2–2!
"It's in! Parrott's come through! Have the Porto coaching staff seen that? They should have started him. He has an incomparable nose for goal! He knows how to find the right position. He's a true finisher!"
"Of course, Soguer's contribution was excellent too. He nearly scored! His ability to hold his own in a physical battle is reliable. Getting that shot away under those circumstances is a skill in itself!"
"Lu Yang's relentless movement has finally paid off. His Cannon Shooter strike had everyone on edge. Millwall are in trouble now. Will they dare to leave Lu Yang that much space in the second half?"
"If they do, he'll score! But if they don't, who can keep up with Lu Yang as he runs from one end of the pitch to the other? Does Millwall have an Iron Man like that?"
"Finally, I have to praise Moric's brilliant pass. He has tremendous attacking talent. That ability to turn defense into attack in an instant can break down any defense. He's the perfect transition engine!"
"Before the match, Millwall's head coach called Moric a low-end engine. But I doubt he thinks so now. Even General Motors, the once wildly popular automotive giant, got its turbocharged engines by acquiring smaller companies."
"Moric is just such a turbocharged engine! He can make the attacking tempo faster, faster, and faster still!"
The commentator heaped praise on them.
Because these young Italian players truly deserved it.
Despite being physically outmatched across the board, they'd played with pride.
"What are you doing out there? Playing schoolyard football? We're an EFL Championship team! We're FA Cup runners-up!" Millwall's head coach tore into his players in the locker room. "You're not kids anymore. Get out there and finish them off cleanly in the second half, all right?"
"Especially their number 24. I don't want to see him wandering all over our half again! Mark him tightly!"
The head coach looked at their number eight, one of the team's defensive enforcers.
"But... if I follow number 24, what about their number seven? He's pretty good at dribbling and beating players." The number eight sounded unsure.
"Do you think he'll still dare to try and take you on? If he does, then whoever's marking him isn't putting enough pressure on him! So you know what to do, right?" The head coach gave a cold snort.
The number eight and the team's right-back nodded repeatedly.
Meanwhile, in the Star of Italy locker room, Lu Yang and Moric were reviewing the first half with their teammates.
Maniero and the other four mentors were also in the locker room, but none of them spoke up.
Their only role was to provide some of the data analysis the coaching staff would give a team. Nothing more.
This was the young players' match.
Moric was going over the match statistics, while Lu Yang spoke to his teammates. "Ceballos, Canyes, you two have to take them on in the second half. Especially you, Ceballos. I want you to use up all your energy before the seventieth minute! I'll keep making runs forward and support every one of your attacks!"
Ceballos furrowed his brow. Was Lu Yang planning to bring him off after seventy minutes and send Baizami on?
"That won't be easy." Ceballos pointed to the bruises on his body. "They're too physical. I won't be able to take much more."
Lu Yang said, "Do you know what the English are worst at?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Lu Yang said, "Lasting!"
Everyone paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.
The tension eased a little.
Lu Yang waved a hand. "Of course, I'm only joking. They have players who can last, too, but... a lot of English players don't pay attention to their diets and spend too much time partying, so they show signs of aging early. It's a lot like some South American players."
"Millwall's players are either new arrivals or veterans who've stuck around. Most of them are past their physical peak. Maybe that makes them stronger, but they're nowhere near as fit or fast as they were when they were younger."
"They won't be able to keep up with us in the second half!"
"When you push forward, Ceballos, you like to keep the ball close. That's one of your technical strengths. But against the defenders you're facing today, you'd be better off pushing the ball ahead and chasing it. It'll protect you, and it'll help you leave your marker behind."
Lu Yang gave his advice.
At that point, Moric spoke up. "Their left-sided player is the center of their attack and the more capable one. Canyes, you should stay back and help us defend at first in the second half. We'll use Canyes and Parrott to draw them in on our side, while Ceballos leads the attack. Try to cut inside, and even if you can't get a shot away, try to win us a few fouls."
"Our best chance to score in the second half may come from a set piece."
"We're counting on you, Ceballos!"
"As for the back line... we can only hope for the best. They're sure to keep bombing us from the air. Our height disadvantage is obvious, and there's nothing we can do about that."
