Chapter 91: An Even More Special Victory (6)

In the 80th minute of the second half, when everyone should have been exhausted, the scoreboard read 2-3 in Chelsea’s favor, but the momentum of the game had already shifted towards Manchester City.

Chelsea’s attack once again came to nothing, and the ball, caught by Lucan, was accurately distributed towards the midfield line.

The moment Sanchez received the ball, he chose to dribble, contrary to everyone’s expectations.

Guerrero, not missing the moment, started a full-sprint towards Chelsea’s half.

“Ha… ha… ha…”

As he ran, catching his breath, thoughts raced through Guerrero’s mind.

When he first came to Manchester City, he was confident he would become the club’s new king.

No, he was certain of it.

But even now, as the top scorer, the team’s true throne was occupied by Jeong Taewoo.

He himself was certainly loved by the fans, but it couldn’t even compare to the fanatical affection City fans had for Taewoo.

Normally, he would have trembled with jealousy.

His personality dictated that he should have made a scene.

‘I think I know why.’

But strangely, he had no complaints.

Taewoo was more than just a colleague or a friend.

Watching his games, he felt a strange thrill, as if he were seeing the very essence of football.

“I’m still not good enough… I can dribble as cleanly as Taewoo, and shoot even harder.”

Chelsea’s defenders were closing in, and the ball passed by Sanchez was approaching Guerrero’s feet.

‘What would Taewoo have done?’

Suddenly, he recalled the dribble Taewoo had shown him in training.

An elegant touch that blossomed from the goalkeeper’s toes. The memory made Guerrero’s movements noticeably smoother.

A smile formed on his lips without him realizing it.

Guerrero had always walked his own path.

There were no “second-coming-of” labels, no idols to look up to. Football was Guerrero, and Guerrero was football.

But after meeting Taewoo, for the first time, he found himself admiring someone else’s play.

Despite him being a goalkeeper—or perhaps because of it—it felt even more special.

A guardian defending the goal, yet at times, a player who commanded the field with touches more artistic than any attacker’s. A freedom that transcended the boundaries of position.

The romance he had so longed for, Taewoo possessed it.

[Manchester City’s final attacking opportunity. Lucan’s long kick, received by Sanchez… Oh! Guerrero is making a run!]

[89th minute, Guerrero has the ball! Chelsea’s defense swarms him, but…]

[Oh, oh, oh! A fantastic touch completely deceives the first defender! Followed by a phantom dribble! Unbelievable skill! Two Chelsea defenders are left sitting on the ground!]

[Guerrero! A move worthy of the top scorer! Now it’s a one-on-one with the goalkeeper! The City fans are on their feet!]

[In this moment, the 89th minute… in what could be the last chance of the match, Guerrero faces the goalkeeper!]

At the end of Guerrero’s gaze was the Chelsea goal.

There, Kepa was crouched, eyeing him.

Goalkeepers considered world-class like Kepa put immense pressure on forwards.

But even the universally acknowledged Kepa couldn’t match the pressure exerted by Jeong Taewoo.

He remembered his one-on-one practices with Taewoo.

The unpredictable saves Jeong Taewoo had shown. The movements as if he could read the future.

Could Kepa even imitate that?

‘You’re no Jeong Taewoo.’

Kepa took a step forward.

The tip of Guerrero’s foot lifted slightly.

Tuk.

The ball rose into the air slowly, very slowly, in a parabolic arc.

In that moment, as if time itself had stopped, all eyes followed the small dot in the air.

Kepa’s desperate fingertips clawed at the air, but the ball elegantly evaded his grasp and nestled into the back of the net.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

For a moment, a silence as if time had stopped.

“Waaaaaaaaah!!!!!!”

And then, an explosion.

The stadium roared.

Tens of thousands of cheers tangled into one, shaking the city.

Like the climax of an orchestra, all emotions soared to their peak.

3-3. In the 89th minute, Guerrero had finally created his own perfect moment.

