Chapter 43
The first half had ended, and inside the Boca Juniors locker room, Sebastián Ranzella was passionately banging on the tactical board.
"Increase the tempo of your passing, and if you get a shooting chance, take it boldly! Keep creating chaos for them!"
– "Yes, sir!"
"Mistakes are fine! But if anyone gets scared and backs down, I'll bury them myself. Be prepared!"
– "Yes, sir!"
He moved the players' names around on the board while explaining the game plan.
"Semino! Overlap more aggressively! You need to support Yoo from the back so he can roam freely."
"Got it!"
"And Ángel! River Plate has no choice but to keep an eye on you. Make more varied moves and create space for your teammates."
"Understood."
"Javier! The key to unlocking their defense lies with you. When you see a chance, take a mid-range shot! It's a more reliable route to scoring than a hesitant pass."
"I'll keep that in mind!"
He didn't hold back on advice for each player.
Every word Sebastián Ranzella uttered was spot-on.
By addressing even the smallest details and boosting the players' morale, he prepared them for the start of the second half.
"Yoo! Drawing that card on Thiago was brilliant."
"...You saw that?"
"Of course! I've got 20/20 vision!"
"Are you an eagle or something?"
"I get that a lot," he said with a smirk, patting Yoo Ji-woo on the shoulder.
"Racism? Jeers? Who cares? On the field, race is just a shell! The only thing that matters is skill. Got it?"
"You're surprisingly kind, Coach."
"Hey, I can be warm and fuzzy sometimes."
"Good to know."
"And you lot! Are you going to just sit back and let our youngest get insulted by those cockroaches?"
– "No, sir!"
"Don't even think about settling for a draw! Find an opening in the second half and turn the tables. Crush those chicken-headed fools who dared to step into El Monumental on their own turf!"
---
The second half began.
River Plate 1 – 1 Boca Juniors
Even a draw here would be a decent outcome for Boca Juniors.
River Plate, needing a home win to make the second leg easier, began deploying various offensive tactics to threaten Boca Juniors' goal.
"Santiago! If Fernando can't find space, create another option for him!"
"Don't just stand there! Keep moving and find the gaps!"
Santiago Medina, seemingly dropping back a line to stabilize the buildup, increased his attempts at lethal long passes.
The primary target was Fernando Belmonte.
With a sharp gaze and bullish movement, he was River Plate's scoring machine.
Thud!
However, Boca's Fausto Barco was persistently blocking him.
"Ugh, I'm dying here!"
His uniform was a mess of sweat and dirt, and he looked ready to collapse. Yet, he refused to yield an inch of space to Fernando Belmonte.
[Both clubs are fiercely battling at the start of the second half! Boca's defense remains strong!] [With Ernesto absent, many expected River Plate to score heavily, but Fausto is stepping up and keeping them at bay!]
If not for the Fausto Barco who had leveled up through training with Yoo Ji-woo, River Plate could've easily scored four or more goals by now.
[The pace of transitions between attack and defense is lightning fast from both teams! Now it's Boca Juniors' turn!] [Julián Martínez pushes forward! Javier receives the ball and sends it to the right flank where Yoo Ji-woo awaits! It flows seamlessly!]
Boom!
Thiago Morales stuck closely to him.
Yoo Ji-woo flicked the ball upward.
Swish.
The ball sailed over Thiago Morales' head as Yoo brushed past him with a nudge of the shoulder.
[River's right flank is…! Oh! A sliding tackle comes in here!]
Just as he turned to sprint after taking the ball, Thiago Morales tripped him with a leg.
[Yoo goes down after getting tripped, but the game continues without a whistle!] [Perhaps the referee's angle didn't allow him to see it clearly? No foul is called!]
"That's a foul!"
Clearly fouled, Yoo Ji-woo protested to the referee, who coldly glared at him while fiddling with his chest pocket.
Snap.
The referee pulled out a card.
"Don't question my decisions."
It was unfair, but there was nothing he could do. Arguing further risked a red card, so he bit his lip in frustration.
"Does a monkey really think the ref can understand him?"
Thiago Morales continued his trash talk, pushing Yoo's buttons.
"Keep yapping. I'll shut that dirty mouth of yours soon enough."
---
As the match dragged on, heavy breaths filled the field.
The grueling game had drained the players' stamina, leaving them relying solely on sheer willpower.
Losing wasn't an option.
Each player drove themselves and their teammates harder to avoid the shame of defeat.
Thud!
Bodies rolled like fallen leaves on the field.
"XXXX!"
"Come here, you bastard!"
