Super Wingstorm

Since Warrendan had been promoted to the Eredivisie this summer, they had begun upgrading the facilities at Karas Stadium. This made the already spartan away team’s locker room seem even shabbier, but at least it offered a place to sit and shower.

Returning to the locker room trailing one-nil, the entire Almere team was utterly dejected.

It was the first time they had been behind at halftime since the tournament began. Even in the first round against AS80, they had managed to hold on for a draw, but this time, against Warrendan, they were completely overwhelmed.

They were, after all, a newly promoted Eredivisie team. Even the skill level of their young players was beyond what Almere could match.

More importantly, the four players on their team from the Ajax Youth Academy were exceptionally talented.

Yang Yang had heard that the youth academies of the three traditional powerhouses—Ajax, Feyenoord, and Eindhoven—were home to the most elite young players in the Netherlands. Now, having personally experienced the skill of the players on loan to Warrendan from the Ajax Youth Academy, he had to admit that there was still a considerable gap between him and them.

Ajax’s intention in loaning them to Warrendan was obvious: they hoped the players would get more match experience. This meant that these players weren’t yet considered top-tier within the Ajax Youth Academy.

’But they’re already this good. One can only imagine how strong the renowned Babel and Amrabat must be.’

They were all peers, but the vast disparity in skill deeply troubled Yang Yang.

The other Almere players were just as devastated, and Henk Demyer was no exception.

He had always dreamed of joining Ajax, but now he could clearly feel that he wasn’t even on par with the players on loan to Warrendan. ’How am I supposed to get in?’

The locker room was deathly still, the only sound being the players’ breathing. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, but no one dared to speak, as if breaking the silence would draw everyone’s ire.

Yang Yang quickly shook off his own feelings of gloom and frustration.

He had never been an exceptionally talented player. Just over two months ago, head coach John Reep had repeatedly told him he should quit. But now, his performance on the field was on par with any other player on the team, including Henk Demyer.

He was confident that, given a little more time, he could completely outperform the team captain.

’If that’s the case, what does the current gap between me and those players on loan from Ajax even matter?’

’As long as I have time and I’m willing to work hard,’ he firmly believed, ’there’s no gap I can’t close.’

"Alright, everyone, don’t be so dejected! Keep your heads up!" Yang Yang called out, getting up from his seat.

Everyone in the locker room looked up at him.

In the past few matches, whenever they faced a crisis, Yang Yang was the one who stepped up.

It was true against AS80, true against Flaefranz, and it was true now against Warrendan.

If anyone else had said it, they would’ve been met with arguments, but no one would do that to Yang Yang.

He was the one person on the team who had earned the right to say it.

Without Yang Yang, Almere would have been eliminated by AS80 in the first round. Without him, they would have had little chance of winning in the second, third, or even the fourth round against Flaefranz.

It was fair to say that Yang Yang had carried the team into the fifth round.

"Yeah, get your spirits up, everyone! Don’t lose hope. We still have time, we still have a chance," Captain Henk Demyer said, also getting to his feet after seeing Yang Yang step forward.

Yang Yang gave Henk Demyer a slight nod and raised his voice. "Warrendan is definitely stronger than us, but we all know this isn’t our first time facing an opponent like this. AS80 in the first round—they were stronger than us. Flaefranz in the fourth round—they were stronger, too. And what was the result?"

"We’re the ones standing here in Warrendan’s Karas Stadium!"

At Yang Yang’s words, many players in the locker room lifted their heads.

It wasn’t the first time Almere had triumphed as the underdog.

Although, it was true that Warrendan was the strongest opponent they had faced in the tournament so far.

"We still have the second half. There are only two paths ahead of us. Either we go out there and fight, leaving with our heads held high no matter the outcome, or we lose like cowards. But if we do that, how are we going to face the fans who traveled with us to this away game, and those waiting for us back in Almere?"

Almere’s run in this summer’s amateur tournament had been excellent. Reaching the fifth round had created a lot of buzz in the city. Coupled with the fact that AS80 was eliminated in the first round, many locals had thrown their support behind Almere, and the players had become more popular than ever.

Faced with Yang Yang’s challenge, the players’ resolve began to harden.

Losing because you’re outmatched is one thing; there’s nothing to be said. But to lose because you lack the will to fight—that’s far more than just a simple loss.

At this thought, most of the players in the locker room rediscovered their fighting spirit, determined to fight to the very end.

"Come on, guys, don’t give up! I’m sure we still have a chance," Yang Yang encouraged.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the locker room door was pushed open. The familiar voice of head coach John Reep boomed through the room. "Well said! As long as you don’t give up, there’s always a chance."

