The night sky above Vallecas Stadium was lit up like day by the floodlights, and the empty stands looked especially silent under the illumination.
Songs and cheers from outside the stadium filtered through the thick walls, creating a peculiar echoing effect inside the stadium.
Lu Chuan stood at the center circle, taking a deep breath. The air was thick with tension; every pore could feel the weight of this match.
"Are you ready?" Trejo walked up to him and patted his shoulder.
Lu Chuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over Sporting Gijón's formation.
The opponent had set up a standard 4-4-2 formation, but from the players' positioning, it looked more like a 5-3-2 defensive block.
Rayo Vallecano vs. Sporting Gijón
Match Date: June 26, 2020
Match: Segunda División Round 35
Rayo Vallecano
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting Lineup: Dimitrievski (Goalkeeper); Advíncula, Catena, Savić, Luna (Defenders); Comesaña, Suárez (Defensive Midfielders); Isi Palazón, Trejo, Álvaro García (Forwards); Lu Chuan (Forward)
Sporting Gijón
Formation: 4-4-2
Starting Lineup: Diego Mariño (Goalkeeper); Unai Medina, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Borja López, Damián Pérez (Defenders); Álvaro Vázquez, Cristian Salvador, Pedro Díaz, Manu García (Midfielders); Uroš Đurđević, Álvaro Traver (Forwards)
The referee's whistle blew, and the match officially began.
Rayo Vallecano kicked off first, Trejo passed the ball to Comesaña, who immediately looked for Lu Chuan's position.
But as soon as the ball was passed, Sporting Gijón's midfielder Manu García rushed forward like lightning, intercepting the ball.
"These guys are going all out today," Álvaro García said when he received the ball on the wing, only to be double-teamed by two opposing players, forcing him to pass the ball back to the defense.
Sporting Gijón's defensive intensity exceeded everyone's expectations. Every tackle was fiercely aggressive, and every challenge was made with tireless effort. Center-back Jean-Sylvain Babin stuck to Lu Chuan like glue; his experience and physical strength put unprecedented pressure on Lu Chuan.
In the 8th minute, Lu Chuan finally got the ball in midfield. As he tried to turn, Babin closed in, using his body to block him from behind. Lu Chuan tried to use his speed to break free, but the opponent's positioning was incredibly precise, every step perfectly timed.
"Damn it," Lu Chuan cursed inwardly, only able to pass the ball to Isi Palazón on the wing.
Sporting Gijón's tactical intention was very clear: cut off Lu Chuan's connection with his teammates, preventing him from receiving the ball in comfortable areas. Their midfielders chased back tirelessly, and the forwards actively participated in defense, with the entire defensive line compressed extremely tightly.
In the 15th minute, Rayo Vallecano got their first real attacking chance. Advíncula successfully broke through on the right wing and sent a cross to Lu Chuan in the box. But just as he was about to head the ball towards goal, Babin collided with him from the side, and the ball went off target.
"Foul!" Rayo Vallecano's players protested to the referee, but he waved them off, signaling for play to continue.
Babin patted the grass off his body and gave Lu Chuan a provocative smile. "Kid, you won't score easily against me."
Lu Chuan didn't respond, just silently adjusted his breathing. He knew tonight's match would be tough, but he hadn't expected the opponent's defense to be so suffocating.
Sporting Gijón's goalkeeper Diego Mariño was in superb form tonight. In the 22nd minute, Álvaro García got a one-on-one opportunity on the left side of the box. Facing the rushing goalkeeper, he opted for a low shot to the far corner. But Mariño's reaction was astonishingly quick; he made a flying save, tipping the ball out for a corner with his fingertips.
"Denied! It's Mariño again! He judged the direction almost the instant the ball was struck, a last-ditch diving save! Sporting Gijón's guardian angel is refusing any goals today!"
In the vip box, Esther nervously clasped her hands, her palms slick with sweat. She could feel Lu Chuan's struggle on the field, the helplessness of being heavily surrounded, which made her heart clench.
By the 30th minute, every touch Lu Chuan made drew at least two opposing players. Sporting Gijón's players even resorted to continuous small fouls to disrupt his rhythm—pulling jerseys, stepping on feet, elbowing—a constant barrage of minor infringements.
"These guys are too dirty," Comesaña complained angrily after a challenge.
The referee seemed to tolerate this level of physical confrontation, only occasionally whistling for obvious fouls. This made Sporting Gijón's players even more reckless.
