During their momentary holiday, the soccer club
got into all kinds of trouble,
but it was a lot of fun.
We were all refreshed and Seven and Mai-chan
looked like they had a good time.
It was a great, fulfilling day.
But we can't relax forever.
Our next opponent is Yoin High, and Asuka-san.
Today, destiny's whistle will blow.
Emperor Tooru Asuka
They're here.
Onimaru-senpai.
That's Kanagawa's best libero,
the Emperor, Tooru Asuka.
I'd like to welcome both teams into the stadium.
Let's go!
Yeah!
Good morning, Enoshima.
I'm a little nervous to be broadcasting from a real stadium.
I'm known as the "king of commentary,"
your very own announcer, Ichiro Yamanashi.
And never getting a chance to speak,
Momoko Fukushima.
Yamanashi, you talk too much!
Give her a turn!
I like you, Momoko!
Ahem. Now, Fukushima,
the Yoin High starting members, if you would.
Okay. I'll now announce the Yoin High
starting members.
Dad, you're late!
Mito, Mito... Just wait a second, Mito.
There goes Mito...
Over here! Over here!
Kake-nii is playing in a place like this.
He's like Sugu-nii...
It's time.
I wonder who Saeki-kun wants to play against?
Enoshima, of course. You?
If I had to choose, Yoin.
I'm more concerned about that guy.
Leonardo Silva?
I wonder if he has his eye on someone.
With great cheers, both school's eleven
are heading out to the field.
Asuka-san, look over here!
We love you, Asuka-san!
We have only moments before the semifinals of
the Kanagawa Inter-high Tournament.
Right now, the captains are on the field
doing the coin toss.
Yoin!
Yeah!
Wh-Why is he staring at me?
Is this really a match we'd come to see?
We'll find out when the game starts.
Playing for Enoshima today are:
goalkeeper: Akitoshi Ri,
defending: the Horikawa and Kaiouji combination,
defensive middles: first year Yakumo on the right,
and Captain Sawamura on the left,
and the pivotal defensive player: Ryoma Oda.
On offense, the middle forward:
the stopper Junpei Hino,
Takase on the left, and Matoba on the right.
Below top: Hyodo on the left
and Enoshima's famous fantasista: Ryuchi Araki on the right.
It's time for the Yoin match.
Yes.
They've made it this far.
I hope they make it to Nationals.
The ref is about to blow the whistle.
It's the kickoff for the semifinals of the
Kanagawa Inter-high Tournament: Yoin versus Enoshima.
I see.
Asuka and Onimaru get all the attention,
but number 7, Shiratori, and number 10, Maya,
are both undoubtedly ace players as well.
Asuka is still on the back line.
As long as he's there, even if I create a chance
he'll shut it down in the end.
Araki-san!
What will Araki do against the Yoin defense?
What should I do?
We only just kicked off, but it's so tense.
Even looking from the bench,
I can't see any holes in the Yoin defense.
Araki-san.
If you're going to hold onto the ball, I'll come and get it!
Araki-san!
Araki-san.
All right!
Kaoru-kun is open!
Not so fast.
Matoba can't shake him.
He got past him this time.
Amazing! You're amazing, Kaoru-kun!
But he's held on to the ball for too long.
My feints are working against Yoin.
Don't get ahead of yourself, first year!
Number 2, Mukai, blocks his path...
Sendo is behind him!
What will you do, Matoba?
Matoba.
Go!
Matoba's cross goes over Hino's head...
to Takase!
It's mine!
He puts it in with a header!
We did it!
No!
It's offsides. The offsides flag is up.
Crap!
Too bad, no goal.
Man, we're unlucky.
That's not true, Kota-kun.
Huh?
That was an offsides trap by Yoin.
Like a painting, they completely drew us in.
Yes, they had set it up
from the moment of Kaoru-kun's penetration.
Kaoru-kun easily slipped past Yoin's volante, Sendo-kun,
with a second feint and cut to the middle.
In reality, that's what they wanted us to do.
Sendo-kun approaches from behind
and Mukai-kun blocks his path.
To avoid it, he kicks an early cross.
Because Hino-kun was already in an offsides position,
Takase gets the ball.
This entire defensive line movement
was orchestrated by Asuka-kun.
That's...
I didn't think they would be this good.
Their defense is like a pro team's.
We'd better be prepared for some difficulty in scoring a goal.
Kaoru, cross only after bringing the ball in deep.
Yes.
I can do it. My dribble worked against Yoin.
Next time, I'll push even harder.
