Chapter 3 : Foul

"Great job, man! You broke through them all on your own!"

"Nice shot! Let's win this game now!"

Isagi stood up, taking in the praise from his teammates. He walked over to the ball, preparing for the kickoff, making it clear that he wasn't done yet.

'Wow, he's good. That's not how the coach instructed, though... Were they saving him for last?'

Kira, standing on the other half near the ball Isagi had just brought to him, kept glancing over at him. He kicked the ball toward midfield. Matsukaze Kokuo's goal was clear: they were parking the bus, keeping possession without crossing into Ichinan's half.

With only 15 minutes left in the game, their defensive strategy seemed reasonable.

Ichinan continued pressing forward, but the defense remained tight, not allowing any counterattacks to break through. After four minutes of back-and-forth play, the ball was intercepted in midfield and passed to Tada, who initiated an attack from the right. He then passed to Isagi, who sprinted forward, dodging two defenders who were tightly marking him.

Instead of trapping the ball, Isagi played a direct through-pass to the left winger, who managed to trap it just behind his marker. By the time the left winger controlled the ball, Isagi was already positioned in front of the penalty box.

Fans and players of Matsukaze Kokuo held their breath, realizing their goal was about to be threatened again as the left winger passed the ball to Isagi.

The pass could've been better, but it was enough. Isagi made a sharp left-diagonal run as the ball came to him, but the goalkeeper, sensing the danger, rushed out to close the distance, spreading his arms in an attempt to intimidate him.

Isagi remained calm, effortlessly chipping the ball over the goalkeeper's head. The ball bounced into the net.

{There it is! They have equalized in the 80th minute!}

{This game is full of surprises! No.11, Isagi Yoichi, showed incredible precision and vision, making a 90-degree pass with perfect timing.}

{And what a cheeky chip shot to finish it off!}

The commentators hyped the crowd, energizing everyone watching, both in the stadium and through the broadcast.

The fans of Matsukaze Kokuo groaned in annoyance but couldn't help but feel impressed by Isagi. His sudden emergence had turned what seemed like a one-sided game into a thrilling showdown.

After a brief celebration, Ichinan resumed their play, with their coach feeling proud. The teamwork he had instilled in his players had finally been put to use, albeit in the second attack, unlike the first, which hadn't followed the 'One for all' philosophy.

Matsukaze Kokuo, on the other hand, couldn't believe their lead was now gone. They were back to an even score, but it wasn't really equal. Both attacks from Ichinan had been flawless, and it was all thanks to...

"...Him, Isagi Yoichi."

Kira's gaze fixed on Isagi as he stood poised to snatch the opportunity of going to Nationals from him. He turned to look at his teammates, hoping they wouldn't get too discouraged by the equalizer. But the determination in their eyes told a different story. They were ready to make one last, ferocious push to end the game.

Kira felt a surge of energy as he saw their resolve. Without hesitation, he kicked off and made his run, charging forward into the midfield. A pass from the center midfielder reached him, and he dashed past the opposing midfielders, heading straight for the center-backs, who rushed at him—not to steal the ball, but to tackle him.

Kira, sensing their intentions, decided to dribble past them. Perhaps it was Isagi's relentless run that had made him more daring, but before he could execute his move, the left-back of Ichinan made a perfect slide tackle, intercepting the ball.

The ball was lofted toward Isagi on the opposite side of the field. Isagi trapped it with his chest, pivoted swiftly, and feinted to go left, past the defender who was marking him. As he broke free, heading toward the penalty box, the goalkeeper stiffened in preparation.

But just as Isagi prepared to make his run, a defender lunged in with an aggressive tackle, colliding with him. Isagi had intended to evade the tackle, but the force was too great. He was brought down to the ground.

{Ah! The defender made a risky challenge there. But it was necessary, or Isagi would've been one-on-one with the goalkeeper again, and that hasn't worked out too well so far.}

{Yeah, this kid sure knows how to make an impact in just 20 minutes.}

The referee blew his whistle, signaling the foul and showing a yellow card to the Matsukaze Kokuo defender. He then checked on Isagi, who quickly rose to his feet.

Isagi's teammates rushed toward the Matsukaze Kokuo defender, furious that the foul had denied them a potential lead. Matsukaze Kokuo players sprinted in to defend their teammate, but Kira stepped forward to keep the peace, trying to prevent a full-blown confrontation.

While the chaos unfolded, Isagi calmly placed the ball on the mark where the referee had indicated for the free-kick. He stood in front of it, waiting for the game to resume.

{Well, someone's eager to go! Let's get this game back underway!}

Kira and the Matsukaze Kokuo players moved back to their half, followed by Ichinan's players. Isagi felt no frustration, only the thrill of the game. He was enjoying every moment—having his youth back, playing football again, and with the added bonus of a System that could help him achieve his dream of winning a World Cup, something he never accomplished in his previous life. In his past career, he'd only been selected for the National Team once, and even then, it was as a substitute with very little playing time.

Now, everything had changed. Though he sometimes wished to return to his original world, to relive his youth with the experience he now had, what he already possessed felt like a blessing. He wasn't about to waste it.

The goal was 27 yards away, and Isagi quickly assessed the situation. His teammates weren't particularly tall, and their heading abilities were lacking. That only gave him more reason to take the shot himself. A grin spread across his face as he stepped back ten paces. He glanced at the goalkeeper, noting that he was positioned slightly to the left. The wall of defenders had positioned themselves to the right, guarding the goal.

Isagi's focus sharpened. He had one shot—this time, he wouldn't miss.

.

.

.

.

.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------