Football singularity-Chapter 405 Takefusa Kubo

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[Saturday, 26/10/2019, 20:42, Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion, Poland]

[57]

The stadium roared to life as Hiroki Abe sprinted down the left flank, the ball under his command and the Japanese supporters on their feet. His burst of speed had created a precious pocket of space, but Germany’s defenders were already scrambling to recover. Armel Bella-Kotchap and Kevin Ehlers shifted toward the danger zone, their imposing figures moving like twin towers converging on the lone runner.

Abe glanced up, noting Ayase Ueda charging into the box, his arm raised to signal for a cross. Kubo, slightly behind, was streaking toward the top of the penalty area, whilst Ritsu Doan was on the other side looking to cut into the box. The German defence was overrun by their pace as they created a 4v2 situation before they could even react.

Now Hiroki just needed to be clinical enough to either finish it off himself or set up his teammate to do so. He didn’t hesitate in passing the ball to Kubo who was running to the top of the box forcing Bella-Kotchap to sharply turn towards Kubo and step back to cover the area. Hiroki Abe’s pass was sharp and precise, skimming just above the turf as it reached Takefusa Kubo at the top of the penalty area.

Kubo controlled it with his right foot, his first touch immaculate, cushioning the ball into his path as Bella-Kotchap closed in like a freight train. The Japanese number 10 had only a split second to decide—shoot, pass, or dribble. Bella-Kotchap lunged, attempting to block any forward movement, but Kubo anticipated the move. A subtle shift of his body weight was enough to fake Bella-Kotchap out of his stride, and Kubo slipped the ball to his left foot, opening up a new angle.

He slipped a short pass into the box sending the ball back to Hiroki who had continued his run. Now with no one in front of him, Luca was forced to cover the front post as Hiroki composed himself. Hiroki steadied himself, his eyes locked on Luca Unbehaun, who had shifted to the near post in a desperate attempt to narrow the angle. The crowd at Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion was electric, a mix of Japanese chants urging Hiroki to finish and German supporters bracing for their goalkeeper to make yet another save.

He feinted to shoot, his quick dip of the shoulder causing Luca to flinch and commit slightly to his left. With that tiny opening, Hiroki calmly slid the ball across the face of the goal toward the far post. Time seemed to slow as the ball rolled agonizingly close to the line before slamming against the inside of the post.

Cheers erupted from the Japanese fans as the ball ricocheted into the back of the net. Japan 1:2 Germany. Hiroki Abe sprinted toward the corner flag, arms outstretched, his teammates flooding toward him in celebration. They had fought hard for this goal, and nothing could stop them from relishing this moment.

"Hiroki is the man of the hour...Japan finally shows signs of life in this game as the score shifts to 1:2," Paul commented with excitement as the replay of the build-up play that led to the goal was shown on the screen. "Now we have a competitive game of football,"

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[60]

The energy at Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion was electric, as the Japanese fans found their voices again after Hiroki Abe’s stunning goal. The chants of "Nippon! Nippon!" rang through the crisp October air, creating a pulsating atmosphere that reverberated across the stadium. On the touchline, Masanaga Kageyama was animated, barking instructions and gesturing for his players to maintain their intensity.

Germany restarted the game, with Lenn Jastremski rolling the ball back to Rakim outside the centre circle. He didn’t hold onto it as he distributed it to Noah as the German backline started their possession game. No unnecessary risks and with the midfielders moving in and out of space they retained possession of the ball.

After the Shok goal they conceded, none of them wanted to risk anything and decided to play it safe as they played keep away from their opponents. Their opponents wouldn’t let them have an easy time though as they played with even more fighting spirit and energy. Ayase Ueda and Takefusa Kubo led the charge, harrying Germany’s midfield and forcing hurried decisions.

Tanaka and Yasui, positioned in the heart of the midfield, snapped into challenges with newfound aggression, disrupting Germany’s rhythm. However, the German midfielders were no pushovers as they also got into the thick of it. For the next I’ve minutes the middle of the field became chaotic as no one managed to retain possession of the ball.

