Chapter 89: Are You Ready

The game continued, because of Li Yongle receiving treatment on the next round, Zhongyuan had 10 people battling now.

The other side of the court, the doctor was applying ice to Li Yongle’s already slightly swollen left knee and sprayed painkillers. Sun Laihong was squatting on the side and watched the process of the treatment.

“The current treatment only relieves his pains, it’s not treating his wounds and injuries so I suggest you to consider replacing him.” As the doctor was treating him, he explained to Sun Laihong.

Sun Laihong did not answer, he only looked at Li Yongle’s slightly swollen left knee. After a while, it seemed like he made his decision and stood up, he shouted to the substitute bench: “Dong Jin! Do some warm ups!”

Unexpectedly, Li Yongle, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up and jumped to the side of the doctor which frightened him.

“Coach!”

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Sun Laihong turned his head.

“I can still play, there’s no need to replace me!”

Sun Laihong looked at Li Yongle, his vision stopped at his knee that was still a little swollen.

Li Yongle knew his coach’s meaning, he slightly bent his left knee and endured the pain saying, “There’s no problem, I can still move as usual!”

He winced at the moment he said “move as usual”, but he did not escape Sun Laihong’s eyes.

Li Yongle looked at Sun Laihong and Sun Laihong looked at him too, both of them were staring at each other.

After a while, Sun Laihong turned. “Please bandage up his knee…”

The doctor was shocked. “What are you doing? His knee won’t be able to let him continue!”

At this time, there was a loud cheer from the stands. Since Kaka wasn’t suppressed by Li Yongle any longer, he was very active. There was frequent passing of good shots and Zhang Lintao tackled a long ranged out earlier.

“Li Yongle is still under treatment at the scene. The situation of the injury is still unknown and the members of Zhongyuan seem to be somewhat absent-minded. Within this moment, Shu Guang’s brilliance is great! As this shift continues, Zhongyuan’s defense won’t be able to sustain any longer! Does Sun Laihong have any instructions?”

“No, look at this, he already gave instructions. Zhongyuan’s No. 15, Dong Jin is warming up. Looking at how it is, Li Yongle has most certainly been replaced.”

Sun Laihong did not answer the doctor’s question but turned his head to ask Li Yongle, “Are you ready?”

Li Yongle nodded.

“Doctor, please bandage up his knee and let him continue the game.”

When the doctor saw that they both had no objections, it wasn’t right to say anything and followed what he was told to do. He carefully wrapped the injured knee of Li Yongle then letting him stand up and tried some movements.

In the beginning, Li Yongle only slightly bent his knee without any pain. Then he ran and leaped in a small area and there was no obvious pain. He exclaimed with joy, “Okay!”

“It’s not okay, I only treated you with gauze to ease the pain. Your injury is not okay yet, you have to remember that another collision and excessive movements will lead to increased pain. I advise you to think about it before you go on the field.” The doctor used a stern voice as he said. But obviously, Li Yongle didn’t listen to half of his speech because he was already standing and waiting by the side to get on the field again.

“Dong Jin, back to your seat.” Sun Laihong raised his hands.

“Are you ready?

“Are you ready to give everything for victory?

“Are you ready to bear all the consequences of failure?

“Are you really ready?”

“Yes, I’m ready!”

“Zhongyuan didn’t have a replacement and Li Yongle is back in the game. But looking at his bandaged left knee, it really makes us worry! Are his injuries really okay?”

Looking at Li Yongle standing by the sidelines, Zhang Yang had some difficulties snatching the ball that was kicked out of the field.

“Li Yongle is jogging to the field, looking from his movements, it seems like the effect of his injury isn’t that big!”

“Hopefully!”

Li Yongle returned to the game and his teammates who were worried for him made a sigh of relief. And the stands burst out an even louder cheer and applause.

When Li Yongle came out to the field, Sun Laihong announced his latest instructions loudly on the sidelines: “Luo Bin! Go up, Kaka is now on you! Li Yongle, withdraw to the position of Luo Bin and freeze Zhang Jun!”

Everyone was shocked at the sudden change, except for the Zhongyuan team itself.

Luo Bin did not say anything and gave Li Yongle a high five. He turned away from the mid defender. “He’s all yours!”

“The coach Sun Laihong… Li Yongle’s is injured, but why is he allowing him to defend against Zhang Jun?”

“I don’t know, but I do know that the remaining twenty minutes of the match will be very exciting, I believe it!”

“Are… your injuries okay?” Zhang Jun had his eyes wide opened as he looked at the thick bandage on Li Yongle’s knee and asked.

Li Yongle raised an eyebrow. “If you’re soft on this little issue, I will gladly make you regret for another year!”

Li Yongle meant what he said, Zhang Jun took Yang Pan’s pass and was just about to break through but he kicked the ball to the side and Li Yongle shoveled it. The ball was shoveled and the person fell too. The referee whistled and motioned Shu Guang a free kick.

“Li Yongle is full of strength! It seems like his injuries are redundant.”

