Coach Suzuki calls out the team led by Kaneko.
"All right, guys, let's keep our usual formation: 4-3-3. In goal, Yamauchi. Right back, Takeda. Left back, Kuwahara. Central defenders, Aoki and Aoyama. Defensive midfielder, Tamura. The two central midfielders, Ono and Enomoto. The wingers are Tanaka on the left and Nakamura on the right. And finally, as the sole striker, Kaneko!"
As both teams begin to line up on the field, a group of students gather around, curious about Riccardo's presence.
A girl walks along the field with her gym bag in her right hand.
Noticing the students gathered, she also stops to watch.
She is about 1.70 meters tall, has long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and beautiful blue eyes.
"Sato!"
Sato turns at the call and sees a fellow student greeting her.
He approaches her.
"Hey, Yuzuki!"
"Have you finished practice yet?"
"Surprisingly, yes..." Sato looks around the crowd. "Why is everyone here?"
"The famous Shūdan-teki men's soccer team is about to play an intramural practice match. But the reason I really want to watch is because the new guy just joined the team."
Sato scans the field, looking for someone.
"The new guy... the one the principal recommended?"
Seeing her look around, Yuzuki points at him.
"Yes, that's him."
Sato stares at Riccardo.
"He's really gotten himself into trouble. From being a hated student to a member of the worst team in school... that team is anything but united."
"Yeah... it's the coach's fault. No one who joins the team likes him, but he's been around for ten years and no one has managed to get rid of him."
"Not making it to the nationals in ten years... it's practically a crime around here."
The referees enter the field, catching Riccardo's eye. He's impressed.
Referees for a practice match? This school really is elite...
The players take their positions. Kaneko is ready to kick off.
The referee blows his whistle and Kaneko passes the ball to Tamura, who immediately plays it to the left flank, where Tanaka is waiting. He immediately takes on Shimizu, pushing the ball slightly along the sideline, and with incredible speed, he passes him and continues to advance.
But Ueno steps in to try to steal the ball: Tanaka, still running, tunnels him and continues to advance.
Riccardo watches in amazement.
He's making runs like this right at the start of the game...
The crowd is visibly surprised by Tanaka's speed.
As Tanaka approaches the goal line, he looks up and sees Kaneko in the middle. He shoots a cross.
Kaneko battles with Noguchi in the penalty area and manages to beat him to the ball, directing it towards the goal.
But the shot lands straight at the goalkeeper, and Andou easily saves it.
Sato is impressed by the play.
"That number 7 is a bullet!"
"Yeah, but not as fast as you..." Yuzuki replied with a playful smile, then raised her voice slightly: "Future 100-meter champion!"
Sato blushed in embarrassment when some students nearby turned to look at her.
On the pitch, Andou, with the ball in his hands, spots Hamada free near the center of the pitch and passes it to him.
Hamada controls the ball and passes it to Shimizu, who was moving in from the right wing to receive it.
As Shimizu controls it, he hears Enomoto pressuring him. But with the ball still in motion, he doesn't stop it, instead he slides it from his left foot to his right foot with his sole, throwing it forward in a move reminiscent of the Croqueta.
Enomoto is completely thrown off by the movement and falls behind.
Kuwahara immediately steps forward to press Shimizu.
Seeing the pressure, Shimizu quickly raises his head and spots Yasuda on the opposite flank.
Without hesitation, he throws a cross-field pass to change the play.
The ball is precise and hits Yasuda as he runs, but he loses control.
Takeda sees the opportunity to intercept it and lunges forward.
"Yasuda!"
Yasuda quickly looks up and sees Nishimura approaching.
He passes the ball with the inside of his left foot.
Nishimura calmly controls the ball, waiting for the midfielders to press, but only Tamura and Ono don't come in. Kaneko joins the charge, closing down aggressively.
"You're done for!"
Nishimura scans the pitch for an outlet, looking for someone to pass to quickly.
With all three opponents surrounding him, he spots a narrow window to pass to Riccardo, who is marked in an area between the two center backs.
It's risky... but I have to try!
Nishimura slips the ball into the narrow gap between Ono and Tamura.
All three are caught off guard.
Riccardo moves toward the ball, but Aoki is on him, ready to intercept it.
"Go, Aoki!" Kaneko shouts.
Riccardo notices, but then, glancing to the right flank, sees Shimizu cut sharply into the box, heading into the space left open by Aoki.
Why not...
With a quick, almost instinctive touch, Riccardo hits the ball with the outside of his right foot, altering its trajectory. The ball slides away – perfectly – into the path of Shimizu's run.
Shimizu and everyone else are stunned by Riccardo's pass.
Shimizu controls the ball in the box, but Kuwahara is already closing in fast from the wing.
I can't move inside for the shot, not with him on me!
Shimizu slows down, trying to keep control of the ball under pressure.
After that pass, there is no way he could be in...
Shimizu, in disbelief, sees Riccardo right in the center of the area, while both defenders try to close him down. But it is too late... he is faster.
Shimizu throws him a low and tight pass.
Goalkeeper Yamauchi senses the situation and rushes forward to intercept the ball.
But Riccardo, with explosive speed, gets there first: stretching out with the tip of his left foot, he slips the ball between Yamauchi's legs, while the goalkeeper is falling.
The ball rolls into the net.
Everyone, on the pitch and on the sidelines, is speechless, stunned.
Shimizu, however, sprints towards Riccardo and jumps on him.
"What an incredible play that was!?"
All of Riccardo's teammates run to celebrate the goal, praising the incredible chemistry between him and Shimizu.
Meanwhile, Nishimura and Kaneko remain motionless, shocked by Riccardo's skill.
After a moment, Riccardo breaks away from the celebrations and approaches Shimizu, patting him on the shoulder.
"Nice pass. Give me more in the future!"