Second Chances: Indonesian Football Player

Chapter 56's

“Nero," shouted Coach Marcel from the sidelines. "Try to test their goalie."

Nero nodded to show that he had received the message. He took the ball from the referee and put it on the ground, a few yards from the edge of the box.

"I'm sorry I couldn't score" Ryandiri walked up to him and apologised. "I just don't know what's gotten into me."

Zachary smiled gently at his friend and replied: "Don't mind that. Focus on the game for now. We need you to stay sharp throughout the game. Even the best players in the world sometimes miss opportunities. You'll do better at the next opportunity." He suggested.

"I will," Ryandi swore, hit his chest. "May succeed. I'm sure you'll score." He added before walking away, leaving Nero standing alone in front of the ball.

Nero sighed and shook his head. He understands Ryandi's state of mind. Scoring a free kick would reduce his guilt of missing a golden opportunity.

[I will try my best.] He swore in his heart.

The referee immediately finished setting the wall and gestured for Nero to prepare to take a free kick. Meanwhile, the RSCA Youth Academy players moved back and forth around the box, trying to mess with Riga's defensive line. They do their best to increase their chances of scoring without falling in an offside position.

Nero calmed his mind and took a few steps back from the ball. He was in the moment of truth. He was finally able to test the fruits of all his past training in the official match.

He felt his heart pound harder inside his chest. However, he suppressed his anxiety with sheer desire, and focused on the setpiece.

He then focused his mind and scanned his surroundings, trying his best to pick out details that would give him an edge for free kicks. Goalkeeper Riga is a little short, maybe 5 feet 9, according to Nero's estimates. He chanted an order to his team-mates to better position themselves to prevent a free-kick from reaching the goal.

The walls were long and tall, with higher players in the middle. Nero decided to keep the free-kick high. That way, the goalkeeper will not have a chance to save him. He had to use his left foot because his free kick was slightly to the right of the goalpost.

As the referee blew the whistle, Nero ran towards the ball at a measured speed. He set his sights on the ball, made the final jump, and smashed the ball with the inside of his left boot.

He aims to curl the ball over a six-player wall. The accuracy is somewhat left to chance. He has yet to perfect The Miracle Shoot Lionel Messia to a level where he will reliably hit the target every time he takes a free kick.

His shot past the defenders, seemingly heading straight outside the post, until it suddenly curved into the top left corner at the last moment. The ball goes into the back of the goal.

Goalkeeper Riga did not manage to react. He just turned around and watched the ball spin behind the net. 1:0. The RSCA Youth Academy scored the first goal in the 15th minute.

Nero celebrated as Stefan would do - clenching his fists, sharing his joy of scoring with his team-mates. There is nothing like the excitement of working hard towards something and finally achieving it. His setpiece technique was finally formed after months of practice.

Meanwhile, silence struck Skonto Arena for the first time since the start of the match. Nero's goal greatly silenced the cheers of the home supporters.

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"I didn't expect to find such a player in a simple Belgian academy" the Atletico Madrid Academy player said. He was in the stands and just watched Nero score from a free kick.

"What do you expect" replied his friend beside him, who was several inches taller. "Josh, this world is big and talent is always emerging from everywhere. Just get used to it." He added nonchalantly.

"I'd love to compete with him. But unfortunately, he won't make it past the group stage. His team looks like a one-man squad type."

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JFC Riga's team did not release the pressure despite conceding a goal in the 15th minute. Instead, they intensified their attacks.

Damon Kvennson, the goalkeeper of the RSCA Youth Academy, noticed that the opponents had increased their pace and began to press the Anderlecht youth academy penalty box more often towards his goal.

Even so, not many efforts from JFC Riga team players who managed to get into the box. The defender – defender from RSCA Youth Academy ensures that no striker, winger, or attacking midfielder can shoot freely at goal. They endlessly blocked most of the incoming efforts.

Damon finds himself in a situation where he only has to deal with small-strength shots for the first 30 minutes.

Riga's team still dictates the game with a minimum 75% possession, according to his estimates. However, their gameplay lacks substance and execution. They failed to create a finishing that could seamlessly link their midfield with their attackers which left their two strikers isolated for most of the first half. Situations often force attacking midfielders and their wingers to take a shot from outside the eighteen-yard box instead of passing the ball forward.

