The second half whistle blew, and Albacete's tactics underwent a clear change.
The tall center-forward, Rey Manaj, stood in the center of the penalty area, forming a twin-tower combination with Zozulya.
"They're going to play high balls now," Savić said, wiping sweat from his forehead, his eyes wary.
Sure enough, Albacete began to frequently loft crosses into the penalty area.
Manaj, nearly one meter ninety tall, had excellent heading ability, and each jump posed a huge threat to the Rayo Vallecano defense.
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In the 52nd minute, Albacete won a corner kick. Pedro Sánchez took it, and the ball flew straight to the center of the penalty area.
Manaj leaped high, overpowering Catena to head the ball towards the goal.
Just AS Manaj was about to touch the ball, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the goal.
Lu Chuan retreated from the front field, using his excellent jumping ability to head the ball out of the penalty area before Manaj could reach it.
"Beautiful clearance!" Paco waved his fist on the sideline.
The Big Heart skill also played a role in defense; Lu Chuan remained absolutely calm at the critical moment. His defensive return earned unanimous praise from his teammates.
"Kid, when did you learn to defend?" Trejo patted Lu Chuan's back, his eyes full of surprise.
AS the match entered the 60th minute, Albacete players' stamina began to plummet.
The three-month suspension meant their physical condition was far inferior to Rayo Vallecano's.
Zozulya's sprinting speed noticeably slowed, and Manaj's jumping height also decreased.
The entire formation became loose, giving Rayo Vallecano plenty of space for counterattacks.
"Now is our time," Lu Chuan narrowed his eyes; the tired running posture of the opposing players seemed full of weaknesses to him.
In the 65th minute, the opportunity finally arrived. Suárez successfully intercepted the ball in midfield and immediately passed it to Trejo.
The captain didn't hesitate, sending a long pass precisely to Lu Chuan in the front field.
Lu Chuan received the ball with his back to the goal, with Carlos Isaac tightly marking him. But the special training during the pandemic had significantly improved Lu Chuan's physical confrontation ability.
He used his shoulder to hold off Isaac, then suddenly turned and accelerated. The Direction Change Acceleration Master skill was instantly activated, and Lu Chuan's initial speed was astonishing.
Isaac couldn't keep up with this pace at all, watching helplessly AS Lu Chuan sped away.
"Oh my god! His speed is too fast!" Fernando Palomo exclaimed in the commentary booth.
Lu Chuan dribbled directly towards the goal, and goalkeeper Tomeu Nadal decisively rushed out. The two met at the edge of the six-yard box; it was a one-on-one duel.
Lu Chuan didn't panic; Big Heart kept him absolutely calm at the critical moment.
He deftly poked the ball, avoiding the goalkeeper's save, and then shot it into the far corner.
The ball slowly rolled into the net, and Tomeu Nadal could only watch helplessly AS the net rippled.
2-0!
Lu Chuan slid on his knees towards the corner flag, pointing his hands to the sky.
This was his second goal of the match, and his way of announcing his return to everyone.
"Incredible! Lu Chuan's form is like a monster!"
Fernando Palomo commented excitedly, "The suspension seems to have been an upgrade for him! Other players are rusting, but he has been sharpened even more!"
Teammates swarmed around, surrounding Lu Chuan. Trejo hugged him tightly, his eyes full of excitement.
"Kid, you really are our ace!" Álvaro García excitedly patted Lu Chuan's shoulder.
Isaac hung his head, hands on his knees, panting heavily, his eyes full of helplessness.
"This isn't fair," Isaac shook his head, his eyes full of frustration.
The match was not over yet. In the 78th minute, Rayo Vallecano launched another attack.
Lu Chuan received a pass in the front field, immediately attracting the attention of three defenders.
Facing the double-team, Lu Chuan did not choose to force a breakthrough. He calmly observed his teammates' runs; Full Field Vision allowed him to clearly see the opportunity.
Isi Palazón surged forward from the right wing at high speed, completely unmarked. Lu Chuan understood implicitly, deftly flicking the ball to him with his heel.
Palazón didn't even need to adjust his steps; Lu Chuan's pass had already been delivered to his left foot, so comfortably that he only wanted to strike it hard.
3-0!
"A brilliant assist! Lu Chuan once again demonstrated his vision!" The commentator exclaimed in admiration.
Palazón rushed towards Lu Chuan, and the two embraced tightly. In that position,
ninety percent of forwards would choose to shoot themselves, but Lu Chuan saw the only, better opportunity. He didn't even look at Palazón but knew he would run there.
"Brother, that pass was beautiful!" Palazón was so excited he was incoherent.
