Fox in the Penalty Area

1st Bangka

Rosas made a circle in the midfield, stuck the defender behind him, and faced the direction of the attack again.

He passed the ball to Kabangka who was cutting inside from the wing.

When the Brazilian received the ball, he moved the ball away from the defender who was making the tackle, and then he passed the ball diagonally to the left wing.

There, Mario Salado suddenly bursts out from the back line and used his excellent starting speed to receive the ball behind the back line.

After passing the ball, Kabangka turned inside and headed into the penalty area.

At the same time, he raised his arms to signal Salado to pass the ball to him.

However, Salado didn't see his movements and gestures at all. At this moment, he only had the goal in his eyes.

He shot directly from the angle without a big angle!

The football was saved from the bottom line by goalkeeper Tone Schulman with one palm.

Salado held his head in his hands and showed an incredible expression - he thought that the shot was of high quality and decisive, but unexpectedly it was saved by Schulman.

While he was regretful for missing this opportunity, Kabangka, who had made a wasted trip in the penalty area, said to him seriously: "Mario, you should take a closer look at the center, and then you will find that I and I Alegria ran out of space."

Salado knew that this was Kabangca criticizing him for being too independent. Although he felt that there was nothing wrong with his kick, he did not refute Kabangka in person, but nodded: "I will pay attention next time. of."

※※※

"Schulman is in good condition. We can consider loaning Cordero out..."

Head coach Reilly Vicente said on the sidelines of the training ground: "If he continues to be in the team, I'm afraid it will affect the atmosphere in the locker room."

Ernesto Medina, the club's sporting director standing next to him, sighed in his heart, but still nodded in agreement with the new coach's opinion.

Although Carlos Cordero performed very well as the main goalkeeper for most of last season, when he was deceived by Hulay and conceded the ball in a sneak attack, it seemed to have opened Pandora's box.

Although Cordero denied that the defeat in that game had a psychological shadow on him, in fact it did.

In the thirty-seventh round of the league, Catalonia lost 3:5 to Madrid Pirates in an away game, which is the most powerful evidence.

In that game, Cordero's goal was penetrated four times by Hulay.

Not only did he not end Hu Lai's streak of scoring goals as he had said before the game, but he was stabbed four times by Hu Lai...

Although objectively speaking,

Not every goal Cordero conceded was directly related to him.

But that’s the way goalkeepers are. If you concede so many goals, you have to have an explanation. You can’t say that every goal you concede has nothing to do with you, right?

Otherwise, why couldn't you pounce?

What made matters worse was the final round of the league.

Catalonia United faced newly promoted club Atlético Corverte at home.

Although Catalonia United has missed the chance to compete for the league championship at this time, the team still hopes to bid farewell to the 2028-2029 season with a victory at home.

As a result, Catalonia United was leading by two goals, but was chased by Kveit Sporting by two goals in a row. In the end, it was tied 2:2 at home by Kveit Sporting.

The second goal of Sporting Kvitt was due to a mistake by Cordero...

There are rumors that Carlos Cordero has been beaten to the point of collapse by Julay.

The Catalan club, which originally said it would not consider bringing in a goalkeeper to replace Cordero, also changed its mind.

After sacking their original coach Jose Bernal, they signed a four-year contract with Reilly Vicente, the coach of Eredivisie giants Rotterdam Elite.

With Vicente taking office, in addition to his coaching team, there is also the Rotterdam elite and the main goalkeeper of the Dutch national team, the 28-year-old Tone Schulman.

This signing basically means that the Catalan club has lost confidence in Cordero, and they dare not let Cordero continue to stand in front of the goal.

So the impressive second goalkeeper of the Spanish national team, a talented goalkeeper trained by Catalonia itself, was reduced to the point where he would have no ball to play if he didn't leave.

Some people criticized Catalonia United for being impersonal, while others criticized new coach Vicente for being too cold-blooded.

But more Catalan fans are cheering for Schulman.

Tone Schulman just won the Eredivisie championship last season and is still the best goalkeeper in the league.

He has always been the target of competition for many teams in Europe. Now that he can join the Catalan United, it must have a lot to do with his mentor Vicente.

"When you see new people smile, you hear old people cry." This kind of thing is almost daily in wealthy families.

Just because you were the team's hero once doesn't mean you will always be the team's hero. When a new and stronger person takes your place, everyone will only cheer for the new person. How many people will care about you being squeezed out of your place? They even want you to leave quickly and give up your position...

This happened to Madrid Pirates too.

