125. From the first game to the last game (2)
[Woo Ho-young’s match-winning goal that put the indomitable lions to sleep! Korea’s first goal at the Olympics was scored by youngest member Woo Ho-young. At the age of 15 years and 22 days, he broke the record as the youngest scorer.]
[What do I need to say? The game has only lasted three minutes, but waves of emotion are already flooding in. Awesome.]
Indomitable lions.
It is a nickname used to refer to the Cameroon national soccer team and shows how tenacious and courageous they are.
However, the Red Devils had one special trainer.
Although he is young, he is an outstanding trainer.
‘Woo Ho-young….’
Papdeuk.
Defensive midfielder Alex Song gritted his teeth.
There was a bitter taste in my mouth.
The goal given to Woo Ho-young was a pain that could hardly be swallowed.
In fact, I didn’t even feel like I looked down on Woo Ho-young.
An unprecedented prospect who will be promoted to Real Madrid’s first team this season by breaking the record for the youngest title wherever he goes?
Those things didn’t matter to Alex Song at all.
Because he was already established as the future of Arsenal.
His future was so great that he was evaluated as the successor to ‘Gilberto Silva’, the leading figure in Arsenal’s undefeated championship.
However, since I was helplessly defeated, my mentality had no choice but to turn upside down.
‘What kind of talent this guy has…’
It made me wonder if he had been performing in a circus somewhere.
Of course, I knew well that Woo Ho-young’s dribbling skills were outstanding.
I had heard so much from Director Martin that I watched his video over and over again until the moment I boarded the plane to Beijing.
However, there was a big difference between what you see on video and what actually happens.
‘damn. Dirty La Liga bastards. ‘These guys don’t know if they’re playing soccer or putting on a show.’
Spain’s first division (La Liga) uses soccer that emphasizes technical skills and possession of the ball.
On the other hand, England’s First Division League (EPL) mainly focuses on rough physical competition.
The difference was causing Alex Song difficulties.
And that fueled my competitive spirit.
‘Song, come to your senses. The opponent is just a kid who hasn’t even made it to the first division yet. If he acts like that, I just have to push him in my own way.’
Beep!
When the game resumed after Woo Ho-young’s ceremony, Alex Song called central defender Andre Bikey.
And whispered.
“I will pester Woo Ho-young, so please cover any leaks from the back.”
That’s how the first half went even more exciting.
[Cameroon, which used 4-3-3 as its starting formation, is making a slight change to its formation. Central defender Andre Baicky moves up to the third line, establishing a 3-4-3 formation.]
[Put simply, it is pressure. The intention is to maximize the offensive power of Eto’o, who is strong on the side, by applying strong pressure to the center and opening up space on the sides.]
[In simple terms, this means strengthening the defense and giving strength to Samuel Eto’o at the same time. So how should our players respond?]
[If Eto’o puts too much pressure on his offensive ability, the left and right sides of the defense tend to become lax. Our players should aim for the space behind it. Lee Cheong-ryong and Lee Geun-oh need to move actively.]
This was a general measure.
And because it was something that was basically taught in tactical training, Hoyoung knew it well.
But it wasn’t going to end there.
This is because even if the tactic is the same, it changes 180 degrees depending on the team color or the players’ tendencies.
So the important thing is practical sense.
You need to read the flow, understand the opponent’s tactics, and find loopholes.
Hoyoung has been busy since before.
‘Organic movement of players. In particular, the ball is concentrated on the 1.5 line. ‘The goal is to secure an offensive path to distribute the ball to Eto’o at any time.’
At the same time, Alex Song and Andre Baicky raised the line and put forward pressure on the midfield.
It was a tactic that required a huge amount of stamina from the defenders.
In other words, it is the same as drawing up stamina for the second half in advance and using it in the first half.
In other words, it meant that we would see the game early in the game and increase the number of defenders early to play practical soccer focused on defense.
Hoyoung guessed that.
‘The pressure is increasing.’
In particular, the level of pressure on Hoyoung was becoming significantly worse.
It is difficult to hold the ball for more than 2 seconds.
Pow!
“Tsk.”
Smirk.
Alex Song, who rushed forward as soon as he received the pass, raised the corners of his mouth.
I was embarrassed.
Because it was Hoyoung’s first time experiencing pressure.
The only defensive midfielders that Hoyoung has faced so far have been young youth or players active in the second division.
However, Alex Song was already part of the Arsenal first team.
Of course, he was not yet the core of the team due to his lack of experience, but he was a player who could easily deal with the lower-ranked strikers in the league.
In particular, as an EPL leaguer, his pressing ability and physical fight were quite rough.
Hoyoung remembered something he had once heard.
-In La Liga, you have plenty of time to think when you catch the ball, but in the EPL, you’ve already kicked it three times.
This means that EPL soccer is very extreme and aggressive.
The two countries’ leagues use completely different styles of soccer, so much so that scenes that would have resulted in a red card in Spain are treated as yellow cards in the EPL.
It’s not a difference in level, but a difference in style.
Pow!
A continuing struggle.
Fortunately, England’s referee Glenn, who was in charge of judging today’s game, was lenient and tolerated most of the physical fights.
Wisdom was needed.
‘If this happens…’
Ballack Kaka Zidane.
How would those three midfielders have handled this situation?
Flow and running ball control.
Each of them would have overcome it by using their weapons.
And the one who possessed all three was Hoyoung.
There were many choices given.
