With a Top 4 position on the line,
Enoshima went up against the powerful Yoin.
Once on the field,
I successfully pulled off the Phi Trick
and provided an assist to Araki-san who scored the first goal.
However, under the control of
one the best high school liberos, the Emperor, Asuka-san,
Yoin is really strong.
They tied up the game in an instant.
Then we gave up a second goal in the second half,
but when the ball was entrusted to me,
I shot with all my might and scored.
At least, I should have.
G-Goal!
H-How?
A lightning attack and Yoin scores again!
The score is 1 to 3.
Yoin pushes past Enoshima again.
Tenacity to Win
It was over in an instant.
The Yoin defense, wary of Enoshima's attack,
brought up their line and Aizawa cut back behind them.
Then Araki, with spectacular timing, fed a through pass.
With defenders hot on his heels,
Aizawa shot for the left corner.
Everything was going well up until then.
However, Asuka leapt out from a blind spot and cleared it.
The ball became a counter pass to Onimaru
who was waiting at the center line.
He slipped past his mark,
Nakatsuka, who was distracted by the attack,
and moved straight into a penetrating dribble.
He brought the ball in free and finally Katsuragi scored.
What a painful goal.
Asuka read our pass.
Huh?
He knew that you were going to break away
and where you were going to shoot,
and prepared a counter.
Damn, this isn't easy.
There are 20 minutes left, but being 2 goals down
against the Yoin defense
under the control of Kanagawa's number one defender,
Tooru Asuka, has got to hurt.
Remember what you just saw.
That was the frightening nature of the man named Tooru Asuka.
You're saying that play was inevitable for Asuka-san?
During middle school,
when we were on the same junior youth team,
I spent a lot of time with him and with his unique training.
We'd practice in a mini-game structure
with the keeper defending up front
while he was between the keeper and the goal, clearing shots,
and sending passes to the front line.
We'd do it over and over again.
At first, I couldn't understand what he was thinking.
We got into an argument about it once.
When he said,
Taka, what do you think about
when you go one-on-one against the keeper?
Taking a shot, of course.
Right.
Since it's difficult to use a feint
against the keeper, who can use his hands,
you'd choose to shoot.
A good striker will watch
the keeper's movements carefully
and, without lifting the ball too high,
aim for one of the corners of the goal.
If he can do that, then he'd be a first rate striker.
Right.
Another way to say it is,
if the keeper moves forward as the striker shoots,
the 7.32 meter goal width suddenly shrinks like this.
That may be true on paper,
but leaping out at the attacker is a frightening thing
for the keeper.
He might be able to shrink the gap,
but it won't disappear.
If they aim here, it's over.
That's why as a defender, I'll fill that remaining space.
What about a high ball?
Right now, I'm 175 centimeters
and I can jump 75 centimeters.
The height of the goal is 244 centimeters
so even without my hands,
I can basically cover the whole goal.
This way we can minimize
the threat on the goal.
And, instead of just clearing,
if I could connect it to a forward line pass...
So it was all according to plan.
According to Asuka,
defense isn't just something you do by yourself.
By calculating the positions of all the defenders
and through complete and repetitive practice,
he reduces the risk of losing goals to a minimum
and connects it to a counterattack.
His job as a defender continues
up until the start of the attack.
What an amazing person.
He really is an emperor.
Enoshima has no choice but to attack,
but a bad attack will lead to a counter.
The match might as well be over.
But not going according to plan is also part of soccer.
Kakeru.
Not yet!
It's not over yet! Let's attack!
Yes!
Just one goal. Let's take it back.
With every passing moment, time is running out.
It won't be easy to topple the hardened Yoin defense.
You've got no choice but to attack, Enoshima!
Mako-san!
Nakatsuka is overlapping!
I'm counting on you.
Hyodo passes.
Move, move, move, move!
Nakatsuka kicks high.
The ball is loose.
Here's Aizawa! A chance for Enoshima.
It's Asuka again!
He really does seem to just appear everywhere.
He's robbed Enoshima of their chance.
Damn it!
He's past Araki. He moves up with a dribble.
Fore check! Don't give him room to pass.
Asuka continues forward.
Is he planning to dribble it all the way to the front line?
Asuka sends the ball over to the other side.
Onimaru is running to meet it.
Get back!
I'll catch you!
Too easy.
Onimaru immediately sends an early cross.
It's Asuka again.
No way, no way, no way!
Horikawa clears it. That was a close one for Enoshima.
Sawamura-san.
The ball goes to Oda.
Move up!
Aizawa is running towards the space.
Will Oda send a long feed?
What I need to do right now is...
You were in the same middle school, right?
Yes.
I heard from Hyodo.
His charge injured your knee.
Because of that, the club team was dropped from selection.
It wasn't Hyodo's fault.
Of course not. However, Oda-kun,
you need to think about your position.
If you re-injure your knee before it's healed,
the damage could be permanent and affect your career as a player.
