Sera (CM) jogs toward the drop-pass from Tobita and turns out of pressure again —
same calm tempo.
But this time, instead of recycling, he angles his body forward.
Kasugano shift late.
A short diagonal into Yuki (SS).
Yuki receives between their CBs and mid again — a half-space pocket. Not polished, but the idea is right.
Akira (CF) is already peeling off Sutra, timing his run.
Yuki cushions the ball back to Sera. One-touch. Threading pass, vertical.
Akira bursts into the gap.
Nagasawa (CB) reacts late and checks shoulder — Minato (CF) even yells back at his own line, "track him!"
Akira carries into the edge of the box. First defender closing. No hesitation.
He cuts inside — tiny window — and strikes low, across goal.
Takigawa (GK) dives and palms it wide.
First real danger.
Kasugano's bench goes quiet a second.
Gen (CB) doesn't celebrate, but he looks across the pitch — not shocked, just quietly noting they can hurt them.
Akira stands up from the shot, breathing heavy but focused. Not a fluke. A football action with intent.
Kasugano reset for the goal kick… but their tempo is faster now — cautious.
Kitonohara press just a little higher, sensing rhythm.
Kasugano restart quick through Iseri (CM). No hesitation — tempo bump.
A sharp turn, ball out to Tsubaki (RMF). He doesn't slow down. Head up → touches past Hayato (DMF) like he's not there.
Gen (CB) reads it early, slides a half-step outward — no dive, just waiting.
Tsubaki sees space down the flank and hits a driven pass inside toward Minato (CF), already pinning Jirō (CB).
The trap is clean: if Minato receives and lays off first-touch, Fujimori (LMF) is wide open cutting in.
Jirō tight on the body, but Minato shields. Ball is about to stick—
Gen appears.
Not a slide. Not a gamble.
He angles across Minato's blind side, just one touch through the window between foot and turf, and pokes it clean without fouling.
Minato turns, stunned for half a second. Perfect timing — "centre-back timing", not brute force.
Ball rolls loose.
Kasugano press to win it back, but Sera (CM) steps in, scoops it first-touch around Iseri's press.
Calm. No noise. Just rhythm.
Kitonohara build again.
You can already feel it — Kasugano expected chaos from an uncoached team. Instead they're meeting small pockets of structure, held together by Gen at the back and Sera in circulation.
Akira signals for another early run.
Sera (CM) turns out of pressure and sees the left lane first.
Yuki (SS) drops in, showing for feet.
Sera threads a simple vertical pass. Not flashy — but it breaks Iseri's cover shoulder.
Yuki receives, body turning. Rei (CB) immediately steps out to contain.
Yuki hesitates, then slips it sideways toward Akira (CF) — a wall-pass instinct, just enough angle to keep the move alive.
Akira meets it in stride. Sugihara (CB) tight on his hip, physical, leaning.
Akira doesn't try a hold-up battle. Instead, a small cut inward, half a yard of space created — and he strikes early.
Low drive. Fast. Almost skimming grass.
Kasugano keeper Takigawa (GK) reacts late — caught leaning the wrong side — but fingertips get there at full stretch.
Ball spills wide. Margin thin.
Akira stands there a second, expression unreadable, just registering distance.
Kasugano's defense… not relaxed anymore.
They expected messy, panicked football. Instead they're getting: compact line, clear outlets, and a striker who pulls trigger without wind-up.
Tsubaki (RMF) gestures to Iseri: "pick up Sera quicker."
The tone of the match shifts from light to serious.
Kasugano regain and push phase two.
8'
Kasugano reset from the back. They don't rush.
Iseri (CM) drops between the two CBs, pulls Sera's (CM) attention narrower. That frees Fujimori (LMF) wide on the touchline.
A diagonal switch — clean and rehearsed.
Fujimori brings it down and drives. Jirō (CB) shifts early, body angled to show him out. Hayato (DMF) slides across too, late but present — shadow cover.
Fujimori doesn't force the dribble — he cuts back. Plays Minato (CF) feet-first.
Minato shields, pivots, lays it back to Iseri. Tempo — up a gear.
Kasugano move as a unit.
No solo play.
Never more than two touches per player.
Kitonohara hold shape, but every recovery sprint chips at lungs.
---
10'
Iseri spots the gap when Sera steps forward half a second late. One vertical pass splits the first line.
Minato spins off Gen's (CB) shoulder, not fully free — but half-window is enough.
He fires, snap-shot. Low, near-post.
Tobita (GK) reacts — big pa
rry, both palms. Rebound spilled out, but cleared by Jirō's toe at the last moment.
Gen turns back with a quiet exhale. Still 0–0.