Kai nodded. "It doesn't matter. Aren't they going to keep an eye on me? If I go forward, I'll go right in front of them and let them watch me."
"Their midfielders, Amorim and Vilela, have average creativity. If Amorim follows me, Vilela won't be able to support Benfica's attack at all."
"Without creative passing from midfield, even if the ball reaches Benfica's forwards, our defense should still be stable."
"And when I move into the frontcourt, I free up a spot for a midfielder. You just need to be a midfielder who can defend well and run well."
Maxa took out a piece of paper and a pen and began writing down Kai's requests. At the same time, he had his own thoughts. "Why take Marcelino off? He's a right winger and can even play on the left."
"On the contrary, Lourenço, the center, looked very uncomfortable playing on the left in the first half."
Kai said, "Lourenço—let him play more like a box-to-box midfielder. Have him actively participate in defense and cancel his attacking duties. But from Benfica's point of view, Lourenço is still a center forward, and he's a much bigger threat than an ordinary winger."
"His presence can still help Ronaldo attract firepower."
"Marcelino's desire to attack is too strong. That's a good thing normally, but now that we have to sit deep, we must choose players who can survive."
Maxa suddenly realized. "I thought it was because he didn't help you make runs in the first half, so you…"
Kai shot Maxa a glare.
Sure enough, narrow-minded people see everything in a narrow-minded way.
How could I, Master Kai, be the kind of person who takes revenge over personal grudges?
Where's the vision?
After returning from the break, Sporting Lisbon's adjustments once again clearly exceeded Benfica's expectations.
Benfica knew Kai would definitely want to change his position. In the last match, Kai dropped into midfield when he was tightly marked.
This time, Benfica planned to put Vilela or Amorim in the attacking midfield role and continue to keep an eye on Kai.
However… Kai didn't retreat at all. Instead, he pushed even further forward.
The meat was delivered straight into the mouths of Alexandre and Amorim.
What did that mean?
A few minutes into the second half, Benfica's coach figured it out.
"Oh! The situation on the pitch is a bit strange. Sporting Lisbon has given up the initiative to attack and is focusing on defense."
"But Lourenço, whose defensive ability is even weaker than Kai's, is participating in defense, while Kai is basically holding his position in the opponent's half."
"His positioning makes Amorim and Alexandre very uncomfortable. At least one of them has to follow Kai, and the other can't stray too far."
"This leaves Benfica with only Vilela in midfield. As a result, although Benfica has possession, it's difficult to really send the ball into the attacking third. What's the use of having the upper hand if you can't score?"
Seeing the stalemate on the pitch, Nuno Gomes in the stands shook his head and said, "Benfica's U15 forwards are too average. Without midfield support, they can't do anything."
"By comparison, the midfielders and defenders of this team are better—especially the full-backs. They're very fast. If you want to break the deadlock, you have to gamble on the full-backs!"
Pinto held the same view. "But that way, Benfica's wide areas at the back will be completely handed over to Sporting Lisbon. Once Sporting Lisbon plays high—"
Before Pinto could finish, Sporting Lisbon answered him with actions. You're right.
In the 54th minute, Sporting Lisbon center-back Manuel completed an interception and directly kicked the ball to the right.
Amorim leaned on Kai and reached the first drop point.
But then Ronaldo actively fought for the second ball.
If it weren't for Veloso's speed, Ronaldo would have taken control of the ball in the frontcourt.
It almost turned into a beautiful defensive counterattack.
Just ask—aren't you cheap?
If Benfica's two full-backs dare to push up, it gives Ronaldo a chance to kill with one strike.
This is the strategic deterrence of a top striker.
Finally, under the pressure of the scoreline, the Benfica coach instructed left-back Simão to step forward and join the attack, while right-back Pereira stayed back.
Kai wandered into the space left behind after the left-back pushed up. With Amorim and Alexandre watching him, he couldn't really make trouble.
Because most direct counterattacks from the back relied on high balls, and Alexandre and Amorim were both about the same height as Cristiano Ronaldo—nearly twenty centimeters taller than Kai—which gave them a huge advantage.
In the 57th minute, Simão combined with a teammate, and the teammate's header flew over the crossbar.
In the 59th minute, Simão pulled Sporting Lisbon right-back Duarte out of position, and Vilela threaded a through ball down the inside channel, which was collected by Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Pilar.
After Simão pushed up, Benfica's threat grew stronger and stronger.
But then Pilar directly launched the ball toward the frontcourt.
Cristiano Ronaldo dropped back to contest the aerial ball. He wasn't afraid of Alexandre, a midfielder slightly taller than him. He leapt high and successfully reached the first landing point.
Cristiano Ronaldo flicked a header to Kai on the left, then shoved Alexandre away as he turned and surged forward.
Two versus four in the frontcourt!
Kai nudged the ball forward and accelerated.
Amorim watched from the side and chased after him.
Boom!
Kai delivered a right-footed cross.
It was a low, driven horizontal pass with a slight curve along the ground.
Tintin's awareness was spreading—when it needed to go wide, it went wide.
The ball easily slipped past Amorim and rolled from the right into the center.
Ronaldo and Veloso started a sprint duel, and Alexandre couldn't even see the taillights of Ronaldo's car anymore.
"Chris is so fast!"
"Veloso isn't far behind either. There are very few center-backs as fast as him."
"The two were colliding at high speed, with plenty of physical contact and some hand movements as well."
"Veloso stumbled—he's down! Chris controls the ball and goes one-on-one!"
"The goalkeeper rushes out, Chris finishes decisively! Benfica goalkeeper Weir reacts a step too late, and the ball goes straight through his legs!"
"Four goals! Chris scores his fourth! Kai with the assist for the fourth goal!"
"These brothers are simply unstoppable! What an era for the seniors!"
"Benfica paid the price for their aggression. They did well in every aspect except limiting Kai and Chris."
"And these two players simply cannot be ignored."
"Four–two. Is Benfica about to suffer its first defeat of the season?"
"You know, this match is hugely significant. If Benfica lose, it could even cast a shadow over the future of the first team."
Benfica fans were stunned.
Two players, passing back and forth, tearing them apart like this?
This had almost become a duel between Kai and Ronaldo. They shone so brightly it made people dizzy.
Nuno Gomes could no longer find anything wrong with Ronaldo.
A winger playing as a center forward, scoring a hat trick in ten minutes, and completing the first four-goal haul of his career before the match even ended.
You could say earlier that he didn't know how to link up, fine—but for that last goal, he dropped back to contest a header and won it!
Was this textbook target-man play something he taught himself?
In the 67th minute, Simão, who was no longer decisive in attack, was intercepted by a Sporting Lisbon midfielder who had just come on as a substitute, and the ball fell to Ronaldo's feet.
Cristiano Ronaldo dribbled straight through the middle and directly challenged Alexandre—and the key was that he succeeded!
Ronaldo then drove straight at Benfica's back line.
Facing the onrushing center-back, Ronaldo repeated the trick, lofting the ball over Veloso's head and slipping it to Kai, who had cut inside on the right side of the penalty area without the ball.
Veloso was about to lose his mind.
You can beat me—but you don't get to insult my height… twice!
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