Upon hearing it was a penalty, Theo cursed at Ajayi: “Are you fucking shit-brained?
I told you that ball was mine, and you still deliberately dragged him to the ground!” Ajayi feigned innocence and defended himself: “I didn’t hear you!
Besides, I didn’t know if you could save it!” But inside, Ajayi was thrilled: “Finished it in the first half!
£1,000 in the bag!” Theo could see the undisguised smugness in the other man’s eyes at a glance.
He didn’t say anything more; it was useless.
These bastards would disregard the team’s interests just for their own selfish agendas.
The defensive line gathered around and pulled the two apart.
At this moment, the coaching staff noticed the situation and all stood up on the sidelines, with the head coach looking particularly grim.
Morris stood between them: “Alright!
Stop arguing!
Theo, get ready for the penalty.
Relax, it’s fine if you don’t save it!
Even Gianluigi Buffon often fails to save them.” Then, Morris looked at Ajayi sternly: “Be more positive.
That’s twice now; don’t think we can’t see your little schemes.” Ajayi shrugged indifferently; Charlton Athletic’s current financial situation was poor, and players who couldn’t make the First Team were all trying to find ways to leave.
Look at the Reserve Team; including the U18 players filling the numbers, there were only 16 people.
They couldn’t even play a full match in training; there was no future in it.
Seeing that it was a penalty, the stands became lively.
The club’s current situation wasn’t great, so people weren’t too harsh on the U18 matches.
A penalty was a one-on-one duel between men.
As long as the players tried their best, that was enough.
At this moment, the fans in the stadium were waving flags and cheering for Theo.
“Hold it!
Take them down!
Addicks!” At this time, the opponent’s midfield core, Christopher Buchtmann, walked up holding the football.
Clearly, it had been decided that he would take the penalty.
There was some commotion in the stands; after all, he was a star player, and many fans knew of him.
“It’s over!
Why is he taking it?
His technique is too good; it’ll be hard for Theo to defend.” “It doesn’t matter if he scores!
After all, it’s his first time on the pitch.” “Where is Binks?
Why isn’t our starting goalkeeper here?
It would be fine if it were Conor, he’s a penalty-saving expert.” “Yeah!
Why is it some nobody?
Get out, you’re taking our starter’s spot!” “Right!
Put Binks on!” Some discordant voices appeared in the stands.
On the bench, Binks revealed a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth.
“Trash, daring to fight me.” Theo also heard the noise from that group of people; his expression changed slightly, but he quickly calmed down.
Focus on the football, focus on improving; worry about the rest later.
Christopher Buchtmann placed the ball on the penalty spot and checked the condition of the surrounding turf.
Seeing the opponent set the ball, Theo stepped back to the goal line.
He hopped a couple of times to ensure his body was in good condition, then waited quietly for the referee’s signal.
Seeing both sides ready, the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the penalty kick.
Christopher Buchtmann stood before the penalty spot, looking at the young goalkeeper.
It wasn’t the Jack Binks mentioned by the coaching staff, but a goalkeeper of East Asian descent with no available data.
However, he could see that the opponent was tall, physically robust, and had a long wingspan.
That opening one-on-one chance had been caught and smothered by the opponent right out of the air.
The opponent might also be good at saving penalties.
So, Christopher Buchtmann started his run-up, used a left-footed feint, and shot.
Just as the opponent started his run-up, Theo had already received a system prompt.
[Ding!
Detected opponent’s shooting trajectory, threatening the goal!
Enable Block Moment?] Block Moment (Level 3): Predicts the opponent’s shooting trajectory 1.5 seconds in advance.
Usage per match: 2/3 times.
Theo was very unfamiliar with Christopher Buchtmann; he only knew the opponent was left-footed and had decent technique.
As for penalties, no goalkeeper in the world would dare to say they could save them 100%.
The opponent was highly likely to use a feint, but with his current ability, he couldn’t judge it.
So, for this highlight moment of saving a penalty, he definitely had to use the system.
He chose [Use!] without hesitation.
After Christopher Buchtmann used a feint and kicked the penalty, Theo didn’t dive to the left side of the goal where the opponent’s force was directed, but instead dove to the right.
