Honestly, Higo didn’t know what to expect in this training session. Well, whatever it was, the scene in front of him was definitely not one of them.
"Left! Left! Left!"
"Don’t hold it too long! Pas the ball, Idrizi!"
"Shit! I told you not to drag it on your own!"
BAM!
"Oh! Yeah!"
Another goal happened. Only 90 seconds since the game began, and yet, the scoreboard had already turned into 3-1 for the first team. The small pitch meant all the players were always within range to shoot, and they took it for granted by blasting one rocket after another.
However, that was not what made Higo impressed. No, it was the combination play that was showcased, the quick give-and-go approach in almost every play, the individual skill by the players, and the high pace and high intensity that made every second seem like a big moment that made the boy hold his breath right now.
Hell, Higo didn’t even dare to blink, afraid that he would miss another beautiful play on that pitch.
’Holy hell... Those people have this skill in their arsenal?! Why would they act like a bunch of lazy bastards during my trial session?!’ He couldn’t help but ask, feeling puzzled by this situation.
Some of the players around could also see his dumbfounded expression, and a few with malicious intent couldn’t help but mock him secretly.
’Damn, he is so surprised by this little display? What a country bumpkin!’
’I know, right?! What the hell did the boss think when he signed him?!’
They whispered all of those in German, not knowing that Higo could understand them clearly. Still, the boy didn’t have any intention to retort. No, his intention was still completely on the pitch, and it was clear that he attracted a lot of attention. It was rare for someone to be this focused when waiting for his turn, and people would definitely talk about it.
’Is he our new goalkeeper? How could he act as if he had never seen this kind of training before?’
’Hey, don’t you know that before coming here, he was just a normal high school student? He didn’t even have any proper team to train!’
’Really?!’
The more restless the people around him, though, the more Higo could feel his ears burning. His concentration also split, and he couldn’t watch the game properly anymore.
Fortunately, the coach came to rescue. He also noticed the whispers around him, and in the next second, the man finally made a decision. "Reese! Higo! You are in! Zadach and Idrizi out! Nassim! Roll in for Hoffman!"
Without even waiting, those whose names were mentioned rushed immediately toward the pitch, replacing the other three who were reluctant to leave. Higo also followed, taking a place in front of the goal that was smaller than the standard size. Hell, he didn’t even need to walk too much to touch both posts when he stretched both his hands, showing just how small the goal was.
"Come on, Ryusuke! We are on the same team! Let’s concentrate!" Fabian shouted, giving him a warning.
"So, I am with Fabian and Higo-san? Damn! This is going to be amazing!" Randy grinned as well, jumping around excitedly.
Higo himself took a deep breath, trying to calm down his nerves. The opponent was cruel, though, not wanting to give him time to settle his high tension first. The first attack came from Philip Fontein, who managed to sneak into the defender’s blind spot. It only gave the opponent’s midfielder one second to take action, but his shot was decisive.
BAM!
Fortunately, Higo had already foreseen this coming. He moved slightly before the shot was taken, putting his body in line. As a result, the boy didn’t even need to dive, just raising both hands to block the shot.
"Oh! Yes, Ryusuke! What a save!" Fabian clapped, trying to hype him up.
"...Good job." Mike Jordan, the team’s tall defender whose defense had just gotten breached, also gave a nod of approval. "That was a nice save." He added the praise a little bit awkwardly.
Higo just nodded silently before adjusting his gloves again. It was a corner kick for the first team, and they decided to play it short. After doing a quick one-two pass on the flank, the player there tried to switch to the opposite side quickly. However, Higo also reacted like lightning, snatching the ball in the air like an eagle. He didn’t even blink, just taking two big steps forward before jumping, plucking the ball in the air.
"Yes, Ryusuke! Come here!" Fabian didn’t even need to be told, as the winger had already started rushing forward before the catch was made.
Higo also saw that movement, and he didn’t hesitate to throw the ball there with his full strength.
It wasn’t his best throw, though, as the ball itself flew a little bit farther and higher than his initial expectation. It seemed Higo failed to calculate his strength properly, what with how small the pitch was for this game.
However, Fabian was not without a trick. Right when the ball was about to cross the sideline, he flew with one foot stretched far as if imitating the Bundesliga logo itself, trying to reach the ball in the air. It was a show of his incredible flexibility, as not a lot of people could do what he was trying to do right now.
In the end, he managed to stop the ball and put it under his control, and even if his balance was shaken, in that exact second after the winger landed, he passed the ball quickly to the middle.
There, Randy Gyamenah came out of nowhere, rushing from behind as well to support the counterattack. Seeing that the ball was rolling in front of him, the Ghanaian striker didn’t even blink when he executed the shot. As a result...
BAM!
The ball hit the back of the first team’s net, giving the second team a goal they truly needed in this little competition.