Capítulo 7 - Team Z x Team Y

"Listen up, Team X lost again, so the scoreboard looks like this." Ego said in the big screen in the locker room.

1st Place | Team Z | 3 Points | 12 Goals

2nd Place | Team V | 3 Points | 8 Goals

3rd Place | Team W | 3 Points | 3 Goals

4th Place | Team Y | 0 Points | -8 Goals

5th Place | Team X | 0 Points | -15 Goals

Team Z vs. Team Y

"They're hanging by a thread; if they lose, they can't recover. We have to be careful with their number 9, who with a powerful shot, became the top scorer of Kumamoto Prefecture. Hibiki Okawa." Kuon says.

"Let's go for it." Bachira seems excited.

Everyone on the other team seems worried; I think our score in last match has intimidated the opponents.

A whistle breaks the silence, starting the match.

Kunigami passes to me; the opposing team, contrary to what I expected, stays still, in formation.

"You know what to do."

I pass to Bachira and advance; the marking seems to ignore me. Bachira passes the ball to me, and at the exact moment I control the ball, the four players around me converge.

"Damn."

I wait for the first one to make a move, and I escape through the side he's coming from, nutmegging him. There stood a player with hair covering his eyes; he couldn't see the goal.

"You're not getting past me."

Kunigami advances freely; Isagi was behind me asking for the ball to launch my advance. But his statement annoyed me.

"Yeah..."

Arthur moves the ball with the outside of his right foot to one side, and quickly cuts inside with the inside, performing an elastico.

"I'm not falling for that elastico." The number 7 dives in for the ball.

With a small jump, Arthur flicks the ball with the outside of his right foot, in a dribble complementing the elastico, nutmegging him.

"Damn it..."

Arthur starts running; his opponent regains his composure and catches up to him, but he abruptly stops his entire body with the ball.

"What's he doing..."

The number 7 loses balance trying to keep up with Arthur's unusual movements, falling to the ground.

"It seems I passed." 

He do a rainbow flick above the fallen player and advances, shooting from outside the box before reaching the defender, a strong shot with the outside of his right foot. Goal.

GOOOOOOOAL! Arthur Saito! 4'

Assist by Kunigami

1 x 0

"What a goal! Amazing!" Isagi arrives, ecstatic, towards Arthur.

"I loved that dribble, a continuation of the elastico..." Bachira imitates the dribble in the air.

"Idiot, you could have passed instead of risking that play." Kunigami returns to his side of the field.

It was a good goal; it's been a while since I've made such an effort for a dribble; he doesn't defend badly.

The game restarts; Team Y starts passing the ball slowly. As soon as it reaches the wing, Team Z defends well, and when the ball goes to the left side, Chigiri dispossesses it in a run with enormous speed.

"Pass!" Bachira requests the ball.

Chigiri crosses; Bachira controls it with his heel and, without much effort, places a shot.

GOOOOOOOAL! Meguru Bachira! 17'

Assist by Chigiri

2 x 0

Their team is organized; you can see they've trained as a group to make a defensive system.

"Hey, Bachira, I think one more goal and they'll dismantle the formation. In this first phase, when a rout begins, desperation sets in, and it just becomes a bunch of animals hunting for goals to save themselves."

"We have to shake them up."

The whistle blows, and the ball is with Team Y; unlike before, the player who receives the ball starts running, trying to dribble.

"No! Stick to the plan," the boy with hair covering his face shouts.

Raichi tackles the player hard, knocking him down and taking the ball. He then passes it to Arthur.

"Damn it!" Says the player on the ground.

I need a humiliating play to shake up this annoying defensive structure.

Arthur controls the ball with the outside of his foot, flicking it up; as he does, he chips the defender who was glued to him.

I had an idea.

He keeps the ball in the air, running with soft touches resembling juggling, alternating between touching with his foot and thigh. He maintains this dribble with a speed that leaves the markers behind until he reaches the edge of Team Y's penalty area.

"Stop him no matter what!" Okawa shouts, irritated with the play.

A Team Y player slides in, aiming for Arthur, who manages to jump over him. As the player falls to the ground, Arthur volleys powerfully with his right foot, heading straight for the goal.

GOOOOOOOAL! Arthur Saito! 24'

Assist by Raichi

3 x 0

"Oh my god! You're a monster, Arthur!" Isagi was amazed by the play.

"What a ball control!" Bachira pats Arthur on the back.

"Just because of my pass." Raichi crosses his arms and shakes his head.

Team Y seemed shaken by the play; it was as if Arthur were joking around in the game.

"How did you come up with a play like that?"

"I remembered a video of Thierry Henry doing something similar; it seemed demoralizing, so I decided to try it."

It really seems to have had an effect; I'm not sure if these guys will continue with their boring game.

When Team Y restarts the game, they seem to have lost their spirit; Arthur orders everyone to press, and with that, the coordinated defensive formation falls apart, turning into another rout.

Final Score:

Team Z: 9

Team Y: 0

Team Z:

Arthur: 5 Goals and 2 assists.

Bachira: 2 goals and 2 assists.

Kunigami: 1 goal and 1 assist.

Isagi: 1 goal and 2 assists.

Chigiri: 1 assist.

Raichi: 1 assist.

The air of overwhelming victory spreads in the locker room; everyone is happy, celebrating, even Igarashi, who was down after the first game, was dancing in the locker room.

"We're going to win all 4 games here; how can they put us in the worst rank in Blue Lock?!" Raichi says excitedly.

"It's so easy to score goals after we score the first one; after all, there are only 11 attackers." Bachira says, naked.

"Get dressed, you show-off." Kunigami throws a towel at him.

"Imagine how many girls will message me when I go to the national team." Imamura says.

"By the way, how's your knee, Arthur?" Kuon sits next to Arthur on the bench.

Everyone pays attention to the conversation.

"To be honest? I'm tired of holding back. I'm fine already. Bachira, can you switch positions with me?"

"Okay!"

"But, why are you changing to play on the left wing?"

"It's obvious; because I'm a lefty who loves a trivela shot."

A silence fills the locker room.

"You... Are you left-footed?" Raichi speaks softly for the first time.

"Of course."

"13 goals with your weak foot? Seriously?!" Isagi asks.

"What can I say, my weak foot isn't weak, but I really prefer the left."

Bachira starts laughing uncontrollably, breaking the surprise atmosphere in the locker room.

"Arthur, you are a beast." Bachira says.

"The next game, I'm going all out."

END OF CHAPTER.