It's finally time. Team Z is ready. We put on our Bluelock form-fitting Innerwear with Blue bibs carrying just our numbers at the back. After hours of Arguments, we settled our positions with Rock-Paper-Scissors, although Chigiri volunteered to defend, much to my surprise but thinking back on it, there have been Defenders who were quite pacy so I let it go. After our game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, our positions were decided. Iemon suggested we go with 5-4-1 formation and I stopped to consider it, it kinda made sense to us but the burning Question was, who would be the 1? This sparked another round of heated arguments so Bachira suggested we go with the highest ranked player in Team Z which happened to be Kunigami. Now, we had to play for the remaining positions. After a few more games, the results were thus
Goalkeeper - Iemon Okuhito
The 5 Defenders - Chigiri Hyoma (LB), Imamura Yuda (CB), Igaguri Gurimu (CB), Gagamaru Gin (CB) and Naruhaya Asahi (RB)
The Midfielders - Bachira Meguru (LM), Raichi Jingo (CM), Isagi Yoichi (CM) and Takumi Kaido (RM)
And finally, the lone Striker up front - Kunigami Rensuke.
Formation and Positions set, we stepped out onto the Field first, stretching and ready to go. Kunigami alerted us to the presence of the incoming Team X led by a tall, muscular guy with a cross shaved into the left side of his hair and a pointed end directed upward. His almost glowing Red eyes also gave him a menacing, delinquent-like look. One glance and you could tell this guy was their danger man. We're going to need to stop him if we're going to have any chance of scoring and winning this game but we were ready for them...at least, I thought we were. What happened from the blast of the Whistle from Speakers could only be described as complete mayhem.
But first, let's backtrack a little bit. To our last meeting with Ego before our match. Ego's face on the big Screen talked to us and Chigiri asked him, "We're all Forwards here. How are we supposed to coexist enough to make a functioning team? Since everyone is basically out to play for themselves, how are we supposed to play together and pull something off?". Ego's answer caused more Questions than Answers. He said, "It's simple. You play the game the way it was meant to be played. Football has come a long way since it's creation. Nowadays, numerous different roles and Formations have been concocted and deployed to varying success. It's so mainstream that unconsciously, your Minds have been conditioned to believe that that is all there is to the Sport. But you couldn't be further from the truth. In the beginning, everyone on the Field started out as Strikers. Bluelock's 1st Selection is a challenge of turning 0 into 1. play the game the way it was meant to be played.". With that said, his face disappeared.
Now, back to the present, Isagi was starting us off with Bachira right beside him and Kunigami right behind them. I was on the Right, ready to move up. Judging by their positioning, it seems Team X went with the same formation as us, the 5-4-1 with the menacing, red-eyed, muscle-bound Striker up front. No surprise, you could tell from a glance he was the best player on their team by far. Stopping him from scoring will be far from easy. But enough thinking, let's do this.
The Whistle sounded and we were underway. Bachira passed to Isagi and he moved up, I also moved up and joined him in the attack with 3 Team X Midfielders gunning for him and the ball. But, to my shock, it wasn't the Team X Midfielders that stole the ball from Isagi. It was Raichi. 'What the hell is that idiot doing?' I screamed in my head, a sentiment shared by Isagi as he asked, "Raichi, what are you doing? This wasn't the plan." Raichi looked back and said, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm looking for a goal for myself. The top scorer advances no matter the result so I'm going to bag a goal for myself. Sucks to be you, loser." and continued moving forward until he got the ball stolen from him by Kunigami of all people. He said, "Well said, Raichi. If that's how it is, then I make no bones of fighting for myself. All's fair in Love and War and this is War, believe it or not." to which, Raichi smiled and said, "Kunigami, you and I are gonna get along swimmingly, I'm sure.". After pushing and bodying each other, fighting for Posession of the ball, a Midfielder from Team X swooped in and stole it from right underneath their feet which was then stolen from him by another Team X Midfielder before he could take 3 steps. This vicious cycle of stealing and tackling continued until the Centre Circle was flooded by members of both Team X and Team Z as they jostled and shoved for the ball. I stood far away from the melee with Isagi just a few meters ahead of me as we looked on in shock and a little disgust. "What is this madness? This isn't Football. Not in the slightest.", he said weakly. We just stood back and watched, resolving to defend in case someone came through with the ball or the ball suddenly came to us so we could quickly counter. And just as we thought that, the Red-eyed menace himself bullied his way through the mob of players, using his raw power, he blasted through them and came away with the ball, charging at our goal at full force. Initially, Isagi and I were surprised but if there was someone I was sure could break through this madness, it was him and I was ready to stop him, or at least slow him down until what was left of our Defence came to our aid.