He is a goalkeeper the only player who has to stay alert regardless of how the game goes. The ball can easily move from the midfield to the box in seconds. A goalkeeper should be completely prepared to make a save in case something unexpected happens.

Damon is determined to do his best throughout the tournament. Nero Juniar's entry into the academy team has motivated him. His excellence inspires his teammates to do their best even when they are left behind. The RSCA Youth Academy players come alive every time he gets the ball.

They are pretty confident with Nero. They are sure that he will score or make a good pass every time he has the ball. All they have to do is defend well and voila, they will win the game thanks to Nero's creativity on the counter-attack.

Damon forced himself out of his daydream. Left-back Riga has just fired a cross into his box. He glanced at his surroundings and realized that two JFC Riga strikers ran into the box to attack the incoming ball.

For a moment, he hesitated whether to run out and meet them or stay between his goal posts. However, the decision was quickly taken from his hands. One of the strikers skipped Miguel Alaron, the RSCA Youth Academy centre-back, and headed the ball into the net. The ball flies down, approaching the inside of the right pole.

Damon wasted no time thinking about how to handle the incoming ball. He let his instincts guide him.

He emptied his mind of everything else except a single trajectory that would soon turn into a goal for Riga's team if unobstructed.

He takes small steps towards the ball it is heading towards, while keeping a close eye on the ball. Guided by pure reflexes, he swoops in the direction of the incoming ball and makes a comfortable save.

He scooped the ball easily and hugged it to his chest so as not to bounce back to striker Riga.

From his position on the ground, he saw that Nero gave him a signal from midfield. Nero jumped suddenly like a person bitten by a red ant on a fragile part of his body. The coach had personally instructed him to release the ball as quickly as possible after fending off the attack. He can't waste time.

He immediately ran towards the edge of the box, past one of Riga's two strikers, and made a long throw with one hand into midfield, where Nero waited.

JFC Riga midfielder started running back to their half of the pitch, chasing the ball. But a lack of concentration has sealed their fate. The ball goes much faster than their feet.

Damon saw Nero master the ball beautifully in midfield. He expertly picked it up from the air to the ground and spun, immediately running into the box.

Damon watched the prodigy leave player after player in the dust like he was walking past a stationary pole hurdle.

He does not dribble with flamboyant and fancy footwork but with an honest body trick that takes him past his opponents as efficiently as possible. As soon as the players became confused by his trickery, he would pass them thanks to his incredible speed, not giving them the opportunity to try to tackle or intercept the ball.

Nero immediately expertly avoided the last defender and found himself facing off one-on-one with goalkeeper Riga. Damon started celebrating even before the Indonesian lifted his leg to kick the ball past the goalkeeper who was out of line to greet him. There was little chance of Nero failing to take advantage of a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, but he managed to calmly finish the opportunity and managed to score. That's why the coach likes him.

2:0. The RSCA Youth Academy scored their second goal in the 36th minute. Nero makes what he does look easy.

However, Damon is aware that such a style of play requires a combination of body control, game vision, risk analysis, and agility at a high level. It is not easy to install a look similar to Nero.

Damon has high hopes the RSCA Youth Academy will finally come out of expectations at the annual international cup. All he has to do is defend well, and everything will be fine.

"Return and defend. Go back and defend." Damon yelled at his teammates as they took the time to celebrate. He is always afraid of the moments after scoring. Defenders will be excited and most vulnerable.

Larsen Maguel, one of Anderlecht's youth academy centre-backs, ran up to him, grinning like a Cheshire cat. He seemed to be incomparably happy. "I think we might be able to qualify for the quarter-finals" he said.

"Nero turns into a monster in every game. I wonder how he improved his skills that much in such a short amount of time!"

Damon flashed half a smile to his teammate. "I'm not so surprised. He practices almost 16 hours every day."

"Did he ever tell you where he trained during his childhood? How did he develop ball control like that?"

"Nero never talked about his childhood. But I heard he spent his early years in Indonesia. But it was enough to chat, get back in position and defend" Damon said, prompting the defender.

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