Yoin's volante, Ohtsuki, free kicks to
below top, number 10, Shinnosuke Maya.
Hyodo, mark Maya.
On it.
I won't let you.
Kaoru-kun.
With unmatched athleticism,
covering from his own goal to the front line,
he alone has full reign over the field, Tooru Asuka.
You can't leave this player alone.
Huh?
Horikawa-kun, he's coming.
He kicks it hard towards the front line.
It's a through pass to Ikusawa.
He saw the movement ahead of him
and changed to a pass.
No way, no way, no way, no way, no way!
Katsuragi!
You...
It's Ri!
He jumps out and punches.
Heading for the ball is the overlapping defender, Asuka.
Is he going for a shot?
I won't let you shoot!
Asuka passes the ball to the right side.
The receiver is...
Onimaru!
There's no way he can catch that ball.
He stops the ball! What footwork!
A-Amazing!
Even more amazing is Asuka-san,
who knew to send a pass that could just barely be received.
You're not getting through!
Just barely no goal!
However, the defender Asuka has run all
the way to the opposing goal.
This is the true worth of a libero.
What a player...
From his goal to the front line,
even the opposing goal is in his territory.
Are you getting excited yet?
I bet you want to stand on the field, Kakeru-kun.
Am I right?
Suguru, sleeping inside that body, too.
What about you?
The game restarts with Yoin's corner kick.
Maya winds up and...
The defender, Ri, holds onto it.
Enoshima has survived one pinch after another, now it's time for the counterattack.
Go!
It's a long punt to the right side, Matoba.
He's been waiting on the front line by himself.
All right. Nice, Kaoru-kun.
Matoba traps the ball with his heel
and from there cuts into the open space.
You're not getting through!
Araki-san!
He's good.
Araki shows his worth with a one touch pass.
It's over Maya's head to Hyodo behind him.
Araki comes out on top of the number 10 showdown.
Does he have eyes on the back of his head?
Running around on attack against the defense is
the genius Araki's supporter, Mako-chan.
Originally, he was scouted as a
below top player for Enoshima's SC.
Be it dribbling, passing, or middle shots,
he's an all-around player capable of anything.
You're not getting through.
It's Asuka!
He just attempted a header shot and
now he's already back in front of his goal.
I'd like to request a substitution.
In place of number 7, Matoba,
number 20, Aizawa, will be going in.
Huh?
They're taking out their right wing, Matoba,
and putting in Aizawa.
Are you ready, Kakeru-kun?
Yes.
Coach!
Why was I taken out?
My dribbling was on today, and I was creating opportunities.
But you weren't defending at all
and you didn't return when you were supposed to.
Against Yoin, I understand why you'd be excited,
but in Enoshima's soccer, even a forward must defend.
Because you were only thinking about attacking
and stayed at the front line,
Araki-kun was having a hard time getting forward
and you were inviting tight situations.
I...
I'm sorry. I didn't notice.
There's no need to apologize.
There are times when that focus on attack
is what leads us to victory.
It's just, Yoin is a team we can't give the first goal to.
Please understand.
Yes.
That was quick,
but that right wing had to come out.
Nice timing.
Hola.
I see Kakerucchi's just starting.
Yeah, he starts now.
Kakeru-kun.
Kakeru...
Kake-nii! You can do it!
He's out on the field 20 minutes into the half,
the thoroughbred striker, Kakeru Aizawa!
He's scored five goals in the last five games,
so get that first goal.
Break through this standoff!
Aizawa...
That's Suguru Aizawa's little brother.
Enoshima's ball. Sawamura throws in to Oda.
Let's go.
Araki!
Inaba, number 19.
Okay.
On Araki is number 6, Sendo,
and Onimaru!
A fast and precise check.
Yeah. They were amazing before,
but they're even better now.
Araki-san!
The Enoshima tower, Takase,
cuts from the left side towards the goal!
No! Asuka-san is bringing up the back line again.
He'll be offsides.
Araki gets ready to kick.
It's to Aizawa.
He suddenly appeared near the penalty area.
His first touch has quite the a chance!
Using that beanpole as bait was a good idea.
That number 10 is watching closely.
Here he comes.
But here's Asuka!
Only Emperor Tooru Asuka was paying attention.
It's a great mark that's pushing Aizawa out of the area.
That number 5 is good.
Suguru's brother will be crushed.
I wonder.
You might get to see something interesting.
As long as I can't get past Asuka-san,
I can't pass or shoot. I'll have to...
Come!
There it is!
