Echoes of Greatness: The Rise of a Global Football Sensation

On Saturday afternoon, the football pitch at Helen Parkhurst School buzzed with anticipation as it hosted an intercollegiate league match. Although the pitch lacked formal stands, the crowd was sizeable, with many local fans drawn to the event by the fact that both participating teams hailed from Almere. The field was packed, spectators surrounding the sidelines, creating a lively, if somewhat improvised, stadium atmosphere.

The two teams set to compete were the host, Helen Parkhurst School, against the more established ROC Flevoland. Helen Parkhurst School was renowned in Almere for its academic excellence rather than its athletic prowess. It wasn't until the recent rise of the city's new football club, Almere City FC, that the school began to take sports, particularly football, more seriously. Their cooperation with Almere's youth training program, which benefited from a partnership with Ajax, had bolstered their football team, but they were still in the early stages of developing a competitive side.

ROC Flevoland, on the other hand, was an older, more seasoned institution with a stronger footballing tradition. Their experience showed as they quickly established themselves as the more dominant team on the pitch, especially when it came to stifling Helen Parkhurst's star player, Henk Dimer.

Henk Dimer, widely regarded as the most talented player in Almere's youth setup, was the centerpiece of Helen Parkhurst's strategy. Many believed he would be the first from Almere's academy to make it into Ajax's youth team. As the team's playmaker, Dimer was expected to control the tempo of the game, distribute the ball effectively, and create scoring opportunities. However, Flevoland's experienced defenders quickly identified him as the main threat and concentrated their efforts on neutralizing him. Without adequate support from his teammates, Dimer found himself isolated, unable to influence the game as he usually did.

Flevoland, meanwhile, capitalized on their advantage by attacking down the left flank. Their left-winger's blistering pace consistently outmatched Helen Parkhurst's defense, creating dangerous opportunities. On one such occasion, the winger burst past the right-back and delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. The Flevoland striker, left unmarked, leapt high and expertly headed the ball into the top corner, leaving the Helen Parkhurst goalkeeper with no chance. It was a textbook goal, and Flevoland took the lead.

After conceding the goal, Helen Parkhurst's play became increasingly disjointed. The players, especially Henk Dimer, appeared frustrated and disorganized. Dimer, usually composed and precise, began making uncharacteristic mistakes, further compounding the team's struggles. Flevoland's defenders, sensing his frustration, continued to apply pressure, cutting off his passing lanes and forcing turnovers.

The first half ended with ROC Flevoland leading 1-0. As the players walked off the pitch, the disappointment was palpable. Heads were down, and the sense of frustration was evident in their body language. It was clear that they were not happy with their performance.

Yang Yang, a new addition to the team, watched the first half intently from the sidelines. Although he had mentally prepared himself for the likelihood of not playing, he made sure to observe the game closely, especially focusing on the two Flevoland players who had been causing the most problems on the left side.

Helen Parkhurst was lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with relatively straightforward tactics. The strategy involved getting the ball up to the forward line and relying on the left midfielder's speed to break through the defense and deliver crosses into the penalty area. However, the effectiveness of this plan was severely hampered by the absence of their main right-back, Nick, who was out due to injury. The substitute right-back, clearly nervous and lacking experience, struggled throughout the first half. His inability to cope with Flevoland's pacey winger left Helen Parkhurst's defense vulnerable, and Flevoland exploited this weakness repeatedly.

Almere City FC's head coach, Johnny Rep, was in attendance, but he played a more observational role, leaving the coaching duties to his assistant, Dick Van Poer. Recognizing the defensive issues, Van Poer gathered the team during the halftime break and focused on reorganizing the right side of the defense. However, despite the glaring problems with the right-back, Van Poer opted not to make a substitution, choosing instead to adjust the team's defensive positioning in the hopes of better protecting the weakened flank.

As the players prepared to return to the field for the second half, Yang Yang remained on the bench, but his mind was racing. He had noticed the weak points in Helen Parkhurst's strategy and the specific areas where Flevoland was exploiting their defense. Although he was still new to the team, he felt a growing desire to prove himself, to show that he could make a difference if given the chance.

The second half was about to begin, and the pressure was mounting on Helen Parkhurst to turn the game around. With the match hanging in the balance, the stage was set for a potentially dramatic conclusion.

...

...

"Why do you want to watch this game?" Truus asked curiously, glancing at the middle-aged Dutchman standing next to her as they watched from the sidelines.

The man, her husband, had deliberately distanced himself from football for nearly six months. He hadn't attended a single match during that time, and Truus was surprised that the first game he chose to watch after his hiatus was an amateur match like this one.

