Chapter 53
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Park Si-hyun Takes the Field!!
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[The players are entering the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. Today's opponent is Scotland, ranked 55th in the FIFA rankings.]
Yes, amid roaring cheers, both teams are making their entrance. With Hong Myung-bo sidelined, Hwang Sun-hong has taken the captain's armband.
That's right. It was a controversial decision, but word is the national team players have actually focused even more, pushing through intense training.
Exactly. And today, Hiddink has switched from the usual 3-4-3 to a 4-4-2 formation. What's the reasoning there?
Stability, for sure. A back four solidifies the defensive structure and adds muscle to the midfield battle. Plus, it allows for quick counters. The downside is fewer bodies in the box for attacks, which can lead to isolation. Overcoming that will be key today.
Intriguing. One more thing: Park Si-hyun and Lee Sung-min are starting on the bench today.
Yes, watching when these new faces come on will be a highlight.
Alright, kickoff preparations are complete. South Korea starts with the kickoff!
The whistle blew, and Hwang Sun-hong took the first pass from the center circle before turning.
"Sang-chul!"
Hwang Sun-hong quickly fed the ball to Yoo Sang-chul.
At that moment—
The Scottish players surged forward as if on cue.
Scotland pressing hard right from the start!
Three players charged in at once, trying to disrupt Korea's build-up.
But Yoo Sang-chul didn't flinch.
He shrugged off the pressure with his shoulder and flicked a one-touch pass to Kim Nam-il.
The ball came straight back. Yoo Sang-chul trapped it and scanned forward without a second's hesitation.
In that split second, he spotted a gap splitting open between the Scottish defensive line.
In truth, this early aggressive press was Scotland's plan.
A high press to cut off Korea's habit of pushing the line forward boldly in their 3-4-3.
But today, it was 4-4-2.
For Korea, who had dropped their line and were primed for counters, Scotland's hasty press handed them a fatal opening.
"Chun-soo, run!"
With Yoo Sang-chul's shout, a razor-sharp long pass rocketed off his right foot.
Yoo Sang-chul links short with Kim Nam-il to draw the press, then threads a long ball in an instant!
The ball to Lee Chun-soo! Connected to Lee Chun-soo!
The moment the pass went up, Lee Chun-soo was already in motion.
His explosive first step broke the line before the defenders could react.
Two Scottish defenders lunged, but it wasn't enough to catch Lee Chun-soo, who had started a step ahead.
The ball landed perfectly on his toe.
He charged straight into the box.
The defensive line crumbled in seconds, leaving just one man: the keeper.
Normally, Lee Chun-soo would've unleashed his signature shot without thinking twice.
But not this time.
Park Si-hyun's play from training flashed through his mind.
'Si-hyun doesn't shoot right away in these spots. He always feints to shake the keeper first.'
In truth, Park Si-hyun always mixed in feints during 1-v-1s to draw out the keeper's reaction.
As a result, he'd never wasted a single 1-v-1 chance in training.
Of course, that was a misconception.
Park Si-hyun's real style was bold shots from mid- or close-range, no hesitation.
He'd only added feints in national team scrimmages to avoid injuring the keeper, finishing lightly.
But to Lee Chun-soo, dreaming of European glory, it looked like 'the basics of a European striker.'
'Alright, let's give it a try.'
Lee Chun-soo telegraphed a right-footed shot, lifting his foot high.
The keeper's shoulder twitched.
'It works? Man, I'm a genius.'
Spotting the reaction, Lee Chun-soo grinned and curved a left-footed shot around.
Bang!
The keeper, completely fooled, could only watch as the net rippled and sagged.
"Yaaaaah!!! The man heading to Real Madrid, Lee Chun-soo!!!"
"Waaaaah!!!"
The Busan Asiad Main Stadium erupted like the roof might blow off.
All the frustration and controversy aimed at the national team melted into cheers before this early thunderbolt.
The red wave rose as one, waving Taegukgi flags and roaring. "Dae~han Minguk!" chants echoed endlessly.
Lee Chun-soo! Lee Chun-soo! Goooal!!! A sensational finish! Faked with the right to fool the keeper perfectly, then wrapped it home with the left!
Hahaha! Yoo Sang-chul's pass was pinpoint, and Lee Chun-soo brought it to life with his speed, timing, and that cheeky finish. Outstanding!
On the bench, Hiddink leapt up, clenching his fist and barking shortly.