When Julay performed well after coming to Madrid Pirates, it happened to be when Carey was resting due to his second serious injury. Everyone was cheering for Julay's goal, and the media even said "Who needs more" MAX'?" asked rhetorically.

It’s the same plot of “New people laugh, old people cry”.

※※※

As the head coach and athletic director decide Cordero's fate, the confrontational drills on the training ground continue.

This time the team's midfielder Victor Campuzano sent an overhead pass in the midfield.

Mario Salado chases the ball forward in the half-space.

The defenders were chasing after him.

When Salado chased the football, the defender was right behind him. In fact, he can stop the football and then move to the wing. Although this will slow down the rhythm and may even allow the team to reorganize the offense, it can still control the ball at its feet.

So Salado planned to stop the football to the outside.

But just then he heard Kabangka shouting from the middle: "Cross!"

Another cross?

I can't even see what's going on in the middle!

In order to stop the football to the outside, Salado slightly adjusted his direction. His body was facing the center of the penalty area. In addition, there was a defensive player stuck behind him. Even if he turned around, it was difficult to see the center of the goal clearly. Case.

But Kabangka actually asked him to pass... How could he pass without observing?

Yes, he did see the situation in the middle when he was sprinting to chase the ball, but that was two or three seconds ago. Who knows what the situation in the middle has become now?

So you have to pass the ball to me, right?

Well, here it is!

Salado was heartbroken, turned half around, and used his left foot to swipe the football that was still in the air directly toward the center!

The football jumped high, flew over the defensive players following him, and drew a parabola toward the goal.

This ball is very strange, because Salado's cross is not a simple passing kick, but is similar to the force of an upward thrust when passing the ball. Therefore, the football is high and spins, and the flight trajectory is difficult to judge. Said, stopping the ball is not easy.

After Salado passed the ball, he stared at Kabangka. He wanted to see what ability this Brazilian genius, who was said to be comparable to Melli, could hold his own ball?

He asked himself to pass the ball. If he doesn't handle it well, let's see if he has the nerve to point fingers at him in the future!

Salado was thinking this in his mind, and his eyes saw Kabangka rushing towards the spot where the football would fall, making a move to shoot directly.

The central defender in the front quickly made an eye-catching action, but after Kabangka's right foot swung out, instead of shooting, he firmly caught the rapidly spinning and falling football on his instep. At the same time, the speed of his right foot falling and The falling speed of the football was synchronized, and it looked like the football was hovering eerily above his feet...

He just stopped a high ball that was difficult to handle!

Before anyone could react, he raised his right foot again, and this time he shot!

A volley from the instep!

The football was pushed firmly towards the back corner of the goal!

This time goalkeeper Schulman failed to make the save. Although he had already made a move, it was obviously a beat too late...

The football roared into the goal and hit the net!

Salado was stunned.

There was a round of applause from the sidelines.

※※※

Vicente applauded and said to athletic director Medina:

"Although Rosas is 34 years old, I think he can continue to perform at a high level in his current position, and so can Campuzano. There is no need to separate the midfield combination of the two of them. Rosa Si was injured before and his condition was affected, but I think the reason for his poor performance is not on him, but on the team's midfielder position.

"Because Suya is not capable enough to serve as the main defensive midfielder of this team, the club should sign him as soon as possible. Maybe you can consider Van der Stern of Blue and White Munich. Although his style is a bit rough, his defensive level is indeed very good. high.

"As long as a capable defensive midfielder is added, Rosas can be freed up and allowed to concentrate on sorting out the midfield. In this way, his performance will definitely be better than before."

Medina nodded in approval. He also knew that the team's defensive midfielder Pedro Insua was not at the top level. He was also the substitute for Pirates captain Juan Ramirez in the Spanish national team.

"With both Rosas and Campuzano in normal condition, the team's organizational ability is sufficient, and there is no need for Kabangka to organize anymore. Although he had double figures in goals and assists last season , scored 25 goals and 18 assists, which looks very dazzling. But in my opinion, it is a waste of both his assists and his scoring ability. It is better to let him focus more on scoring. Ball The team now lacks a stable scoring point, Pettersson is gone, and Salado is immature."

Vicente continued to tell Medina his thoughts.

"Kabonka is worthy of such a role regardless of his status or ability. I even think that his performance last season was completely inadequate for the money the club spent on him, but this season... I am confident that the club will see a real Kabangka.”

Kabangka on the field had just scored a very beautiful goal, but there was no smile on his face.