Because the team’s system hasn’t been clearly executed yet.
A strategy can greatly increase the probability of scoring a goal. In theory, a successful strategy can bring a team infinitely close to scoring.
Relying on star players is equivalent to leaving victory or defeat to fate.
Everyone wants to be the former, to decide victory themselves rather than the latter.
"In the second half, the focus is on coordination. This is the best practice opportunity. I hope you don’t waste these golden forty-five minutes!" Sotu set a clear goal for the team.
After kick-off in the second half, San Remo indeed started playing coordinated football.
Penetrating from both flanks, attacking from both sides, organizing secondary attacks, pulling the central forward out while a midfielder moves up, and so on.
These are San Remo’s standard tactics, but everyone was making noticeably more mistakes while playing together.
Feipi seized an opportunity and pulled one back.
Everyone looked at Sotu. Sotu’s attitude was clear, continue practicing!
High-intensity matches help improve tactical and technical coordination much more than training does.
Anyone who has truly played knows that match conditions and training conditions are two entirely different things.
Thus, San Remo, under this pressure, transformed rapidly.
In the 88th minute of the match, San Remo unleashed a flowing coordinated attack.
Midfield distributed the ball to Bai Zhami.
Bai Zhami passed back to Lu Yang, allowing Lu Yang to sweep past him.
Lu Yang went to the byline, the opponent followed, and Lu Yang passed the ball back.
Bai Zhami surged forward again.
This was a standard flank combination, repeatedly assaulting the opponent’s defense.
Bai Zhami created a chance, and Lu Yang finally passed to him, providing a good crossing space as soon as he received the ball.
But he adjusted a bit too much.
Lu Yang could tell that Bai Zhami was hesitating between crossing or cutting inside.
Even though he was close to the baseline, Bai Zhami’s instinct was still to charge into the penalty area; it’s his ingrained attacking instinct at play.
"Pass the ball! Damn it, pass the ball!" Sotu shouted from the sidelines. He is a passionate head coach, often more excited than the players.
Bai Zhami passed the ball.
Bam!
The opponent stretched a leg and deflected the ball back.
His pass was too slow.
Lu Yang shielded against an opposing midfielder and won the first touch.
With a brilliant instep trap, he caught the trailing defender off guard.
Then, prompted by Morici, Lu Yang turned and made a wide transfer pass to the right flank, and then charged into the box.
On the right, Fernandez had no one around him, plenty of time to stop the ball, and when the opponent approached, he passed back to the advancing Morici.
By this time, Morici was near the right side of the penalty area.
From this position, he could either pass or shoot.
He made a powerful cross from outside the flank of the penalty area.
The ball was extremely tricky, quickly dropping after clearing the near post, a half-high ball, making it hard to clear.
If you lift your leg, unless you raise it extremely high, you won’t touch the ball.
If you stretch your hand, isn’t that gifting a penalty?
If you use your head, the ball is a bit too low.
As a result, two or three players near the near post failed to touch this close ball.
In the chaos, Lu Yang, having just entered the penalty area, leaped into the air. His head was about chest high with the opponent, and he got to the ball before the opposing right center back.
It was a perfect fish-leaping header to snatch the goal.
Bam!
The ball smashed accurately into the net.
Goal!
Hat trick!
First game back and a successful hat-trick!
After landing, Lu Yang quickly got up.
Ran to the corner flag area and did that celebratory move he did at the end of last season.
Jumped high, spun 180 degrees in the air, then landed heavily, like a god descending to earth.
The moment he landed, the stadium erupted instantly!
San Remo ushered in their first victory of the Italian Third Division season.
The home fans celebrated wildly!