A Thunderous Entrance

Coach Mazu stood on the sidelines, his brows tightly knitted in anxiety and worry. The situation in the game was extremely dire. Not only were they trailing in score, but they were also under intense pressure.

After Tienen took a two-goal lead, their morale soared, and their offensive momentum became even more ferocious.

The White Star team, with their morale at a low, had to retreat en masse, compressing their entire formation to participate in defense in their own half, hoping to withstand Tienen's fierce attacks during this period.

In this passive situation, their offense had become a luxury.

Coach Mazu turned his head to look at the bench and found that almost everyone was nervously watching the game on the field, except for one person who seemed to share an understanding glance with Coach Mazu.

That person was none other than Zhang Xu, who was ready to make his entrance at any moment!

From Zhang Xu's eager gaze, Coach Mazu could see the desire for battle and the brimming confidence in him. It made his heart skip a beat.

However, when he thought about the current passive situation, Coach Mazu calmed down: Let's wait a bit longer! Let's see if we can hold on until halftime!

Coach Mazu's plan was to drag the game to halftime, allowing the players to relax a bit, ease their nervousness, and boost the team's morale. During this time, he could also make adjustments to the team, substitute a forward, and then bring Zhang on to strengthen the team's defense.

In Coach Mazu's mind, there was no longer any hope of getting points at Tienen's stadium. He just wanted to avoid conceding too many goals and save some face.

Seeing Coach Mazu retract his gaze, Zhang Xu knew he had to wait for his chance. Although he felt a bit disappointed and anxious, he understood that he had to be patient as long as the head coach, Coach Mazu, didn't give the order.

"Ding! Main quest automatically activated... New main quest: Substitute in the match against Tienen on September 25, 2011, and help the team win the game! Completion reward: 500 experience points! All attribute points +1! Failure penalty: -1 level, -1 to all attribute points!"

"Ding! Side quest one (acceptable): In the match against Tienen on September 25, 2011, successfully make ten interceptions! Completion reward: 200 experience points! Interception attribute +2! Failure penalty: -400 experience points! Interception attribute -2!"

"Ding! Side quest two (acceptable): In the match against Tienen on September 25, 2011, provide one assist! Completion reward: 200 experience points! Passing attribute +2! Failure penalty: -400 experience points! Passing attribute -2!"

"Ding! Side quest three (acceptable): In the match against Tienen on September 25, 2011, achieve a player rating of 8 or higher! Completion reward: 200 experience points! Teamwork attribute +2! Failure penalty: -400 experience points! Teamwork attribute -2!"

Suddenly, a series of notifications and the system's task announcements filled Zhang Xu's mind. He was momentarily startled.

One main quest and three side quests!

Not only were there multiple quests, but the rewards were also incredibly generous. If he completed all of them, he could earn a total of 1100 experience points, plus a series of attribute point rewards!

However, the difficulty of completing these quests was also significant.

Help the team win the game? Reversing the situation in this passive setting was already a challenge in itself.

Winning the game? It was hard to even imagine!

But for Zhang Xu, the greater the challenge, the more excited he became!

So, without hesitation, he accepted all the quests!

After accepting the quests, Zhang Xu felt a surge of fighting spirit welling up in his chest. His blood began to boil with excitement, and his face turned red.

Philip happened to turn around and, seeing Zhang Xu's eager expression, couldn't help but smile. He then approached Coach Mazu and suggested quietly, "Mazu, how about getting the substitutes to warm up, keep them from fidgeting and ease their nervousness?"

"Alright, you arrange that!" Coach Mazu replied absentmindedly, without even turning around. He had all his focus on the field.

Philip went to the bench and shouted loudly, "Alright, guys on the bench, everyone, start warming up. I want to see everyone with sweat on their faces in 5 minutes!"

Hearing Philip's orders, Zhang Xu, who had been eager to get onto the field, was the first to rush out of the bench area and start his warm-up routine.

.....

As the game progressed to the 33rd minute, Tienen launched another attack. Tienen's Number 7, Manuel, sparked an attack down the left flank. His approach was a blend of technical skill and strategic thinking, crucial for breaking down White Star's defense.

Manuel started by engaging in a swift 1-2 passing combination with his teammates. This classic give-and-go tactic involved a quick exchange of passes, allowing Manuel to exploit the small spaces in White Star's defensive line. His first pass was sharp and precise, and the return ball came back to him with equal accuracy, demonstrating the cohesiveness of Tienen's attacking play.

Gaining momentum, Manuel advanced rapidly towards the left side, nearing the baseline of White Star's defense. Here, he showcased his dribbling prowess. With a clever feint, he initially suggested cutting inside, leading White Star's right-back, Alexander, to anticipate an inward move. This feint was a key maneuver, creating a moment of uncertainty in the defender's mind.

However, in a swift change of direction, Manuel instead darted towards the byline on the left. His sudden burst of speed and agility caught Alexander off guard, creating just enough space for Manuel to execute his next move.

Approaching the byline, Manuel didn't hesitate. He whipped in a decisive cross before Alexander could fully react and close down the space. But the quality of the cross wasn't particularly high; it was a light and slow cross. However, its trajectory was threatening. For a moment, all the White Star players were inside the penalty area, preparing to contest for the header.