He charged at the two of us with the ball at is feet and said in a voice that could strike fear in a full grown adult let alone teenagers, "If you're smart, you'll move. Or I'll kill you.". Undeterred, Isagi stepped up to him and I trailed behind. He fainted left and Isagi fell for it. What followed was a beautiful Rainbow Flick which stunned the hopeless Isagi but with the ball in the air, I was already running to intercept. Just as I made it with the ball in the air between us, he turned to his right and gently kicked it in the air again. I jumped as high as I could to intercept but the ball sailed over my head and behind me where he was waiting to collect and move on. He got the ball and moved up but Imamura and Gagamaru was already gunning for him, ready to stop him. He smirked and nutmegged the both of them, leaving them looking stupidly at the floor. He got to the edge of the box and fired a hard shot into the Top Right corner. Our Goalkeeper, Iemon, couldn't even react. It was that fast. And just like that, we were 1 - nil down.
Team X 1 - 0 Team Z
The big screen behind the Goal showed the scorer's name and number, Team X's Ace, Shoei Barou, No. 10.
"So that's his name. Barou. Big, strong, skillful and has a killer shot with unreal accuracy from outside the box. Is there anything this guy can't do? Damn." I muttered as I looked on at him as he strutted confidently towards his own half. "Listen up, peons. And remember these words for I will not repeat myself. This game isn't for you. The ball is just a loyal, spherical servant and you all are just underlings meant to prop me up even higher. On this Field, I'm the King.". That right pissed me off. ' Who the hell does this guy think he is, acting so smug because he got past me once? That's it. He's going down.', I promised myself.
We got the ball and this time, Isagi and I stood on the Center Circle, ready to resume the game. The Whistle sounded and Isagi passed to me. Before I could receive the ball, Igaguri intercepted the ball and ran ahead with it. "IGAGURI, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!!!", I screamed out in unfiltered Rage but he ignored me and said, "Don't be stupid, Kaido. This is about scoring for yourself. I get it now, what Ego said. This 1st Selection is about chasing your ability to score for yourself. Sucks to be you because I'm not passing for nothing.". Before he could continue, a sliding tackle interrupted him and he lost the ball. Team X recovered it and came at us again, recognizing that their best chance to score more goals came from Barou, they sent a cross-field ball to him which he deftly received with his chest and moved on. Igaguri seeing that shouted back at us, "BAROU HAS IT. MARK HIM!!". "WASTING YOUR BREATH, MONK BOY!! YOU'RE THE LOSER WHO LOST THE BALL!!! YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE ORDERING US AROUND!!!", Raichi fired back with venom as he ran alongside Kunigami from behind to stop him. "Tch. Damn it.", I gritted out and chased after Barou, catching up to him almost instantly but he evaded me again, using his strong Physique to hold me back. Using my superior Speed, I circled beside him and tried a Sliding tackle but he saw that coming and lifted the ball over my legs and jumped over my head too. Thankfully, Kunigami had managed to make it back in time with Isagi in tow and Raichi right beside him. I quickly got up and boxed Barou in, cutting off his movements but he quickly saw the space beside me and sent a Backheel pass which squeezed through my legs to a wide open Team X player who then crossed it over the remaining Defence and into a free player who promptly passed it beyond Iemon's desperate hands and into the Goal.
Team X 2 - 0 Team Z
Raichi, incensed, ran to Igaguri about to give him the beating of a lifetime until Kunigami intercepted him and pulled him back, stopping him from receiving a straight Red for Violent Misconduct, putting us in an even worse situation.
Throughout the First Half, nothing changed. If anything, it got worse. We went into the break 4 - 0 down with Barou already registering a Hat-trick. Things were looking dire and when we came out for the Second Half, 5 minutes into play and we were 5 - 0 down. Barou scored another one. I was all over him, trying my best but there was nothing I could do on my own. We needed at least 2 people to stop him but I was alone while our teamwork got worse and worse as the scoreline grew wider.
80th minute, after conceeding the 6th goal from Barou again, I gathered Bachira, Kunigami and Isagi. "Hey, guys. We're taking this game by the throat. The 4 of us will have to do something about this scoreline. We've already lost. The least we can do is get some goals in. Are you in?" I asked with a raging fire in my eyes. Mirroring my determination, they all agreed and we moved on together. "Here's the plan. Bachira and I will dribble and draw their attention to us. When you're free, we'll spot you and send the ball your way. All you have to do is score, got it? If you miss, I'll kill you myself. Go!!"
