Riccardo moves along his assigned flank while Shūdan-teki circulate the ball, probing for an opening.
—
[A few minutes earlier]
"Aliberti, I have a question," Coach Ishii said, stopping near the bench.
"Go on."
"You don't only play as a striker. You've covered other roles before… right?"
Riccardo smirked. "Coach, you know a bit too much about me. Should I be worried?"
Ishii returned the smile. "Answer the question."
"Yes. I've played in several positions. What do you have in mind?"
"How about right wing?"
—
Right wing…
Riccardo steps onto the pitch, stamping his boots lightly as he scans the sideline.
I've played wide before… but I prefer the left. Cutting inside, shooting with my right. Still—Nakamura is a pure left winger.
From the stands, Yuzuki watches him closely. "It still feels strange."
Sato tilts her head. "His position?"
"Yes. As a striker, he'd be central. He'd dictate play, create danger, shoot more. I'm not sure this suits him."
The ball rolls toward Riccardo.
I don't care where I play. I just can't fail again.
He controls it and faces number 20 from Tōen.
The defender waits, cautious. Riccardo needs only one touch—nudging the ball past him, exploding forward. He slips in front, using his body to shield the challenge.
A ripple of surprise runs through the crowd.
Near the byline, Riccardo fires a sharp right-footed cross. Too fast, too early. It skips through the box and goes out on the far side.
Riccardo exhales sharply.
Kaneko watches him. He's fast. Reactive. But this pace… it's brutal.
"I knew Aliberti was strong," a classmate mutters, stunned. "But not like this."
"In two touches, he almost broke them."
Inoue nudges Yuzuki. "Looks like he already answered your doubts."
Yuzuki doesn't smile. "I never doubted his talent. But he's playing ahead of everyone else. After all those minutes, the team can't keep up."
The Tōen coach studies Riccardo.
So this is the forward carrying Shūdan-teki… I didn't expect him out wide. Still, he's impressive. But—
Riccardo bursts past the technical area, dragging two defenders with him. He forces his way into the box and cuts the ball back—
No one's there.
Naruse collects and launches the counter.
The Tōen coach narrows his eyes. He wants to look like he's playing for the team… but right now, he's forcing everything.
He sighs.
Loss changes players. Sometimes more than they realize.
Then he glances at Coach Ishii.
Hasn't he noticed?
Aoki intercepts cleanly and Shūdan-teki regain possession.
"Push up!" Noguchi shouts.
Yasuda finds Riccardo again. He attacks his man without hesitation.
I can't stop him…
Nishimura watches, exhausted—and conflicted.
"Nishimura!" Coach Ishii calls, pointing to his eyes.
He wants me to observe him... should I observe Riccardo?
As Nishimura approaches the box, he tracks Riccardo's movement.
He's shifting left—high cross—
Instead, Riccardo slips a low pass through the crowd toward the far post.
Nishimura freezes. Through all that traffic!?
The ball flashes across goal. Kaneko misses by inches. Nishimura slides—too late. A defender clears in panic.
Reading Riccardo right now… feels impossible.
"Damn it!" Riccardo snaps, in Italian.
He checks the clock.
75:22
Not much time left.
I'm not changing the game. I'm failing again.
"Aliberti, slow it down!" Coach Suzuki calls—but Riccardo doesn't hear him.
Suzuki frowns. "He's rushed… and the team's getting dragged into it."
Throw-in for Tōen.
"Substitution!"
Number 11 off. Number 13 on.
As play resumes, Riccardo notices the new player sitting deeper.
Another body just for me…
Shūdan-teki survive the attack. Noguchi threads a sharp pass to Tamura, who slaloms past two midfielders.
Naruse stares. He still has that kind of energy?
Tamura flicks it wide to Nishimura. He looks up—Riccardo is double-marked.
I can't play it to him.
Kaneko darts forward. A quick one-two. Nishimura shoots—then spots Nakamura, unmarked.
The shot goes just wide.
But Nishimura doesn't curse.
He thinks.
When did I start seeing this?
Riccardo clenches his fists.
Now they can't even use me… I need to move more—
A hard slap lands on his back.
Kaneko walks past him.
"Hey—what was that!?"
"That's what I should be asking you."
Riccardo is left staring.
The keeper launches it long. Kinoshita presses high, wins it. Yasuda collects.
Riccardo is covered. Completely.
"Yasuda!"
Nishimura calls for it. The pass comes.
He controls on the right.
The fullback shifts toward Riccardo.
I have to stop him—
"Genpaku!" a teammate shouts, cutting inside.
Instead, Nishimura whips the ball to the far post.
Nakamura is alone.
He smiles.
Finally.
Control. Shot across goal.
84:53 — Shūdan-teki 2 | 2 Tōen
The stadium erupts. Nakamura thanks Nishimura.
Nishimura looks to the bench.
Coach Ishii is smiling.
Not just Riccardo—everything around him. That was the lesson.
Riccardo smiles too.
For a second.
Then it fades.
I still haven't done anything. I need to put us ahead.