January 30, 2020.
Match: Copa del Rey Round of 16.
Villarreal vs. Rayo Vallecano.
Stadium: Estadio de la Cerámica (Away).
Villarreal.
Formation: 4-3-3.
Goalkeeper: Andrés Fernández.
Defenders: Rubén Peña, Raúl Albiol, Ramiro Funes Mori, Xavi Quintillà.
Midfielders: Santi Cazorla (Captain), Vicente Iborra, Manu Trigueros.
Forwards: Gerard Moreno, Paco Alcácer, Moi Gómez.
Rayo Vallecano.
Formation: 4-1-4-1.
Goalkeeper: Stole Dimitrievski.
Defenders: Luis Advíncula, Alejandro Catena, Esteban Savić, Antonio Luna.
Defensive Midfielder: Mario Suárez.
Midfielders: Isi Palazón, Santi Comesaña, Óscar Trejo, Álvaro García.
Forward: Lu Chuan.
The match began, and Villarreal displayed terrifying dominance.
Their midfield "iron triangle"—Cazorla, Iborra, and Trigueros—pinned Rayo Vallecano deep in their own half with fluid, flowing passes.
Rayo Vallecano's players were like ghosts, unable to even touch the ball.
The turf of the Estadio de la Cerámica gleamed emerald green under the night lights.
Rayo Vallecano's players ran, but always seemed a half-step behind their opponents. Whenever they thought they could intercept the ball, a yellow-jerseyed figure would deftly move it into open space.
Lu Chuan stood at the very front, but he didn't press like a headless chicken.
With the enhancement of Full Field Vision, he clearly "saw" that behind Villarreal's exquisite passing and control, there was a huge gap between their two center-backs, Raúl Albiol and Funes Mori, left by their tactical push forward.
His vision expanded from high above, and the entire stadium transformed into a fluid sandbox.
Cazorla's passing intentions, Gerrard's running routes, and every breath-like rise and fall of the defensive line were all analyzed and reconstructed as data streams in his mind.
"Damn it, where are these passes going?" Santi Comesaña was running ragged in midfield, his jersey already soaked with sweat.
"Don't rush, maintain formation!" Captain Trejo wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes fixed on the constantly moving ball.
Álvaro García desperately tracked back on the left wing, his steps growing heavier. "Are these guys robots? One hundred percent passing accuracy!"
In the 21st minute, Villarreal's attacking core, 35-year-old Santi Cazorla, tore open Rayo Vallecano's defense with an incredible outside-of-the-foot through ball from midfield.
Forward Paco Alcácer's shot was bravely saved by goalkeeper Dimitrievski.
The Estadio de la Cerámica erupted in enthusiastic applause, as the home fans cheered for the brilliant combination play.
Cazorla's pass was surgically precise, almost delivering a fatal blow.
Paco Jémez on the sidelines was anxious, but he resisted making any adjustments.
He was betting on the space behind Villarreal's defense after they pushed forward to attack. And Lu Chuan was his only chip on the gambling table.
Paco's hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white from the effort.
He knew the key to this match was to patiently wait for that fleeting opportunity.
Lu Chuan didn't do much running on the field; he was like a patient hunter, lurking near the opponent's defensive line, seemingly lazy, but in fact conserving energy, waiting for that one-shot kill opportunity.
His "laziness" even puzzled some of his teammates.
"Lu, why aren't you coming back to help?" Mario Suárez turned to look at Lu Chuan in the attacking third after a tackle.
"Trust him." Trejo patted Suárez's shoulder. "This kid definitely has his own ideas."
Villarreal's offensive onslaught grew fiercer. Gerrard's movement in the Penalty Box was ghost-like and agile, and Paco Alcácer's shots frequently threatened Rayo Vallecano's goal.
The home fans at the Estadio de la Cerámica sang their team anthem loudly, yellow scarves fluttering in the night sky.
In the 42nd minute of the first half, the opportunity finally arrived!
Rayo Vallecano's defensive midfielder Mario Suárez made a fierce tackle at the edge of the Penalty Box, dispossessing Cazorla!