With our plan in place, Isagi passed to Bachira to resume the game and both Isagi and Kunigami moved up towards Team X's goal. Bachira had already started weaving and twisting through Team X's Midfielders. They decided to box him in so I ran beside him in an open space. Seeing that, he quickly feinted right and fired a chop pass through a Defender's legs and the ball got to me. Receiving it first time, I boosted forward with it, moving up front with a trail of Defenders behind me. Barou came from nowhere and stopped in front of me but I didn't hear a word he said, I cut to the left and ran at full speed. He quickly followed, bearing down on me with his powerful charge, from my peripheral vision, a space opened up in the spot I just ran from and I saw Isagi running into that space. Without even thinking about it, I sent a Backheel pass through Barou's legs and Isagi collected the ball, moving through the space I left for him. Beset by a few players, he fired an early cross into the box and Kunigami was there, flying through the air and heading the ball home. We stole a goal back.
Team X 6 - 1 Team Z
No time to celebrate, Kunigami ran into the goal, grabbed the ball and ran back to the Center Circle, placed the ball down and we quickly came to our half, ready to resume the game. We were not done yet. Not by a long shot.
Team X resumed the game and they immediately passed to Barou who came charging at us and I was there to meet him. "Hmph. Don't go thinking you're anywhere near my level just because you got past me one time. That was pure luck, got it?" was his over-confident remark which I ignored and honed in on his feet and hips, watching every inch of his movements. I caught his feints and attempts, moving to stop him everytime. Eventually, he got impatient and just bulldozed past me with his Power. Unfortunately, while I was his his superior in terms of Speed and Dribbling, I couldn't match his Strength. But there was one who was on par with him in that category, Kunigami, and he was right there to nick the ball from him. He moved up and quickly sent the ball to Bachira who skillfully received it and started his dance through Team X's Midfielder and Defenders with Isagi up ahead. After he couldn't move any futher, Bachira fired a long ball over the remainder of Team X's backline to the running Isagi who controlled it perfectly. He was through, ready to score until Barou somehow made it back to stop him. Isagi, not knowing what to do, paused in fear. Behind him was Raichi moving to the left and Kunigami to the right. The difference was, Raichi was completely free while Kunigami was marked constantly by a Team X midfielder as they were running towards the goal at the same time. Just behind Isagi was me screaming at him and running directly behind at full speed, 'ISAGI, PASS BACK!! YOU CAN'T BEAT BAROU ON YOUR OWN!! WE CAN'T LOSE THE BALL NOW!!!". In a split second, Isagi kicked it to the right, to the marked Kunigami who had just barely made it in front of his marker. Raichi and I were stunned and he shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT?!!" but it was too late, the ball had left Isagi's feet and bounced just in front of Kunigami who, without breaking stride, fired a thunderbolt of a shot from his left foot, past the static Team X Goalkeeper and into the Top Right-hand corner of the net. Goal.
Team X 6 - 2 Team Z
Team Z stole another goal but we had only 3 minutes left on the clock by the time it was time to resume the game.
88th minute and Team X were now hesitant to move forward. Kunigami and I had already moved to mark Barou, me with my Speed and ability to read through Barou's attempted skill moves and Kunigami with his Strength in case Barou got past me, so he couldn't move as freely as he would like. I could tell he was getting irritated with Kunigami and I, especially me as I had already beaten him in a One-on-One to score our first goal. This gave Team Z the confidence to move up and take the fight to Team X at the dying minutes of the game. It took us some time but Team Z were now starting to find their rhythm.
In the 89th minute, a pass came to Barou but somehow, Isagi read it and intercepted it. Reacting the quickest, I blasted off at full speed ahead of him because I knew Barou was bearing down on him and he had no chance against him. Instead of passing straight to me, he fired it to Bachira and he started his Dribbling masterpiece yet again. As usual, the defenders couldn't even touch him. Desperate, one of them dragged his shirt and pulled him down to the ground just outside the Box, about 23m from the Goal to the Right of the Goalkeeper. This would be the last kick of the game.
As the Goalkeeper set up his wall, Bachira was moving to take the Freekick but I held him back. "Don't. I got this. From this distance and this angle, it's a guarantee. I won't miss.", I said clearly and moved to pick up the ball, placed it in the circle marked by a Laser Pointer from the Ceiling, and stepped back just a few meters.
I was ready, the Goalkeeper was ready and everyone held their breath. The Whistle sounded and I took a deep breath, ran up and with my Right foot, sent a beautiful curling shot over the wall, past the Keeper's flailing arm and into the Top Right-hand corner. Goal.
Team X 6 - 3 Team Z
Immediately after, the final Whistle sounded, confirming our Defeat. Here's to hoping we learned our lesson from this match and apply it in our next game because if we don't shape up, we're done