First Championship (8)
First Championship (8)
051
Song Hyuk-gyu, who started as a side midfielder for Myeonghak University on the final stage, gritted his teeth.
Originally, this spot shouldn't have been his.
A rotation member, not a starter.
Even then, the only reason Song Hyuk-gyu, whose main position is center-back, could start in the important final stage as a side midfielder was solely due to his outstanding defensive ability.
'I just need to stop this bastard!'
It was to stop the Hojin University number 15 who was lurking right in front of him from running wild.
'This is definitely not easy. It's almost overwhelming.'
He hadn't been worried when he heard the coach's request.
Because Song Hyuk-gyu's defensive ability was the best in the university league. It wasn't for nothing that he was a rotation player for Myeonghak University, which was called the prestigious of the prestigious and a regular winner.
However, despite having the best defensive ability in the league, the reason he was a rotation member was because Song Hyuk-gyu had a major flaw.
It was his short height.
For a Korean man, 180cm is by no means a short height. Rather, it's a tall height that one could boast of as a 'winner,' but in the reality of soccer players, especially center-backs, even 180cm was classified as short.
Surprisingly, there are quite a few short center-backs in the soccer world.
There are even players like Spain's Carles Puyol, Italy's Fabio Cannavaro, and Argentina's Roberto Ayala, who became legends in club teams and national teams with heights in the 170cm range.
However, they had the ability to make up for the weakness of being short.
Whether it was showing aerial ability that surpassed most tall attackers with physical ability that seemed inhuman despite being short, commanding the defensive line and positioning accurately with overwhelming judgment and soccer intelligence, or having excellent rear playmaking ability.
Naturally, if Song Hyuk-gyu had such abilities, he wouldn't have been pushed to rotation.
Song Hyuk-gyu only had good defensive ability. Only defensive ability.
But that was also why he could take on this role in the final stage.
'I've worked so hard for this opportunity. I will definitely stop him!'
Song Hyuk-gyu, who had been hovering nearby while keeping a close eye on the lurking Hojin University number 15, was able to notice it.
That the guy who was lurking as if he didn't care about his team being beaten constantly was suddenly rushing in like a madman.
'Number 15... was it Hong Min-jun.'
Only a freshman.
To think a freshman would start in the final stage. He knew he was a guy with outstanding talent, enough for the coach to put him in as a side midfielder to man-mark him, but,
'I'll stop him again!'
He's just a freshman lacking experience.
He stuck close behind the guy who was ghost-like in identifying where the ball would fly and running towards it.
His trapping was so mysterious and his individual skills were so good that he would keep possession even when he lost his balance, so he had long given up on stealing the ball. This time, too, he intended to just delay time, so when the guy used one foot as a pivot foot for trapping, if he pushed him like this—
'What!?'
He definitely wavered.
Even though the guy's posture was disturbed as his balance collapsed due to the rough challenge— the guy changed the direction of the incoming ball with an absurd first touch.
Through Song Hyuk-gyu's legs, which had spread while challenging.
'Ah, n-no!'
In that short moment when his gaze was drawn to the ball passing between his legs, the guy, who had regained his balance in an instant, made a move as if to dash forward, so Song Hyuk-gyu quickly grabbed and pulled the guy's uniform.
If it were the force of a guy running, there should naturally be a repulsive force, but he felt no repulsive force from the hand that was pulling.
Rather, the guy who was pulled along obediently... didn't he just use the pulling force as if he had been waiting for it, spin around using Song Hyuk-gyu's body as an axis, naturally shake off the hand holding him, and run forward just like that?
"T-this can't be..."
Song Hyuk-gyu, who had tripped over his own feet while trying to follow him unreasonably, could only sit there blankly and watch his teammates get penetrated like scarecrows.
1 person, 2 people, 3 people... and a goal.
The coach's nagging, which he had worried about excessively, flashed through his mind.
"What... what kind of nonsense is this..."
Generally, university league games are not broadcast.
The reason is simple. Because they aren't popular.
However, the university league is a tournament organized by the Korea Football Association, anyway. Since it's a tournament held on a national scale, they do broadcast it when it reaches the finals. On the internet.
Even if it's an internet broadcast, there must be a caster and a commentator.
Kim Chan-sik, the commentator in charge of today's university league final, the King of Kings Tournament, was roaring.
"He's running! He's running, he's running, he's running!!! He's fast!!!"
"U-um, Commentator Kim Chan-sik. Please calm down a little and give us commentary, explain—"
"Number 15, Hong Min-jun!! What an absurd su—per play!! An amazing play has happened!!!"
"Like I said, give us commentary—"
"Shoooot!! Goal!! Goooaaal!!! It's a goal, it's a goal!! A gi~ga-mac-hin wonder goal by player Hong Min-jun!!"
"...Yes, player Hong Min-jun, number 15 of Hojin University, caught the ball from the half-line, dribbled, broke through 4 people, and scored a goal—"
"Goal~ goal goal goal goal!! An amazing, truly gi-ga-mac-hin wonder goal!!"
Caster Han Sang-yong, who was pulling on the clothes of commentator Kim Chan-sik, who was shouting while standing up in a frenzy, quickly continued.
"Ah, that's a great scene. The replay is coming up. Commentator Kim Chan-sik, could you please explain?"
"Looking at the replay video, wow~ I'm speechless! Our player Hong Min-jun is truly amazing!"
"Yes~ that's an amazing movement. So what kind of movement was it?"
"Keuu~~!! Look here!! The clever movement where he uses the force of Myeonghak University's Song Hyuk-gyu pulling his uniform to turn his body, release the hand, and run forward!! After that, he breaks through 3 people, and shoots just like that!! Keua~!!"
"Ah, yes... I see."
