Chapter 26
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 26
Chapter Title Outshining Man City
Newcastle Uniteds young right winger races down the sideline and whips in an early cross.
Taeyang, barely avoiding the defensive line, suddenly accelerates half a step ahead, chips the falling ball with his instep to leap over the defender closing in from the side, sidesteps, and shakes off one marker in a flash. The moment he does, another centerback slides in, but he blocks him with his back and unleashes a shot straight toward goal.
Holding firm with that tiny frame is impressive enough, but shooting with his right foot in that situation?
And that shot rocketed off, tracing a fast, elegant curve that evaded the keepers hands and rippled the net.
Wow, that Asian kids something else!
Henrik said to Jason with an excited face, while Jason, face already flushed like hed downed a keg of beer, shot to his feet clapping wildly.
The Toons around them, there to watch the match, were the same.
They showered the Asian boy Taeyang with applause for that stunning goal against mighty Man City.
In stark contrast to the crowds roaring cheers, the kid calmly walked back to the halfway line with a composed expression.
As if it was nothing.
It was Taeyangs signature performance, but this was his first time in Europe.
And just like in Korea and the East Asia tournament, it was a provocation aimed at riling up the opponents.
But unlike the teams hed faced so far, Man City had one player.
Thats just one goal!
A deep baritone that didnt sound like it came from a boypaired with a massive 189cm frame that made it hard to believe he was on the U16 squad. The black player was Manchester City and Englands great hope, Emmanuel Ezequwem.
His words alone restored Man Citys shaken momentum.
Captain Emmanuel.
With that powerful charisma earning him the nickname Captain, Ezequwem wore the armband for both Man Citys U16 and England U16.
That kids got some weight to him already.
While Jason and Henrik marveled.
On the pitch, Ezequwems gaze was fixed on Yoon Taeyang.
After staring at Taeyang for a moment, Ezequwem approached the defender whod just handed him the goal.
Bilk, I should take him.
...Yeah.
Bilk had been burning with determination toward Taeyang, but he couldnt defy Ezequwem.
The match resumed.
Manchester City began methodically building their game.
From the back, using the buildup play passed down from Pep.
Henry Domengue drops deep to form a threeattheback shape, pinning Newcastle and dominating possession while probing for space with passes.
In Man City U16, if Ezequwem was the anchor of the defensive line, Henry Domengue was the midfield hub and the linchpin of their buildup from the back.
Their usual Domengueled buildup was so polished it made you wonder if this was really a youth team.
But today was off.
The ball wasnt advancing forward from the back.
The reason was simple.
Newcastle was executing a ridiculously effective high press.
They fluidly switched positions, swarming Man City to block every route through the middle and flanks, stalling any forward progress.
How had they pulled this off overnight?
Simple.
Iel Harts was out, and Yoon Taeyang was in.
Iel Harts refused any defensive duties.
Or more precisely, his soccer IQ was too low to handle them.
Because of that, Newcastle always played a man down during presses, making a high line like this impossible.
But Taeyang was different.
Planted in the middle, he was shutting down Domengue, Man Citys buildup fulcrum.
It felt like a centerback or defensive midfielder had pushed up to the front line.
Under that tight marking, Man Citys passes started to distort, and eventually, Newcastle won the ball.
A golden opportunity for Newcastle, a disaster for Man City.
Newcastles left winger, Joachim Shallet, who stole the ball, immediately passed to Taeyang and darted into space.
Taeyang scanned his surroundings quickly as the ball rolled toward him.
Right on cue, Ezequwem planted himself in front.
To the 160cm kid Taeyang, the 189cm Ezequwem was a towering wall, completely blocking his view of goal.
Whoa, that wont be easy.
Looks like a kid fighting an adult.
As Henrik and Jason watched pessimistically, Taeyang spun on the ball at his feet.
He feinted with his upper body, baiting Ezequwem left, then burst right as Ezequwem blocked the path. Ezequwem twisted to shove Taeyangs shoulder and steal the ball.
Taeyang shielded it with his left foot and accelerated on a diagonal right, with Ezequwem glued to him.
They sprinted allout, teammates shadowing on either side just in case.
Maybe due to the height difference, but even at full tilt, Taeyang couldnt shake Ezequwem.
NoEzequwem was overtaking, poised to snatch the ball any second.
Thats when Taeyang planted his right foot on the ball, faked a nutmeg through Ezequwems legs with his left.
Ezequwem, reading it, calmly closed his legs to blockthen Taeyang dragged back.
With Ezequwem offbalance and lurching forward, Taeyang poked the ball behind him and surged past.
At that moment, Bilk, marking Newcastles left winger Shallet, charged toward Taeyang on the diagonal.
Before Bilk arrived, Taeyang curled a leftfooted shot toward goal a beat quicker.
The ball, looking like it would sail wide, bent sharply into the far corner, beyond the latediving keepers reach.