The middle-aged Dutchman continued to stare blankly at the home team's distant training ground, where Dick Van Poer had gathered the players during the halftime break. Behind him, Johnny Rep, unable to remain a passive observer, was offering his own suggestions. The sight of his old friend getting involved seemed to stir something in the Dutchman.

Truus, used to her husband's often inscrutable moods, sighed and turned her head back to the field. Beside her stood three Chinese individuals—an older couple and a young woman. From their conversation, Truus gathered that they were the family of the Chinese teenager who had been practicing in the skate park earlier. They had come to support him, but as of now, he was still sitting on the bench.

Given the way the game was unfolding, it seemed unlikely that he would get any playing time. If the starting team, with their more polished skills and experience, were struggling, what chance did a newcomer with shaky fundamentals have?

But then, an idea crossed Truus's mind. Could it be that her husband had come here just to watch that boy?

"You came to watch this game just for him?" she asked, her surprise evident in her voice.

The middle-aged Dutchman neither confirmed nor denied her suspicion. "I'm worried about our bet," he replied vaguely.

It wasn't a real answer, and Truus didn't buy it. Her curiosity only grew. What was it about this Chinese teenager that had piqued her husband's interest enough to bring him out here?

"You will definitely be disappointed. He's not going to play in this game," Truus said, shaking her head. It seemed almost certain to her that the boy would remain on the bench.

But the Dutchman, still gazing at the pitch, responded in his usual, calm tone, "The game isn't over yet. Who knows what might happen?"

Truus rolled her eyes in mild frustration but couldn't help feeling a flicker of hope. Despite his nonchalance, she could sense a shift in him. Perhaps this young player had sparked something in her husband—something that might finally lift him from the funk he had been in for the past six months.

As much as she was skeptical, Truus was also pleased. For the first time in what felt like ages, he seemed to be showing interest in something, and that was a reason to be optimistic.

...

...

The second half of the game resumed, and it quickly became apparent that ROC Flevoland had no intention of deviating from their successful first-half strategy. They continued to concentrate their defensive efforts on Henk Dimer, the playmaker in the Helen Parkhurst midfield. Every time Dimer tried to initiate an attack, two Flevoland players would close in on him, making it nearly impossible for him to operate with the freedom he needed to influence the game.

Both Johnny Rep and Dick Van Poer, watching from the sidelines, seemed frustrated by the situation. They were well aware of the weakness on their right side—an inexperienced right-back who was struggling against Flevoland's dynamic left-winger. It was a glaring vulnerability that Flevoland was exploiting with ruthless efficiency.

"They've clearly done their homework on us," Dick Van Poer muttered, shaking his head in dismay.

Despite this being just a youth team match in an intercollegiate competition that typically attracted little attention, Van Poer was still the head coach for this game. The thought of losing, especially when it was becoming increasingly clear that his team had been outmaneuvered tactically, was a bitter pill to swallow.

As he surveyed the pitch, his mind raced. Who could he bring on from the bench to change the momentum? Who could he trust to make a difference in this increasingly desperate situation?

His musings were abruptly interrupted when a Flevoland player intercepted the ball in midfield. Henk Dimer, caught in a moment of indecision, failed to release the ball in time, and Helen Parkhurst lost possession. The turnover led to a swift counterattack, with Flevoland wasting no time in shifting the play out to their left side.

What happened next was almost a replay of their first goal. The Flevoland left-winger, once again, surged down the flank and whipped in a precise cross into the box. The Helen Parkhurst defense, disorganized and under pressure, could do little to prevent it. The Flevoland striker, rising above the defenders, headed the ball toward the goal. This time, the ball ricocheted off a defender, but fortune favored the striker as it bounced straight back to him. Without hesitation, he fired a low shot into the right side of the net, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.

The scoreboard now read 0-2 in favor of ROC Flevoland, and the atmosphere among the Helen Parkhurst players and their supporters grew increasingly tense. For Flevoland, it was another well-executed goal, but for Helen Parkhurst, it was a crushing blow, one that seemed to push the game further out of reach.

...

...

Although Yang Yang didn't get to play, simply sitting on the bench for the first time filled him with a mix of excitement and hope. He quietly wished for his team to turn the game around, imagining that if they could build a comfortable lead, the coach might give him a chance in the final minutes.

However, the reality on the pitch was far from what he had hoped. Helen Parkhurst was up against a strong opponent in ROC Flevoland, and the match was slipping away in an embarrassing fashion. As he watched his teammates struggle, especially those who had often mocked him during training, he couldn't help but notice how differently they performed under pressure. The players who seemed so confident and skilled in practice were now floundering, particularly Henk Dimer, who had been running around aimlessly, chasing the ball like a headless fly. This was the same Henk Dimer who was touted as Almere's top prospect, with dreams of joining the Ajax youth team?

