Chapter Thirty: This Counts as Number Ten Too? (Bonus Chapter—Please Vote for Me with Your Monthly Tickets)

"This is the first match of the semester, so keep your spirits up!" Zhao Xiaotang said sternly. "We have no channels to gather information on our opponents, so you need to test them out on the pitch. Zhao Jun! Keep Guo Fan on a leash; don't let him start sprinting wildly right from the kickoff!"

Zhao Jun saluted, "Mission accepted!"

Guo Fan curled his lip. "What am I, a dog? Trying to leash me!"

"Follow the training protocols for everything else. Look for Zhao Jun's positioning during attacks, and listen to Wei Lai's commands for coordinated defense." Zhao Xiaotang looked at Wei Lai. "Put on a good performance!"

Wei Lai nodded firmly, already feeling eager and ready for action.

On the other side, Sun Chengtao was also giving his pre-match pep talk. "Although we are participating in this match with an attitude of learning, remember to implement what we’ve practiced. Everyone must do their job well to keep the collective machine running smoothly!"

"In terms of attack, look for Li Ang more often..."

Among the crowd, the boy named Li Ang looked lazy, as if he couldn't quite muster any spirit. When Li Ang joined the Cuju Youth team, he already possessed a certain foundation, so despite the short training time, his skills were quite impressive. However, the guy had some bad habits. He had grown accustomed to being the "king of the mountain" at the Cuju Youth training camp, and consequently, he was quite arrogant. He remained in that listless posture.

"Li Ang!" Sun Chengtao frowned and scolded. "Get your head in the game! The opponent is Willy Football School; they are on a completely different level than the rivals you've faced before!"

"Don't worry, Coach!" Li Ang waved his hand with a smile. "I'll get into the zone as soon as I step on the pitch." He turned his head and added, "If you run into trouble, just pass the ball to me!"

A few people curled their lips in annoyance, but no one said anything. After all, his talent was undeniable.

Soon, the starting lineups were confirmed, and both sides entered the pitch.

Willy Football School in yellow jerseys (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Zhao Xuan.
Defenders: Wang Wenbin, Li Kai, Mao Biao, Yang Fan.
Midfielders: Ma Chenchen, Zhao Jun, Wei Lai.
Forwards: Guo Fan, Cheng Chong, Yuan Kai.

Cuju Youth in blue jerseys (4-5-1):
Goalkeeper: Liu Chang.
Defenders: Ma Siwei, Abudu, Sun Neng, Jin Junjie.
Midfielders: Li Chenyu, Hu Zhen, Luo Jian, Wen Zhiyun, Ding Baofeng.
Forward: Li Ang.

Cuju Youth took the opening kickoff. Li Ang stood in the center circle with his foot on the ball, eyeing the opposition with an inexplicable gleam in his eyes. He was highly confident in his own ability. Facing the Jiaozhou Willy Football School, a top-tier traditional youth academy, he knew that if he delivered an outstanding performance, he could soar to new heights.

"That guy's look is really irritating," Yang Fan squinted. "Old Wei, give him a hard hit right at the start!"

Wei Lai shook his head. "Let's probe them first; just keep the rhythm steady!" As for Li Ang? He had truly never heard of him.

Many spectators and online bloggers had gathered around the field, and "Brother Goat" was live-streaming the match. With Willy Football School on one side and the debut of Sun Chengtao’s new team on the other, there was naturally some interest. Many were curious to see what kind of game these two teams would produce.

Just then, the whistle blew.

"The match has begun!" Brother Goat shouted immediately.

At the same time, Cuju Youth passed the ball back, but their formation did not press forward. Willy Football School also held their ground, opting to probe rather than press immediately. Consequently, Cuju Youth’s passing in the backfield became quite fluid without much pressure.

"Doesn't feel like much!" After a few passing attempts, Luo Jian realized the opponent's pressure wasn't intense and his own stress levels were low, which immediately boosted his confidence. He turned to check Li Ang’s position and saw him running to the flank to receive the ball.

"Give it to me!" Luo Jian reached out, and as he met the pass from his teammate, he immediately sent the ball diagonally forward, hoping to find Li Ang.

Li Ang was also prepared, waiting to receive the ball. Suddenly, a leg darted into the path of the pass.

Wei Lai gently intercepted the ball, steadied it, and shifted it horizontally. After the transfer, Wei Lai looked at Li Ang and then at the passing Luo Jian, muttering to himself, "The intent of that pass was just too obvious, wasn't it?"

Zhao Jun received the ball and, without a word, threaded a through ball. He had long since spotted the massive gap in the opponent's defensive line—the space between the center-back and the full-back remained wide open. It was a clear sign that these guys lacked positional awareness.

"Fly away!" Yang Fan clapped his hands and laughed.

On the right flank of Willy Football School, a silhouette like a cheetah suddenly burst into speed. He surged forward with incredible swiftness and force. Taking the ball in stride, he accelerated again, leaving everyone behind. The Cuju Youth goalkeeper ran out a few steps, but then hesitated and retreated, leaving himself in a position where neither coming nor going was right.

"..." Guo Fan hadn't expected such a situation, but his body reacted instinctively. He pushed the ball forward with his instep, and it zipped precisely into the empty corner. After scoring, Guo Fan ran to the corner flag and pumped his fist into the air.

"Absolutely vicious!" His teammates from Willy Football School ran over to celebrate. A goal just three minutes in—what a way to start!

Around the pitch, the spectators and football bloggers were stunned. A goal conceded already? Was it that easy? Brother Goat’s live-stream chat, after a brief silence, exploded with discussion.

"They aren't on the same level! Willy Football School's counter-attack is so systematic!"
"On the Cuju Youth side, do the center-back and full-back have any sense of positioning at all? That gap was so big I could have passed through it myself!"
"Is the gap really that wide?"
"Old Sun is going to lose face this time!"
"The match has only just begun; Cuju Youth still has a chance!"

Five minutes later, Willy Football School scored again. A corner kick resulted in a header by captain Mao Biao. At the 20-minute mark, Yang Fan surged forward, collected a lob from Yuan Kai, and crossed it to Cheng Chong for another goal. At the 35-minute mark, Willy Football School struck again, with Guo Fan breaking through for a one-on-one goal.

Four goals up by the 35th minute—the match was almost entirely one-sided. Cuju Youth was being completely dismantled. The most disoriented of them all was Li Ang. He had been arrogant before the match, but he was sleepwalking during it.

Why was he sleepwalking? Because Wei Lai was marking him. Whenever Li Ang got the ball, Wei Lai appeared right on time to interfere, steal, or intercept. Li Ang was dispossessed by Wei Lai twelve times in this match alone. During aerial duels, he was knocked flying five times. His entire performance was a disaster.

Li Ang's head was a mess. Why couldn't he get past him? Why was he constantly being dispossessed? Why couldn't he win a single ball? This wasn't right! No one had ever put this much pressure on him before!

What made Li Ang feel most indignant was Wei Lai's gaze. Wei Lai was constantly staring at his back and thighs, where his jersey number was printed. Li Ang just happened to be wearing number 10! And Wei Lai’s look seemed to be saying, "This counts as a number 10?"