FİRST ENCOUNTER

Setoshi seemed to have settled into his third day at Yuto FC. The pace of his training was increasing. When he managed to prevail in a duel with one of his opponents, he noticed Nakamu-san giving him an approving look from afar. Setoshi smiled inwardly but said nothing. "Am I really undisciplined? Keep your eyes open, Nakamu-san," he thought. However, later that day, Nakamu's harsh voice filled the field:

"Setoshi! Individual heroics are useless on this field! Play with your team in mind!"

Setoshi paused for a moment. He understood what Nakamu meant, but his desire to prove himself on the field was overwhelming. He was trying to make a difference on his own, but this approach was putting the team in a difficult position. He got angry with himself, took a deep breath, and mumbled, "Okay, Nakamu-san. I'll put the team first."

Meanwhile, at the academy, Osiko was preparing for morning training. Yesterday, he felt stuck between Kojima's harsh criticism and Tanaka's support. However, today, he took to the field with a different energy. "I will correct my mistakes," he promised himself. In his first passing practice, he played on par with the other players, even making a difference in a few positions. Tanaka shouted with joy when he saw this performance:

"Osiko, this is it! Keep it up!"

Osiko regained his confidence with Tanaka's support. However, when Kojima came to him after practice and said in a low voice, "You have a match tomorrow. But this is no ordinary match. It will be your first match. Be prepared!" his entire focus changed. Osiko asked curiously, "Who will we be playing against?" However, Kojima just shrugged and walked away with a smile.

The next day came, it was the planned surprise match day for Setoshi and Osiko. This friendly match that would take place at Yuto FC's home ground would be a major test for both Hajita and Yuto FC players. In the early hours of the morning, Kojima and Hosogoshi came to the field to prepare Osiko for the match. Osiko could sense that something was different. "This match is the first match of my career, I can't let any external factors affect me!" he thought.

On the other hand, Setoshi had also been informed by Nakamu. "We will have a friendly match today. The opponent team is from Hajita. Don't underestimate them," Nakamu said. Setoshi was surprised by these words, but there were 3 clubs named Hajita: Hajita Prefectural Club, Hajita FC, and Hajita Talented Boys. Although he thought about his father's team Hajita FC coming, the possibility was low, they were at the bottom of the league and could not compete with Yuto FC. He started to prepare without knowing who the opponent team was. However, when he stepped onto the field, a figure among the opposing team's players caught his attention. Osiko!

Setoshi's heart began to beat rapidly. "Is Osiko here? Did he make it to the first 11 in his first match?" While a thousand questions were running through his head, he was brought back to his senses by Nakamu's voice: "Setoshi, focus on the field. You will play the same way no matter who the opponent is."

Osiko, on the other hand, experienced the same surprise when he saw Setoshi. "Setoshi... So Yuto joined FC. How is that possible?" Although Osiko understood that Setoshi was upset and angry about not being selected, he had not expected that he would leave his father's team and go to another team. However, this surprise was short-lived, because Kojima called Osiko to his side before he went onto the field. "You are not here to win this match today. But you are here to show yourself. It doesn't matter who the opponent is," he said. Kojima's plan was clear; he would motivate Osiko, make him ambitious and see if he would fully devote himself to football. If he maintained his consistency, he could put his other plans for him into action.

When the match started, both sides tried to play with control. For the first 10 minutes, both teams sized each other up. However, Setoshi stopped in front of Osiko as soon as the ball came to him. Their eyes met. There was determination on both of their faces. "Come on, Osiko. Show me what you've learned," Setoshi said to himself.

Osiko gathered all his energy to counter Setoshi's move. In the first challenge, Setoshi aggressively pressed to take the ball from Osiko's feet, but Osiko calmly pulled the ball back and passed it to his teammate. Setoshi ran back, gritting his teeth. "Today is going to be a tough match. But I'm ready for the fight!" he thought.

In the later minutes of the match, Setoshi quickly counterattacked, passed Osiko into the penalty area and took a shot. The ball hit the post! The entire field held their breath for a moment. Osiko quickly grabbed the ball after this position and launched his team into an attack. This time, Setoshi was running after him. Both wanted not only to win, but to dominate each other.

The first half of the match ended goalless. Setoshi and Osiko were out of breath. Both were doing their best, but the outcome was still uncertain. During the break, Kojima approached Osiko and said, "Be calmer. Beat your opponent with your game intelligence. Using your intelligence against someone who relies on physical strength always wins." Nakamu warned Setoshi, "If you want to win this match, you need to be more creative. Just speed and strength are not enough, prove yourself!"

As the second half began, both teams began to play more aggressively. In the final minutes of the match, Osiko found the ball outside the penalty area and dribbled to the left. After feinting the defender in front of him, he tried a trivela. The ball rolled to the corner that the goalkeeper didn't cover and... GOAL! Hajita had taken the lead. Setoshi was looking at this goal with both admiration and disappointment. However, he hadn't given up yet. With 3 minutes left, Setoshi was dribbled quickly from the left wing. He passed the ball to the left of Osiko who came in front of him and continued to dribble by running to the right, after seeing his friends inside, he made a cross and Shinjiki rose inside and headed the ball towards the 90th and... GOAL! Setoshi had equalized with a great assist for his team. And with the final whistle, the match ended 1-1.

When the match ended, Setoshi and Osiko walked towards each other. They shook hands without saying anything. The determination in their eyes showed that their friendship and rivalry was stronger than ever.

Kojima and Nakamu smiled as they watched their players at the end of the match. Both of them congratulated their players. It was definitely a quality match and both sides were happy. But this match was just the beginning of their rivalry...