Han Sang-yong, who was wiping away cold sweat while watching Kim Chan-sik shouting at the top of his lungs with otherworldly tension, checked the chat window with concern.
—Holy shit, that was insane
—Insane, crazy, let it go!
—Wow, the level of the university league is crazy
—Who's the commentator? His shouting is crazy lol
—Kim Chan-sik lol he's doing this here too
—Ah lol can't help but love Chan-sik hyung's shouting lol
—Is the half-line dribble for real lol he's just piercing through everyone lol
—Is number 15 good, or is the opponent just trash
—Myeonghak University is a prestigious school, a regular winner of the university league, yeah
—But what's up with number 15, seriously;; he's beating them all by himself lol...
—I'm more surprised by his face than his soccer skills, is that a soccer player's face;;
Surprisingly, there were quite a few positive chats.
Plus, 200 viewers?
Han Sang-yong rubbed his eyes a few times, wondering if his vision had gotten blurry, and looked again.
He thought, 'Eh~ I must have misread 20 as 200,' but 200 was correct.
"Eh... I'll inform the 200 or so viewers watching the King of Kings Tournament once again. This is the Korea University Soccer Stadium. Here, where the final between Myeonghak University and Hojin University, Hojin University and Myeonghak University is being held, caster Han Sang-yong, and for commentary—"
"Yaaaah!!! He, he caught it again!! Player Hong Min-jun caught the ball again and is doing a storm-like dribble breakthrough!!!"
"...Yes, that's commentator Kim Chan-sik."
Halftime, when the first half ended.
The Hojin University locker room was quiet.
Despite leading the score by a whopping 2:1, no one opened their mouth.
Just as everyone was holding their breath, watching Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok, who were breathing heavily, Bang! The door opened roughly, and Coach Na Geon-seong entered.
"What are you guys doing."
"......."
"Why is it so quiet? Did you all commit a crime?"
"No, sir."
"You bastards. I think you know without me saying it how pathetic your own play was. Except for Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok, everyone was disappointing. It's the final. You can lose in the final. But are you going to lose like this? Even if you lose, wouldn't you feel relieved if you gave it your all and lost?"
What is the most painful game for players?
A record-breaking crushing defeat? A loss in a match against a rival team? A loss in the final?
Of course, there is no defeat among those listed that isn't painful.
However, the defeat that gives players frustration and helplessness more than anything else is losing without even being able to show their original skills.
It's the final.
A whopping final.
The final where a team that no one expected to advance caused a sensation and made it up.
If they show a play full of mistakes crushed by tension on such a stage and self-destruct, how would the players feel?
Everyone knows that you shouldn't be nervous and that you should play as usual. They know, but they just can't do it on the field.
"I have nothing more to say. Whether it's tactical instructions or movements, we've already practiced everything in training. But you guys. Do you have the confidence that you won't regret looking back on this game later? In my opinion, everyone except Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok seems like they will regret it?"
"......."
"You bastards. Go and play without regrets. Isn't it the final? And, you know. It's okay if you make mistakes. Own goal? Take it! Why? Look over there."
At the coach's words, the players' gazes turned simultaneously in the direction he was pointing.
Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok with bewildered expressions.
Pointing at the two, the coach laughed.
"They will do everything. You saw it earlier, right? Like a crazy person, breaking through 4~5 people from the half-line and scoring goals. And passing brilliantly even when they are pressing like that. Do you get it now? Even if you shit on the field, they will clean it up. Don't be afraid of mistakes, and go play to your heart's content. That's all."
The coach left the locker room after saying that, and the players headed to the ground for the start of the second half in an atmosphere that was still quiet but strangely motivated.
"Hey. Hong Min-jun."
"Yes, sunbae."
"I'm sorry."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for playing like an idiot."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden."
"Hyuk. I'll take the anchor role. Holding was my role from the start anyway."
Soccer is a complex sport. No, all sports are like that.
It's not just physical ability and technical ability that are everything.
Mental ability is also an important factor that cannot be left out, even if it cannot be quantified.
The theory of mental strength didn't come out for nothing. You can't solve everything with just mental strength, but it's impossible to achieve good results without mental strength.
It is true that Hojin University players, except for Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok, are lacking compared to individual Myeonghak University players. However, if you ask if they are so pushed that they can't even compete, that was definitely not the case.
"Damn it! Wasn't it enough to just stop this guy!?"
"The other side! Stop the right side too!!"
Myeonghak University players, who had come out thinking about the Hojin University players who showed lethargic and mistake-filled play throughout the first half, began to struggle against Hojin University, which had started to show their true skills.
A play of a plain level that they wouldn't have been flustered by if it were normal.
However, the Myeonghak University coach, who thought they only needed to be careful of number 13 Yoon-hyeok and number 15 Hong Min-jun, brought out an extreme tactic to prepare for those two, and,
"Cut it off, even with a foul!!"
They were countered just like that.
While the Myeonghak University players, who thought they would attempt a dribble breakthrough that seemed unreasonable like in the first half, were crowded around Hong Min-jun, Hong Min-jun's foot kicked the ball softly.
The ball, which passed through the gap between the Myeonghak University players like an arrow and settled on Lee Gyu-sik, who was located in the exact opposite direction, rolled to the side again and headed in front of Yoon-hyeok, and the ball, which was lightly kicked with the outside of the foot, drew a strange curve and crossed to the other side again.
In front of Hong Min-jun, who was running at a furious speed.
Boom!
The goal net rippled once again.
Score 3:1.
After that, the game turned into a showcase showing the overwhelming performance of a single player, and a new record was set in the King of Kings Tournament.
7:2
The highest number of goals ever in a final.
The biggest goal difference ever in a final.
The player who scored the most goals ever in a final.
The player who recorded the most assists ever in a final.
The king of the university league was born.