Chapter 130 129 - What's the first team? (Part 9)
Willian, with the ball on the left, advanced like a predator, with Denis pressing him closely.
"I'll hold him here, go to the center!" shouted Denis to Lucas, shifting his body to block Willian's dribble.
Lucas understood the message and ran to close the space, but someone had already passed the ball to Javier, who was free in the center circle.
Javier raised his head and found Ethan making a diagonal move between Daniel and Luiz Fernando. With a millimeter pass, he launched the ball deep.
Ethan controlled it expertly, but Anton, the Time-B goalkeeper, was quick out of his depth, closing down the angle. The shot came in hard, but Anton saved with impressive assurance.
A deflection sent the ball to a corner, and Team-A was already positioning themselves to press. They were in a hurry.
From the corner, Javier played a short ball to Simon, who crossed the first time. The ball came in venomously, but Felix was alert and kept it out with a firm header. The ball fell to Miguel, who didn't hesitate. With a quick touch, he released Lucas, who was already running down the right.
The timing was perfect for a counter-attack.
Lucas realized he had space and sped up, dribbling past his first marker with a subtle touch. The crowd fell silent, holding their breath as he advanced.
When Kevin approached to tackle him, Lucas executed a quick footwork, followed by a cut to the opposite side. The movement was so precise that Kevin was completely out of position.
Lucas raised his head, analyzing his options.
Arthur was well marked, and Miguel was still running to get close to the area.
Lucas took a chance. He adjusted his body and, from outside the area, unleashed a powerful low shot. The ball arrowed across the pitch and into the right-hand corner of the goal.
Mark, the A-Team goalkeeper, dived desperately and touched the ball with his fingertips, deflecting it for a corner. A chorus of applause echoed around the pitch.
"What a shot!" shouted Alex from the sidelines, thrilled by Lucas' audacity. "That's it! Keep pressing! Oops... I shouldn't be saying anything, should I?" He looked at Eddie, who just nodded in disapproval.
Lucas put his hands on his waist, panting, but with a smile on his face. He knew he had made the right choice, even if the goal hadn't come.
As he passed Arthur to position himself in the area, Arthur said: "You don't stop, do you? You seem to be everywhere at once."
"I want my hat-trick too." Lucas replied with a smile.
Javier, realizing that Lucas was the heart of Team-B, directed his team to mark him more closely. He deployed two players to press Lucas every time he received the ball.
But Lucas was cunning. He moved around more, looking for spaces where he could escape his marker. In one of these moves, he received a pass from Miguel and, with a first touch, found Raphael advancing down the flank.
"Go, Raphael!" shouted Lucas, as he ran to support him.
Raphael crossed into the area, but Kevin intercepted with a header.
The ball came back to Javier, who tried to start another counter-attack, but Lucas, tireless, quickly returned to help with the marking. He stole the ball with a neat pass, drawing applause from the stands.
Lucas' energy seemed endless, and this annoyed not only the A-Team players but also coach Jimenez.
Jimenez was standing at the side of the pitch, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Lucas. Under the cap that protected him from the biting cold that morning in Brighton, the coach reflected.
The boy was a tireless engine. He ran, scored, passed and attacked as if tiredness was just a distant concept. For someone so young, Lucas' vision of the game was also remarkable, but what impressed Jimenez most was his mentality.
Jimenez knew how to recognize raw talent, but soccer was more than technical ability or physical strength. For him, the great could think the game through. They could adapt and stay calm under pressure. And Lucas seemed to have these qualities in abundance.
On the pitch, Lucas continued to do what he did best: move like a conductor leading an invisible orchestra. He knew exactly where to stand, when to move forward, and when to move back.
After winning the ball back with that precise tackle on Javier, he wasted no time. He stood up, raised his head, and found Raphael in the left wing. The pass was perfect, low and strong, cutting through the opposition's pressure like a razor.
Jimenez heard the praise and made a mental note. "He gains the confidence of his teammates. That's crucial."
In the center of the pitch, Javier watched Lucas with an expression that mixed frustration and admiration.
The A-Team No10 wasn't used to meeting such disciplined opponents. He was the brains of the A-Team. But, Lucas seemed to expect his every move. He cut off passing lanes, anticipated plays, and, worse, forced mistakes.
Jimenez called out to Simon, who was closest to the sideline. "I want you and Willian to double-team Lucas. Don't let him breathe."
"What if he runs away? He's fast, technical..." Simon asked.
"It doesn't matter," Jimenez interrupted. "Make him work harder than he already is. Let's see if there's a limit to his energy."
As Simon returned to the field, Jimenez continued to observe. He knew the B-Team players well. After all, he himself had been responsible for separating them from the A-Team.
Many interpreted the decision as a relegation, but for Jimenez, it was a test. He wanted to see who had resilience, who would use adversity as fuel.
Lucas was the perfect example. Instead of regretting the move, the boy seemed to have found an opportunity to prove himself in the B-Team. His intensity was infectious, and Jimenez knew players like that were rare.
"But can he handle the professional level?" wondered the coach, as he watched Lucas drop back to pick up the ball again.
On the pitch, the match was still heated. The A-Team, frustrated by their lack of effectiveness, resorted to long throws. Kevin, trying to make amends for his earlier humiliations, tried an overhead pass to Ethan.
The ball traveled high, but Daniel, ever alert, rose once again to head it away. The ball fell to Denis, who quickly played it to Lucas.
Lucas protected the ball, feeling Simon's pressure on his back. With a subtle touch, he dislodged his marker and advanced.
Willian came to cover, but Lucas had already spotted the movement. With a quick turn, he played the ball to Raphael, who was advancing down to the left.
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Raphael shot down the flank, while Arthur, and Miguel positioned themselves in the area. The cross came in powerfully, but not into the box, but to Lucas. He raised his head, analyzing Mark's position in the goal, but before he could shoot, Simon arrived like a bolt of lightning, disarming him.
"Damn!" exclaimed Lucas, hitting the turf lightly.
He got up quickly, but couldn't prevent the A-Team from launching a counter-attack.
Javier received the ball and distributed it to Willian, who advanced down the left.
Denis tried to close the space, but Willian left him behind with a dry dribble. He crossed low to Ethan, who was well positioned in the small area. Ethan turned and shot high, but Anton made another spectacular save to save Team-B.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
On the sidelines, Jimenez clenched his jaw. He knew his team was in trouble. Although the A-Team had more possession, it was the B-Team who looked more dangerous on the counter-attacks. And at the center of it all was Lucas.
"He doesn't just play like a veteran, he thinks like one. I may be hasty, because he needs to be tested in even more challenging situations, but he definitely has gigantic potential."
The coach looked at his watch. There were ten minutes to go. There was no time to prevent the A-Team's defeat, as they had no breath left. Nevertheless, he exclaimed:
"Play down the left flank, force them back even further. Let's see how far he can take it."
On the pitch, Lucas was already feeling the weight of the match. His breath was running out, but he showed no signs of giving up. His teammates trusted him, and he knew he had to lead by example.
Denis approached, panting. "Lucas, we need one more goal. Just one to end it."
Lucas nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We'll do it together, but we need to be smart. They're pressing on the wings, so we have to use the center."
He looked at Miguel and Raphael, gesturing for them to come closer. "No rush, but precision. Let's build this move."
As the Team-B players reorganized, Jimenez watched carefully.
"Maybe I underestimated this kid."
Lucas received the ball again, pressed by two opponents and, with a subtle touch, passed to Denis. Team-B pushed forward, playing the ball.
Arthur, Miguel, and Raphael constantly moved. This confused Team-A's marking. It opened a big hole in the defense for Lucas to exploit.