You should avoid being a below top player
who runs a high risk of taking a charge from behind.
But I...
You're don't like the idea of changing position over something like that?
Yes.
Then consider this:
I think you're a regista.
Regista?
The playmaker.
The defensive midfielder's position.
Even as you play go,
your judgment style has an all encompassing view.
Listen, Oda-kun, soccer is a lot like go.
How can you make space that will lead to a goal opportunity?
How can you put someone in there
and give them the ball?
You need perspective, like in go.
Won't you come to our high school, Oda-kun?
I'd like to invite you to our team as a playmaker, a regista.
It's the job I've been given,
but now I finally understand its importance.
I must do my job as a regista.
Oda is past another!
Araki-san withdrew from his position.
By drawing out his mark, the defense is thinned,
and he's giving over the game making position to Oda-san.
I don't know about that.
I won't let you.
Then, what is Oda-san trying to do?
I think,
that by drawing out his mark,
Araki-san creates usable space midfield.
But, instead of using it,
Oda-san is taking the ball to the left side.
You'll see what this means in a second.
Oda!
Hyodo!
Hyodo is surrounded.
It's back to Oda! What will he do?
He sends it to Hino on the right side, who has a light mark.
A pinpoint side change!
The reason why Oda-san avoided a long feed,
intentionally brought the ball into a tight area,
and exchanged short passes with Mako-san
was to create a congested area on the left side
and draw in the opponent's defenders.
As expected from the Enoshima regista, Oda.
He set up the perfect situation for an attack.
Plus, making space on the forward line for Kakeru
and changing positions with Araki-san
was all to create this space.
Here's Araki. He's running into the thinned middle area.
Too early.
With a smile that seems to laugh at the pursuing defenders,
he sends a one touch pass.
On the other end of that pass is...
Aizawa!
Kakeru!
Kakerucchi!
Kakeru.
Make it count this time, Aizawa!
It's no good!
Asuka suddenly intercepts from Aizawa's blind spot,
completely crushing this chance.
Damn it...
An obvious result.
Huh?
No matter what play they attempt,
in the end, Araki and Kakeru always join up.
Asuka is prepared for that from the very start.
No matter what team play they use to shake the Yoin defense,
as long as Asuka is there in the end,
scoring a goal will be difficult.
It's no good.
As long as I can't shake him,
I can't score a goal.
Time is just running out.
Crap, crap, crap!
Yoin's in control of the game
and the hand on the clock keeps turning.
Now you're in a pinch.
It's time to come out, Suguru.
Damn it! It's useless!
I can't score a goal this way.
Kakeru.
There's 11 minutes left.
Please do something, Enoshima!
It's no good.
Yoin has the amazing Asuka-san.
As I am now, I don't stand a chance.
There's no chance of...
No chance of winning?
Do you really believe that, Kakeru?
There are two moments when a match is decided in soccer.
One is when the end of the match whistle blows.
Do you know when the other is, Kakeru?
That guy again.
How's the game going, Kakeru?
You're late, brother.
Sorry. The plane was delayed.
I brought your Kama uniform,
but there's only 12 or 13 minutes left,
so you probably won't play, right?
First half | Second half
Yokohama Kamakura
2-0.
Both were scored by number 9, Takajo.
That libero-like number 5 is good, too.
We've had chances, but so far...
How would you defeat them?
Huh?
You want to come to Kama for middle school, too, right?
Yeah.
Then you're not just a bystander.
That's true,
but we can't even score a goal.
There's no chance of winning.
No chance of winning?
Do you really believe that, Kakeru?
Brother.
There are two moments when a match is decided in soccer.
One is when the end of the match whistle blows.
Do you know when the other is, Kakeru?
When the losing team gives up on scoring.
That moment.
Brother.
Aizawa isn't moving. What's wrong?
Kakeru?
But what should I do? I don't know.
Is that so?
Then I'll show you.
Just be quiet and watch.
It's finally starting.
What?
What could have happened?
Aizawa easily took the ball from Emperor Asuka.
His swift movements are completely different
from when he couldn't get around Asuka's tight ball handling.
Kakerucchi!
Hold on.
It's not that he's gotten faster.
He's just reading his opponent's movements, so he appears faster.
Asuka pulled the ball back to his left rear with his right foot,
and intended to guard the ball with his body
while the ball moved to his left,
but Kakeru read ahead and attacked the ball
before Asuka-san could, pushing the ball in
the opposite direction Asuka intended, and claiming possession.
That wasn't just an accident?
No. Asuka is good,
but his technique has a number of obvious moves.
Moves?
It's probably because, rather than learning to sense
the ball from a young age,
he improved by practicing repetitively.
That's his weakness.
I see.
Learning your opponent's movement and reading ahead...
To think that kid had that sort of ability.
It isn't necessarily the little brother that's doing it.
Huh?
Asuka lost the ball and, with his pride on the line, goes after it!
Just as expected from Asuka-san.
A complete recovery.
By pushing him to the sides,
he prevents a dribble penetration.