"I'm still hungry!"
"Well done. Even though the tactics aren't fully ingrained yet... you showed a lot in the first half."
Hiddink's voice was low and firm.
Despite leading 3-0, he sounded as cold as if they were trailing.
The excited players snapped back to attention.
"How did it feel out there? Not much different from 3-4-3, right?"
Park Ji-sung answered cautiously.
"Yes, Coach. Starting lower gives more stability. But the running volume is definitely up."
Hiddink nodded and picked up the tactics board.
His finger traced a quick line through the center.
"Right. A lot of people call 4-4-2 a simple counter tactic. But ours is different. It's not just sitting back—it's the launch point. Use this base to draw them out, shake their line, and shift to 4-2-4."
Hiddink's gaze shifted to the flanks.
"Ji-sung, Du-ri—you handled those roles perfectly. Pushing up the sides, then dropping back to cover midfield. That's why the second and third goals happened."
Park Ji-sung and Cha Du-ri nodded silently.
Then Hiddink's finger pointed to the center.
"Sang-chul, Nam-il. How're the central mids holding up stamina-wise?"
Yoo Sang-chul met his eyes steadily, despite his ragged breathing.
"...Honestly, it's tough. But we're good for more."
It had to be tough.
The tactic's biggest flaw was the central gap that opened whenever the wing mids pushed up.
Yoo Sang-chul and Kim Nam-il had to cover it alone.
The higher the line went, the more their burden snowballed—and they ran the most.
"Good. Then we'll sub elsewhere. Si-hyun and Ki-hyun for Sun-hong and Chun-soo. Sung-min for Tae-young in defense."
Lee Sung-min jittered with nerves, but Park Si-hyun sat stone-still, eyes unwavering.
Hiddink looked right at him.
"Si-hyun, you're not nervous, are you?"
Park Si-hyun shook his head firmly.
"Park Si-hyun doesn't get nervous."
Hiddink flashed a brief smile and nodded.
"Good. Plenty of eyes aren't kind to you right now. Change that with your play. Go wild your way, on your terms. Show Korea there's a player named Park Si-hyun."
"Yes."
The national team had already quieted public opinion with their dominant first half.
But that hadn't erased the distrust toward Park Si-hyun.
Whether that resentment grew or vanished would be decided in the second half.
But Park Si-hyun's chest thumped not with tension, but excitement.
'Wonder what faces the haters will make... when they see my play?'
He was already set to shine. Tension was a luxury.
'...Time to run wild.'
Second half underway, players back on the pitch. Hiddink proved Korean soccer's strength in the first half, transcending a plain 4-4-2 with innovative variations.
Yes. Up top, Lee Chun-soo and Hwang Sun-hong are out, replaced by Park Si-hyun—the center of controversy—and Seol Ki-hyun. In defense, Kim Tae-young makes way for newcomer Lee Sung-min.
Leading 3-0 already. Perfect stage to test 17-year-old Park Si-hyun (18 in Korean age) and 29-year-old debutant Lee Sung-min.
Can Park Si-hyun silence the public's doubts with his skill? And what will Lee Sung-min show in this chance? Stay tuned.
In front of the TV blaring the commentary, a middle-aged man scowled.
"Park Si-hyun..."
His name was Kim Tae-ho.
Once the high school soccer coach of Park Si-hyun's team, and in the original timeline, the mentor Park Si-hyun revered.
But after Park Si-hyun vanished overnight, the team couldn't fill the void and plummeted.
Records hit rock bottom, and Kim Tae-ho was fired.
Now he clung to connections for a spot in a soccer association affiliate, but it wasn't the stage he dreamed of.
What he craved was different.
A legendary K League coach.
Commanding tactics before roaring crowds, claiming victories.
That was his true dream.
But one failure, one collapse, shattered it all.
And Kim Tae-ho blamed it all on Park Si-hyun.
Of course, the fault was his own.
He'd taken bribes to force Park Si-hyun out of position and twisted players to his whims.
But he never blamed himself.
'You were always a defender. You wrecked the team playing forward like an idiot. My choice wasn't about the money—it was my conviction. I was right.'
He brainwashed himself like that, wrapping his mistakes in "belief" and rationalizing greed as "coach's eye."
And now, seeing Park Si-hyun back on TV, he was certain.
'This match will expose your limits. In front of everyone, it'll prove you're no striker.'