Chapter 72: The Duel Officially Starts
Chapter Seventy-Two: The Duel Officially Begins
The announcer’s voice came through the broadcast, and the announcer said excitedly: The exciting moment has finally arrived, let us invite the members of the Prince Team and the Ruffian Team.
The two teams lined up and walked from the sidelines to the center, then began to shake hands with each other.
When it was Ji Xiangyu’s and Xia Yang’s turn, Xia Yang said with a smirk: “It seems the outcome is no longer important, the result Qing Tian wanted has been achieved!”
Upon hearing Xia Yang’s words, Ji Xiangyu, whose hand was holding lightly, suddenly exerted force. For a moment, the two of them, their hands silently competed, and finally, after a while, they let go of each other!!!
With a whistle, the match began! Feng Shao and An Yang of the Prince Team served.
Feng Shao passed it lightly to An Yang. Just as An Yang was about to kick the ball hard towards the Ruffian Team’s goal, Wu Chen of the Ruffian Team blocked it back. However, Ji Xiangyu was tightly guarded by the Ruffian Team, with no chance to get near the ball at all.
The Prince Team’s first offense failed.
Now it was time for a throw-in. The thrower was Zichuan of the Prince Team. He passed it to An Yang, who then passed it to Feng Shao, who was near the Ruffian Team’s territory. Just as Feng Shao was feeling proud and about to shoot, Qi Yilin of the Ruffian Team quickly ran a few steps, lunged, and grabbed the ball. This offense was thus neutralized by the Ruffian Team.
Ji Xiangyu, being double-teamed, was trying to find a way to escape when the ball possession immediately changed hands. He quickly ran back to his own territory and shouted: “Defense!!!”
For some reason, the Prince Team members always seemed a bit arrogant and restless. Ji Xiangyu frowned as he watched the serve.
Now, Qi Yilin of the Ruffian Team was about to take a goal kick. Unexpectedly, he kicked it directly in front of the Prince Team’s goal. Wang Yadi of the Prince Team caught it.
Not long after Wang Yadi threw the ball out of the goal, Wu Chen of the Ruffian Team snatched it. Before Wang Yadi could react, Wu Chen shot fiercely, and the ball flew into the Prince Team’s goal! The Ruffian Team members jumped up with joy, never expecting the first goal to be scored so easily.
The score on the field was 1:0.
Xia Yang made a victory gesture towards Ji Xiangyu. Ji Xiangyu looked at his teammates who were dejected after losing a goal, and he was also thinking of countermeasures. It wasn’t a good strategy to be constantly marked by the opponent. He couldn’t even focus on offense.
Ji Xiangyu patted his teammates’ arms and said: “Come on, this was just an accident. It’s time for us to show our strength. Everyone, lift your spirits!”
Motivated by Ji Xiangyu, everyone immediately became active, as if they had been injected with adrenaline, and began to attack.
The Prince Team, upon receiving the ball, did not pass it out easily. Instead, they kept passing it back and forth, wasting time. Sometimes it was snatched by the Ruffian Team, and sometimes it was intercepted back by the Prince Team.
Time slowly ticked away. When only one minute was left.
An Yang of the Prince Team finally broke free from his defender and was about to pass the ball to Ji Xiangyu. He looked at Ji Xiangyu expectantly and made a gesture of encouragement.
Ji Xiangyu nodded firmly upon seeing this. He used his advantage, a quick feint to shake off the defender. An Yang made a brilliant aerial pass, sending the ball to Ji Xiangyu’s feet. This cooperation was flawless.
Ji Xiangyu, with the ball, rapidly advanced towards the Ruffian Team’s goal. With his quick dodges, he had already bypassed two players. Now, the obstacles in front of him were Xia Yang and Wu Chen, and getting past them would not be easy.
He aimed for the gap between the two of them. If he could kick the ball powerfully, then there would be a chance to score one point.
He looked at Xia Yang and Wu Chen, who were closing in on him for a pincer attack, and concentrated all his strength on the tip of his foot.
The moment Xia Yang and Wu Chen extended their feet to intercept his ball, the moment everyone thought the ball would be stolen, Ji Xiangyu executed a brilliant feint and turn, bypassing Wu Chen, and then kicked powerfully. At that instant, Xia Yang stretched out his foot to intercept, but the power and speed of Ji Xiangyu’s shot were immense. In a flash, the ball grazed past him. The entire crowd held their breath, waiting for the ball to enter the goal.
Everyone held their breath, watching the football as if it were in slow motion, watching it enter the goal with the most precise speed and angle, perfectly.
At that moment, everyone in the audience, regardless of who they were, stood up and cheered.
Ji Xiangyu also breathed a sigh of relief. The score was now 1:1, a tie between both sides. The whistle for the end of the first half then sounded!
As they left the field, Xia Yang walked up to Ji Xiangyu and said: “That last shot was truly perfect. The next half is an important moment, Young Master Ji….”
Ji Xiangyu ignored Xia Yang and walked directly to his teammates, earnestly and seriously discussing tactics.
In the stands, Song Shishi suddenly asked Qing Tian seriously: “Sister Qing, who do you think will win in the second half?”
Qing Tian looked at Ji Xiangyu, who was walking away step by step, and shook her head, saying: “Winning or losing is no longer important!”
Song Shishi exclaimed dramatically: “How can it not be important? It’s about whether you have to kiss Xia Yang, or do you want to kiss Xia Yang?”
Qing Tian pushed away Song Shishi’s hand and said coldly: “You’re so annoying, don’t bother me!”
Song Shishi, angered by Qing Tian’s inexplicable outburst, obediently went to the side and continued to cheer for Xia Yang.
Ji Xiangyu, off the field, silently thought: Qing Tian, if only you could cheer for me!
Coincidentally, at that moment, Qing Tian softly said: “Ji Xiangyu, come on, you will win!”
However, reality was not as satisfactory as one’s inner thoughts!