I won't let you.
A blind heel pass!
It goes to Araki.
Shoot! Araki was free.
It's starting.
What should I do? Should I go in myself, or...
Araki returns the ball to Aizawa.
All right. We've completely shaken Asuka-san.
Kakeru.
However, the Yoin defense has swiftly regrouped.
There are still three walls.
There's no space for a dribble penetration.
Will he send it to the side? No, he's still dribbling.
He's past one.
He's past the second.
I won't let you through.
Here's the third.
He's past!
The keeper jumps out.
It's one-on-one.
No, Asuka is going behind.
If he aims for the right side,
which the keeper is leaving open intentionally, it'll be just like before.
Shoot!
If you don't know then I'll show you, Kakeru.
Goal!
He shook Asuka, slipped past three defenders,
and, in the end, sent the ball through the keeper's legs!
Kakeru Aizawa scores!
I've wanted to see you, Suguru Aizawa.
Suguru-san.
It's 2-3. Eight minutes left.
One goal difference.
Hey, Leo. What was that just now?
You saw it.
This is the reason I came to Japan.
Through the goalkeeper's legs.
So that's where the hole was.
Asuka-san. That was just luck.
Things like this...
...happen in soccer.
This sort of unpredictable play.
Asuka-san.
Shake it off, Onimaru.
We still have a one goal lead.
Yes!
That's right. If it ends here, we win.
You did it! What was that?
You're amazing, Kakeru!
Where have you been hiding that dribble?
Kakeru, you...
We're still a goal behind. Let's restart quickly.
That's true.
It's no time to celebrate, right?
All right!
Let's tie it up.
We still have time!
That play.
No matter how you look at it, it wasn't Kakeru's.
Even considering divine possession,
or ignoring how flashy it was, someone besides Kakeru must be...
It couldn't be.
It couldn't be, could it?
What is this feeling?
I can see, and I can feel, but it's like it isn't me.
I can tell where everyone is on this wide field,
as if they were standing on my hand.
I know what to do, as if directions were
raining down from heaven.
Raining? No, that's not it.
My brother's heart inside my chest is speaking to me.
That must be it.
Right now I'm running on the field with my brother.
Kakeru.
That's not it.
Huh?
It isn't because of his heart.
This is Kakeru's own latent potential.
As an observer, closer than anyone,
of his genius brother's plays, it should be possible.
Is that really it?
At least, that's what I believe.
That's it, Takajo-san.
What is?
Against Shonan, after taking
Hibino's Cannon Free Kick to the head,
he played as if he had been possessed, like now.
Could it be because they're brothers?
It's as if I'm watching Suguru.
Or is it just a fluke?
I cannot believe that was a fluke.
Then what is it?
The game has changed, hasn't it, Takajo-san?
As if being pulled by Kakeru's play,
everyone from Enoshima is playing better.
Close in and steal it!
Take possession of the ball!
Get the ball to Aizawa, no matter what!
I'm counting on you.
Okay.
It's Aizawa.
Coming from the back,
diagonal and opposite of where the ball came from,
a truly difficult to notice blind spot, he's taken the ball.
You...
He's broken into a dribble.
He's fast, very fast.
A dribble so swift the ball seems to be sucked to his legs.
With a long, beautiful stride,
he's once again headed into Yoin's side.
No matter how you look at it, he's not Kakeru.
Push towards Aizawa!
First, kill his speed with numbers.
He shakes another!
Wait for me.
Who am I making a play for here?
Here comes Asuka.
He won't be shaken easily.
There's less than five minutes left.
With a tie goal on the line, Kakeru Aizawa goes
one-on-one against the emperor, Tooru Asuka!
He stopped?
Kakeru!
Inaba! Cut to the right.
All right, with this...
I can't move.
If I leap in, he'll slip past me, but if I wait...
I'll challenge!
What?
It's a pass. Araki goes running in.
Who did I think he was?
That's Suguru! His pass will definitely come here!
But the pass is hard! This is...
Believing in my speed,
believing in my direct play...
It connects! It's a direct volley!
Goal!
All right!
It's good!
The ace, Araki, scores the second comeback goal and ties the game!
We did it! We did it!
And, with four minutes and moments in loss time,
the score is 3-3. It's anyone's game!
All right! Let's keep this up!
Until we take the lead!
Who will win?
Will it be Yoin or will we, Enoshima,
move forward into the Top 4?
Next Episode: Fierce Battle! Finale
Kakeru blasts forward,
following the heart of his brother, Suguru.
Enoshima and Yoin, neither team giving a single inch,
both fight fiercely without reaching the decisive goal.
Then entering loss time still tied,
the last chance for Enoshima comes at the very end.
On the verge of a goal,
Kakeru's answer to his brother and the outcome of that shock.
The match against Yoin finally reaches a conclusion.
Next time on Knight in the Area,
episode 25: "Fierce Battle! Finale."
Kakeru, Kakeru, Kakeru!