Alex Song may be superior in experience, practical sense, and physical strength, but Hoyoung is ahead in fundamental skills and talent.
‘If they attack you without hesitation like this…’
If the opponent continues to throw rocks, the best answer is to throw a wrapper.
For that moment, Hoyoung looked for every opportunity.
Anyway, as time went by, it was a fight that was more favorable to Hoyoung.
It’s only the first 20 minutes.
I calmly looked for opportunities and took a wide view.
Alex Song was wandering around just 3 meters away, and beyond him, Andre Baicky was marking Park Joo-hyung.
‘The thing that is sloppy is the back space. It’s best to get through in one go with a lob pass.’
Park Joo-hyung was already sending signals.
He boasted of outstanding ability in the country in terms of his ability to penetrate the 1.5 line or rush into empty space.
The air superiority wasn’t bad, so it seemed like a decent picture would come out if I just passed the pass well.
The problem was how to keep the ball.
‘Do you want to go down to midfield to receive the ball yourself?’
Hoyoung thought so for a moment and immediately tried to find another way.
‘There is another way.’
It was from then on.
Hoyoung maintained his position in the second line and caught Alex Song off guard.
And at the end of the first half.
As practiced in advance, Hoyoung sent a signal to the midfield.
It was a signal to Ki Sung-ryong to throw a quick and heavy ground ball pass straight to the front.
It was immediately after that that the ordered ground ball pass arrived.
Cough!
Low and fast ground ball passes rushed in a straight line.
And at that moment, I saw a buffalo charging towards me without any hesitation.
Alex Song.
He was running towards here, waiting for Hoyoung to receive the ball.
Without knowing that a trap had been set.
Sreuk.
“…!!”
Hoyoung did not receive the ball.
He blocked Alex Song’s view with his wide back and did not receive Ki Sung-ryong’s pass, but instead let it flow behind him.
No-touch receive.
It was a psychological technique to deceive the opposing defender by utilizing the flow of the ball.
Anyone can do this skill, but you must have animal-like physique and dazzling dexterity to succeed.
Hoyoung had that.
A talent that I succeeded in obtaining after waiting for 25 days just a few days ago.
[Fantastic footwork (SU)]
The talent created by combining the dribbling genius’s footwork (U) and the fantastic dribbling (S-) raised Hoyoung’s footwork to a fantastic level.
Pot-
The important thing was from now on.
Hoyoung, who let the ball go backwards, quickly turned his body 180 degrees to escape the pressure of Alex Song.
“Tsk!”
Alex Song.
He was already trapped.
By the time Alex Song, caught in a reverse move, changed direction, it was already too late.
Ki Sung-ryong’s ground ball pass was heavy and quickly penetrated into the back space, and Hoyoung penetrated into the back space at a faster speed than the pass.
It was right then.
Andre Baicky, who was marking Park Joo-hyung, turned in this direction.
“…!”
And at the same time, Hoyoung’s gaze turned towards that direction.
The movements of Park Joo-hyung, who was preparing to invade space on the other side, caught my eye.
‘just now.’
Hoyoung had no hesitation.
Talk.
I kicked the ball very finely and precisely, with the feeling of placing the ball on the top of my foot.
It was a lobbed through pass heading to the back of Park Joo-hyung’s space.
To put it more nicely, it is art.
It was art soccer.
‘it’s okay.’
Hoyoung’s mission ends here.
Now all that was left was up to Park Joo-hyung.
It was an absolutely perfect one-on-one opportunity, so Hoyoung had no doubts about him.
Because Park Joo-hyung was still in his prime.
Moreover, it was such a perfect opportunity that if I couldn’t score it, I had to quit my career as a striker from that moment on.
It’s literally at the level of being spoon-fed.
At the same time, Hoyoung took the position to win the second ball.
Although I trusted my colleagues, I still wanted to prepare for an unexpected situation.
And it was that moment.
[Park Joo-hyung calmly approaches the front door! Cameroon’s goalkeeper Amour Patrick comes out in a hurry, but
the ball has already left his foot.
The tens of thousands of spectators who were booing all at once fell silent as if they had made a promise.
It was immediately after that that the net shook once.
Grumble!
[goal! It’s a goal! Park Joo-hyung’s goal was sucked into the right corner!! Just before the end of the first half, a dramatic comeback goal is scored!!]
[This is amazing. This is soccer. The players who will carry Korea’s future have created a work of art!]
[That’s right. Park Joo-hyung said this to coach Park Seong-ho ahead of this entry selection. ‘If we select Woo Ho-young, he will be a great addition to the team.’ This goal clearly proved that that thought was correct.]
The ground was filled with red waves.
Park Joo-hyung put his hands together and prayed, and Ho-young celebrated his score by clenching his fists.
It was only the end of the first half, but judging from the atmosphere, it was as if Korea had already won.
like that.
The extra time had passed and the players from each team were entering the tunnel.
“Hoyoung.”
Park Joo-hyung approaches, wiping away his sweat-soaked hair.
He stuck out his thumb.
“It was the best.”
And the other side.
I made eye contact with Eto’o, who was smiling regretfully.
He was twitching one cheek.
Even though they were behind 2-1, they seemed to have plenty of composure.
He said, putting his hand on Hoyoung’s shoulder.
“Football starts in the second half.”
Then Hoyoung also put his hand on his shoulder and said.
“That’s a common excuse for losers.”
Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The two had a relationship that they could not lose regardless of the national team.
A war of nerves flared up between the two.