Senegal.
Honestly, besides Sadio Mane, the Liverpool superstar winger, no one really knew anything about that country. Well, the same could be said for the other side, as Senegal would have no idea of what Japan was capable of.
This was just the reality of a big tournament like this. It was rare for teams from different continents to face each other on a normal occasion, so when something like this happened, more often than not, the teams would just enter the pitch blindly.
However, since it was a quarterfinal already, they should have better intelligence here. After all, both teams had already played four games so far, so it was enough to give each other an idea of what they were capable of.
"Senegal..." Kageyama-sensei spoke with a heavy atmosphere surrounding him. "They are topping Group A with two wins and one draw, and just like us who faced the opponent from the same country, they are also the same. Earlier this evening, they faced a strong African team, Nigeria, and won the game with a solid score of 2-1."
All the boys had their backs straightened immediately when they heard that. Unlike Senegal, Nigeria had a better reputation all around the world when it came to football. Even though they were not at the same caliber as Côte d’Ivoire or Cameroon, which were good enough to challenge the powerhouse teams from Europe, at least, Nigeria had established themselves as one of the biggest countries in Africa when it came to football.
The fact that Senegal managed to beat them told all the Japan boys that their next game would be anything but easy.
"Just like any African team, they are superior to us in physicality, and I don’t mean the ordinary superiority like what South Korea has against us." Kageyama-sensei continued his explanation. "No, they are way more superior than that. They even have a greater advantage against any other players in the world. That is their capital in fighting in Europe, so they are definitely better than us in this case."
Ito looked at his compatriots in defense solemnly. They were going to be the ones who received the worst punch in the next game, and knowing that the opponents were going to pack a heavy punch was enough to intimidate them even slightly.
"They are also a team with good defensive structure and rely on quick transition to hurt their opponent." After this, the screen changed to one player. "His name is Amadou Sagna, a left winger. He scored a hat trick in his first game, and all of his goals come from him overpowering his opponent in strength and speed, forcing his way to get through the penalty box. Sugawara, this man is going to be troublesome, so you have to be careful with him. Kawabe, your speed will be useful against him, so don’t hesitate to drop back to help Sugawara, okay?"
The two pillars on the right side nodded solemnly at that command. "Yes, Sensei!"
"Then, we also have Ibrahima Niane, their striker." The screen changed to a player with the jersey number 14. "Other than his speed and strength, honestly, he is not that good. His first touch is terrible, and his positioning is sometimes a little bit off. However, he is a presence that cannot be ignored in the box. So far, he has already scored two goals, and all of them come from heading scenarios. So, Ito, this is going to be a difficult task for you."
The captain didn’t even blink here. "Don’t worry, Sensei. I am not afraid of him or anyone else."
"Good. This time, you will have Seko to help you." Kageyama-sensei said so casually. However, the information he dropped was like a bomb here, stunning everyone else in the room.
"Wait, me?!" Ayumu Seko pointed at himself in shock. After all, he was one of the few who got dropped since he didn’t treat the training session seriously.
"Yes, you." Kageyama-sensei nodded in confirmation. "I see your attitude has changed drastically in the last few days, and I can appreciate that. Also, Kobayashi-kun has a little strain on his hamstring. Not that bad, but he needs to take a rest for about one week."
The news stunned people once again, as this time, everyone turned to Kobayashi immediately. The boy in question just rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Yesterday was the first time I played for 120 minutes, and it seems I overdid it quite badly. I felt discomfort in my hamstring, and after the doctor checked it, he told me to take a rest for a little bit, so I am sorry, everyone."
The boys looked at him in a complicated mood. Even though at first, Kobayashi was never the first option, after the tournament reached this stage, everyone had already gotten used to his presence on the back.
Even though he was not the strongest or the fastest, the boy was a stable presence that would ensure everyone that everything was fine in the back. Losing him would definitely hurt the team, not just tactically, but mentally as well.
"Don’t worry, Yuki." Ayumu Seko suddenly spoke, being followed by pin-drop silence as everyone was waiting for him. "Just take a rest in peace; I will fight for you as well in the next game."
In return, Kobayashi just laughed casually. "I know you are always a better defender than me, Ayu, so I am not really that worried here. Just make sure that you don’t make a mistake, okay?"
"Don’t worry, leave the rest to me." The boy nodded solemnly.
Kageyama-sensei nodded quietly, approving of the atmosphere here. He had indeed been observing Ayumu Seko in the last couple of days, and while the boy still maintained some of his arrogance, his working attitude changed. The boy didn’t just stroll around casually, even running harder and longer than anyone else in any training session.
The boy himself was his main defender in the first place, so putting him back on the team was a no-brainer decision here.
"Okay, now that we have already talked about our defense, let’s change the subject here." He coughed, turning everyone’s attention back to him again. "Now, let’s talk about how we should win that game."