The ball arced perfectly through the air, heading straight for Rayo Vallecano's penalty area.
Guillermo leaped high, his body stretched out in the air, ready to meet the free kick.
Pascual stared nervously at the ball in the air, sweat trickling down his cheeks.
He could feel Guillermo's strong body beside him, the pressure making his breathing quicken.
"Head it out!" Savić shouted from nearby.
Dimitrievski's knees were slightly bent, ready to charge out at any moment. His eyes were fixed on the ball in the air, calculating the best time to intervene.
As the ball began to descend, Guillermo and Pascual jumped simultaneously.
The young center-back's leap was clearly inferior to his opponent's, putting him at a complete disadvantage in the aerial duel.
Just at this critical moment, Savić rushed in from the side, using his shoulder to push Guillermo away. The ball was headed out of the penalty area, defusing the crisis.
"Beautiful!" Trejo clapped, praising, "That's teamwork!"
Numancia's players shook their heads in disappointment; this was one of their best opportunities.
The match continued, time ticking by. Rayo Vallecano still dominated the game but couldn't break the deadlock.
In the 75th minute, Lu Chuan received a pass from Trejo in the attacking third. He didn't shoot directly but instead passed the ball to Advíncula on the right wing.
The Peruvian full-back dribbled along the touchline, and facing the opposing winger's press, he used a beautiful change of direction to shake off the defender.
"Cross it!" Lu Chuan raised his right hand high in the penalty area, signaling his teammate to cross.
Advíncula understood, and crossed the ball. It arced into the center of the penalty area.
Lu Chuan leaped high between two defenders; the abundant physical energy brought by Perpetual Motion pushed his jumping ability to its limit.
His head struck the ball with a dull thud.
"Goal!" The live commentator's voice instantly rose by an octave.
The ball shot towards the goal with immense power. Although the goalkeeper Barrio made a save attempt, the ball's force was too great and the angle too acute.
The net shook violently, and Vallecas Stadium erupted in deafening cheers.
1-0!
Lu Chuan didn't celebrate immediately after landing; instead, he first looked at the goal to confirm the ball had indeed crossed the line.
When he saw the referee pointing to the center circle, he excitedly ran towards the corner flag.
"Sixteenth goal!" He took off his jersey and held it high above his head, "Scoring in sixteen consecutive League matches!"
His teammates swarmed around him, surrounding him completely. Trejo was the first to rush over, hugging Lu Chuan tightly.
"You crazy man!" The captain's eyes sparkled with tears of excitement, "You always step up in crucial moments!"
Álvaro García jumped onto Lu Chuan's back from behind, excitedly waving his fists. "This is our ace!"
The Rayo Vallecano fans in the stands celebrated wildly, red and white scarves flying in the air.
They sang their team anthem, their voices echoing throughout the stadium.
"Lu Chuan! Lu Chuan!" The fans chanted his name in unison.
In the vip box, Esther stood up excitedly, clapping vigorously.
Her eyes were filled with pride and love; this man always stepped up at the most critical moments.
Paco on the sidelines finally showed a long-lost smile. He vigorously waved his fists, signaling the players on the bench to celebrate.
"This is our core!" He shouted, "This is the spirit of Rayo Vallecano!"
Numancia's players hung their heads, disappointment written on everyone's face.
They knew that facing Lu Chuan in such excellent form, equalizing would be very difficult.
But coach Carrión did not give up. He walked to the sidelines and gestured to the players on the field, indicating for them to continue attacking.
"There's still time!" He shouted, "Don't give up!"
The match restarted, and Numancia launched their final, desperate counterattack. They knew this might be one of the most crucial matches on their path to survival, and they couldn't afford to lose.
In the 80th minute, Numancia crossed from the right, and Guillermo's header was bravely saved by Dimitrievski.
In the 83rd minute, Iglesias's long-range shot went just wide of the post.
In the 85th minute, Curro Sánchez's breakthrough was timely thwarted by Savić.
Time ticked by, and Rayo Vallecano's players began to consciously run down the clock.
They knew victory was within reach; they just needed to hold on for a few more minutes to secure the precious three points.
In the 88th minute, a controversial incident occurred on the field.
Curro Sánchez received a pass from his teammate on the left wing. He dribbled along the touchline, attempting to break through Advíncula's defense.
The Peruvian full-back stayed tight to his opponent's movements, and the two made physical contact at the edge of the penalty area.
Curro Sánchez suddenly lost his balance and fell heavily inside the penalty area. He immediately raised his hands, signaling a foul to the main referee.
The main referee hesitated for a few seconds, his gaze shifting between the two players.
Slow-motion replays showed Advíncula did have a slight pulling motion, but the extent was very small.
"That's not a penalty kick!" Advíncula excitedly explained to the referee, "I didn't foul at all!"
Other Rayo Vallecano players also gathered around, trying to explain the situation to the referee. Trejo, as captain, went to the referee to negotiate.
"Sir, there's a problem with this decision." He tried to remain calm, "Please reconsider carefully."
