“The Da Xia Country Youth Team should try to attack. Always shrinking back... Do you think you are the leading side? Japan’s attack is coming again! A long-range shot! Blocked! Counterattack!!! A counterattack along the wing!!!”
“Direct cross? Too rushed!! Eh? Wait!! Ye...Ye Cheng! Wow wow wow! Unbelievable! A header lob from the top of the Penalty Area! My goodness… The ball is in! One to two! The Da Xia Country team has pulled one back!! Ye Cheng, who came on as a substitute, helped the Da Xia Country Youth Team pull one back!!!”
The commentary booth erupted.
Tianhe Stadium also erupted.
“Beautiful! Beautiful! There’s still a chance! There’s still a chance!!”
“Wow! Look at this goal! He seized the opportunity at the top of the Penalty Area when the opposing goalkeeper was too far out, scoring directly with a header lob, precisely sending the ball into the net!”
“Great goal!”
In the roaring stadium.
Li Tie stumbled.
What the heck?!
He was absolutely dumbfounded.
He had thought that.
A big clumsy guy like Ye Cheng couldn’t possibly score with almost no offensive support.
But then…
This guy actually scored!
Li Tie’s hands started to tremble.
He himself lost money, but he had to swallow it.
The crucial thing was…
Those bigwigs at the Football Association…
They wouldn't blame him, would they?!
Li Tie’s hands and feet went cold, and he collapsed onto the coaching bench.
Anyone who didn't know would have thought that the head coach of the Da Xia Country Youth U19 Youth Team had lost his entire family.
Even when his own team scored, he had that expression as if his whole family had died.
Ye Cheng ran back with the ball.
There probably wasn’t enough time to turn the game around.
He clenched his fists and said to his teammates, “See? We can try to attack!”
As for match-fixing.
Li Tie couldn't openly publicize it.
Especially not to these young people of seventeen or eighteen—young people are very hot-headed.
So…
Most of the players were actually unaware of Li Tie’s scheme, and only one or two of his closest players were in cahoots with him, just a small circle.
Under these circumstances.
Ye Cheng used this goal to successfully boost his teammates' confidence.
Seeing this, Li Tie even considered substituting Ye Cheng.
But he didn’t dare…
Directly substituting the goal scorer right after he scored.
This would definitely cause a huge stir.
Moreover.
They had already scored.
Substituting Ye Cheng wouldn't help anyway…
So.
Li Tie gave up.
He sat on the coaching bench.
Without saying a word.
And then…
He witnessed the birth of the second and third goals…
…..
“The third! The third! A header! Another header!! Oh oh oh! A tall center forward is truly effective!”
In the commentary booth, the commentator cheered with raised arms.
Echoing the jubilant fans in Tianhe Stadium.
The fans were no longer shouting for refunds.
Instead, they collectively chanted Ye Cheng’s name.
“Ye Cheng! Ye Cheng! Ye Cheng!”
Amidst the cheers.
Ye Cheng patted his head and came to the sidelines, enjoying the cheers from all the fans in the stadium.
He stole a glance at Li Tie, who sat on the coaching bench looking as if his mother had died.
Next…
This old man is probably plotting how to retaliate, right?
No!
He will definitely retaliate.
The opponent for the next match is the Australia team.
He must have placed bets on that too.
So…
He will definitely find a way to make sure he doesn't play in that match!
Li Tie saw Ye Cheng’s gaze.
He frowned slightly.
This kid… could he have noticed something?
…..
In the stands, the fans cheered.
At the same time.
Many scouts also noticed Ye Cheng’s performance.
Due to the development of Japan’s football in recent years.
Many Japanese footballers have performed excellently in Europe; therefore, many European teams send scouts to observe the performance of young Japanese players.
After all, they are good quality and inexpensive—to play in Europe, many Japanese players do not demand excessive salaries, and Japanese clubs also encourage players to go abroad.
But now, many scouts in the stands began to pay attention to Ye Cheng.
“This heading ability… is already up to the standard for a top League.”
“Good height, decent strength, with this heading specialty… I believe many teams would be willing to give him a chance; even if he’s on the bench, he can play a role at crucial moments.”
Many scouts quickly jotted down Ye Cheng’s characteristics in their notebooks.
Stefano Esposito, a scout from Italy, narrowed his eyes slightly.
“His other skills are terrible, but this heading… is truly too appealing!”
“He is also a Da Xia Country person…”
Esposito wrote down Ye Cheng’s name in his notebook.
He is a “freelance scout”; if the players he discovers are hired by professional teams in Serie A or Serie B, he also receives corresponding financial income.
Therefore, Esposito would not let go of discovering a “genius” worth nurturing.
He was already planning how to contact Ye Cheng.
…..
It was quite normal for Ye Cheng, relying on his max-level heading, to score a hat-trick and dominate the Japan U19 youngsters.
There is still a considerable gap between youth teams and real professional teams.
Even youth players selected for the Japan U19 National Youth Team may not necessarily establish themselves in professional League matches in the future.
As the referee blew the final whistle.
The atmosphere on site reached a climax again.
The Da Xia Country U19 Youth Team, after being two goals down, scored three consecutive goals to reverse the Japan Youth Team.
This quickly ignited the entire internet.
Ye Cheng walked off the field with his teammates.
In his mind, a series of notification sounds rang out.
【God Descends! Genius Tall Center Forward Ye Cheng Becomes Anti-Japan Hero!】
【Hat-trick! Two Goals Down, Miraculous Comeback!】
【National Youth Team Fringe Player Ye Cheng Becomes Famous in One Battle!】
【National Football Team’s Frontline for the Next Ten Years, No Worries!】
The media rushed to publish news of the match with various eye-catching headlines.
【Ding! Match over! Match rating being settled!】
【Ding! This match’s rating: S】
【Obtained S-rank match rating reward: Experience +1000! S-rank random treasure chest】
【Side quest completed, quest reward being settled.】
【Experience +1000! Obtained title 【Anti-Japan Hero】!】
【Anti-Japan Hero】: When your opponent has Japanese players, shooting accuracy +1!
“Open S-rank treasure chest!”
Ye Cheng thought.
As the treasure chest flashed with red light, it opened.
The system voice prompted:
【Ding! Obtained skill: Pillar of the Penalty Area】
....
【Pillar of the Penalty Area】: LV1 (0/1000) 【Max LV5】
Skill Effect: Strength +1; Balance +1; Jumping +1; When colliding physically with an opponent, there is a 5% chance to trigger the 【Knockdown】 effect.
【Knockdown】: The opponent loses balance and falls after colliding with you; you will not be called for a foul because of this.