Zhang Jun got up and looked at Li Yongle’s back thoughtfully.

“A direct free kick! Only 23 meters away from the goal, this is a good chance to score for Shu Guang! Will Kaka, the leader, take this opportunity? Yang Pan stood in front of the ball, in high school and middle school. Yang Pan was the only player to kick the free kick. His strong shots are extremely destructive! Kaka, who is currently good with angles and Yang Pan, who is good at strength are both standing in front of the ball. Even Zhang Lintao, the best goalkeeper of the last National Championship, feels a bit nervous! Who will take the penalty kick?

“Who will take the penalty kick?” Zhang Lintao asked the same question in his heart. From the standpoint of the two of them, anyone was possible. Zhang Lintao wiped his sweat, as a goalkeeper, in the afternoon of a winter game, he could still sweat so much as the competition was full of tense.

The defensive wall has been set up and closed the corners, Zhang Lintao defended at the far corner.

The referee whistled and Yang Pan started to run then with a familiar swing of his leg, this action was the prelude to his signature strong shoot.

The defensive wall jumped habitually but they saw Yang Pan held his legs back in front of the ball and picked up his right leg to gently drop it to the side. When they lander, Kaka already rushed up, stomped his foot, raised his hand and kicked!

The soccer ball crossed the defensive wall and fell near the corner!

Looking at Yang Pan, Zhang Lintao also shuddered but he quickly realized Kaka was running behind him. He almost rushed by instinct behind the right side of the defensive wall to catch. Sure enough, the soccer ball quickly flew over the wall and flew to the lower right corner.

Zhang Lintao used his fingertips to set the ball out of the goal!

“Beautiful free kick and a great save!”

Zhang Lintao climbed up from the ground but he still had some lingering fears. He was only gambling in the game just now. In general, this kind of free kick will lead to players on choosing to kick at near corners. But above and below, Zhang Lintao is completely oblivious. He never thought his calm self on the field would be a gambler and also bet on it.

Until this point of the game, could he not master himself? Zhang Lintao smiled wryly.

“The ball was handed over to Ren Yu De but Zhongyuan didn’t immediately defend against him. He hasn’t been playing well so far. It can be said that he was different from the Ren Yu De at the semi-finals. Zhongyuan paid no attention to him!”

The distance between the two was shortening and Ren Yu De was still dribbling the ball. Liu Chao lowered his center of gravity, putting both of his hands slightly at his back and marked the ball closely from Ren Yu De’s foot.

Ren Yu De’s right leg was dribbling the ball! From the soccer ball and crossed to his left leg.

“Ren Yu De’s famous ‘cycling’!”

However, Liu Chao did not move. When he saw Ren Yu De’s situation, he only hardened himself. He raised his right foot again and when people thought he would continue his cycling, he had a shot on his foot and the soccer ball passed between Liu Chao’s separated legs!

“Crotch ball!”

Immediately after that, he accelerated and wanted to bypass Liu Chao. However, Liu Chao didn’t lose his calm because of the crotch ball. He reversed himself and blocked Ren Yu De’s positioning and cut the ball off.

“Experienced defense! Ren Yu De ran into a tough opponent!”

Ren Yu De collided with Liu Chao but he was knocked down.

When he got up from the ground, he suddenly heard a familiar child-like voice from the noisy scene: “Brother! Come on! Don’t be so weak!”

He lifted his head up and looked at the stands. He was shocked that he could find the people he was looking for in the crowded stands. His own brother, mother and also… the one sitting beside his mother, the one that who sits in front of the television as usual at home, his strict father….

“Brother!” His brother waved a little colorful flag in his hands.

His mother smiled and waved her hands too, “Yu De! Play nicely! Don’t bring shame to your family!”

His father did not say anything, he only had a strict face on but looking at this face, Ren Yu De had some tears at the corner of his eyes.

During the younger days where he played soccer, his mother said it was okay to train his body but his father didn’t say anything, but there was neither objection nor support. When he saw Ren Yu De coming home full of sweat and only said one sentence: “It’s time to eat.” He always thought his father didn’t care about him playing soccer. But today, his beloved father came to see him playing soccer!

Thinking about it, when he was young, that pair of expensive new shoes; and when he woke up, he found himself a glittering leather soccer ball on his bedside, a beautiful jersey… yet he patronized and complained about his father not agreeing to talk with him. He didn’t even think about who bought these precious babies in front of him.

It’s not like he never cared about him or does he not cared about him playing soccer, but it was from his heart that has always been shown only by action. He only didn’t see it clearly…

He suddenly felt that the ice wall that has grown between him and his father for nine years had begun to melt away…

Even though Li Yongle was on the field, he was injured and could only fully defend Zhang Jun. He was no longer able to help offensively. Kaka clearly felt that Luo Bin’s pressure was far worse than Li Yongle but he also began to be active again.

At this moment, Zhongyuan could only defend and not attack.