A patch of dirt flew up from the turf, and Cazorla lost his balance and fell. Suárez scrambled up from the ground, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The sound of Suárez's tackle was the starting gun.
Lu Chuan accelerated, his muscles instantly pumping blood, reaching maximum speed. He could even hear Mori's heavy breathing and futile footsteps behind him, but they were quickly being left far behind.
The home fans at the Estadio de la Cerámica fell silent instantly, only the sound of Lu Chuan's running footsteps could be heard.
Funes Mori desperately chased back, but his speed simply couldn't keep up with Lu Chuan's pace.
"Quick, defend!" Villarreal's captain Joaquín shouted from the back, but it was too late.
Facing the onrushing goalkeeper Andrés Fernández, the effect of the Penalty Box Finisher trial card once again manifested.
Lu Chuan showed no panic, and with an extremely simple and efficient push shot, he sent the ball into the far corner of the goal! 1-0! Rayo Vallecano took the lead away from home!
Goalkeeper Fernández dove in vain, only able to watch the ball roll into the net. He punched the ground, his face full of regret.
The Estadio de la Cerámica was silent.
Villarreal's players simply couldn't believe their eyes; after dominating their opponents for over 40 minutes, they had conceded a goal from a simple counterattack.
Cazorla held his head in his hands, his eyes full of bewilderment. They clearly had an absolute advantage, with 75% possession and far more shots than their opponents, yet they were behind.
Deafening cheers erupted from Rayo Vallecano's away fan section.
Lu Chuan didn't over-celebrate, simply raising his right hand in acknowledgment, then quickly running back to midfield.
At halftime, Villarreal coach Calleja replaced Iborra with the more attacking midfielder Anguissa, intending to launch a more ferocious attack in the second half.
"We must be more aggressive!" Calleja waved his tactics board in the locker room. "They are only leading by luck!"
"Don't underestimate them." Cazorla wiped his sweat, his expression grave. "That Chinese kid isn't simple; his timing for runs is too good."
Paco Jémez, however, gave Lu Chuan specific instructions. "In the second half, you don't need to defend; just stay in the attacking third."
Lu Chuan nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I understand, Coach."
"Be like a dagger and stab them in the heart!" Paco patted Lu Chuan's shoulder, his tone conveying trust.
"They will push forward aggressively, and there will be more space behind them then." Trejo leaned in, lowering his voice. "You just run, and we'll find a way to get the ball to your feet."
Suárez also walked over, still with an excited smile on his face. "How was that tackle of mine just now? Pretty fierce, right?"
"Beautiful!" Lu Chuan extended his fist and bumped it with Suárez's. "Keep it up in the second half."
In the second half, Villarreal launched a wave of attacks.
Gerrard's shot hit the post, and Cazorla's free-kick grazed the crossbar. Rayo Vallecano's goal was under constant threat, teetering on the brink.
The home fans at the Estadio de la Cerámica rekindled their hope, their songs growing louder.
A yellow ocean surged in the stands, cheering on the home team.
Goalkeeper Dimitrievski was already drenched in sweat, his jersey soaked through.
Every save required his full effort, because every shot from Villarreal carried a huge threat.
"Hold on! Keep holding on!" Esteban Savić shouted from the back, his voice already hoarse.
In the 88th minute of the match, Villarreal earned a corner kick.
Goalkeeper Andrés Fernández even rushed into Rayo Vallecano's Penalty Box to participate in the attack! The corner was taken and headed clear by Catena. The ball fell to Lu Chuan's feet outside the Penalty Box.
Lu Chuan looked up, the distant goal was empty.
Everything around him turned to slow motion—the chasing players, the terrified expressions in the stands—only his mind was working at high speed, calculating distance, wind speed, and the power of his kick.
His eyes became incredibly focused, and the entire world seemed to consist only of him and that distant goal.
With the enhancement of Full Field Vision, he could clearly calculate the angle, power, and curve.
Fernández turned in panic in the Penalty Box, desperately running back towards his goal.
But the distance was too great; he simply couldn't make it in time.
Lu Chuan took a deep breath and powerfully struck the ball with his right foot.