Second Chances: Indonesian Football Player

Chapter 83's

In the dressing room of the RSCA Youth Academy in the first round...

Coach Marcel could not help his smile as he watched the players sitting in front of him. They have beaten themselves through sheer focus and discipline on the pitch. Thanks to their persistence, they were two goals ahead of VfB Stuttgart in the Riga Cup Final.

To his delight, they have maintained the atmosphere of seriousness required for the final even after they returned to the dressing room with the lead on the half-time break. All the players quietly sipped water from the bottle without chatting amongst themselves, just like they did in the previous game.

They seem to be well aware that a lead before halftime does not guarantee a win in a game. Coach Marcel nodded in satisfaction. That is the right attitude for a competitive football game.

However, he still felt doubtful about the game plan that will be applied in the second half. He wondered if it would be better to play it safe and restructure his team back into a 5-4-1 defensive-oriented formation. He only needed to maintain his lead for the next forty-five minutes and voila, he would win the final without any risk.

His mind worked too hard, weighing the pros and cons of defensive formations. And after a moment of consideration, he decided to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation.

The two wingers, Ryandi and Stefan, played very well under the new system. They ran several times, stabbing into the defensive area of VfB Stuttgart on several occasions before halftime. They even managed to keep opposing wing-backs on their toes, rendering them ineffective on the wings. In addition, two defensive midfielders in a new formation have helped free Nero, giving him more freedom in midfield. He definitely cannot change their style of play after such an outstanding performance.

He cleared his throat before speaking to the players who eagerly anticipated the part-time talk. He could see it in their eyes.

“We will defend the system 4-2-3-1 in the second half,” he started, half smiling to his players. "I hope you stay focused throughout the second half, as you did in the first half."

He paused, letting his gaze settle for a moment on every player in the room before continuing. "I can't lie to you that this second half will be easy. I hope the VfB Stuttgart players attack you with everything they have from the first minute of the second half. But, you have to play the game with courage, with confidence and with purpose. You have to be stoic and deny them the chance to turn things around."

"Play as best you can and make sure you leave without regret after the game. That's the only way to maintain our lead and win the final. We are only forty-five minutes away from becoming champions. Don't waste the opportunity ."

Coach Marcel continued the part-time talk for the next ten minutes. He assigned several new roles to several players and answered some questions. He then explained the second-half game plan to hold VfB Stuttgart before sending the players back onto the pitch.

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In the dressing room of VfB Stuttgart, the atmosphere is more somber.

Coach Ilija Aracic did not give his players a chance to contribute tactics this time around. Things went terribly wrong in the first half. He had no choice but to immediately change the game plan.

He has to admit that treating Nero Juniar like any other talented academy player was a mistake on his part. He should have never agreed to the tactic of using a single player to mark such a monster. The boy is already at a professional level in a top league. Letting him play in youth tournaments under 18 is 'just' unfair to the other teams.

Nonetheless, Coach Ilija Aracic must find a way to reduce his influence on the game. Otherwise, VfB Stuttgart will be humiliated in the final of such a small tournament. That's 'just' unacceptable.

"We completely changed our tactics" he started off in a somber tone as he jotted down the line-up on the board. "We will switch to a 4-4-2 diamond formation in the second half. Timo and Felix will play as two strikers. Joshua, Kaan, Philipp, and Adrian; you will play as four midfielders." He paused, turning around to fix his gaze on the four players.

There was some vague chatter after Coach Ilija called the four midfielders. The coach had placed Sinan Gums, the midfielder who made a mistake that resulted in the second goal.

"Two of you have to keep an eye on Nero for the rest of the game," he stressed, ignoring the chatter. "Don't be wrong with leaving her alone, even if only for a moment. You have to stop him from doing what he wants when he gets the ball. Pull the shirt or something. But, don't let him run past you like you're just incorporeal. Are we clear?"

"Yes, coach," the four midfielders replied in unison.

Coach Ilija kept his spirits up, explaining the new game plan for the second half. He also picked players who played subpar in the first half and showed their mistakes without further ado. He ended the half-time break by giving a short speech for motivation before sending the squad out of the dressing room. He believes VfB Stuttgart can easily overturn the RSCA Youth Academy win if they play at their best. They've done it before, and they can do it again. It all depends on the desire of the players.

**** ****

Back to field—

"Friends," Nero shouted at his team-mates, calling out to the crowd. The focus is only on the game— and nothing else. He was only one step away from gaining a sizable amount of experience points. He could not let anything get in his way. So, he decided to motivate his team-mates before the second half began.

"Now or not at all" he said as the others formed a circle on their side of the pitch. "Let's play and go without regret from the Riga Cup. Our main focus is not to concede goals. As long as we defend well, we will have the opportunity to increase our advantage later in the game. Are you with me? , guys?"

"Yes, captain," all the players in the circle shouted with all their might.

"okay." Nero nodded. "Let's go and play as well as possible" he added, dispersing the team crowd.

The referee and the player VfB Stuttgart have already taken their position. They seemed to be waiting for the RSCA Youth Academy to take their possession. The second half of the Riga Cup Final is about to begin.

**** ****

In the stands, Bella Anderson waited anxiously for the second half to begin. All around him, some people chatted about the highlights of the first half match while others discussed the players involved.

"I hope Riga can buy that number 8," an old man to his left said with a sigh.

"Nero Juniar," a young man beside him corrected.

"Yes yes." The old man nodded. "We have to get it before the other team does." He breathed once again.

‘Dream.’ thought Bella while shaking her head. He has had offers from five young teams present at the tournament. All of them are famous clubs such as Atletico Madrid, VfB Stuttgart, AC Milan, and others. Despite this, Nero did not give them time even for a simple introductory meeting. However, some Riga FC fans wish for their clients to come to their clubs. And it's in a league with a ranking even below the league in Belgium. Bella can't accept that. Not on his watch.

His only concern is that Nero has signed a contract with Anderlecht without consulting a lawyer. He has not had time to review the document since Nero left it in Brussels. However, his lawyer's instincts annoyed him that there might be some unfortunate clauses missed by Nero. He hopes he's wrong. Otherwise, he would have taken the team to court for cheating minors.

"Gentlemen and ladies" Ricardo Andres, the commentator, exclaimed, ripping him out of his contemplation. "The second chapter for the Riga Cup final is about to begin. Mr Vincent, what do you think of this second half? Any predictions from you?"

"I've given up on predicting this game" Vincent McManaman, another commentator, replied. "All RSCA Youth Academy players have upgraded their game to another level in this final. I was really surprised. Ryandi and Kvennson, wingers, look very dangerous when they attack through the wings. We 'just' can't judge their performance based on the previous games. Then, there is the phenomenal player Nero Juniar. About him, I have no words." Bella heard him sigh through the loudspeaker. "Let's just wait and see" he added.

"How about your bet on VfB Stuttgart?" Ricardo Andres joking. "Have you lost your trust?"

"Well, let's leave the money problem out of the game" Vincent McManaman stuttered. "The referee will blow the whistle. We don't want to miss the opening when discussing this. Right?"

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