It was a semi-high ball, not fast, but the angle was very tricky.
Theo lunged out like a cheetah, catching the ball directly in mid-air and firmly controlling it between his palms.
He immediately got up and roared.
The spectators at the scene were drawn in by this brilliant save, and, driven by Theo, they grew excited, singing in unison “Valley Floyd Road,” a fan anthem named after the street where the Charlton Athletic stadium is located.
The atmosphere at the scene reached a climax.
The commentator shouted loudly: “A beautiful save!
Theo!
It’s Theo again!
He saved Christopher Buchtmann’s penalty!” Amidst the cheers, Theo felt like he heard someone shouting his name loudly.
He looked around, but there were too many people celebrating, and he couldn’t find who it was.
Seeing his penalty saved, Christopher Buchtmann felt extremely dejected.
He cast a complex look at Theo before turning to leave.
At this time, the Charlton Athletic players all gathered around to congratulate Theo.
They rubbed his head and patted his shoulders and backside to show their celebration, but only Ajayi looked terrible, as if he had swallowed several flies.
He had thought that by risking a yellow card and committing a foul in the penalty area, he would make the goal guarded by Theo fall, contributing to his good brother Jack Binks reclaiming the starting goalkeeper spot, and incidentally getting that £1,000.
He hadn’t expected it to result in the other party’s highlight moment instead.
The referee checked the time; there wasn’t much left in the first half.
He signaled for Theo to restart play quickly.
Theo threw the ball onto the ground, waved his hands to signal his teammates to push the defensive line forward a bit, and then passed the ball to Morris.
His footwork wasn’t great yet, so he’d better not make a mistake and pass it to an opposing player.
Soon, the first half ended.
During halftime, in the Charlton Athletic locker room, Head Coach Damian Matthew first praised Theo’s performance in the first half, then criticized the defense, especially the left-back.
“Ajayi, are you fucking a pig?
Your turn is slower than an aircraft carrier!
My grandma could run faster than you on the pitch!
Were you kicked in the head by a donkey?
You can’t defend, you commit fouls in the penalty area—are you a seven or eight-year-old kid?
Is your brain full of shit?” Theo finally witnessed the rudeness of English coaches; the effect of the Head Coach Damian Matthew-brand hairdryer was that the profanity never stopped throughout.
It was interspersed with a large amount of cursing and slang, allowing Theo the “honor” of witnessing the power of various English word combinations.
Ajayi was sprayed until he was completely shredded and felt utterly ashamed.
Other players, except for Binks, were watching the commotion with schadenfreude on the sidelines.
Only when the head coach finished the hairdryer mode did Theo’s eardrums get some peace.
After halftime, the second half resumed on the other side.
At the start, Fulham began to press up and attack fiercely.
But after two threatening passes and one shot were accurately intercepted by Theo, Fulham seemed to wither.
Men are all the same; they wilt after a fierce attack.
But Theo was on high alert, all because he had few skills left.
His three shooting trajectory predictions were all used up, leaving only that [Three-Point Domain].
The time reached the 78th minute of the second half.
Christopher Buchtmann took a surprise left-footed shot from outside the penalty area.
Theo, who was highly focused, didn’t rely on the system’s help this time, barely tipping the ball over the end line, but he was also startled into a cold sweat.
The on-site commentator had already become a fan of Theo: “Beautiful!
It’s Theo again, blocking the opponent’s shot.
How many times is this?
Eight times, nine times!
He is like Gianluigi Buffon reincarnated today.” Theo was extremely satisfied with this save; it was the first time today he had saved such a threatening shot.
It was also the effect brought about by the improvement of his abilities; his current goalkeeping capability had reached the level of a U18 starting goalkeeper.
Coupled with the assistance of his skills, he no longer worried about the future.
In the middle of the second half, neither side had scored, and their stamina was largely depleted, so they played relatively conservatively.
In the 83rd minute, after Cousins received the ball, the opposing forward, Adam Watts, committed a foul while pressing, and the referee awarded a backcourt free kick.
Seeing this, Theo’s eyes lit up; the opportunity had arrived.
He trotted out of the penalty area, prepared to compete for this chance to take the kick.