Wooooaaah!
Wow!
Cheers and gasps erupted from the stands in unison.
Who couldve guessed this tiny kid would breeze past Captain Emmanuel and score?
Not just the crowdthe anxious Aiden and coaches on the bench, who hadnt even sat, clenched their fists and roared.
Watching this, the Man City bench started buzzing.
Whos that Asian?
New face? Did they just sign him?
Core strength is insane. Hows he moving like that?
If I tried that in my playing days, Id have faceplanted for sure.
As the Man City coaches marveled, play resumed.
Damn, here we go again. Get footage on that kid. Gotta report to the director.
The Man City manager urgently instructed a coach to film Taeyang and rallied his players.
The match restarted.
Man City tried buildup from the back once more.
They tightened intervals, upped the tempo with quick passes to pry open Newcastle.
But Newcastles press held firm, and the half ended without a breakthrough.
How was Ezequwem?
The manager asked me as we came off at halftime.
I thought for a second.
His reactions were scary fast. If he were a bit older, hed have nicked the ball clean off me.
Never dreamed hed read the nutmeg.
Let alone react to block it.
Lucky for me, focusing on that left him open for the followup.
With more experience, hed anticipate the next move, and the one after, to shut me down.
Definitely a scary player.
Noa player wholl become scary.
Haha, I see. First time Ive seen a kid pierce Ezequwem like that.
Youll see it plenty now.
Aiden laughed louder at my words.
He liked that.
That was my feedback.
While the manager gave personal notes to the others, I stripped off my top, wiped the sweat, and changed into fresh innerwear and kit.
Hey, you were unreal out there.
Joachim Shallet sat beside me.
Im pretty good, yeah.
Shallet was German, kept to himself outside the cliques.
His potential was legit. Not fully bloomed yet, but in a few years, hed tear it up at Man City.
Waithold up.
Whyd this guy debut at Man City, not Newcastle?
Oh.
He mustve jumped from Newcastle to City precontract.
Citys hunger for prospects and hijacking reps is legendary.
Didnt used to be this bad, from what I heard.
Damn, in my Newcastle blueprint, guys like Shallet are keyI cant let him slip.
Should I block his chances?
Yeah, unreal. Citys bench was zooming in on you.
See that?
This guys head was turned by the City bench.
Already plotting a Newcastle exit to City?
Didnt notice.
Yeah, what if they snatch you up?
Nah, I like Newcastle. You? Go if City calls?
Well...
Shallet trailed off, glancing at Iel Harts and his crew muttering on the bench.
No future here.
Why?
Look at them. Clinging to mediocre Iel Harts like hes king. No hope while hes ruling.
Spot on.
Even skimming match footage, its obvious.
Coaches blind, but Iel Harts pulls strings.
No ball or chances if youre not his crew.
But.
Not anymore, right?
That was then.
Now I had influence, the Spanish faction grew, and Iel Harts got benched because of methe vibe flipped overnight.
Kids this young? Team dynamics and power shift in a heartbeat.
Yeah, thats why Im sticking. Otherwise, Id have bailed ages ago.
Didnt know the backstory.
For the Newcastle project, I need to hold onto guys like this.
No more of that. Play soccer with me here.
...Maybe.
Facilities are topnotch, at least. Grow strong here, leave later if you wantbut lets kill it together now.
Then pass better. Dont hog the goals.
Easy.
I grinned and nodded.
The second half kicked off.
I hustled, drawing aggro from the opponents.
My two goals meant theyd swarm me naturally.
But I didnt bite easy, staying in position without straying far.
Raw work rate alone wont create space.
Guess Ill crack it open myself.
I drop to the second line, take the ball, and charge straight.
Domengue, burned once, grits his teeth to block.
No slowdownI nutmeg him clean with La Croqueta.
Left Bilk and Ezequwem.
Ezequwem unleashes Bilk like a hound.
If Ezequwems allaround, Bilks the hunter dog.
Fast, but thats it.
Highspeed scissors feint scrambles his eyes, body fake topples his balancehes gone.
Just Ezequwem left.
His stare locks on me.
Future top defender material, surebut not yet.
I charge boldly, like I can break him again.
Hmph!
Ezequwem snorts like an angry bull, sets his stance.
Eyes locked, challenging mecome on.
I barrel in.
Then, at some point.
Emma!!
Bilk yells from behind.
Side!!
Ezequwem senses something off, glancesbut too late.
My nolook pass, eyes on Ezequwem, lands perfectly with Shallet.
Damn...!
As Ezequwem panics, Shallet faces the keeper oneonone, slots a cool low drive home.
Shallet sprints, leaps, spins, swings his arms down wide on landing, and shouts.
Hoo!!
...Huh?
Hoo?
No way... his role models not the guy who left with NoSho, right?
Right?