In the 38th minute, Lu Chuan finally got an opportunity. Trejo delivered a precise through ball from midfield, and Lu Chuan beat the offside trap, creating a one-on-one chance in the box.
Trejo's through ball was perfect, the sound of the ball rolling clearly audible. Lu Chuan could even feel the desperate breathing of the defenders behind him, but he had left everything behind.
Lu Chuan faced the onrushing Mariño, countless shooting options flashing through his mind. A low shot? A chip? Or a powerful strike?
Just as he was about to shoot, a flicker of hesitation crossed his mind. This hesitation lasted only a fraction of a second, but for a top goalkeeper, it was enough.
Mariño decisively charged out, blocking Lu Chuan's shooting angle with his body. Lu Chuan hurried his shot, and the ball struck the goalkeeper's leg, deflecting out for a throw-in.
"Oh my goodness! Lu Chuan missed a golden opportunity!" The commentator's voice was filled with surprise, "This might be his best chance tonight!"
Lu Chuan clutched his head in frustration, kneeling on the grass. He knew that in a match like this, opportunities were fleeting, and missing one might mean there wouldn't be a second.
Babin walked over and patted his back, a contemptuous smile on his face. "Kid, it seems Lady Luck isn't on your side tonight."
Lu Chuan spat out a piece of grass and wiped the sweat from his face with his jersey. He looked up, past the provoking Babin, and back at the scoreboard, where the "0:0" was glaringly bright.
In first-half stoppage time, Sporting Gijón got a counter-attack opportunity. Forward Uroš Đurđević dispossessed the ball in midfield and dribbled forward. His speed was high, and Rayo Vallecano's defensive line was stretched wide.
Just as Đurđević was about to shoot, Savić made a flying tackle, clearing the ball out for a throw-in. This crucial defensive play saved Rayo Vallecano.
The half-time whistle blew, and the score remained 0-0.
The atmosphere in the changing room was incredibly heavy. The players hung their heads, silent. 45 minutes of effort seemed to have been in vain, and the pressure of the record weighed like a mountain on everyone's minds.
Paco Jémez walked into the changing room, his expression serious but not panicked. He looked around the room, then walked to the tactics board.
"What's wrong? Scared?" Paco's voice echoed in the changing room, "Have you forgotten how we got here? Look up, we still have 45 minutes!"
Trejo stood up, his eyes reigniting with fighting spirit. "Brothers, don't think about any records! Let's just play this as if it's the first match of the season! For the fans outside, for ourselves, let's fight!"
The captain's words were like a shot of adrenaline, and the players' eyes began to refocus.
Lu Chuan also stood up and walked to the middle of his teammates. "I know everyone is nervous about my record, but please forget about it. We are a team, and we must fight for victory, for promotion."
Paco nodded, drawing a few lines on the tactics board. "In the second half, we need to be more patient, don't be impatient. Opportunities will come, the key is to seize them."
Meanwhile, in Sporting Gijón's changing room, Đukić was giving his motivational speech.
"Well done, lads!" Đukić's face wore a satisfied smile, "We've proven that they are not invincible. Keep up this intensity, and victory is within reach!"
Babin wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "That chinese kid is already getting anxious; he'll take more risks in the second half, and that's our chance."
Before the second half began, the fans outside once again erupted in thunderous songs. Although they couldn't enter the stadium, their voices penetrated the thick walls, conveying their support for the team.
As Lu Chuan walked out of the player's tunnel, he took a deep breath. The night wind carried a hint of coolness, but his heart burned with fiery fighting spirit.
The second half began, and Sporting Gijón immediately went on the attack. Their forward Đurđević got a golden opportunity just 3 minutes into the half.
Manu García delivered a precise long pass from midfield, and Đurđević beat the offside trap, creating a one-on-one chance in the box. Facing the onrushing Dimitrievski, he opted for a low shot to the far corner.
The ball flew towards the goal, and the Sporting Gijón fans in the stands were already preparing to celebrate. But Dimitrievski displayed a goalkeeper's instinct; he made a flying save, tipping the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips.
"A miraculous save!" The commentator's voice was filled with excitement, "Dimitrievski saved Rayo Vallecano!"
Rayo Vallecano escaped a scare, but everyone realized that this coronation match was far more difficult than imagined. Sporting Gijón was not only excellent defensively but also very threatening offensively.
Lu Chuan looked at his teammates' tense expressions; he knew he had to do something to change the situation. Time was ticking away, and he was only one step away from making history.
But this one step seemed so distant.