Chapter 75 - Fan Cunjie (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Running towards to Su Rui’s long ball, Fan Cunjie suddenly stopped to shake off the intimidating Li Hao. He then got away from Li Hao using a turn-and-pull.

Slipping away from two players in one go, he charged into the Shu Guang box alone!

“It appears that Fan Cunjie is finally showing his chops. Perhaps he’s not too happy that his team’s been pressed back by Shu Guang for some time? Shu Guang’s defense better be careful!”

Without pausing for a breath, Yang Yong made his own approach. It was his mistake that gave Fan Cunjie an opening in the lead up to Dingding’s first goal, so he wanted to make amends.

Still, there was an immense gulf between the two. Yang Yong saw the ball shifting around Fan Cunjie’s feet, but it disappeared even before he had time to reach out with his foot.

“A nutmeg! Another dribble!”

Kaka did his best to chase down the opposing captain, but he was simply one step behind.

The enemy was now at the gates.

Dingding had reached the penalty area, but Li Jieguang and Lin Xiaofang were hesitating. Should they challenge Fan Cunjie, or stay on the strikers they were marking?

Seeing that Fan Cunjie was not going to pass soon, Li Jieguang advanced. And in just two steps, he saw Cunjie’s foot arch. Shortly after, the ball rolled to Bin Fei behind him!

Startled, he turned back, but Bin Fei had already returned the pass!

“A one-two pass!”

Both striker and captain teamed up to enter Shu Guang’s penalty area.

An Ke stayed vigilant at the sight of Fan Cunjie’s very own charge.

“Fan Cunjie shoots!”

Just before the attempt, An Ke saw a twitch on Fan Cunjie right foot. Initially prepared to make a save on the right, he quickly dived sideways to the left. His left fingertips touched the ball, sending it scraping off the posts and out of bounds.

“That was close! An Ke’s stunning save keeps it out!”

Letting out a breath in relief, An Ke got up. He jumped when he saw Fan Cunjie’s stare.

He was staring daggers at the keeper, or more precisely, at the goal behind him. He looked prepared to hunt it down and gobble it.

And when he turned his eyes to An Ke, the goalie could not help but shudder.

Luckily, Fan Cunjie soon stopped glaring and ran to the corner flag.

The corner was taken and An Ke correctly judged where the ball would come from this time. Vaulting up, he caught it and held it fast in his arms, not allowing the “Opportunist” or the tall defender a whiff.

An Ke immediately drop-kicked the ball far away, and it fell sharply towards Yang Pan.

Facing it, Yang Pan held the clumsy Lu Hui back with his body, stopping him from shifting ahead to defend. With a fluid move, he stopped the ball at his feet; the rest was going to be an easy job.

Feeling where Lu Hui was, he poked the ball behind, slowing down his opponent’s reaction. He then turned and gave chase to the ball.

It was not a pretty skill, but a mere duel of speed. It was especially devastating when he was the one to use it. There were times he found it uncool too, but any marker would be left behind in just five steps.

However, things were different that day.

Lu Hui turned with him. It had already been five paces and Yang Pan still did not manage to shake him off.

“Yang Pan’s speed is really as fast as people say! Although, Lu Hui isn’t losing out. The two are neck-and-neck!”

Knowing that just being quick was not enough, Yang Pan opted to use his other trick again. Under breakneck velocities, he promptly pulled back!

The last time he did so, he rid himself of Lu Hui. But this time…

Lu Hui stopped together with him!

“Yang Pan is not getting away from Lu Hui!”

Yang Pan was startled.

“I’m not an idiot! You can’t use the same trick on me twice!” Lu Hui said, stretching his leg out.

After a brief moment of letting his guard down, Yang Pan was dispossessed.

“Yang Pan has lost possession!” The commentator made it sound like Yang Pan should not have done that; like it was doomsday.

Lu Hui quickly kicked it upfield to Dong Yiluo; Yang Pan might have reclaimed the ball if Yiluo had delayed.

However, in a team like Dingding, a substitute could be a regular in any other team.

Dong Yiluo was one of those substitutes. Although he was a third-year student, he did not make the first team. Nonetheless, he was a mainstay amongst the reserves. When the occasion called for it, Liu Wei’s first thought would be him.

The player stopped the ball a meter up front, a good distance away. It was suitable for his next move—if it was too far, an opponent could get to it. This alone showed that he had a good handle of the basics.

Chen Bo ran up to Yiluo “like a beast”, which was typical of him. The two tangled.