"What you decide is the only thing that matters, you are the coach. Never doubt your own instincts no matter what anyone says. Sometimes, your players will doubt their own abilities and worth, it's up to you to give encouragements while bringing out the best in everyone. Besides, your last game was beautiful."
"Thank you dad," she said with a smile, turned to leave but realised something as she took her third step.
"Dad, you watched my last game!!" The smile on her face was big.
The man let out a nervous cough, "I mistakenly watched a few minutes, hmph, I hope you quit soon."
"Yeah, right, a mistake." She walked out of the room still smilling.
Over the next days, Kim Na Na spent most of it watching every video from every match that Min Ho played in.
For their training on Thursday, Kim Na Na invited a local club with a solid reputation, known for its strong defense and quick counter-attacks to play against the team after a little training drills.
"Remember, we're not just playing to win; we're playing to show how far we've come. Stay focused, communicate, and execute everything we've practiced." Kim Na Na said as her pep talk, then the players walked into the pitch.
The match begins with the local club taking the initiative. They press aggressively, testing the team's defense. Sung Min, in the midfield, makes several key interceptions and helps transition the play to the attacking side.
In the 20th minute, Sung Min makes a brilliant run down the wing and delivers a precise cross into the box. Horata rises above the defenders and heads the ball into the net. The team takes the lead, and the sidelines erupt with cheers.
The opposing team responds with increased intensity, managing to equalize with a well-placed shot from outside the box in the 35th minute. Despite the setback, the team remains composed and focused.
At halftime, Kim Na-na delivers an inspiring speech, urging the team to remain resilient and exploit the weaknesses in the opposition's defense.
The second half sees the team dominating the play. In the 50th minute, Tae Hyun scores with a powerful long-range shot. Shortly after, Horata adds another goal with a precise finish from a corner kick.
With just ten minutes left on the clock, Sung Min, showcasing his enhanced abilities, dribbles past two defenders and sets up a perfect pass for Horata, who scores the fourth goal of the match. The team's coordination and energy are evident, and they maintain their lead until the final whistle.
Kim Na-na congratulates each player, her pride evident in her smile and the way she hugged them. She then thanked the local football team for their time.
"That was an excellent performance! You all applied everything we've been working on, and it showed. Keep this momentum going!" She said to the team with a smile
"Next time I score a hattrick, it will be in an official game!" Horata boasted.
'The only person that had a poor performance today was Min Ho...' Kim Na Na said to herself as the walked to the locker room for the tactical discussion.
In the locker room, she told the team the same thing she said on Tuesday.
"We are going to play with the formation we used in our last match, if there is any changes I will you let you know on the day of the match."
Then on the matchday on Saturday, during the team talk in the locker room. After going through the the same formation and line up once again, she asked to speak to Speak to Sung Min and Min Ho saperately.
"Sung Min, from now on, you can go to the left wing whenever you want during the match." She then turned to Min Ho, "whenever Sung Min moves to the wing, I want you in the midfield dictating plays.
"Okay," Min Ho replied.
"I will love to speak to Min Ho alone," Sung Min nodded and left the two of them alone.
"What do you want to talk about?" Min Ho asked.
"I have finally found the perfect job for you."
"What job is that?"
"First, I need you to control the flow of the game behind the shadows."
"How am I going to do that?"
"Misdirection."
"I am lost, coach"
"The most attention grabbing object on the pitch is the ball, every eyeball follows it until the game ends. To dissappear, all you have to do is have very little contact with the ball, and slowly everyone will forget you are on the pitch. With your incredible precision, you can deliver lethal passes to Sung Min or another striker. You will become our dark knight that fights for the team in the dark out of watchful eye."
"Sounds interesting, I'll love to try that."
"The only downside is that the public might end up not recognising your skills, so you might never get your flowers."
"I don't want flowers from anyone..."
"Okay then, all you have to do in this match is to try to hold the ball in less than a second. When ever the ball is passed to you, send it elsewhere Immidiately."
"Okay coach"
"That is all for now."
"My name is Ji Hoon and today I will be covering this matchday together with my colleague Tanaka." Ji Hoon, a young man of 36 said.
"Yes, it's a fine weather today as Momyung Fc face off against Ah Jin Fc. A clash popularly known as the battle of flee bottom. The two weakest team in the league face off against each other." Tanaka added.
The players marched into the football field, the arena had just eleven people seated in the fan section.
"It's important to note that in their last five meetings, Ahjin fc came out victorious in two, drew two and lost once to Momyung Fc."
"With the surprising result of her first match, Momyung's new coach, Kim Na Na might turn things around today."
"Yes I didn't expect her to grab a point off Daisuke but here we are."
The referee blew his whistle and the match began. At the third minute, Sung Min got the ball at the left wing, Ahjin's left back, Gyu Hwan moved in on him to make a tackle. With a little body flicker, Sung Min moved the ball to the edge of the box and he took a shot from there. The ball took to the sky, it curved as it travel then it missed the post entirely.
"What a wayward shot," Tanaka scoffed.
☆POWER
*Shot Power: 90/100
*Jumping: 80/100
*Stamina: 80/100
*Strength: 35/100
*Long Shots: 50/100
'I really need to increase my long shot..." Sung Min said to himself as play continued, few minutes later, Ahjin's left winger Jun - Tae tried to get the ball past Momyung's left back, Yoo Jin. But he was tackled off the ball by Yoo Jin. Who the passed the ball to Seong Jin who then passed the ball to Tae Hyun. After just to touches on the ball he forwarded it to Sung Min who was at the center of the pitch. Sung Min dribbled the ball for a bit, then he kicked the ball through the legs of an opposing defender to Horata, who was already on the run.
Horata trapped the ball, tipped it forward thrie while fighting off the defender on him with his shoulder. Now face to face with the goal keeper, he tipped the ball over the goalie, and he watched it cross the goal line and ruffle the net.
"Goalll!!!!" Tanaka yelled
"What a finish!!"
Horata did the knee slide as his celebration..
"The perfect pass, the perfect control and the perfect finish. Getting Momyung a goal up for the first time this season!!" Ji Hoon's voice rang through the speakers.
The match restarted with seventeen minutes on the clock. After series of foiled attacks by Ahjin, Sung Min got the ball in his own half at the left wing, very close to the throw in line.
"Sung Min has the ball once again, what does he plan to do this time?"
An opponent approached him for the tackle and he kicked the ball through his leg, running past him to catch the ball. Another player already close to him threw his leg out to intercept the ball. Sing Min moved the ball from left to right, completely dodging the tackle.
"Sung Min still with the ball!!"
The third person charged, and Sung Min just kicked the ball past him, the two chased after the ball and Sung Min easily out paced.
"1,2,3 seems no one is stopping Lee Sung Min!!!"
Sung Min just few seconds away from the penalty line, had two center backs waiting for him with three people chasing him from behind.
Sung Min moved slightly to the left and the defender to the left moved too to block his advance. He then kicked the ball in between the two defenders, as if he made a pass to the goal keeper.
"Is he stupid?" One of the defenders said to himself as he watched the ball roll past.