The main referee waved his hand, signaling the players to move away. He walked to the sidelines, preparing to check the VAR replay.
The entire stadium fell into a tense wait. Rayo Vallecano's players anxiously watched the referee, hoping he would change his decision.
A few minutes later, the referee walked back onto the field. He firmly pointed to the penalty spot.
"No!" Paco furiously waved his fists on the sidelines, "This is a wrong call!"
Rayo Vallecano's players couldn't accept this outcome. Lu Chuan walked up to the referee, trying to make one last plea.
"Sir, this really isn't a penalty kick." His voice was calm, but his eyes were filled with unwillingness, "Please reconsider."
The referee shook his head, sticking to his decision. He showed Lu Chuan a yellow card, warning him not to argue further.
Curro Sánchez stood at the penalty spot, taking a deep breath. He knew the importance of this penalty kick for the team, as it concerned their hopes of survival.
Dimitrievski moved left and right on the goal line, trying to distract his opponent.
His eyes were fixed on Curro Sánchez's steps, ready to make a save.
The referee's whistle blew, and Curro Sánchez started his run-up. His steps were steady, his gaze firmly fixed on the bottom left corner of the goal.
His right foot struck the ball hard, and the ball shot towards the goal with immense power.
Dimitrievski guessed the right direction, but the ball's speed was too fast; his fingertips only slightly touched the ball.
1-1!
Numancia's players celebrated wildly, knowing the value of this goal. Curro Sánchez knelt on the grass, shouting to the sky.
Rayo Vallecano's players hung their heads in disappointment; the victory they had just grasped was snatched away like this.
Lu Chuan stood in the center circle, hands on his hips, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
He couldn't accept such a result; the team had clearly played better, yet it was to be ruined by such a controversial decision.
The match restarted, time already in injury time.
Rayo Vallecano tried to reorganize their attack, but Numancia's defense became even more resolute.
In the 92nd minute, Lu Chuan's long-range shot from outside the penalty area was saved by the goalkeeper.
In the 93rd minute, Trejo's header went just wide of the post.
Time ticked by, second by second, and a draw seemed inevitable.
In the 94th minute, Numancia earned one last corner kick opportunity. This was their final chance in the match, and even the goalkeeper Barrio rushed forward.
"Everyone up!" Carrión shouted from the sidelines, "This is the last chance!"
All of Numancia's players pushed into Rayo Vallecano's penalty area, even the defenders joined the attack.
Iglesias stood at the corner flag, taking a deep breath. He knew this might be the team's most important corner kick of the season.
The referee's whistle blew, Iglesias started his run-up, and his right foot struck the ball hard.
The ball arced high into the air, heading straight for Rayo Vallecano's penalty area.
Over a dozen players fiercely contested the ball in the penalty area, the scene a chaotic mess.
Barrio leaped high, attempting to head the ball towards the goal. But the ball was touched by Savić in the air, changing its trajectory.
The ball tumbled through the air, flying towards the goal.
Dimitrievski frantically adjusted his position, preparing to make a save.
Just then, young Pascual tried to clear it. He leaped high, wanting to head the ball out of the penalty area.
But in the fierce physical confrontation, he lost his balance.
The ball struck him on the back, changed direction, and bounced eerily towards the goal.
Dimitrievski had completely not anticipated this change; his body was already moving in another direction, unable to make an effective save.
The ball slowly rolled over the goal line, nestling into the corner of the net.
2-1!
Own goal!
Numancia snatched victory at the last second!
The entire stadium instantly erupted in deafening cheers; Numancia's players frantically rushed towards the corner flag, unable to believe this miraculous result.
Pascual knelt on the grass, hands covering his face, his shoulders trembling violently.
The young center-back couldn't accept the mistake he had made.
Lu Chuan was the first to run over, gently patting Pascual's shoulder. "This isn't your fault."
His voice was soft but full of comfort, "We are a team, we bear it together."
Other teammates also gathered around; no one blamed the young player. They knew that in such intense confrontations, anyone could make a mistake.
The final whistle blew, and Rayo Vallecano's players collapsed onto the grass. Three consecutive defeats, arriving in the cruelest way possible.
Paco furiously stormed onto the field, heading straight for the main referee. His face was flushed red, his eyes burning with anger.
"This is a wrong call!" He pointed at the referee's nose, roaring loudly, "You ruined a match!"
The main referee didn't hesitate, immediately showing Paco a red card. This meant the coach would face a suspension.
Lu Chuan sighed to the sky, his eyes filled with unwillingness and anger.
He couldn't accept such a result; the team had clearly regained their form, yet fate played such a cruel joke on them.
The Rayo Vallecano fans in the stands fell into a deathly silence; moments ago they were celebrating, now they could only watch helplessly as their team suffered a blow.
In the vip box, Esther's eyes were filled with heartache. She knew what this result meant to Lu Chuan, and what it meant to the entire team.
The locker room was in dead silence; players sat or stood, no one speaking. Pascual was still silently