In a critical defensive moment for White Star, their center-back, Rafi, displayed his aerial dominance. As Tienen delivered a threatening ball into the penalty area, Rafi's positioning and anticipation were key. He positioned himself strategically, using his height and strong sense of timing to his advantage. When the cross came in, Rafi rose above the surrounding players, meeting the ball with a powerful header. His technique, involving a combination of a well-timed leap and a forceful snap of the neck, ensured that he won the header and effectively cleared the ball from the danger zone.

Driss, the team captain, was well-placed to receive Rafi's clearance.

Demonstrating his defensive awareness and quick decision-making, Driss didn't dwell on the ball. Instead, he promptly executed a clearance, alleviating the pressure on White Star's defense.

However, the moment of relief was short-lived. As Rafi landed from his jump, a misstep occurred. In the congested penalty area, he accidentally stepped on the foot of a Tienen forward. This unfortunate contact caused Rafi to twist his right ankle awkwardly. The immediate impact was evident – his ankle swelled rapidly, signaling a potential injury.

With this unfortunate development, the game naturally came to a pause. After a preliminary diagnosis by team doctor Robert, Rafi had a severe ankle sprain and couldn't continue playing; they needed to make a substitution.

Substitution?

At this tense and critical moment, a substitution?!

Was this a joke? Coach Mazu looked at the bench and saw only the 19-year-old defensive midfield among the substitutes. His scalp went numb!

"How about letting Zhang try, and switching to a 3-5-2 double defensive midfield formation?" Philip approached Coach Mazu and suggested in a low voice.

"Double defensive midfield?" Coach Mazu's eyes lit up. Indeed, Zhang's defensive abilities were no less than any of the defenders, and as someone who had played as a defensive midfielder for a long time, Zhang could provide strong protection for the team's core, Captain Driss. Moreover, the double defensive midfield formation was the team's usual playing style, and the team wouldn't feel unfamiliar with it.

Furthermore, in this situation, whether they lost by two goals or three or four, it didn't make much of a difference. Tienen was a strong home team, and even if they lost, the fans wouldn't blame the coaching staff.

Take a gamble? Alright, let's take a gamble!

"Rafi, number 4, out! Zhang, number 15, in!"

Soon, Coach Mazu made the substitution adjustment. Zhang Xu, who was included in the eighteen-man squad for the first time, made his debut in the professional league!

Upon seeing the substitutes for White Star, the fan coordinator Jerry was astonished.

He exclaimed "Oh my God! What did I see? White Star is actually putting in that poor rookie for his debut now!"

"Are they giving up? Unbelievable! It seems like White Star are just trying out new players!"

"Haha, well, since the opponents have surrendered, there's no need for us to be polite! The heroes of Tienen are about to stage a bloody massacre; will they show any mercy?"

"No! No mercy! Crush them!" The fans at the stadium were completely stirred up by Jerry's commentary, and they roared in agreement, demanding a harsh lesson for White Star.

In the northwest corner of the stadium was the area for White Star fans. Their numbers were not large, with just under a thousand people, and the James couple happened to be among them.

"Haha, Zhang! Zhang! He's on! He's finally on!" James appeared more excited than Zhang, pointing to the preparing-to-enter Zhang Xu. He loudly announced to the White Star fans around him, "The Chinese player who lives in our house, Zhang, is about to make his debut!"

"Can he do it? We're already trailing 2-0!"

"Yeah, what can he change by coming on? Sigh!"

"Let's hope he can have a good performance, and doesn't let this game cast a shadow on him!"

"Let's give our support to the new rookie Zhang; maybe he'll surprise us!"

The White Star fans around the James couple clearly didn't hold much hope for the current situation, but they still gave their best wishes to the team and to Zhang Xu, who was about to take the field.

Under the unified command of the fan association, nearly a thousand White Star fans in the northwest corner of the stadium, although somewhat weaker compared to Tienen's fans, displayed their unwavering support with firm and resolute chants.

"After you go on, make it clear to Captain Driss to switch to a 3-5-2 defensive midfield formation! Zhang, your task is crucial; the team's ability to turn the game around depends on you! Go for it!" Coach Mazu stood by Zhang Xu's side, giving him the final instructions with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, Coach Mazu, I will give it my all!" Zhang Xu replied with determination.

"Go now, kid. I believe you will surprise us!" Coach Mazu said, and even though he found it hard to believe.

But Zhang Xu didn't pay much attention to Coach Mazu's inner turmoil. He just stared firmly at the fourth official on the sidelines, waiting for the signal that would allow him to enter the field.

I'm going on!

I'm finally going on!

I'm finally making my debut in a professional league match!

For others, this might be an insignificant event, but for me, Zhang Xu, it's a historic moment that I will remember for the rest of my life!

At this moment, Zhang Xu recalled a classic saying: "With a thunderous entrance, I will shine!" Haha, how well it fit the current situation!

On the afternoon of September 25, 2011, in the sixth round of the Belgian Second Division, during the match between Tienen and White Star, in the 35th minute, which was just ten minutes before the end of the first half, an unknown Chinese youngster stepped onto the stage of professional football for the first time...