Ishikawa was ready to resume after Shūdan-teki had taken the lead. The referee blew the whistle, and the ball was back in play. Ishikawa passed to Watanabe.
Nishimura immediately noticed the subtle change. They haven't altered the formation, just the layout.
He shadowed Ito as usual, but Ito now lingered much further back in the build-up. Watanabe's positioning caught Nishimura's attention next.
Before the ball even reached Ito, he returned it instantly to Watanabe. Nishimura tried to anticipate his moves, preventing any free runs. Riccardo approached Watanabe, who cleverly flicked the ball forward to Kamiyama, pushing into Shimizu's area just behind Ito and Nishimura.
Ito accelerated into Shūdan-teki's half, followed closely by Nishimura. Kamiyama, seeing Shimizu approach, immediately passed in the same direction. Ito took control, pushed forward, and then threaded a pass to Ishikawa, who was surrounded by the Shūdan-teki midfielders.
Ito continued down the left flank, while number 6 moved toward Ishikawa's right. The sudden shifts unsettled Tamura and Ono, pressing Ishikawa.
"Tanaka!" Noguchi shouted, pointing to number 6. "Press him!"
Tanaka reacted instantly, rushing toward number 6. But Ishikawa, ever unpredictable, passed the ball back to Watanabe, still in his own half.
"The two on the right!" Coach Suzuki yelled.
Tanaka noticed their number 2 had advanced, occupying the space on his wing. Watanabe controlled the ball and fired a long pass to the number 2 sprinting down the right flank. Tanaka tried to intercept, but the player shifted left with precise control, leaving Tanaka off-balance. In desperation, Tanaka tugged the opponent's shirt—committing a foul.
"Try not to do that again. Next time, yellow card!" the referee warned.
"Understood," Tanaka said, annoyed at himself.
Nishimura watched thoughtfully as Tanaka apologized. They're so precise… one or two touches, then everyone knows where to move.
Ishii stepped to the edge of the technical area. "Aliberti! Stay back!" he shouted.
Riccardo acknowledged him with a thumbs-up as he entered the penalty area. All the aerial threats had gathered, ready for a possible cross from the free kick. Ito readied the ball, flanked by number 7 and 11. Ueno moved to the right wing, anticipating any low play.
The referee blew the whistle. Ito began his run. The wingers shifted—number 7 toward the center, the other toward the wing, just as Ueno had predicted. Some players in the box followed the wingers, leaving gaps inside.
Ito crossed into the box. Aoki tried to anticipate, but Ishikawa met the ball first, heading it toward the wing where number 11 was moving inward, shadowed by Ueno. Number 11 controlled it and advanced, Sugimoto breaking free from the crowded box to intercept.
The player feinted, evading Sugimoto's tackle, then curled a left-footed shot toward Andou's far post. Surrounded by the crowd, Andou struggled to see it—the ball hit the post.
Noguchi reacted first, throwing it out for a left-side throw-in. Andou exhaled in relief.
"Good job, Captain!" Andou praised.
Riccardo wanted to push forward, but seeing Takahashi and Okamoto still in the box, he shifted to mark Takahashi.
The throw-in arrived from Morita, fast and high.
Takahashi jumped, outpacing Riccardo, and met the ball with a powerful header toward the far post. Andou leapt, expecting to intercept—but Ishikawa surged from behind Tamura, volleying with his right foot into the net.
Maebashi equalized.
The sideline erupted with cheers. Shūdan-teki's players looked shaken by the swift response. The scoreboard now read:
Maebashi Ikuei 1 | 1 Shūdan-teki – 20 minutes played.
Tamura approached Andou. "Sorry, I missed number 9!"
"Don't worry. We'll get back in front," Andou replied confidently.
On the bench, Ishii watched his players thoughtfully, then allowed a small smile. Now I get it…
Riccardo's gaze locked on Takahashi, sharp and focused.
"Hmph… interesting," he muttered, excitement flashing in his eyes.
Nishimura raised an eyebrow. "You know they just scored against us, right?"
"I know… but the key is to score one more than them," Riccardo said, unwavering.
Nishimura blinked. "Yeah… obviously, or we won't win…"
Riccardo turned to his teammates. "If you're in trouble, pass the ball to me! I'll take care of it."
At first, the team seemed surprised. Then their expressions shifted, frowning slightly.
"What, you think you're Cristiano Ronaldo or something?" Tanaka teased.
Riccardo winced but shook it off. "Come on, a little enthusiasm wouldn't hurt…"
Nishimura moved into position. "I like your attitude… but you're not playing alone here."
Riccardo looked at him in surprise. Shimizu walked past, placing a hand on his right shoulder.
"Everyone gives their all for each other… remember that," Shimizu said.
Riccardo scanned the field, then smiled faintly, moving toward the center circle to restart the game.