Chapter 58: How Torres Used to Play  

"Kaka, tell Macon and Baptista not to wander around! Guard your positions! And you, run and join Adriano to take more long-range shots!"

Kaka nodded, dropped the nearly empty water bottle in his hand, and walked back onto the football field.

It was already the 87th minute, but due to numerous stoppages in this match, there would be an extended stoppage time of seven minutes added on at the end.

This seemed like a long time, perhaps even the exhausted referee didn't want the match to go into extra time, so he gave a generous amount of stoppage time in hopes that both teams could decide the winner within the remaining minutes.

There were around ten minutes left until the end of the match, and no one dared to let their guard down.

Kaka relayed the head coach's instructions to his teammates and also began to follow them.

Take more long-range shots.

His energy was nearly depleted, and he had initially hesitated whether to make a final push or conserve his strength for potential extra time. However, the coach Costonio seemed unwilling to drag the match into extra time, so Kaka had no choice but to go all out one last time.

But the first to make an aggressive move were the Ghanaians.

They organized a counterattack on the left side, using a series of quick short passes and cuts to push the ball into Brazil's penalty area on the left. Then, the overlapping winger took a long-range shot.

The shot was powerful but inaccurate, grazing the post and going out of bounds.

After the Ghanaian fullback made such an attempt, Macon naturally wanted to respond in the same way, but remembering Kaka's instructions, he obediently stayed on the defensive line.

The one who retaliated against Ghana was Adriano.

He received a long pass from Baptista and completed a dribble past two players. From over thirty meters out, he unleashed a thunderous strike.

At the same position, with the same result – the ball hit the crossbar and went out.

"The match has entered stoppage time. If neither team can decide the winner in the final minutes, the match will go into extra time, with the cruel golden goal rule in effect... Kaka! What an beautiful run! He's as fast as a shooting star! It's hard to imagine he can maintain such speed in the 90th minute."

Kaka was indeed running very fast, but perhaps too fast, as his final shot from inside the penalty area lacked power.

The quality of the shot from just a few steps away was actually quite good. Although lacking power, the curve on the shot was excellent. The coach on the sideline, Costonio, thought it would surely go in, but unfortunately, Barnane the Ghana goalkeeper was highly focused – or you could say he was in the zone today – and managed to parry the ball at the very last moment.

Even if Ghana lost this match, Barnane could still hold his head high as he left the field.

A wave of regretful sighs arose from the stands.

The sighs came not only from Brazilians but also from a group of fans from other nations.

It wasn't just them; many teams that had already been eliminated from the tournament chose to stay and watch the remaining matches, with Brazil and Argentina being their main focus.

The saying goes "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", so the teams defeated by Argentina naturally hoped the Brazilian team could reach the final and defeat their rivals Argentina.

With the blessings of the other nations, Brazil also launched all-out attacks in the final moments.

The coach on the sideline, Costonio, angrily kicked a nearby bottle, drawing an unkind gaze from the fourth official.

Costonio acted as if nothing had happened and swore as he walked back to the bench.

What kind of nonsense football are they playing?

"The referee blew the final whistle, and the two teams ended regulation in a 1-1 draw. The match will go into extra time. Dear viewers, please don't leave; after the commercials, we'll bring you the extra time of this match."

The players didn't return to the locker room but rested on the sidelines instead. 

Kaka sat on the ground, receiving a massage from the therapist while listening to the head coach's instructions.

He opened the system interface and enviously looked at Batistuta's "Iron Body" trait, then winced at the high price required to obtain it.

A long way to go, indeed.

The match soon resumed for extra time.

Although they had a ten-minute break, everyone's stamina didn't recover that easily. Except for the six substitutes who had just entered and a few players with exceptional endurance, everyone's performance was more or less affected by fatigue.

Five minutes into extra time, neither side had produced any decent attacks until Oliveira once again received the ball in the penalty area. He completed an extremely difficult turn and shot, which finally livened up the atmosphere.

Ghana quickly retaliated with a cross into the box after a low pass, but Patsil's shot was blocked by Rubinio's foot and went out for a corner kick.

A Ghana corner kick.

They executed a set-piece routine, completing a pass near the corner flag area before entering Brazil's penalty area through two wall passes, but it was quickly cleared by Macon.

The two teams continued trading attacking moves, and the first half of extra time quickly passed.

The spectators were growing impatient but also anticipated the result, making them feel agonized.

In the second half after the teams switched sides, the situation didn't improve; in fact, it became worse, with not even a decent shot on goal from either team.

Time ticked away, second by second, until the match reached its final moments of extra time.

Costonio shook his head and looked toward the Ghanaian coaching staff, who had already gathered to discuss their penalty kick takers for a potential shootout.

There was no stoppage time in extra time, and once thirty minutes had passed, it was over and would go to penalties.

Costonio was about to summon his assistant to determine Brazil's penalty takers when sudden shouts arose from the sidelines. 

Costonio abruptly looked toward the field, his hair standing on end.

Ghana had already attacked into Brazil's penalty area, making one final surge.

"It's Patsil again! He and Barnane have posed significant threats to Brazil at both ends of the field today. Let's see how he deals with this ball..."

Patsil's stamina was clearly running low as well, so he didn't try any fancy moves and simply took a shot.

Anderson wanted to block the ball with his body but missed.

Rubinio made a desperate diving attempt, but his heart had already turned to ice, fearing the worst.

In a split second, Baptista came charging out and deflected the ball with his thigh.

The ball changed direction and continued toward Brazil's goal. Fortunately, it was now heading toward Rubinio's position, and he instinctively raised his right foot while diving.

The ball hit his boot's toe and flew over the crossbar for a corner.

A Ghana corner kick, and almost all their players had rushed into Brazil's penalty area. Even Barnane the goalkeeper wanted to join them, but their coach shouted at him to stay back and guard the goal.

If they were going to go all-in on this attack, it was quite comical to still leave a single player back to defend.

"What a pity, Patsil missed another chance to become a hero. Brazil's defenders have been outstanding, while their attacking players have been rather ordinary in extra time, especially the highly-touted Kaka. He looks exhausted and hasn't organized any decent attacks for his team..."

"Wait, Ghana seems to have lost control. Almost their entire team has surged into Brazil's penalty area, but their head coach doesn't seem to agree with this approach. However, the players don't seem to have received the coach's instructions... The score is currently tied, and even if it ends with this scoreline, they'll still need to decide the winner via penalty kicks. Ghana doesn't need to go all-in like this, but then again, there isn't much time left in the match, and this is their last attacking opportunity..."

Kaka stood near the edge of the penalty arc, deep in thought as he watched Ghana's empty half of the field.

This scene... seems familiar...

How did Torres handle it back then?

(End of Chapter)