Textbook Shot

Chapter 121: Textbook Shot

Kaka executed a highly complex scorpion kick almost by chance, aided by a combination of opportunity and god-like reflexes.

The football struck his heel directly and sailed into the goal.

The entire shooting sequence is described at length in text, but in reality, it unfolded in the blink of an eye. Except for a few spectators close by who witnessed the entire event, even many expert viewers couldn't fully comprehend what had transpired.

Fans watching on TV quickly caught the replay footage.

Kaka sprinted, dived, bent his legs, shot, and then swiftly dashed across the goal line as the ball found the net.

Lying in the goal, Kaka stared at the ball before him, somewhat bewildered.

Who am I? Where am I? ...

Alright, he was just being cheeky; he definitely knew what he'd done.

Initially aiming to replicate Van Persie's classic leap from 14 years ago, he unexpectedly channeled van der Vaart's scorpion kick.

I can't do this again. I'm all for originality and rejecting imitations.

"Hahaha, Kaka doesn't seem to realize what he's done. He always manages to pull off unconventional moves to score. Let's see it in slow motion—the exquisite heel strike is simply magical. It's hard to tell if it was deliberate or pure luck...

"Kaka scores another wonder goal, his fifth in this tournament, putting him level with Klose as the top scorer. Both are making their World Cup debut, yet they've become the stars of this tournament. They are two completely different players—Klose's goals are headers, while Kaka's are all unique: a chip over the goalkeeper, a blast past defenders, a neat finish in front of goal, a curling shot, and now this scorpion kick, nearly perfect in difficulty...

Despite trailing, the German team accelerated their pace noticeably and intensified their defense. Brazil found it increasingly challenging to organize their attacks.

It's worth noting that organizing play isn't Kaka's forte. Ronaldinho hasn't yet evolved into the midfield maestro he is for Real Madrid. If Brazil's front line isn't flowing with talent allowing players to play freely, their midfield risks descending into chaos.

In this tense atmosphere, the German team finally found their best chance in the 35th minute.

Schneider collided with Ramello and played the ball to Ronaldinho, then continued down the right into Brazilian territory.

Carlos rushed in to intercept Schneider but couldn't slow him down; Schneider shifted the ball left past Carlos, then cut back right.

It was a simple move and one of Roberto Carlos's favorite tricks. He knew the defensive angles well. As he extended his right foot to the side, his entire body leaned in that direction.

At moments like these, there's no room for hesitation. You either go for the steal or take the man; even half a second's delay could mean being bypassed.

Carlos reacted swiftly, but Schneider eluded him in a wide arc, successfully evading his tackle and reclaiming possession.

Kleberson hurried over from midfield to assist, launching a fierce challenge, but Schneider deftly flicked the ball to the left side of Brazil's penalty area—a beautifully lofted pass.

Klose darted into the box.

His run wasn't straight; he veered away from Edmilson in the penalty area, then slipped past Lúcio, appearing quickly in front of the goal.

Precision timing.

Junior abandoned Neuville to close down, but his timing was off, and Klose struck before Junior could leap.

Cheney reacted swiftly, but Klose swooped in with his initial shot.

He read the trajectory correctly but couldn't stop the ball.

Klose directed a splendid looping header, evading Cheney's fingertips and nestling into the upper left corner of Brazil's goal.

Junior, landing awkwardly, couldn't stay on his feet and collapsed to the ground.

He pounded the turf in frustration, muttering a Brazilian curse under his breath, his embarrassment almost palpable.

Three defenders and a goalkeeper, yet they couldn't prevent a high ball like that. Who would believe it?

"GOAL! Klose! A perfect header! He soared over Brazil's penalty area like a bomber, dropping a bombshell to level the score! This is his sixth goal in World Cup history and a golden goal indeed! Kaka's stellar performance might have spurred his resolve, but it's heartening to see German football keeping pace with the younger generation..."

"Predicting the landing point to the centimeter, textbook positioning, strong core strength, and aerial prowess—Klose is a natural in the air, reminiscent of great German forwards like Gerd Müller, Klinsmann, and Bierhoff. He's reset the game to square one."

Ecstatic after scoring, Klose sprinted to the sidelines, executing a graceful forward flip, igniting the crowd's euphoria.

Modest and unassuming off the pitch, the young man's brilliance shone through on it.

German coach Lever, jubilant, pumped his fists and jumped on the sidelines—pure joy reverberating through the German bench.

Scolari shook his head in disbelief, struggling to catch his breath.

They hadn't made a defensive error, yet they conceded—a bitter pill to swallow.

As Klose scored, Kaka was on defensive duty, though he hadn't kept pace. Nonetheless, being close to the edge of the penalty area gave him a front-row view of the goal.

It was the first time he'd seen firsthand how a header could be turned into an art form.

But if memory served, the German team hadn't previously scored in this game, and Klose hadn't seemed exceptional either.

Yet now, Klose was formidable, prompting Kaka to wonder if he, too, possessed an extraordinary knack.

Could he have a unique physique akin to that of a perennial schoolboy?

With Beckham in attack and Klose in defense, their performance was far surpassing expectations in this alternate timeline.