The opponent brought out a different person. Judging by his physique, he looked like an ordinary person, not a professional player. Perhaps Song Wenzhi thought that three professional players would be enough to win the match, and there were no more skilled players left on the bench.
The referee signaled for me to take the penalty kick quickly and stop daydreaming. I took a deep breath, looked at the new goalkeeper. This guy seemed to have practiced professional goalkeeper techniques, waving his hands up and down, moving his feet left and right on the goal line, and making strange noises to distract me, like a crab in a pot.
To be honest, if I had known he was so professional earlier, I would have let Lin Xi take the penalty. My footwork is average, and taking penalties puts a lot of pressure on me. I was afraid of missing, losing such a good opportunity to take the lead.
I asked the referee if I could make a substitution.
The referee kept his hand raised and shook his head, "No, it has already started. You must take the kick."
"But I remember the rules aren't like that—" I argued.
"I am the rule! Take the kick quickly, or it will be considered a forfeit! You give up the chance to take the penalty!"
I looked back at Lin Xi. She gave me a middle finger, cheering me on.
Alright, let's give it a try. If it doesn't work out, we can start over. The score is tied anyway.
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I tapped the ground with the tip of my right foot and started my run-up. Three steps away from the ball, I suddenly heard a voice: "Brother, wait! Your Brother Lin wants you to pass it sideways, to the left!"
My reaction was quick. I immediately realized that Lin Xi wanted to replicate the collaboration between Messi and Suarez. Penalty kicks could also be collaborative. The taker just needed to kick the ball forward, not necessarily shoot. A teammate could rush into the penalty area to score after I touched the ball.
Because before I touched the ball, no one, including the goalkeeper, my teammates, or the opponents, was allowed into the penalty area (the goalkeeper could only stand on the line). So, after I passed the ball, Lin Xi could race against the opponents to see who had the chance.
I looked back at Lin Xi, "Are you sure you want to play it like this?"
Lin Xi nodded heavily.
This was like telling the enemy how we were going to kill you, but you had no way to stop it? Were we that arrogant?
Lin Xi had already moved to my back left, crouching down in preparation to sprint. The opponent also reacted. The last remaining skilled player immediately stood beside Lin Xi, using his arm to block Lin Xi's arm, preparing to race her.
"Then here I come," I said with a smile, continued my slow run-up, kicked the ball slightly forward and to the left, and then quickly moved out of the way.
The other non-professional players were sensible and didn't enter the penalty area. Only Lin Xi, that skilled player, and the goalkeeper rushed towards the ball together.
In fact, the three of them were at similar distances from the ball, but Lin Xi was the fastest. Seeing her small foot about to touch the ball, the opponent's goalkeeper and another skilled player had no choice but to slide tackle, even if it meant another foul, to stop Lin Xi from scoring.
Unexpectedly, Lin Xi didn't kick the ball. Instead, at the last moment, she suddenly jumped on one foot, leaped over the sliding goalkeeper, and landed softly.
Then, in the quiet and suffocating stadium, another dull thud was heard!
The goalkeeper and the teammate had successfully tackled the ball. But due to inertia, they couldn't stop on the grass. Their sliding feet happened to kick each other's vital spots.
Those were cleated boots, and it hurt just looking at it. I instinctively covered my own vital spots!
Lin Xi's move was brilliant! Killing two birds with one stone, and then four eggs with two birds! A complete mess!
As for the ball, it was kicked into the air by the two of them. Although it landed within their control, they were both busy clutching their wounds and had no regard for the ball. Lin Xi jogged back, steered the ball away, and pushed it into the net.
The referee blew the whistle. Four to three! Our team not only took the lead but also took out three of the opponent's key players!
The opponents had to bring on two more ordinary players. After that, there was no suspense in the game. In less than two minutes, Lin Xi scored another goal. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Song Wenzhi glared at me fiercely and then walked off the field directly. The referee didn't dare to penalize him and just signaled for a substitution.
The rest was just enjoying the game. Lin Xi weaved through a group of ordinary players, scoring three more goals. Near the end of the match, she even tried to set me up for a goal, but unfortunately, I lost my footing, slipped, and missed the shot. Lin Xi retaliated by kicking my backside...