Hearing Bairney's words, Ye Chen wasn't angry; instead, he laughed.
Looking at the smug Bairney, Ye Chen raised two fingers. "Remember, you've only scored one, but I've scored two!"
Bairney's smile froze instantly.
Those words hit him like a punch to the chest!
Ignoring Bairney, Ye Chen clapped his hands and rallied his teammates. "Guys, keep your spirits up! We're the ones in the lead!"
"Yeah, we're still ahead!"
"Exactly, they just caught up by one goal!"
"Come on, let's regroup!"
Ye Chen's words were like a wake-up call, and the team quickly regained their focus.
Ye Chen understood Bairney's intentions perfectlyâhe was trying to provoke Ye Chen into losing his cool and making mistakes.
But in competitive sports, does getting angry solve anything?
That's just the rage of the powerless!
The two goals Ye Chen scored in the first half, both from counterattacks and long shots, had some element of luck. Now, scoring against Team A again would require one thing: waiting for their stamina to give out.
To break through Team B's defense, Team A had been relentlessly sprinting and running back and forth, expending a huge amount of energy.
It was like that time when Chelsea faced BarcelonaâBarça eventually couldn't defend anymore, allowing Torres to sneak in a goal at the last minute.
There was already a strength disparity between Team A and Team B. If Team B recklessly attacked, it would only disrupt their own formation.
Ye Chen called over Januzaj. "Adnan, let's stall for time. Take the ball to the sidelines and wait for them to foul us."
"But isn't it too early to start stalling?"
"Trust me, this is our only chance to beat Team A!" Ye Chen said decisively.
"Alright!" Januzaj, who was only 16 and a typically obedient kid, agreed readily.
Ye Chen's actions didn't go unnoticed by Solskjaer on the sidelines, who smiled in admiration. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, China's rapid development must be because they use their brains so well!"
Playing football requires physicality, but the brain is the most important asset.
To put it simply, physicality sets the floor, but the brain sets the ceiling.
When play resumed, Banks passed the ball to Ye Chen, who didn't advance but instead moved back toward his own half.
Seeing this, Bairney rushed forward immediately.
But Ye Chen had already passed the ball to left-back Taylor.
Taylor made a cross-field pass, and soon the ball was back at Ye Chen's feet.
As Bairney closed in again, Ye Chen made a long pass to Januzaj on the right flank.
At just 16, Januzaj's technique and dribbling skills were among the best for his age group. His main drawback? He was too skinny, which is why he wasn't a starter.
Ye Chen's strategy was clearâJanuzaj's dribbling could shield the ball and waste more time.
As long as the battle was dragged to the other end of the pitch, the game could swing in Team B's favor!
Januzaj expertly controlled the ball with his chest and brought it down with his toes. Grimshaw immediately rushed over to defend.
Since it was Grimshaw's error that cost them a goal in the first half, he was extra vigilant now.
When Grimshaw came at him, Januzaj executed a stepover move. However, Grimshaw wasn't fooled and blocked his path down the line.
"Pass it to me!" Ye Chen had run over to support.
Januzaj sent a diagonal pass to Ye Chen and immediately made a forward run.
Ye Chen and Januzaj executed a perfect one-two, with Ye Chen sending the ball forward to where Januzaj would be in two seconds.
Januzaj evaded Grimshaw and stopped the ball near the corner flag.
The coaches on the sidelines were dumbfounded.
Even Team A's players froze in confusion.
What was going on?
Shouldn't Januzaj be cutting inside for a shot? Or at least crossing the ball?
Inside Team A's penalty area, there was indeed a Team B playerâYe Chen's partner Banks, who was only 171 cm tall.
But he was completely dwarfed by Luke at 186 cm and McGinty at 188 cm.
Januzaj didn't cut inside simply because he wasn't confident in his shooting ability. He was a classic wingerâgreat speed, crossing, and technique, but poor finishing.
Unfazed by Grimshaw's attempt to steal the ball, Januzaj shielded it with his back until it was kicked out of bounds, winning Team B a valuable corner kick!
Ye Chen knew this was another chance to score.
When a weaker team faces a stronger one, every set-piece must be seized!
He quickly organized his teammates to press forward, leaving two full-backs and a defensive midfielder behind to guard against counterattacks. Then he rushed to the corner flag and whispered instructions to Januzaj before heading into the penalty area.
Team A immediately set up their defensive positions, even bringing forward Bairney to mark Declan Daly, who was about the same height.
"Tweet!"
The referee signaled for the corner kick.
Januzaj scanned the penalty area and sent in a perfect cross.
"Bang!"
The ball arced beautifully toward the near post.
While most players crowded the center, Ye Chen darted toward the near post as planned.
However, Team A's midfielder Tom was already in position and cleared the ball.
Another corner for Team B, while Ye Chen ended up knocked to the ground.
To be honest, with his physicality, he wouldn't survive in the Premier League, let alone La Liga!
But Ye Chen didn't stay down for long. He quickly got up, retrieved the ball, and discussed a new tactic with Januzaj.
This time, Ye Chen didn't go for the near post. Instead, he stayed outside the penalty area, waiting for an opportunity.
Without the effects of his S-grade skill card, his long shots had become his strongest weapon.
Given his fragile build, he stood no chance in aerial duels inside the box.
His plan? Take a powerful long-range shot.
"Bang!"
Januzaj delivered another precise cross.
Ye Chen didn't wait for the ball to land. He anticipated its trajectory and swung his leg.
"Bang!"
His foot struck the underside of the ball like a whip.
As the ball soared toward the goal, Roswell lunged forward to block it, but the ball curved sharply into the top-right corner.
Goalkeeper Jonathan tried to punch it out but could only graze it with his fingertips.
"Swish!"
The ball brushed the net with a crisp sound, like a basketball swishing through the hoopâpure and satisfying.
A collective gasp filled the field.
No one could believe such a stunning volley came from Ye Chen!
Though they had spent plenty of time with him, his teammates had never seen such a skillful shot from him.
But this goal changed everythingâthey started to see Ye Chen differently.
"Wow, what a goal!"
The comment came from a blonde girl on the sidelines. She had striking blue eyes, a curvaceous figure, and a vibrant charm. She wore a red Manchester United jersey paired with a black skirt, her long legs glowing in the sunlight.
Hearing her voice, Solskjaer snapped out of his admiration and smiled. "Lina, what brings you here?"
"Daddy, is that black-haired player new? He's amazing!"
"Maybe it's just luck..." Solskjaer chuckled. "After all, he's been here for over a year and never scored such a beautiful long-range goal before!"
"Oh..." Lina nodded thoughtfully. Then her expression turned to surprise. "Wait, isn't the red team the starters? How are they losing 3â1? Am I seeing this right?"
"This game is unusual, no doubt," Solskjaer said with a wide grin. "That boy Ye has scored a hat-trick today! It's truly unbelievable!"
Solskjaer had already made up his mindâYe Chen would be included in the lineup for the upcoming match against Liverpool.
If nothing else, they might just need a bit of Ye Chen's luck!