Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 106

< 106. Outside the Calculation >

Mbappé and Johann.

Both froze the stadium once.

The game seemed to be flowing into a battle of who would explode first.

Certainly, it seemed that England had found its own solution by having Johann more actively fight for position.

But what is clear is that France did not reach the semi-finals with just counter-attacks.

Mbappé was not a player who lived only on counter-attacks either.

If all he had was speed, Mbappé would not still be a Ballon d’Or contender.

Mbappé, holding the ball on the left side, started to tap it and move inside.

Mbappé had a great desire to go to the finals to win the championship from the beginning, but after seeing Johann’s shot just now, he became even more impatient.

It’s still the first half, so he can’t relax, because there’s a ticking time bomb over there that could explode at any moment.

There’s no time to waste.

Tatatat-!

Because Mbappé’s instantaneous speed is so fast, the defenders in front of him can’t help but tense up.

This is because they have to react to the speed at which he can burst out at any time.

In other words, because the defense has no choice but to react sensitively to every move Mbappé makes, Mbappé can easily shake off defenders with small movements.

Having fast speed is not only an advantage in competitive situations.

It just makes the defense uncomfortable in itself.

Ppeoeoeoeong-!

After the next 10 minutes or so.

France, having seized the momentum, continued to aim for England’s goal through Mbappé, but they couldn’t easily open the goal.

In the process, Mbappé showed a tendency to be greedy for shots rather than utilizing teammates in better positions.

“Hoo.”

Already his fifth shot.

Mbappé sighed and tilted his head.

Something is just a little off.

The game wasn’t going badly.

His condition wasn’t bad either.

His body was light, and he was succeeding in every dribble he attempted.

But, how should he put it?

He was a little too hasty, even by his own standards.

If it were a league match, he would have scored at least two of those shots just now.

“···!”

Mbappé, returning to his own half, flinched.

His shoulder suddenly tingled.

When he touched it with his hand, the muscle was stiff.

Not just his shoulder.

His neck, waist, and legs too.

Mbappé then realized that his whole body was tense.

“···.”

Yes. He’s tense.

All the shots he’s taken so far were shots that could have created at least a valid shot if he was in his usual state.

But, the reason why the aim was slightly off was because he was full of unnecessary force.

The reason for that would be obvious.

The last remaining single goal.

The desperation for the Euro title [European Championship title].

And, the desperation for the Ballon d’Or.

Since all of these things are at stake in today’s game, it would be more strange if he wasn’t tense.

However.

Even with those things, he couldn’t explain his current feeling of being chased by something.

A big game with a lot at stake?

He’s played in countless of them, and he’s won them too.

Mbappé was the one who scored in the World Cup final at a young age.

But why is he getting impatient and tensing up now?

“···.”

Mbappé looks at Johann.

After all, there’s no other way to explain it other than that guy.

The mere fact that that guy is on the opposing team makes him impatient.

In fact, it’s been like that since the beginning.

It’s like losing the first leg of the Champions League knockout stage by 0-2 and starting the second leg.

Even if they were tied, it wouldn’t feel like they were tied, and even if they were leading by one point, it wouldn’t feel like they had taken the lead.

This impatience was all because of that guy.

That guy who has been recording more than two attack points in every game of this tournament.

‘I wish it was just my thought.’

Mbappé thinks, looking around at his teammates.

If there’s one thing he hopes for, it’s that he’s the only one feeling this impatience.

As an attacker responsible for the team’s scoring, and as the team’s ace.

The pressure to score more goals than that guy.

His teammates wouldn’t have this pressure.

So, he hopes that everyone doesn’t get impatient.

However, contrary to Mbappé’s wishes.

It was only natural that his teammates, who had to face Johann directly, also had other difficulties.

Ppeoeoeoeong-!

England’s goal kick.

A long kick aimed at Johann flies deep into the French half.

However,

Shuuuuuuuuung-

A slightly inaccurate kick.

The kick was too long, and it seemed difficult for Johann to win it in terms of position.

But.

“···”

From the perspective of Bakari Kayebé, who is looking at the ball flying towards him, the feeling was a little different.

The ball is high in the air, as if it will take a long time to fall.

And, Johann is starting to run towards him from the front.

In this situation where his teammates are spreading around and he has to deal with the ball.

The pressure Kayebé feels is different from the perspective of a third party watching comfortably from afar.

‘Fall faster···!’

Of course, how high can the ball go even if it goes high.

No matter how high it goes, it won’t take more than 5 seconds to fall.

Also, no matter how fast Johann is, it wasn’t a distance he could catch up to unless he teleported.

But, that alone made Kayebé feel a lot of pressure.

That’s where the mistake came from.

Pa a a ang-!

He could have just received it.

He could have received it with his chest, head, or even his foot.

He could have trapped it and slowly dealt with the ball.

But Kayebé was in a hurry.

Perhaps thinking that it would be too late to trap and pass, he tried to quickly pass the ball with a one-touch header.

However, that header went to an ambiguous position, between his teammates, and unfortunately, Johann was the closest to the ball.

Tatatat-!

Johann rushed in like he had found a windfall.

At the same time, the French defenders also rushed in, startled.

However, Johann was fast.

Johann volleyed the ball that bounced out right in front of the arc.

Ppeoeoeoeoeong-!

Shuuuuuuuuung-

“Oh oh···!”

The ball, which was shot out like a clothesline with an explosion,

Thud-!

Was shoved straight into the goal.

It was a mid-range shot, but the goalkeeper couldn’t even react.

