Chapter 491: One Man Show
Chapter 491: One Man Show
"Huh?!"
Many showed an expression full of shock as they witnessed the mesmerizing acceleration of Hiro on the field.
The way he sprinted was unfathomable to the naked eye.
Their number seven who was one of the fastest couldn't even compare against him.
Storming his way to the opposing half, Hiro was accelerating at an unprecedented speed at the moment, leaving many bewildered and panicked.
At most after stealing the ball, they had expected him to make a pass. But it hadn't crossed anybody's mind that he would instead start accelerating.
Was he out of his mind?
After all, he was sprinting all the way from his half.
It would have been a different scenario if he was open. But he had several obstacles in his way. Almost the entirety of the opposing players leaving their attackers were concentrated inside the opposing half.
So what was he trying to achieve by sprinting all the way from his half?
Soon, Hiro encountered his first obstacle in the form of the opposing center mid.
However, he evaded his first obstacle with ease. But he couldn't rest easy as no sooner had he dribbled past the opposing center mid than another midfielder showed up.
At the same time, another midfielder showed up as well. The two ganged up on him and imprisoned him. Simultaneously they swept their legs attempting to snatch the ball away from him while at the same time they pressured him.
Yet despite their repeated assault, he didn't give away the ball.
It was as if the ball was stuck in his feet.
Many of his teammates came to his aid while opposing players tried to stop him. However, Hiro remained adamant about keeping the ball as he refused to pass.
It wasn't that he didn't want to pass but he couldn't locate a space to pass.
His teammates might not be aware of it but they weren't actually free. But they didn't see it that way. They simply thought that it was his selfishness.
"Pass!"
"Pass!"
Many of his teammates cried out loud for the pass.
They were pissed.
The only route that had been left open was behind. But if he passed back it'd probably put an end to the attack. So, he was adamant to pass the ball.
Somehow, he had to get out of their entanglement. That was the only way, he concluded. Also, why was only the back open? It was as if they had purposefully left the back open.
For a while, due to their repeated assault, Hiro struggled to keep hold of the ball. But if it only took their strength to stop him then he wouldn't be trying in the first place.
With a few flashy tricks, Hiro finally got through their entanglement.
Apart from one of the defenders of the opposing side, most had maintained a safe distance from him so that they could keep other players in check. Hence, after getting past the entanglement of those two midfielders, he had only a sole defender to worry.
But it was clear from the recent progression that Hiro wasn't an easy opponent.
Not only did he possess explosive acceleration that allowed him to sprint like crazy in a matter of seconds, but he was also an excellent dribbler capable of retaining the ball.
So as he got through the entanglement of those midfielders, other opposing players immediately rushed on him. They tried to give him as little space as they could to limit his mobility.
But they couldn't leave their mark either.
It was as if they were chained to some pillars. Though they had the liberty to move they couldn't move far due to the length of the chain.
Yet still they couldn't allow him room to operate.
The Japanese played in a 4-3-1-2 formation. On the other hand, the Georgian side played in a classic 4-3-3 formation.
If not for it being a counter-attack Hiro would have other players by his side. But right now he only had two other players in front of him.
On the other hand, the opposing side had a numerical advantage with four defenders available. Two of them were chained to Tatsuki and Maeda. But two were free to operate.
With a quick body feint, Hiro got through the defender in front of him making it his fourth victim to get dribbled by him.
By now, his skill had already waned away.
Though he could use it again, it wasn't a wise decision to use it as he had little to no room for him to operate.
If only he could tap into the zone, he might be able to produce a miracle. But the effect of his talent was random, so he couldn't tap into it willingly.
He had only one option left.
Though he was a little far from the post, he could only try his luck.
Fireball Shot!
About 26 yards away from the post while the opposing defenders were blocking his path, he stretched his leg. His body swayed as he prepared to shoot. While the muscle in his legs coiled like a spring, preparing to release the tension.
Bam!
At once, he released the stored tension on the ball, causing it to soar above the head of the opposing player that was blocking his way.
The ball made a beautiful arc in the air due to the spin on the ball.
As for the defender in front of him, he was left in awe. So were the fans present in the stadium. They could only follow the ball, helplessly.
They shouldn't be feeling exhilarated in such a perilous moment. Yet seeing the ball soaring above the heads of their players, some couldn't help but feel exhilarated.
As for the opposing keeper, most of his view was blocked by his teammates. So, he couldn't catch a better glimpse of the shot. At most, he could only predict the direction of the ball.
So, having predicted its trajectory, he made a dive.
Yet still he fell short, once again.
Goal!!
Exhilarated, some opposing fans nearly shot forth from their seat to celebrate. While many cried out in disappointment.