Ceballos nodded solemnly.
So this was what it meant to be the focal point of a team's attack.
Everyone made things easier for you and created opportunities for you. You got countless chances to risk giving the ball away, and sometimes it was practically your duty to do so.
It felt great. At Monaco, Ceballos had envied the team's attacking star the most. He'd only been able to support him, playing the role of an important squad player.
But now he realized he'd only seen the star player enjoying the good times, not taking the hits.
Being the focal point of the attack meant facing enormous challenges sometimes.
And even when you knew you were going to get clobbered, you still had to charge straight ahead.
It was... too hard.
Ceballos glanced at Baizami, hoping his teammate would bring him off early when the time came. Otherwise, he really might end up with a broken leg.
Maniero and the others listened to the halftime analysis, exchanged glances, and nodded.
From a tactical standpoint, Lu Yang and Moric had done well.
Their analysis was almost on the level of a head coach's.
But they had missed a few things.
First, if set pieces were the key to scoring, why hadn't they discussed or settled on any set-piece tactics?
Second, they had overestimated their attacking focal point, Ceballos. Even if he had the courage, the first half's pounding would make it hard for him to perform well.
Third, they hadn't come up with a way to counter the other side's aerial bombardment. They'd simply accepted it.
In fact, if the other side liked crossing from the baseline, they could try shutting down the flanks and leaving the middle open. Maybe that would work.
Of course, the kids were all young. What they'd done was already impressive.
And... Maniero knew there were things Lu Yang and Moric either couldn't or wouldn't say out loud.
In an actual match, they'd be even cleverer than they were now.
Those were the flashes of inspiration that set geniuses apart!
The second half began.
Just as expected, Ceballos tried to beat his man twice.
Neither attempt ended well.
He was brought down once, and the other time he won a free kick from a harmless position.
After that, he stopped making runs and took a moment to recover.
Meanwhile, as expected, Star of Italy's attack came down that side.
Moric and Canyes, along with one of their right center-backs, couldn't stop the other side's attack down the left.
For one thing, none of the three was a defensive specialist.
For another, Millwall's left-sided player was pretty good.
Soon, they sent in another cross from the baseline. The opposing striker couldn't get a clear header on goal this time, but he flicked the ball on with a backward header, setting up a long-range shot from the midfielder on the far side.
3–2!
Millwall had taken the lead for the third time in the match.
That infuriated Ceballos. After the restart, he charged at the opposing defense again and successfully beat his marker.
Millwall swarmed around Ceballos, but he sent the ball across to the other side with a single pass.
Parrott had the ball. He laid it off to the advancing Canyes, then ran forward to draw the defenders away.
Canyes made it to the baseline and sent in a beautiful cross.
Soguer leaped high and headed the ball toward goal, but an opposing defender blocked it.
The crowd applauded.
At last, Star of Italy had put together a beautiful attacking move.
Just managing that much was already a success, whether or not they scored.
That was what a coach looked for when judging whether a player could carry out his tactics.
As for scoring...
Leave it to God.
Just outside Millwall's penalty area, Versace controlled the ball, but several opponents rushed toward him. With no chance to attack, he could only pass it back to Lu Yang.
Many people sighed at the missed opportunity.
Normally, the attacking side would have to build up again, passing the ball back a couple of times before distributing it to the players on either flank.
But some sharp-eyed spectators suddenly realized something.
Why was Lu Yang the one receiving the ball out wide?
Where was that little guy, Moric?
Facing the ball coming toward him, Lu Yang didn't control it. Instead, he immediately kicked it forward again.
A low through ball skimmed past Versace.
It pierced through the legs of three players, appeared inside the penalty area, and rolled toward the penalty spot.
A pass this unconventional and risky could only belong to one man... Golden Wolf Guti's through ball!
That was almost the only path ahead of Lu Yang that could split the defense.
It was a pass of genius!
Millwall's goalkeeper's heart tightened, and he rushed out without hesitation.
But just as the ball reached the penalty spot, a foot got to it first and poked it toward goal.
The goalkeeper dived and missed.
The ball was already bouncing merrily inside the net.
The goalkeeper looked up and saw Moric's sweaty, smiling face.