Japan's Wolfish Ambitions

Morata looked relaxed. Whether it was football or gaming, it was pretty fun to stomp on weaker opponents once in a while.

After the kickoff was played back to Leo Kang in the center circle, he immediately sprinted toward Japan National Football Team's half.

With one touch, Leo Kang passed the ball to the overlapping Bellerín.

After Dennis went off, it became difficult for Spain National Football Team's midfield to maintain static triangular passing combinations.

The moment Bellerín received the ball, he accelerated sharply and breezed past Takumi Minamino without reason.

He tore down the flank at full speed!

The other Spain players were also pushing forward rapidly.

Faced with Yuto Nagatomo's interception, the Arsenal prodigy decisively sent the ball into the middle.

Deulofeu shifted aside, and Junya Ito and Yosuke Kashiwagi, who had tried to close him down, both lunged at nothing.

The ball rolled toward Leo Kang's left foot.

In God's Perspective.

Morata's movement was incredibly elusive.

Leo Kang smoothly pushed the ball forward!

The ball skimmed rapidly across the grass.

It pierced straight through Japan National Football Team's defensive line!

Del Bosque cheered excitedly.

Halilhodžić could not help wanting to applaud.

"Beautiful!"

"Another scalpel-like through ball! It has already become Leo Kang's signature move!"

"Morata completely overwhelms Tomoaki Makino! A top Juventus striker against a local J League defender—this is simply a dimensionality gap!"

"Can he take this one-on-one chance?"

Leo Kang had no idea which foot Morata favored.

It was impossible to tell during internal training matches, either.

Morata claimed to be right-footed.

But it was completely impossible to tell.

Just as Morata brought the ball under control, his sprinting speed suddenly slowed.

Tomoaki Makino and Maya Yoshida quickly caught up, trying to clear the ball.

The spectators thought the Spain striker would use his powerful physique, like Leo Kang, to shoulder the Japanese players aside.

Who would have thought...

The ball was poked toward the right side at the edge of the penalty area.

Morata stumbled and fell to the ground, but even after going down, he did not forget to give Leo Kang a thumbs-up.

Del Bosque's mouth twitched.

Miñano's face darkened.

He looked so strong. What a waste.

"..."

"Although Morata is 1.89 meters tall, he is not particularly good at physical battles. Maya Yoshida is, after all, a starting defender for Southampton in the Premier League."

"If it had been Torres or Villa..."

"Spain still have another attacking chance! Japan National Football Team are in danger!"

Deulofeu suddenly burst forward, took the ball in stride, and charged into Japan National Football Team's penalty area.

Shusaku Nishikawa shuffled into position, closing off the shooting angle for the young Spain player!

On the other side, Morata got back to his feet!

His acceleration was not slow!

He was very good at finding space inside the box.

Maya Yoshida and Tomoaki Makino were not on the same page defensively and failed to cut off the passing lane!

Deulofeu decisively squared the ball across!

"What a pass!"

"An open goal!"

"Morata!"

The Japanese fans were incredibly tense!

Del Bosque could not help rising from the bench.

Halilhodžić was overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness!

The Happy Beans fans in the livestream room excitedly slapped their desks.

This was a guaranteed goal!

Even my eighty-year-old grandma could have poked that into the net!

Under everyone's gaze.

Morata turned elegantly.

With his back to goal!

He raised his foot!

And violently swung it backward!

The ball dropped perfectly beneath his foot!

Bang!

His heel struck it heavily!

The ball rolled out over the end line.

Ajinomoto Stadium suddenly fell silent.

Not a trace of noise could be heard.

Miñano froze halfway through his celebration.

Del Bosque's beard trembled with anger.

Shusaku Nishikawa and Maya Yoshida breathed sighs of relief, high-fived, embraced, and exchanged a few words of encouragement.

Halilhodžić laughed out loud.

In the China livestream room.

Duan Xuan and He Wei tried hard to control their emotions and tone.

They had received professional training and would not laugh so easily.

"..."

"He missed an open goal."

"A gentle push would have changed the score. Why did Morata insist on using his heel to score?"

"What a shame."

The scrolling comments were filled with joy.

-

[Bayer Leverkusen's team newspaper says Leo Kang has Balanced Feet. Then Morata must be the "God of Double Reverse Feet"!]

-

[His left foot is useless, and so is his right foot!]

-

[When he shoots with his left foot, his right is his favored foot. When he shoots with his right foot, his left is his favored foot!]

-

[Morata was incredible in last season's Champions League! He scored against both Real Madrid and Barcelona in consecutive matches. Why is he so bad against the Japanese? No physicality, no finishing.]

-

[Just look at his league performances and you'll understand. When he's in form, he kills gods and demons alike. When he isn't, he's at China National Football Team level.]