There it is! The Phi Trick!
Aizawa's finishing feint gets him past Asuka!
What was that?
Araki-san!
Aizawa sends it to the center as he falls
and Araki jumps,
but he can't reach it.
Just watch, I'll show you...
who's the best!
Goal!
Ryuichi Araki scores!
What a spectacular scorpion shot!
That was amazing, Araki-san.
Who do you think I am?
More importantly, how does it feel to slip past Mr. Emperor?
Asuka-san was amazing.
I thought I had completely lost him,
but I was only just able to send a low accuracy pass.
Was that the unpredictability
you were talking about before?
No, I knew about Araki and
that he was capable of that.
I also knew that Kakeru Aizawa's feint
couldn't easily be stopped.
Don't worry. I already told you, right?
This is within expectations.
Aizawa can only use his feint once.
Once you've seen it, you can counter it.
I feel better after hearing that.
However, if that was within expectations,
what do you regard as unpredictable, Asuka-san?
Who knows?
Because I don't know what it is,
it's unpredictable.
The game resumes with Yoin's kickoff.
Will the Enoshima Eleven harden their defense?
Shiratori!
After Aizawa is Hino, and without hardening their defense,
the Enoshima Eleven take an offensive position.
I'm counting on you.
I won't let you!
The ball goes to Asuka!
You won't get away
with anything but defense!
Here's a fast check.
Araki and Hyodo both attack Asuka.
This is good.
If Asuka-kun, the libero, is commanding from that position,
then the key offensive players, Araki-kun and Mako-kun,
should defend with their usual line.
That's true. If we can steal the ball here,
we can go straight into an attack against Asuka-san's defense.
This is a showdown worth watching!
Asuka-san!
Asuka gets ready to kick. Could this be...
A long shot?
No way. We're still at the half line.
There's a powerful backspin on the ball
and here's Haruki Onimaru!
Sawamura-kun is doing a great job today.
Really? I feel like they've been getting past him.
Onimaru-kun's dribble can't be stopped,
but by pushing him to the side,
he's applying pressure, even when the ball is past him.
By making Onimaru-kun's job even a little more difficult
he reduces the risk of losing a goal.
Sawamura-san is running around constantly,
but he never loses pace.
Of course.
Sawamura-san's practices aren't to be taken lightly.
Sawamura-san, you're not done yet?
I'm not like you second years who were scouted.
What I lack in talent, I have to make up for in practice.
That's...
Sakamoto, I'll finish any practice, no matter how difficult.
That way, no matter how fast or strong my opponent is,
I'll never be outrun in the end.
There's no way someone
like Sawamura-san could lose easily.
Damn it!
All right.
I'm counting on you.
Hino is chasing down Oda's pass.
What's Asuka-san doing here?
It's Asuka!
Up until now, he was in the midst of the attack,
but he's already back on defense.
What a fast return.
I'll use my Phi Trick again...
Kakeru!
I'll crush you!
Araki slips the ball through Ohtsuki's legs.
He's one-on-one against Asuka.
Will this be a follow-up goal or will the Emperor stop him?
He's aware of where the goalkeeper is
and he's blocking my shot.
What do I do?
It's mine!
It's Aizawa!
Asuka blocks it!
What unbelievable reaction time.
What a player.
The ball is still in play.
This time Inaba blocks it.
Leave it to me!
This is bad. They're countering!
How far is he taking it?
What's your target?
Ri-san!
It's Asuka!
He stopped Enoshima's attack and now he's overlapping!
He's running towards the goal!
Just before the end line, Onimaru sends a cross...
No, wait. This is...
a shot!
Goal! They've scored.
The ball changed course and was sucked into the net.
Haruki Onimaru is a man to be feared.
Y-You're kidding.
That guy...
Damn it!
Asuka was a distraction.
Attacking the goal from barely in front of the end line...
That was a coincidence, right?
That shot was no coincidence.
That's the result of endless and tiring practice.
Amazing. What an amazing team
Yoin High is.
Next Episode: Desperate Situation
With Kanagawa's Emperor, Tooru Asuka,
Yoin High continues to rise.
Demonstrating their unstoppable flow,
they clearly show their strength.
Enoshima's attack continues to be completely blocked.
To find the one path that will lead Enoshima
to a chance at victory,
the team attempts a new strategy.
The whole team creates the opportunity
and the ball is entrusted to Kakeru.
Next time on Knight in the Area,
episode 23: "Desperate Situation."
Everyone worked hard to get the ball to you...
Put it in, Kakeru!