No single player was able to hold onto the ball for more than a moment before being besieged. The match had turned into a chaotic frenzy, the midfield becoming a battlefield where possession shifted with every second. Players lunged into tackles, intercepted passes, and fought tooth and nail for control. Every challenge drew gasps and cheers from the crowd, the intensity of the game pushing the atmosphere at Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion to a fever pitch.

Quite a few times the referee had to stop the game and give out cautions and even to occasional yellow cards. This tussle culminated in the 70th minute when Takefusa Kubo was taken down just a few yards in front of the Germany box. He had managed to shimmy past Niklas Tauer and Rakim Rex after stealing a loose pass only to be taken down by Angelo Stiller in a late slide tackle.

The referee didn’t hesitate in blowing his whistle mirroring the displeased whistles of the Japan fans. He didn’t stop there as he reached in his pocket showing the German midfielder a yellow card marking his entry into his book. Manuel Baum on the sidelines could only sigh in displeasure as he whispered something to his assistant coach. Moments later a group of players could be seen warming up on the sidelines as the referee regained control of the match.

[71]

The air was heavy with anticipation as Takefusa Kubo stood over the ball, just outside the German penalty area. The free-kick position was ideal—centre-left, giving the right-footed Kubo a chance to curl it around the wall and into the top corner. The Japanese fans erupted into chants, their faith in their young talisman unshaken despite the uphill battle they faced.

Kubo took a deep breath, his gaze locked on the ball, then shifted to Luca Unbehaun, who barked instructions to his wall. Germany’s players, led by Armel Bella-Kotchap, stood resolute in their line, arms linked and ready to leap in unison. The stadium’s atmosphere slowly lulled as Kubo stepped back to prepare for his attempt.

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All eyes in the Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion were focused on this boy who now carried the burdens of man. This was his chance at a coup de grâce that would not only level the game but also unsettle the German players. "Kubo with a chance to level the game. He runs, he shoots, and he scores." Paul Gartner exclaimed with an excited expression as he watched the ball float over the wall.

The ball sailed past Bella-Kotchap’s head curving dangerously towards the far-right corner. Luca never had a chance to reach it, not for lack of trying as he stretched to his max. It wasn’t enough though as the ball curled past his fingertips and pierced the top corner.

Almost immediately the Japanese fans erupted from their seats and wildly celebrated. "We were wondering when he would step up and he did so exceptionally. Takefusa Kubo remember the name."

The Zdzisław-Krzyszkowiak-Stadion burst to life with unbridled energy. Japanese fans sang and waved flags as though Kubo’s stunning free-kick had erased the memory of the first half entirely. The players on the pitch felt the momentum shift in their favour, adrenaline coursing through their veins.

On the touchline, Masanaga Kageyama clenched his fists, nodding in approval at his team’s resurgence. Meanwhile, Germany’s coach, Manuel Baum, wore a grim expression as he quickly discussed tactical adjustments with his assistant. He no longer hesitated as he signalled for a substitution in the form of Yannik Engelhardt who replaced Angelo Stiller who had just caused the free kick.

Despite being at fault for his team conceding a free kick the travelling German supporters clapped in appreciation for his performance. Even his teammates on the pitch gave him a pat on the back telling him to keep his chin up. He wasn’t the only one coming off as Kevin Schad joined him moments later for the young Florian Wirtz making his debut for the under-20 national team.

The young number 17 jogged to the centre of the field before proceeding to shove Rakim to the left wing. "Don’t give me that look, we both know you prefer the wing."

"True true, but I was lowkey enjoying walking a mile in your boots. Though I can’t say it’s as easy as I had imagined, it’s a lot tougher when your opponents don’t whether they injure you." Rakim retorted with an amused chuckle before he jogged to his position on the left flank vacating the middle without argument.

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To Be Continued...