-

[It's a little worrying. Have you watched the J League? It's the league with the most late winners in the world! Until the very last moment, these Japanese players will not give up!]

Morata put his hands on his hips and spat.

He gave Deulofeu a thumbs-up.

Then he applauded as he slowly walked out of the penalty area.

The Japanese fans came to their senses: this was the scene they saw most often while watching the AFC Champions League.

They waved their flags, shouted, and pounded their drums, urging their players to launch a counterattack.

Shusaku Nishikawa loudly encouraged his teammates and took the goal kick.

The match continued.

Morata was not entirely useless.

His role as a support point in the final third was obvious. While he could not handle Maya Yoshida,

he could easily bully Junya Ito and Yosuke Kashiwagi.

As a result, the team greatly reduced the number of passes they needed.

Spain National Football Team soon pinned Japan National Football Team inside their own penalty area.

They launched a frantic siege.

Morata's movement was highly threatening. Whether he ran in behind or drifted wide, Japan National Football Team's defense was left on edge.

"The Spain striker is gradually finding his feel for the match."

"He is causing enormous damage in the final third!"

"Beautiful! Another brilliant pass from Leo Kang!"

"Morata! He shoots!"

"Oh! What a pity!"

Japan National Football Team's morale gradually rose.

They did not think being down 0-2 was particularly frightening. Scoring two or three goals in the final ten minutes was a script that played out in every round of the J League and A-League!

Spain could no longer control the match through passing and possession!

This was our chance!

Time passed second by second.

Leo Kang and Deulofeu kept serving up chances.

Morata kept wasting them.

Spain National Football Team had the upper hand but could not score.

They were still two goals ahead.

But constantly wasting sure goals was agonizing.

Miñano felt as though ants were crawling all over his body.

Del Bosque sighed helplessly. He suddenly missed the Torres of 2008 and the Villa of 2010.

"Tokyo nights in late September are bleak."

De Gea stood outside his own penalty area, feeling inexplicably melancholy.

Suddenly.

He saw a football whistling through the air!

"Morata's shot hits Shusaku Nishikawa right in the chest, and Japan National Football Team launch a quick counterattack!"

"Takumi Minamino!"

"He goes for the lob! Oh! De Gea is not the same kind of goalkeeper as Neuer, his positioning..."

Takumi Minamino received a teammate's pass near the center circle.

Faced with Jonny's interception.

He looked up to assess the opposing goalkeeper's position, then decisively chose to shoot!

A lob from the center circle!

The ball dropped straight toward Spain's penalty area!

The Japanese fans went wild!

They had never imagined one of their own players could produce a Beckham-style wonder lob!

Halilhodžić excitedly pumped his fist!

Miñano panicked!

Del Bosque, still calm on the bench, knew the national team goalkeeper's traits very well.

De Gea was very calm.

The ball's path and landing point were entirely under his control.

With his long legs, he quickly turned and raced back into the penalty area!

He planted his left foot hard into the turf, leaped high, and easily plucked the ball from the air!

He was not as quick across the ground as Neuer.

But his 0.18-second reaction time was as fast as lightning.

"That was close!"

"No wonder he is Van der Sar's successor!"

"De Gea dealt with that crisis as easily as if it were nothing!"

"Oh! He has not slowed the tempo!"

"A powerful overarm throw!"

After landing, De Gea took a powerful run-up.

His body stretched as he leaned back.

His right hand gripped the ball.

His left leg stomped down hard.

Like a javelin thrower at the Olympic Games.

The football shot out like a cannonball!

It carved an exaggerated arc through the sky above Ajinomoto Stadium!

And smashed viciously toward Japan National Football Team's backfield!

Leo Kang only glanced back once before grasping where the ball would land.

In God's Perspective.

Japan National Football Team's formation, which had been preparing to counterattack, dissolved into complete chaos!

His explosive speed was not particularly fast.

But he had set off earlier than every Japanese player!

Halilhodžić hurriedly directed his teammates to fall back!

Unfortunately, it was too late!

Leo Kang arrived right at the ball's landing point. With his back to goal, he lifted his foot to cushion it forward, then spun and charged into Japan National Football Team's penalty area!

"One-on-one!"

"De Gea's powerful overarm throw! Leo Kang's vision and awareness are incredible!"

"Can he score?"

The Japanese fans in the stands on all sides of Ajinomoto Stadium were inexplicably excited.

No one knew why, but whenever Leo Kang—the Chinese player, the Asian player—got the ball.

Something in their bones stirred.

What Chinese people could do!

We Japanese could imitate it too!

Shusaku Nishikawa did not hesitate and decisively rushed out.

He could not let that Chinese kid complete a hat-trick!

He was not just defending Japan National Football Team's goal; he was defending the honor of the J League!

Leo Kang was not fast.