The cannonball was stuck in the upper part of the goal.

“···.”

Kayebé, watching England cheering, squatted down and put his hand on the ground.

How could he make such a mistake.

It was such a decisive mistake.

However, ironically.

The goal scored by Johann after Kayebé’s mistake was a scene that showed why Kayebé made such a mistake.

One mistake and it’s over.

That pressure created such an absurd mistake.

*

The legendary French player Michel Platini, who has won the Ballon d’Or three times, said this.

Football is a sport of mistakes.

It was the first goal scene that showed why his words that if all 22 players played perfectly, the score of every game would be 0-0, are considered the truth in the football world.

‘What a windfall.’

Johann just thought he was lucky.

The opponent gave him a better pass than his teammate.

However, there is a reason why such a mistake came out at the professional level, especially at the world-class level.

Johann was the only one who didn’t know that the reason was himself.

Fortunately for France, they finished the first half without conceding any more goals.

They were about to be shaken greatly and completely ruin the game, but the whistle saved them.

However, they couldn’t help but worry about the second half.

Mbappé, who knows that he has to do it to turn the game around, had no choice but to become even more impatient.

“Bbiiek-!”

The second half followed.

At the same time as the start, France launched a total offensive.

France is fiercely attacking with fast passes and aggressive movements.

Of course, France also knows that raising the line and attacking has risks.

Also, England knew that if they could block this, they could easily solve the game afterwards.

However, France’s all-out offensive with a do-or-die attitude was certainly not easy to deal with.

In the end, it was Mbappé who did it.

In the 10th minute of the second half, French’s one-top Meunier dropped an early cross that came up from the right to the center, and Mbappé kicked it in to score the equalizer.

“Allons-y! Allons-y!” [Let’s go! Let’s go!]

“Peut faire!” [Can do!]

The French players shouted that they could do it and hurriedly returned to the half-line to retrieve the ball.

Seeing that, the England players also began to feel psychologically chased.

A chaotic atmosphere.

We need to cut off this flow.

As the commentator said, even after the game resumed, France continued to ride the momentum and did not stop attacking.

France is still in a hurry.

They know very well that the current flow that they have created with difficulty cannot last until the end of the game.

So, they just do their best when it comes.

France immediately gets a corner kick chance.

Set pieces are the moments that require the most concentration.

While the box is crowded with players from both teams.

Ppeoeoeoeong-!

A sharp corner kick came to the goal.

Pa a ang-!

Fortunately, England was the first to deal with the ball.

The ball hit the defender’s head and bounced out of the box.

And,

The ball flowed into Johann’s feet.

“Run!”

“Do it! You do it!”

The England players felt relieved and shouted the moment Johann caught the ball.

A shot that can pour cold water on this atmosphere.

It’s Johann who can do that shot.

That opportunity came at just the right moment.

“···!”

Also, as soon as Johann caught the ball and started running, Mbappé reflexively started.

If it was a normal club match, Mbappé would not have thought of going to defend in this situation.

However,

Mbappé also knows that he is the only one who can catch up with Johann’s speed.

He had no choice but to run.

As expected.

All the French players who were left in the rear started to be overtaken by Johann, who started to run.

Johann dribbling the ball and Mbappé chasing after him at full speed.

As soon as the two started running, all the spectators in the stadium stood up.

Who is faster?

It’s a very primitive and, in some ways, childish question.

But that’s why it’s the most interesting topic.

The spectators, watching the two cross the wide stadium at crazy speeds, were sweating in their hands.

The scene was like watching the last runners of a relay race.

Tatatatat-!

Tatatatat-!

Mbappé’s speed was definitely amazing.

It was because it was Mbappé that he was able to run side by side with Johann.

But one thing was clear, Johann was dribbling the ball.

Moreover,

Even if he caught up, Mbappé couldn’t stop Johann.

He was no match in the shoulder fight.

Johann ran while blocking Mbappé with his shoulder,

“Keok···!”

Mbappé lost his balance at the same time as colliding with Johann and fell forward without overcoming the speed.

Johann and Mbappé, the race between the two Ballon d’Or contenders.

And, Johann running out and Mbappé falling out.

A scene that even feels like it has a symbolic meaning.

Johann, who shook off Mbappé, went on a solo run towards the goal,

Ppeoeoeoeong-!

Chwaaaaaaa-

Thud-!

He finished the counterattack with a shot that lightly pierced the corner of the goal in a one-on-one situation with the keeper.

“Uwaaaaaat-!”

Really just the moment he needed it.

It was Johann’s second goal that poured cold water, no, ice water, on France’s burning momentum.

There is no player in England who can catch Mbappé with speed.

It seemed necessary to point out exactly at this point.

It wasn’t that there wasn’t one in England, but that there wasn’t one in the England defense.

“···Haa.”

The moment he conceded a goal, France’s coach Dominique knelt down and put his hand on the ground.

In the end, that unknown number completely ruined the game.

*

After Johann’s goal exploded.

France had to gather their strength again and make another equalizer.

However, France was not easily coming up and was rather losing the initiative.

That goal that made it 1-1 was not an easy goal at all.

It was a goal that they barely made with all their strength.

But, before long, they gave up a goal that took away their hope.

It was only natural that France’s momentum was shattered.

After the middle of the second half, it was rather England who attacked.

And, France, whose momentum was broken, continued to make mistakes and eventually collapsed.

Final score, 3-1.

The moment England, who are aiming for their first-ever championship, advance to the finals.

For Johann’s coronation, there is now only one game left.