Chapter 36: Focus

Chapter 36: Focus

Portugal U20 had been under immense pressure to break the deadlock in the match, but once they scored the first goal, the anxiety shifted to their opponents. As expected, after Portugal U20 took the lead, the Belgian U20 team began to panic and committed more players forward in attack.

Although Portugal U20's defense was quite poor, Belgium U20's offensive capabilities were just as modest. The matchup was lively yet largely ineffective. Bruno, not known for his defensive prowess, retreated to his own half during Belgian attacks, providing only symbolic support to the central defense while focusing on counterattacking opportunities.

Belgium intensified their attacks but lacked the quality to make them count, which only provided more counterattacking chances for Portugal. However, due to insufficient attacking force at that time, several counterattacks failed to produce goals.

This emboldened Belgium even further; they pushed their midfielders up, gambling on increasing their attacking pressure. In the 72nd minute, another counterattack by Portugal started with a defensive interception. Right-back Mica Pinto advanced to support the attack, and Bruno signaled for the ball, controlled it, and made a diagonal pass to the left flank.

Left-winger Esagio, unmarked, didn't hesitate and shot directly. The ball once again found the back of the Belgian net. 2-0!

Bruno's two assists, which seemed almost supernatural to his teammates, solidified Portugal's two-goal lead and thoroughly impressed the proud young squad. While his skills had already astounded them during training, the impact he made in an actual match was even more profound.

Even the coaching staff on the sidelines was amazed by Bruno's expansive vision. They had studied his play at Novara through videos, but witnessing his abilities in person was a far more vivid and impactful experience.

The consecutive goals boosted the morale of the Portuguese U20 team, who then dominated Belgium with newfound confidence. In the 73rd minute, Coach Ramos made his third substitution, replacing midfielder Ricardo Alves with Agostinho Cá.

Just five minutes later, in the 78th minute, Bruno received the ball on the right edge of the box, shook off a defender, and passed to the right wing. The right winger Bruma, along with the upfield-supporting team captain João Mário, orchestrated a play where João Mário sent the ball back from the baseline. Agostinho Cá, who had just come on, was perfectly positioned to push the ball into an empty net.

3-0! The comprehensive victory left the Portuguese U20 team elated. They had never realized winning could feel so effortless and enjoyable.

However, the soaring confidence of Portugal was soon to be tested. The Toulon Tournament schedule was tight, and just two days later, in the third round of the group stage, they faced the formidable Brazil U20. Despite Brazil's youth team not qualifying for the upcoming U20 World Cup in Turkey, their strength was undeniable.

Facing an opponent with superior overall strength, Portugal's defensive frailties were glaringly exposed. In the 10th and 11th minutes of the match, Brazil struck twice in quick succession. The goals were scored by 18-year-old forward Mamute and 17-year-old midfielder Danilo Barbosa. The two goals came just 1 minute and 25 seconds apart, leaving Portugal U20 completely dazed.

Fortunately for Portugal, the Brazilians did not press their advantage like the Germans might have, instead relaxing their attack, which allowed Portugal U20 to catch their breath. If they had been facing Germany, given Portugal's disarray after the quick succession of goals, they likely would have conceded more and collapsed entirely.

Brazil's leniency allowed Portugal U20 to survive the first half without further damage.

After the halftime break, Coach Ramos made substitutions, bringing Bruno back into play. Brazil's defense was no better than Portugal's; the only reason they hadn't conceded in the first half was due to Portugal's lethargic play, which failed to produce significant threats.

With Bruno's entry, the game's dynamics changed. In a six-minute span from the 66th to the 72nd minute, Bruno's involvement in two goals and an assist led Portugal U20 to overturn the game against Brazil.

Youth teams often lack consistency due to their players' young age and emotional susceptibility, leading to large swings in performance. This trait was starkly evident in the Brazilian squad, and it was also a factor in their failure to qualify for the World Cup, despite being the champions in 2011.

If Bruno's first match showcased his excellent vision and passing skills, this match against Brazil highlighted his incredible ability to seize opportunities. Despite focused defense from Brazil, Bruno stepped up when his teammates were underperforming, displaying formidable strength in scoring two goals almost single-handedly.

Over the past year, Bruno had followed a specialized training regimen designed by the Master Training System, significantly enhancing his physique. Now standing at 183 cm and weighing 77 kg, he was not only muscular but also had greatly improved his ability to compete physically. While he might not match the physicality of top players in the five major leagues, he could certainly hold his own against his peers from Brazil U20.

Bruno's display of robust scoring prowess left his Portuguese teammates in awe once again. They could hardly believe that the polite and elegant individual they had known for the past two weeks could exhibit such ferocity.

With back-to-back victories, Portugal secured the top spot in Group B and was highly likely to finish first in the group, with upcoming matches against Mexico and Nigeria posing little threat to their progress.

Despite already knowing about the defensive shortcomings of this Portugal U20 team, Bruno could not have imagined how bad it truly was until seeing it firsthand in subsequent games, especially against Mexico.

The match against Mexico started disastrously for Portugal, conceding a goal in the very first minute as Mexico's quick opening attack caught the Portuguese defense off guard. The goal was scored by winger Marco Antiveros.

Throughout the game, Portugal's defense was repeatedly breached, but they managed to respond each time, leading to a back-and-forth match. Bruno orchestrated several counterattacks, and with assists and goals, helped balance the score repeatedly.

The game against Mexico ended in a 3-3 draw, a high-scoring affair that highlighted both teams' offensive capabilities and defensive vulnerabilities.

In another match, Brazil, still reeling from their loss to Portugal, tied 1-1 with Nigeria, marking another surprising outcome.

With Brazil's campaign ending in disappointment, they finished with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, totaling 7 points but nearly out of contention for first place in the group.

On June 7th, Portugal faced Nigeria in the fifth round of the Toulon Tournament. Predictably, Portugal won 2-1, topping Group B with an undefeated record of 3 wins and 1 draw, securing their place in the finals on June 8th against Group A's top team.

Unexpectedly, Colombia U20 dominated Group A, edging out host France U20 with four consecutive victories to lead the group.

Portugal faced significant pressure to win their first Toulon Tournament title in ten years. However, through four group matches, Bruno had become the center of attention for scouts from around the world.

While his fame had been somewhat confined to Italy due to playing in Serie B, the Toulon Tournament's prestige as a nursery for up-and-coming talent far exceeded that of Serie B. In these four matches, two as a substitute and two as a starter, Bruno's outstanding performance of 2 goals and 5 assists made him one of the tournament's brightest stars, attracting the attention of global scouts.

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