“Shu Guang is back! After scoring a goal, they are very successful and constantly exert pressure on Zhongyuan’s goal! Kaka got passed Luo Bin again and crossed over to shoot! Zhang Lintao hugged the ball in his arms!”

Zhang Lintao got up from the ground. During this time, he was too busy. In exception of Ren Yu De in Shu Guang’s offense, they were all at full power which got him into some trouble and became quite chaotic.

He held the ball and looked at the situation in front of him, it was his first time being at loss. Just start the kickoff, the captain at the front, Zhao Defeng was not good at heading and the ball would fall at the opponent’s leg. Just throw the ball then and watch the strikers of Shu Guang giving out pressure, if it was not done properly, it would be cut off and would be a direct threat to the goal.

Zhang Lintao realized that he could no longer hesitate, otherwise, it wouldn’t be worthwhile to be sentenced for taking too long. He finally decided to be secured and threw the ball by hand.

Because from comparison with several others, only Liu Chao on the side of Ren Yu De was not good, therefore his pressure would be the most minimal. Zhang Lintao chose to throw the ball to Liu Chao.

“Zhang Lintao throws the ball to Liu Chao! Liu Chao places the ball in front and rushes forward… Ah! Ren Yu De!”

Liu Chao wanted to take the ball that was thrown by Zhang Lintao and dribble it forward, making another plan, he relaxingly placed the ball forward and never thought that the soccer ball that was three or four meters away would be snatched from Ren Yu De!

Ren Yu De took the ball, but Liu Chao was still an experienced back defender and quickly blocked his road, making him reached a dead end.

“Although Ren Yu De snatched the ball, but he was immediately forced into a dead end by Liu Chao! It seems like Liu Chao is taking advantage of this confrontation between the two of them!”

Ren Yu De could really feel the pressure form this short sized defender, he pushed himself to the sideline with his body and kept harassing his feet. It was difficult to protect the ball from being cut off. But what can he do? Breaking the ball by himself was like hitting the other person by surprise and be caught off guard. If Liu Chao is trapped now, wouldn’t this great opportunity be wasted?

Scary! Where did Liu Chao get all his strength from? He was pressured by himself from the outside!

“Brother! Keep it going!”

Ren Yu De gritted his teeth and jerked his body backwards and hit Liu Chao. Liu Chao did not think that almost no one in the game would give such a great strength and took a step back.

It’s only half a step and it was enough for Ren Yu De.

It was this half a step, that Ren Yu De felt Liu Chao’s body loosening, this was his chance! He twisted forward and Liu Chao thought he was going to force him front the front and he was busy moving his body, thinking of blocking Ren Yu De’s route in advance.

But Ren Yu De used his heel to gently kick the ball in the opposite direction and turned at the same time!

“Ren Yu De fooled Liu Chao, now he has to make a break through from the other side!”

“Great thinking!” Liu Chao was a person who’s easily deceived. He gritted his teeth and his right leg suddenly jerked and his left leg was thrown off the ball by a reactionary force.

However, Ren Yu De turned around but once again pulled the ball to the back with his left foot. At the same time, he turned again and turned back to the first time where he pretended to breakthrough in that direction! But this time, it wasn’t pretending, it was the real thing.

“Wonderful! A series of fake turnings! Liu Chao is helpless and was broke through by Ren Yu De!”

After Ren Yu De passed Liu Chao, he slammed his right foot to the restricted area. When Deng Rui saw Liu Chao being passed by, he quickly went to recover the defense. However, Ren Yu De also pretended to pass through the middle of the game, Deng Rui stretched his foot to stop. He took the ball back again with his left foot and turned around, he fooled Deng Rui too.

“Beautiful!”

Liu Chao already rushed up, there’s no doubt he’s an excellent back defender and the speed of recovering the defense was really fast.

Ren Yu De knew himself that he shouldn’t be wasting time at the restricted area, whether to shoot or to pass.

Looking down at Zhang Lintao who did not completely seal the near corner, it left a gap and this gap was enough for his kick. He felt like taking the shot!

Liu Chao, of course, knew how bad his small angles were. When he saw his feet lifting up, he instinctively shoveled the ball and not caring about his own position, there was a high possibility of a foul.

Unsurprisingly, Liu Chao’s right foot shoveled Ren Yu De’s left foot, the soccer ball was then slammed by the two of the them and knocked to the side, Ren Yu De’s body slanted and fell down!

*Beep–*

“Penalty! Penalty! The referee penalized the penalty! Ren Yu De is revived! In the confrontation with Liu Chao, he not only cheated twice but it’s also because he was given a penalty for fouling! Liu Chao’s defeat is devastating!”

The referee quickly ran over and gestured the penalty, then waved mercilessly to disperse the players of Zhongyuan who were desperate to struggle.

On the other side, Kaka pulled Ren Yu De up then he gave a passionate hug and a warm kiss.

“Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!” Being excited, he did not know what else to say.

The other teammates of Shu Guang quickly swarmed around, as if celebrating another goal. They were totally confident and justified because the penalties was the captain, Yang Pan!