The Trail 2

1:0!

Just five minutes into the trial match, the winger named Fisher scored a goal, taking the lead!

"Victor! What are you doing? Pass the ball earlier!" Neustedt shouted angrily from the sideline. He was very dissatisfied with Meyer's mistake. In fact, he vaguely understood why it happened, but he didn't expect Meyer to be so stubborn.

Meyer waved his hand impatiently and walked back to his position slowly. He knew he had to take full responsibility for the lost goal, but he was even more upset about losing the ball to Qi Ce.

Klopp stood aside, silently recording something in his notebook.

Meyer and Qi Ce were at odds.

On the field, every time Qi Ce got the ball, Meyer was right there next to him. Qi Ce found that Meyer was not only technically skilled but also very strong defensively, which made things difficult for him. Qi Ce's strength was his smart positioning, but with Meyer constantly on him, it was hard to find space. Even if he managed to break free, his new teammates, who had only trained together for a week, rarely recognized the opportunity and passed the ball.

Several times, Qi Ce made critical moves to shake off Meyer, but there was no pass. When he did get the ball, Meyer intercepted it. This back-and-forth quickly led to a 2:2 tie. Apart from his initial contribution to the first goal by pressuring Meyer, Qi Ce hadn't made much of an impact. By this time, halftime was almost over.

"This Chinese player has worked hard, and he was instrumental in our first goal," Klopp said to Smith, watching the game intently.

"Yes, he works very hard and has smart positioning," Smith replied.

Klopp nodded. He could see it too, but he hadn't yet observed Qi Ce's forward abilities.

Modern football has many player types, especially forwards, but the fundamental skill for a forward is the ability to score goals. So far, Qi Ce had been marked so closely that he rarely got the ball in a scoring position, leaving few opportunities to showcase his skills.

In the second half, both coaches made some substitutions to give more players a chance to perform. Key players like Qi Ce and Meyer remained on the field, under the coaches' close observation, likely to play the full game.

As the second half began, Meyer, who had been shadowing Qi Ce, grew tired. Although he defended well, he also liked to attack. When he moved forward, he glared at Qi Ce before running to receive the ball.

The youth team played skillfully, with Meyer being a strong core player. This offensive wave was impressive. Qi Ce, focused on defense, didn't follow Meyer closely, choosing to stay in a forward position after some initial pressing. Unexpectedly, Meyer scored a goal. After a through ball to a winger, he ran outside the penalty area. The winger passed the ball back, and Meyer fired a shot into the corner of the goal.

3:2, the Mainz youth team took the lead!

On the sidelines, Neustedt and another youth coach, Kramney, felt relieved. Meyer was still the talented player they knew, showing his brilliance when serious.

Meyer was excited after scoring, still brooding over his earlier mistakes. Celebrating, he ran in front of Qi Ce and roared, drawing the coach's ire. While Meyer's talent was outstanding, his temper was problematic, causing headaches for the coaches.

With the goal scored, the defensive pressure around Qi Ce dropped. Meyer seemed less concerned about him now. However, the game remained tough. The youth team, encouraged by their lead, played even better. Soon, Meyer orchestrated another attack, piercing the trial team's defense with a through ball, increasing the lead to 4:2.

Qi Ce, getting few chances as a forward, focused on defense, depleting his stamina. He felt anxious but soon saw an opportunity.

A burst of energy filled his tired body—like a second wind. Though not as energetic as at the start, it was enough for now.

Meyer, also tired, softened his defense slightly. But as Qi Ce rushed toward him, Meyer's competitive spirit ignited.

"I can't believe him! He's just a forward, not a defender. Can he really get past me?" Meyer thought, convincing himself the answer was no. He wanted to make Qi Ce look bad.

But suddenly, the ball was gone. Meyer, a beat slower than his brain, realized the ball had been stolen by Qi Ce, who had quickly closed the distance and cleanly taken the ball.

"Look, Jurgen! He's physically fit, with beautiful acceleration. He grabbed it again!" Klopp watched Qi Ce closely. Qi Ce was approaching the penalty area, faced by two central defenders. What would this Chinese player do?

The answer was to shoot.

With speed, smart positioning, and increased stamina, Qi Ce's shooting ability had reached a good level among Bundesliga forwards. Facing the youth team's defense, with enough space, it was almost a sure goal.

The ball flew past the youth team goalkeeper Mazenia—a clean attack. Qi Ce had finally scored.

"Well done!" Most of the trial team players, unfamiliar with Meyer, celebrated with Qi Ce. "Don't forget, we're still one goal behind!" Qi Ce reminded them.

This goal was crucial, reigniting hope for the makeshift team after conceding two consecutive goals.

Meyer felt dejected. Despite his good performance—one goal and one assist—his stubbornness had also cost the team two goals. Worse, his stamina was waning while Qi Ce seemed to get stronger.

Meyer wanted to defend like in the first half but couldn't. As the midfield core, his declining fitness reduced his offensive impact, and the trial team took this chance to counterattack. Despite the youth team's coordinated play maintaining their advantage, the trial team's fierce counterattacks, led by an unmarked Qi Ce, were relentless.

Qi Ce's speed and counter-grabbing were formidable. He soon seized another chance. After a weak shot by the youth team's striker was saved, the goalkeeper saw Qi Ce moving fast and raised his hand. Qi Ce waved for the ball. With the youth team's formation pushed forward, Qi Ce found an unguarded, dangerous position.

The young goalkeeper doubted his pass accuracy but saw it as a good chance, kicking the ball towards Qi Ce's run.

In a counterattack initiated by the goalkeeper, the ball flew across the field. Qi Ce, swift as lightning, sprinted to catch it. Though he awkwardly stopped the ball, he was unguarded and quickly faced the goalkeeper.

There was little suspense; Qi Ce scored.

Just moments ago, he scored easily with two defenders around. Now, with a clear shot, he wouldn't miss. The youth team goalkeeper Mazenia had already abandoned the goal, and Qi Ce cleverly lobbed the ball, equalizing the score.

"Qi, great work!" Huangbeard Smith ran to the sideline, high-fiving Qi Ce enthusiastically. For years, he had been the youth training director and the trial team's temporary coach, rarely winning matches. This year, finally, he had hope.

"How is it, Jurgen? What do you think of this kid?"

Klopp put away his notebook. "Interesting, Gross, very interesting. I thought Chinese players didn't know how to play football, but he's indeed intriguing."

Smith nodded. "He's very mature, like a modern European player. I think we can sign him."

"Of course, why not? Three hundred thousand euros is worth a bet." Klopp turned to Smith. "Gross, I feel this is a genius. To be honest, I rarely feel this way, especially about a Chinese player. Brother, I think this is a bit crazy."

"I agree. I do plan to sign him, but a sixteen-year-old for 300,000 euros—I still need to consult you." Smith breathed a sigh of relief. He was personally optimistic about Qi Ce, fearing Klopp's disagreement. Now, he felt reassured.

"Yes, we want to sign him."

Near the end of the game, a fatigued Meyer was replaced. His earlier tussle with Qi Ce had drained his energy, causing several mistakes. After discussing, Neustedt and Kramney decided to sub him out.

Qi Ce played the entire game. In the final moments, he scored two more goals, leading his trial team to defeat the Mainz youth team 6:4.