In China, Yang Yang had always been the star player on his team, a role he had taken for granted. But now, as he sat on the sidelines, he had a sudden epiphany. Even a player as talented as Henk Dimer could be rendered ineffective if isolated by the opposition's defense. No matter how much individual skill a player possesses, football is ultimately a team game, and it's nearly impossible for one person to carry an entire team on their shoulders.

Yang Yang realized that there was value in observing the game, even if he wasn't playing. Before the match, Zax had given him a task: to carefully watch the game and consider three crucial questions—if he were on the pitch, how would he position himself? How would he receive the ball? And what should he do once he had the ball?

These questions seemed simple at first, but the reality was much more complex. The combination of information he needed to process was immense, and the dynamics of the game were constantly changing. Even with the advantage of the Dream Training System's "God's vision," Yang Yang was still only human. He often found himself overwhelmed by the rapid shifts in play and could only focus on the two players on the right side of the pitch.

This is when he noticed something critical: the substitute right-back, who had been thrust into the game due to injury, was performing at a fraction of the level he had shown during training. The nerves and pressure of the match seemed to have gotten to him, and it was clear that his confidence was shaken.

Yang Yang reflected on this observation, understanding that the gap between training and real matches could be vast. It wasn't just about physical ability; it was about mental resilience, decision-making under pressure, and the ability to maintain composure when the stakes were high. These were qualities he would need to develop if he ever wanted to make a meaningful impact on the pitch.

As the game wore on, Yang Yang continued to watch intently, absorbing as much as he could from the unfolding drama. Even without stepping onto the field, he was learning valuable lessons that would serve him well in his journey to become a better player.

...

...

After more than an hour of play, ROC Flevoland held a commanding 2-0 lead over Helen Parkhurst. The home team was reeling from the blow, struggling to find any momentum, while the visiting side's morale soared. It seemed all but certain that Helen Parkhurst was headed for a defeat.

However, just as the game appeared to be slipping beyond reach for the home side, an unexpected turn of events occurred. Helen Parkhurst's right-back, who had been struggling throughout the match, was now locked in a sprinting duel with Flevoland's relentless left-winger. In a desperate attempt to regain possession, he managed to chase down the ball and intercept it, but his momentum carried him into a hard collision with an opposing player. Both players tumbled to the ground, with the right-back hitting the turf awkwardly.

The crowd erupted in a frenzy, the tension palpable as everyone watched to see what would happen next. The referee immediately halted play and signaled for the medical team to enter the field. Moments later, a stretcher was brought out, and Helen Parkhurst's right-back was carefully lifted onto it. The initial diagnosis was grim—a sprain that would put him out of the game.

Disappointment swept through the Helen Parkhurst supporters on the sidelines. With both their first-choice right-back and his backup now injured, how could the team possibly contend with Flevoland's powerful left-wing attacks?

Dick Van Poer, the assistant coach, felt the pressure mounting. He stood on the touchline, fists clenched, knowing he had to make a quick decision. A substitute was needed, but who could fill the critical right-back position?

A center-back? That would only further cripple their defensive shape and likely concede the game. Worse, it would signal to everyone that he had chosen the most conservative, desperate option.

Van Poer's eyes scanned the bench, seeking an answer. No one seemed suitable—no one, except...

His gaze settled on Yang Yang. The young Chinese player had been making significant strides in training, particularly in his defensive abilities. His speed and physical fitness were impressive, and he had shown a knack for making crucial interceptions. Perhaps this was the moment to take a chance, to see if Yang Yang could step up when it mattered most.

With a determined nod, Van Poer made his decision. He pointed directly at Yang Yang.

"Yang, quickly change and go to the right-back position on the field," he ordered.

"Ah?" Yang Yang's eyes widened in disbelief. Was he really being called up? The entire situation felt surreal as he slowly stood, his gaze fixed on the coach.

"Yes, you," Van Poer affirmed, his voice firm. "I believe in you, Yang. You can make a difference."

But even as he said the words, Van Poer knew there was uncertainty. Could this untested player really hold the line against Flevoland's relentless attack? Yang Yang certainly had his doubts, too.

"In short," Van Poer continued, "once you're on the field, focus on one thing: defend. Mark their left-winger tightly. Don't let him make the runs he's been making all game. Stay with him, and don't give him any space."

With those final instructions, Van Poer gave Yang Yang a strong pat on the shoulder, pushing him toward the touchline.

Yang Yang felt lightheaded as he jogged to the sideline, the reality of the situation sinking in. He hadn't expected to play, and now, here he was, about to step onto the pitch. As he reached the sidelines, his anxiety began to dissipate slightly when he noticed his uncle and family on the other side of the field, waving and shouting encouragement. Their presence, their faith in him, brought a small, determined smile to his face.

Finally, it was his turn.