Everyone in the locker room was stunned. They hadn’t expected John Reep to be there.

"Mr. Reep, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Mr. Van Puer is here too! That’s great."

Everyone was overjoyed. With the two coaches here, they could get some strategic advice.

Without a coach, they felt lost on the pitch, like chickens with their heads cut off.

John Reep and Dick Van Puer hadn’t told the team they were coming. But after seeing the team’s predicament in the first half, they couldn’t just stand by. They decided to head to the locker room, and ended up overhearing Yang Yang’s encouraging words to his teammates, which left them deeply impressed.

Who could have imagined that just over two months ago, Yang Yang had been all but written off by the team?

And now, they suddenly felt that Yang Yang was a better fit for captain than Henk Demyer.

But the thought was fleeting. After all, Henk Demyer was a homegrown talent from their own academy and a local Almere boy. He had a natural advantage. Making Yang Yang captain probably wouldn’t be appropriate.

But it was undeniable that Yang Yang was the team’s true leader.

"Alright. Just as Yang Yang said, we’re only one goal down. We still have a chance," John Reep said with conviction.

The players’ trust in the first-team head coach was far greater than their trust in Dick Van Puer. Hearing those words from a former national team player made them all the more certain.

John Reep had come prepared. He had been watching from the sidelines during the first half and had a clear understanding of the matchup. He immediately pointed out adjustments for the various defensive problems exposed in the first half and laid out a strategy for the second, focusing especially on how to execute a strong counterattack.

"We need to make a substitution and leave just one man up front." John Reep turned to look at Yang Yang. "Yang Yang, your job is to stay up front. We don’t need you to track back. You have to pin down their two center-backs."

Yang Yang was taken aback. ’Are they entrusting the entire weight of the offense to me?’

John Reep had no time for a lengthy explanation. "The midfield and defense will form up with four defenders and five midfielders. Everyone must hold their position at all times. Henk, even you—unless you’re absolutely sure and have a clear opportunity, you are to minimize your forward runs."

Everyone stared at John Reep in disbelief, then glanced at Yang Yang. They were betting everything on him alone. ’Can he really pull it off?’

But soon, their doubts began to subside.

Yang Yang’s contribution to getting the team this far was undeniable. He was also their best-performing player. If he couldn’t do it, who else could possibly carry this weight?

"We all know what Yang Yang’s weakness is. So, for the second half, we’re changing our strategy. When you pass to him, play long balls forward. Put it right in front of him."

Yang Yang’s Achilles’ heel was his poor fundamentals. His first touch was often clumsy, especially when he was tightly marked. But his strengths were his speed and his ability to dribble past opponents at full tilt. As long as the ball was played into the space in front of him, allowing him to build up momentum, he was unstoppable.

John Reep’s adjustments were incisive and perfectly targeted, earning Yang Yang’s deep admiration.

He even started to think that maybe he should study this aspect of the game more. After all, it would help him better understand—and perhaps even control—the flow of a match.

...

...

With John Reep’s arrival, the Almere players regained their composure, each one of them now having a clear sense of purpose.

When the two teams returned to the pitch, Warrendan, leading by a goal, was clearly in high spirits, but Almere showed no signs of backing down.

Soon, everyone noticed Almere’s change in formation. They had switched to a 4-5-1, keeping their midfield and defensive lines much tighter and more compact. In the center of the midfield, Henk Demyer and two of his teammates formed a protective wall, staunchly guarding the backline behind them.

Meanwhile, Yang Yang ran tirelessly up front. When his team had possession, he constantly made runs into open space, searching for an opportunity. When Warrendan had the ball, he relentlessly harassed their defenders, especially the two center-backs.

In this respect, Yang Yang was clearly doing a much better job than the previous number 11 center forward. He was giving the Warrendan defenders fits, and they were struggling to adapt.

With their defense unsettled, Warrendan’s midfield and attack couldn’t push forward with their usual freedom. Combined with Almere’s disciplined defensive formation, the match entered a stalemate. John Reep’s pitch-side management was clearly paying off.

The only part of the plan not working was getting the ball to Yang Yang. The long balls from the defense and midfield were struggling to find their mark. The passes consistently lacked precision—they were either over- or under-hit, or played into the wrong channel. As a result, despite his active movement up front, Yang Yang never got a clean opportunity.

But since the tactical adjustments in the midfield were effective, the Almere players were filled with confidence, certain that an opportunity would eventually present itself.

Yang Yang, in particular, continued to carry out his duties up front with meticulous discipline, not daring to slack off for a single moment.

This level of tactical discipline earned the praise of Van Gaal, who was watching from the sidelines. These were exactly the type of players he admired most.