The shot was taken, and everyone held their breath unconsciously, knowing that this was going to be the last play of the game. Some even covered their face even though, from their spot, they couldn’t even see where the ball was going. The penalty box was too crowded for the spectators on the stand to find it in this chaotic moment.
The goalkeeper also moved. Even though his sight was blocked by so many people in front of him, the boy had seen a glimpse of the ball’s route, and he relied on his instinct to deal with this troublesome situation.
However, right when he saw the ball coming, someone suddenly extended one foot to deflect it. The movement was subtle, but enough to change the direction of the ball.
Thud!
’SHIT!’ The goalkeeper widened his eyes as, instead of rolling on the ground as he had expected, the ball suddenly bounced above him, creating a parabolic route that was impossible for him to stop. In the end, the ball finally fell behind the goal line, followed by silence all over the pitch.
Everyone was so confused for a moment, especially the people on the stand and the players on the bench. They even had to move closer to the sideline to get a better sight of what was going on there, trying to figure out where the ball landed. However, in the next second...
"AAAAARGH!" Ayumu Seko suddenly roared, rushing toward the bench while taking off his tops like a lunatic. "YEAAAAAAH!" His roar echoed throughout the whole stadium before everyone finally followed him.
"FUCK, AYU! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
"YOU GOT THE BALL FROM MORITA’S SHOOT?!"
"HAHAHA! Your luck is awesome!"
Indeed, it was Ayumu Seko who deflected the ball in front of Senegal’s goalkeeper earlier. He didn’t think that much at that time, just moving with a pure instinct to extend his left foot. Who would’ve thought that this was the miracle that the team had been waiting for?
The players there surrounded Ayumu Seko, who was still topless, as the boy just laughed there with his abs shining from the sweat and the sunlight. In this moment, he truly resembled the God of war, coming down to slay his enemies.
Some of the players were still laughing, while the rest were crying. The last couple of minutes had been a wild ride for their heart, and only after realizing that they were able to survive this shit were they finally sighing in relief. It was as if they had just gained their second life here.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese side could only watch the celebration with expressions full of bitterness. Some of them also cried, but it was more about frustration than excitement. They were just so close... Just a few seconds away from the next round, and yet, somehow, Japan managed to drag them back into the race again.
"Fuck it!" The goalkeeper punched the ground angrily; his face was a mess. "Just a few centimeters away... If only I could reach that ball..." His voice trailed off weakly, his head filled with so many ’what-if’ scenarios.
Unfortunately, the goal had already been confirmed, and there was nothing he could do about that. No one had the spirit to say anything to lift up the mood, too depressed over this situation. It was as if their soul was crushed, getting shattered to pieces without any possibility of being restored forever.
This was how a goal in the additional time hurt. It didn’t just tie the score, but also enough to bring down the whole team in one sweep. Now, even though the game was still far from over, in the extra time, the momentum would be completely on Japan’s side, and it would be hard for them to get up from this slump.
Kumiko also noticed this, so once the frenzy state started to go down a little bit and the team regained their composure, she came to the coach and whispered, "The game will be over as soon as the kick-off starts, Sensei, so it is time to prepare for the extra time. The momentum is ours, and we cannot waste it away without getting anything."
The head coach widened his eyes slightly before giving her a nod of approval. The more she looked at Kumiko, the more he liked the girl. Not only was she so composed and didn’t get excited so easily, but her mind was also sharp, able to help him whenever he was in a tight situation. Honestly, it felt like she was his assistant coach rather than anyone else on the staff.
"Good, thank you for the reminder, Shishida-san." He thanked the girl quickly before turning his attention to the players. "Okay, go back to the pitch first. After this, we are going to discuss our next step in the extra time. Seko, don’t act recklessly again! You are our pillar today, so don’t you dare get sent off for a stupid mistake!"
The glare he sent to the team’s savior had no heat in it, enough to make some of the boys chuckle. Ayumu Seko also rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, putting on his jersey once again. Still, since he had taken off his tops crazily earlier, he had to accept the yellow card from the referee once the game was about to get restarted.
"Yes! Come on, we have to finish the game first!" Ito clapped loudly, trying to gain his teammates’ attention.
The players also nodded before coming back to their territory. Of course, Ayumu Seko had to accept the yellow card first for his impulsiveness, but the boy just accepted it quietly, even apologizing to the referee; an act that was frowned upon by Kawabe.
"Listen, Ayu-san, you can be ecstatic with that goal, but don’t forget that his decision to not give us a penalty almost cost us the game. Don’t respect him too much, okay?"
The boy just snorted before going back to the backline. Soon, once everyone was ready, Team Senegal got the kick-off again to restart the game. However, the moment the ball was kicked...
FWEEE! FWEEE! FWEEE!
The referee blew the whistle immediately, ending this crazy game with a draw. Now, they would go to extra time to determine who would go through to the semifinal of this tournament.