Back at Bayer Leverkusen's training ground, Son Heung-min had taught him many feinting techniques and shared plenty of experience.

But against the starting goalkeeper of Belgium's powerhouse side.

He knew full well that his current dribbling ability was nowhere near enough to shake the man off.

Miñano crouched on the turf, with no expectations at all:

Over the two days of practice matches, Leo Kang had never displayed any ability to dribble past defenders. Now that his shooting angle had been sealed off, was he going to blast another powerful shot straight into the Japanese goalkeeper's face?

Yet Del Bosque and Halilhodžić wore remarkably similar expressions.

Both men stared fixedly at the Chinese player on the pitch.

Their eyes could not conceal their anticipation!

In a daze.

Just as Shusaku Nishikawa closed the distance and was about to snuff out the one-on-one.

Countless images surged through Leo Kang's mind.

The back of the white-clad Number Seven flashed past.

The football lightly left his left foot.

It rose sharply at an unbelievable speed.

Shusaku Nishikawa was utterly bewildered.

Still holding his diving posture, he could only watch as the ball flew over his head!

Then it dropped rapidly!

Landing near the twelve-yard mark in the six-yard box!

Before bouncing into the goal!

0:3!!!

The entire stadium erupted!

"It's in!"

"A hat-trick! A hat-trick!"

"A perfect national team debut!"

"The young Chinese player Leo Kang has delivered the perfect answer sheet in the first match of his international career!"

"There's no suspense now!"

"De Gea assists with a powerful overarm throw! Leo Kang chips it in! Spain have killed off the match!"

In China's livestream.

The comments went wild.

-

[Fuck, Leo Kang is insane! The J League curse doesn't work on him at all!]

-

[A hat-trick in his first national team appearance, against Japan's Europe-based starting defense too. Amazing!]

-

[Didn't you know Chinese people get a bloodline buff when playing the Japanese?]

-

[This midfielder doesn't like assisting! Hahaha!]

-

[Nonsense. If Morata hadn't been wasting chances like crazy, Leo Kang wouldn't have taken it himself.]

-

[De Gea was fierce too! They were already two goals up, and he still launched that massive throw!]

Morata excitedly hugged Leo Kang from behind.

And lifted him high into the air.

Why was this guy so strong whenever he celebrated?

His teammates crowded around.

And raised Leo Kang high!

The Japanese fans were also screaming the Chinese player's name hysterically!

"Leo!!!"

"Leo!!!"

"Leo!!!"

Miñano did not snap out of it for a long time.

Del Bosque raised both fists, his big belly trembling nonstop. He was delighted, but also troubled.

Spain National Football Team simply had no idea how to use this Chinese kid!

Did anyone have an instruction manual?

Did that old man Topp from Bayer Leverkusen have one?

In the distance.

Halilhodžić was overcome by mixed emotions.

He was furious that his team had fallen three goals behind, yet he also admired Leo Kang's performance.

What a contradiction.

Shusaku Nishikawa clutched his head and buried it in the turf, unwilling to raise it for a long while.

Like a frightened ostrich.

He could only hide his guilt this way.

Takumi Minamino trembled all over.

Through this match, he learned that the gap between himself and Europe's super talents was enormous—truly enormous.

Even more terrifying was this: Leo Kang was Chinese.

He had given everything in this match and still could not create a single attacking chance, while Leo Kang had casually completed a hat-trick.

He could not help recalling what he had said to the media reporters a few days ago, when he provoked China.

Beep! Beep-beep~

At last.

The referee blew the final whistle.

"What a pity. If Morata had taken his chances in the second half, this match would have been an absolute slaughter!"

"Spain defeated Japan National Football Team 3–0!"

"We can see the fallen Matador Dynasty returning to its peak! Perhaps in the near future, these young players will shine on the pitches of the UEFA European Championship and the World Cup!"

Leo Kang and his teammates did not leave the pitch immediately.

After shaking hands with the officiating crew.

They headed together toward a secluded part of the stands.

There were several hundred fans supporting Spain National Football Team there.

Dennis suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "My God! Leo! They must be here to support you!"

Only then did Leo Kang notice familiar faces among those several hundred Spanish fans: they were the overseas students and Chinese people from the airport!

Compared to the tens of thousands of Japanese fans, the cheers of those few dozen people could not reach the pitch at all.

That night.

Japan's sports media went mad.

Imperial Kirin Beast!!!

The Fierce Tiger Strike!!!

<The Chinese player is too strong, little girl can't take it!>

Photos of Leo Kang on the pitch became front-page headlines in every major newspaper.

In their reports, the media invited Japanese football legends to analyze the traits of this Chinese genius.

They praised him lavishly.

And called for youth academies to strengthen physical confrontation training!

Soon.

Report after report reached China and Europe.

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