"Okay, everyone! Get a little rest! After this, the fight will be harder than anything else!"
It was the break before the extra time began, and Kageyama-sensei was busy making sure that everyone had a proper rest, even just for five minutes. He also asked the medical team to check some key players like Ito and Koki Morita, as those two had been running non-stop since the game against South Korea a few days ago.
Having two games ending in extra time sure was far from being ideal, but it was still better than losing the game and having to go back home right now. At least, they still had a glimmer of hope to go further in this tournament.
"First things first, anyone feel uncomfortable with their body? Don’t hide anything here!" The man said sternly. "Winning might be a good thing for the team, but if you are injured because you are too stubborn to admit your limit, it would be you who face the consequence, not me!"
The boys knew that the coach was right in this regard. However, they had already reached this point, so they would definitely never say anything about their discomfort and just grit their teeth through it. They were so afraid that if somehow they spoke up here, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.
Kageyama-sensei checked the players’ expressions one by one, making sure that they didn’t lie. As for the boys themselves, they just tried their best to avoid the man’s gaze, not wanting to get replaced in the second half.
Unfortunately, one person failed the task here.
Once the coach’s gaze landed on Nakamura, he saw the boy was sweating more than anyone else, and his face was so ugly as he tried to hold back a flinch here, a big sign that he was hiding something painful.
Seeing this, the man’s expression turned grim as he called the medical staff. "Check him first! Something is wrong with him!"
Ogai-sensei, the team’s conditioning coach, came immediately to check the boy’s condition. Nakamura winced unconsciously as the back of his thigh was getting checked, and his expression turned uglier while he was sweating more profusely as the man asked him to bend his knee several times.
"Hamstring type 1, a strain from changing his pace too often during his run." The man reported to the head coach solemnly. "The situation depends on a better medical checkup, but he definitely cannot continue the game."
It was like thunder struck him on his head right now. The boy was trying to hold back his cry, but the combination of disappointment and pain in his thigh was too much to handle, and he only bowed his head quietly, knowing that he had no choice here.
The rest of the players also looked at the boy with complicated gazes. Even though Nakamura was never the best player in the team, often getting replaced by Mamoru, he was always a solid presence on the left flank, willing to run more to cover for anyone else on the front line. Maybe that was why he also suffered from this injury.
Now, looking at Nakamura, who was weeping quietly, they couldn’t help but feel pity for him. Miki Yamane, the boy’s partner on the left side, came and knelt in front of the boy, forcing his friend to look him in the eyes.
"Listen to me, Keito." His voice was shaken, but his tone was firm. "You have done your best protecting our side until your body burns. Now, it is time for you to take a rest. Don’t worry, leave everything to us. We will definitely bring you to the semifinal!"
His determination was at least enough to get Nakamura’s reaction. The boy still flinched whenever he moved his right foot, but right now, at least, he had the distraction he needed.
He looked around for a moment, and at the determined nods that the others gave him, the boy couldn’t help but mutter lowly, "I’ll leave the rest to you."
The joyful atmosphere from their goal earlier vanished instantly as the boys saw Nakamura being helped to walk back to the locker room. This was definitely a big blow for the team, as the boy was a big reason why their left side was so strong in this game. However, as the commander here, Kageyama-sensei couldn’t stay quiet in this situation.
The man shifted his attention to the bench, and his face was so grim right now. The team only had seven defenders at first, and with Kobayashi being injured first before the game began, he only had two options right now, and neither of them was a natural left back.
He could pick Taiga Nagai from Vissel Kobe, but he was not up to the task of having to run back and forth against the opponent’s winger. No, he was not built to face that kind of an attack. So, the man only had one choice right now.
"Makino, left side might not be your best position, but right now, I need you to adapt as quickly as possible." Said the head coach. "You don’t need to join the attack from that side. No, Suzuki is capable enough to do that. What I want you to do is to defend that side until the end of the game, making sure that we are not going to get killed from that side. Can you do that?"
It was not a request. No, this was an order, and Makino himself was not surprised by the decision. If anything, he was more than ready to come into the pitch.
"Don’t worry, Sensei." The boy said solemnly. "I might not be the best, but I can assure you that I will not stop running until the end of my breath." This was at least the best promise he could give right now.
"Good enough. Get a warm-up quick." Kageyama-sensei nodded slightly before turning his attention back to the team again. "Listen, even though Nakamura is out, that doesn’t mean we are going to crumble. Remember, we are still riding on a hot momentum right now! The effect of the last goal is still there, so try to push as hard as possible and score a quick goal to seal the deal!"
"YES, SENSEI!"