Free Web NovelChapter 23: [23] "The Goalkeeper Who Never Blinked" Part 2
"Hugo" said Luc, silently in the corner of the dressing room.
The kid looked up. He had a cut in his cheek-bone that wasn’t cleaned properly.
"When I drop wide right and pin their left back, you come forward off Mateo’s shoulder. One pass, don’t hold it, straight to my feet on the arc. Play it first time."
Hugo blinked. "Luc, that’s out of the box. Saez would—"
Luc explained that he knew what Saez does. "Hand it over please, just give me the ball."
"If you say so."
---
Second half. The Nantaise were in charge, defending a one-goal lead, and doing it efficiently.
Minute 58. SC Valois held the ball for the first time, passing the ball 7 times. Patient. Deliberate. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Luc drifted right. The Nantaise left-back then oozed out of the defensive structure, three steps further.
Three steps is all that was necessary.
Mateo found Hugo with a sharp pass in the inside left channel.
Hugo didn’t pay attention anywhere else. It was his first touch that set it. The second time was the pass.
Low and hard to the arc. Right where Luc requested it.
Luc faced it on the half turn. The ball came in at a good speed to his left foot.
He got one of those looks he gets when he sees someone he’s been dying to see.
Saez.
[System Notification]
[Recommendation: Predatory Aura Available for 5 General Points]
"Now."
[Activated]
[Balance: 5 General Points, 5 Skill Points]
Saez had prepared for the situation. He was already preparing his feet, drawing his shot angle in a bit toward the left, as if he knew what to do.
Luc didn’t do the natural thing.
He opened his body, deliberately angled his standing foot towards the near post (showing Saez the near side) and the keeper bit. He lifted one foot, half a step.
This was the half step.
Luc pushed his hip through and curled the ball with the outside of his left foot, deftly bending it away from Saez, low and hard to the far bottom corner. Not the near.
It was the geometry of a shot that began in one direction, and ended in another.
Saez took his dive in the right direction. But late. Fractionally, irreversibly late.
The ball hit the inside corner of the far post.
Net.
1-1.
---
Stade de la Beaujoire went silent.
Thirty thousand people took in what they had just witnessed. The player in goal who hadn’t had anyone beat him from range in fourteen games was standing in the center of his goal, just looking at the ball on the back of the net.
Luc looked around and started to go back to the middle of the pitch.
He didn’t wheel away. He didn’t slide. He raised his two fingers to the side of his cranium. Pure deception.
---
After that, the game became more intense. Nantaise was given a push-on to the winner but SC Valois maintained their form. Mateo was ferocious. Ekberg and Hadj maintained a powerful, compact defensive line.
Minute 87. A free Nantaise cross. Blažek made a great catch.
He lifted his eyes to the sky and looked for Luc next.
Luc was running at a maximum speed. He didn’t have to wait for the ball, he was expecting the ball.
The throw was thrown like a flat bullet and over the halfway line of the playing field. Luc sprinted onto it, seeing at one time the last Nantaise defender.
One step ahead.
The defender made a dive for him. Luc scooted around him with a tight, sharp body feint and suddenly was through on goal.
Saez came out. Aggressive. Cutting the angle. Determined to not be embarrassed twice.
However, it was clear that the keeper was not running in a composed manner, but rather was running very carelessly.
He let him come.
Then chipped him.
Soft. Measured. Brutal.
The ball cleared Saez by 6 inches and rolled into the empty net.
2-1.
---
Final whistle. SC Valois had won.
The bench erupted. Henri’s clipboard flew up to the sky. Hugo fell to his knees.
Luc’s ribs were on fire, and his lungs were gasping every breath as he stood with his hands on his hips.
His mobile phone rang in his after match jacket as they were having celebrations.
He checked it in the tunnel.
A text from Valérie:
It was a draw between Paris Royal and Phocéen today. Fontaine blanked. That’s 4 goals to your 5 goals.
You’re ahead.
— V
---
[System Notification]
[Objective complete: Scored from outside the penalty area]
[Reward applied: +1 Goal instinct — permanent]
[Updated Wager Tally: Open Play Goals: Beaumont 5 | Fontaine 4]
[MD6 incoming: FC Côte d’Azur. Home. They will know your name now.]
Luc put the cell phone back in the jacket.
The taped ribs howled. He didn’t care.
He was ahead.