With the game decided, Paco began to make substitutions. In the 82nd minute, he replaced Lu Chuan with young striker Antoñín.
AS Lu Chuan walked towards the sideline, the entire bench and coaching staff stood up and applauded him.
In the empty stadium, this applause seemed especially precious, echoing for a long time in every corner.
"Kid, you played perfectly today!" Paco hugged Lu Chuan tightly, his eyes full of admiration and pride.
Lu Chuan sat on the bench, watching his teammates continue to fight on the field. Although there were no fans cheering, the inherent charm of football still made his blood boil.
The final whistle blew, and the match ended 3-0. Rayo Vallecano secured a big win in their first match back, and Lu Chuan's performance conquered everyone.
After the match, Lu Chuan was surrounded by a group of reporters. Flashbulbs flashed continuously, and microphones were thrust in front of him.
"Lu Chuan, how do you view today's performance?" a reporter eagerly asked.
Lu Chuan wiped sweat from his forehead, his expression calm: "Our whole team prepared very thoroughly.
Although there are no fans here, I know that countless eyes are watching us on TV. I cannot disappoint them."
"How did you maintain your form during the suspension?" another reporter pressed.
Lu Chuan smiled mysteriously: "The secret is to never stop believing in yourself, and never stop improving."
In the locker room, teammates excitedly discussed the match. Champagne was opened, and a celebratory atmosphere filled the air.
"Lu Chuan, that backheel pass was amazing!" Palazón was still savoring the feeling of the goal.
"And that one-on-one, it was textbook-level!" Advíncula also joined the discussion.
Lu Chuan sat in the corner, quietly enjoying the joy of victory. The system's prompt sounded in his mind:
"Ding! A thoroughly satisfying victory!"
"Match Rating: 9.8"
"LP gained: 200 (Victory) + 50 (Header) + 50 (One-on-one) + 80 (Assist) + 100 (Brace) = 480LP!"
"Current LP balance: 340+480 = 820LP"
Seeing this number, Lu Chuan nodded with satisfaction.
This match not only extended his scoring streak but also earned him a large amount of Legend Points.
The next day, major Spanish media outlets reported on the match on their front pages.
Marca's headline was the most striking: "El Monstruo Oriental" (The Oriental Monster).
The entire page reported on Lu Chuan's astonishing performance, accompanied by a large photo of him celebrating a goal.
The article predicted he would be the strongest contender for the segunda división Golden Boot, and might even set new records.
AS's commentary was more direct: "Lu Chuan, with a perfect performance, told everyone that the suspension not only did not affect his form but made him even stronger. This young man from China is stirring up a storm in the Segunda División."
The newspaper was passed among teammates, and Comesaña pointed at Lu Chuan's photo and said to Suárez next to him: "Look, our Oriental Monster."
"Look at these headlines!" Comesaña waved the newspaper, "Our Lu Chuan is a celebrity!"
"Oriental Monster, that nickname is good," Suárez smiled and nodded.
Trejo patted Lu Chuan's shoulder, his expression suddenly becoming serious: "Kid, well done.
But don't celebrate too early; next up, we're going to the 'hellish away game' against the league leaders, Cádiz."
His voice dropped a few tones: "The defenders there are a hundred times rougher than these guys today.
Especially Juan Cala, that guy is a real butcher."
Lu Chuan's expression also became serious. He knew Trejo was telling the truth. Cádiz was the leader of the segunda división, strong, and their home stadium was known AS the "hellish away game."
Lu Chuan met Trejo's gaze, but the corner of his mouth curved slightly upward instead: "Butcher? Perfect, I also want to see the level of the top defenders in the segunda división."
The bus slowly drove through the streets of Madrid, the city scenery outside the window quickly passing by.
Lu Chuan looked into the distance, his mind already preparing for the next match.
His scoring streak continued, but the real test had just begun.
Cádiz's "hellish away game" awaited him, and that would be his next battlefield to prove himself.
His phone vibrated; Esther sent a congratulatory message: "Darling, I watched the match live. You were amazing! I'm so proud of you."
Lu Chuan replied: "Thank you for your support. The next one will be even more exciting."
Putting down his phone, Lu Chuan closed his eyes, and the image of Carranza Stadium appeared in his mind.
That would be his next conquest, and the biggest challenge on his continuous scoring path.
The pandemic suspension was stagnation for others, but for him, it was a rebirth.
He could clearly feel the power contained in his muscles, and the confidence from the system that could tear apart any game at any time.
Cádiz? Then let's start by toppling the league leaders.
The storm had begun, and he was at its center.