Occasionally, skirmishes broke out, with players getting sent off after exchanging punches.
[Down to 10 vs. 10! This reduces River Plate's chances of a comeback!] [With regulation time over, five minutes of added time have been given! Boca Juniors isn't backing off; they're pushing for a win!]
As the clock hit 90 minutes, River Plate pushed their line up to the midfield in search of a breakthrough.
They passed the ball among their midfield five, looking for an opening, but Fausto Barco lunged and intercepted a pass to Fernando Belmonte.
"Loose ball!"
Lying on the ground, Fausto yelled, and Julián Martínez rushed to retrieve it.
Boom!
Santiago Medina pressed hard to win the ball back, but Julián Martínez fended him off and passed it to Yoo Ji-woo on the right flank.
"Yoo!"
River Plate quickly reorganized their defense, and Francisco Pallero, brought in to mark Yoo, stuck to him like glue.
Then it happened.
Tap.
Yoo Ji-woo feigned a right turn, causing Pallero to shift his balance entirely. But it was a fake.
Using a step-over, Yoo spun left and burst forward.
"Stop him!"
As defenders closed in, Yoo displayed his magic.
La Croqueta for two defenders.
A nutmeg for three more.
A Marseille turn for four.
[Unbelievable! Yoo Ji-woo starts his dribble from below the halfway line and slices through four defenders! This is an extraordinary display of individual skill!] [River Plate's players are desperately trying to stop him, but they can't contain Boca's young prince!]
Each step he took sent chills through the Boca Juniors supporters.
"Go all the way!"
As Thiago Morales backpedaled, Yoo's body feint sent him crashing like he'd been hit by a tranquilizer dart.
'Two more to go.'
Inside the penalty box, Yoo deceived the last defender, Manuel Galán, with a sudden change of pace.
Swoosh!
He chipped the ball over the sliding goalkeeper.
With nothing left in his way, he gently nudged the ball into the empty net.
Clink.
Everyone who witnessed the play was left speechless, shocked into silence.
[Goal! Goal! Gooooaaal! Boca's young prince silences River Plate's fortress, El Monumental, with a brilliant goal!] [An astounding last-minute play! Yoo Ji-woo, Boca's young prince, channels the spirit of Diego Maradona himself!]
Yoo Ji-woo ran to the River Plate supporters, climbed onto an advertising board, and removed his jersey to display his back.
The furious crowd roared.
"That bastard!"
"Get me a hammer!"
The police intervened to prevent chaos, while Yoo defiantly stood his ground until the referee came to escort him down.
The broadcast camera zoomed in on his face.
[Remember this name! Yoo Ji-woo, Boca's young prince, a future global star!]
The final whistle blew, marking the end of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal first leg.
---
El Monumental was engulfed in silence.
Crowned the King of the Match, Yoo Ji-woo was the hero of the night.
Sebastián Ranzella was swarmed by reporters during the post-match interview.
"You've taken a big step toward the finals. How will you prepare for the second leg?"
"Of course, we'll prepare to win. This Boca team won't lose to River."
Confident as ever, that was Sebastián Ranzella's charm.
"Fausto Barco's inclusion surprised many. Why did you choose him?"
People were puzzled by the decision to field an inexperienced player in place of the defensive pillar, Ernesto Guerrera.
"Hard work," Ranzella replied plainly.
"...Pardon?"
"I gave him a chance because he works hard to compensate for his shortcomings."
Ranzella had noticed Fausto's extra training sessions with Yoo Ji-woo.
Real effort, not half-hearted attempts.
That was why Fausto earned his spot—and delivered a stellar performance.
"Opportunities come to everyone. It's the prepared who seize them, and I knew Fausto was ready."
The questions continued, but Ranzella answered them all with poise until the final one.
"What level of player do you think Yoo is?"
With a sly smile, Ranzella replied, "If you've seen his final run, you'll understand. At just sixteen, he's already proven himself a genius among the world's elite."
---
[ Copa Sudamericana Semifinal, 1st Leg: Boca Juniors silence El Monumental with a 2–1 victory! ]
[ Boca's young prince Yoo Ji-woo: 'Thanks to the banana the fan gave me, I found the strength to turn the game around.' ]
[ Seven players left as statues—Is Yoo Ji-woo really just sixteen? ]
[ Sebastián Ranzella: 'Yoo proved at just sixteen that he's a world-class player.' ]
[ River Plate fans: 'He must be doping! Test him!' ]
[ Boca Juniors: 'We will report the blatant racism against Yoo to FIFA.' ]