And it might have been the most beautiful and meaningful goal of his football career.

But he had no time to think about that. In an instant, Guerrero’s body disappeared under a human pile, amidst the cheers of his teammates.

“Aargh! Help me!”

“Hey, hey! Pile on!”

***

[The final hurdles in the undefeated journey: Brentford and Nottingham Forest remain. Manchester City’s 35-game unbeaten streak, with the last 2 games to go.]

[Lucan’s astounding transformation from conceding 3 in the first half to a perfect defense in the second. The 15-year veteran protected City’s goal, which had been shaken by Jeong Taewoo’s absence.]

[The last 2 games, a new history awaits. Manchester City challenges for an undefeated title. Coach Peter Guardian’s final challenge.]

[Lucan’s growth story, filling Jeong Taewoo’s shoes. From the 2nd team to the 1st, from mistakes to perfection. A father’s fighting spirit shown in front of his son, Oliver.]

[Manchester City’s savior, Guerrero, explodes with a dramatic equalizer in the 89th minute!]

But such articles could not make them giddy.

Instead, the players composed themselves and devoted themselves to training as if it were the beginning of the season.

The sound of sweat dripping and the players’ breaths were the only things filling the training ground.

“Ha… ha… ha…”

“Final spurt! Focus until the very end!”

Peter Guardian’s shout echoed across the training ground.

The sweat-soaked uniforms moved in unison.

Despite the difficult situation at the end of the season, the players’ movements were flawless.

“I know it’s tough. But we will absolutely complete the remaining two pieces of the puzzle. That is our courtesy and repayment to the fans who have waited for us.”

At Guardian’s words, the players’ gazes grew even firmer.

His every word seeped into their muscles.

Their steps towards the dream of an undefeated championship were now irreversible.

It was then.

Coach Mike came running from the end of the training ground, gasping for breath.

His expression was unusual.

“Coach…”

Mike whispered something into Guardian’s ear.

In an instant, Guardian’s expression changed dramatically.

A hint of bewilderment flickered in his usually calm eyes.

“Wait… Training is temporarily suspended. Stand by in your positions!”

At the sudden command to halt, all the players’ eyes turned to the coach.

This was something that would normally never happen.

Guardian was famous for never stopping training in the middle of a session.

Sensing that something significant had happened, the players caught their breath and looked at each other.

“Did something happen?”

To Guerrero’s question, Sanchez replied, catching his breath.

“For the coach to be that flustered, it must be something huge.”

“He looked flustered, but not angry, so it probably isn’t bad news.”

But the players’ curiosity did not subside easily.

For Coach Guardian, who never lost his poker face in any situation, to be this shaken…

‘Could it be that daughter he mentioned the other day came?’

Various speculations went around among the players.

Coach Guardian didn’t usually reveal his private life, but they remembered him mentioning his daughter recently.

Captain Matias, seeing the coach’s unusually bright expression, asked cautiously.

“Coach, did something good happen today?”

“Hahaha, does it look like it? No, it’s just that my Elizabeth got into Oxford Medical School-“

It started from that moment.

“My Elizabeth, you see, was always really good at studying since she was little. She’s been living with books since she was five… Ah, and she plays the piano well too…”

It lasted for a full 10 minutes.

Not a tactical analysis, nor a strategy meeting, but a pure ‘daughter-bragging time’ continued.

A private conversation that usually didn’t last more than 30 seconds went on for 10 minutes.

The players were surprised by this new side of the coach, but they could also feel that the light in his eyes as he boasted about his daughter shone brighter than when he lifted a championship trophy.

To their coach, who had numerous nicknames like ‘Maestro of Tactics’, ‘Master of the Poker Face’, and ‘Quote Machine’, a new modifier was now added.

‘Guardian, the doting dad.’

Just then, the training ground entrance opened.

Next to Guardian stood a young woman with her golden hair tied back neatly.

Her smile, sparkling in the sunlight, instantly brightened the atmosphere of the training ground.

“Elizabeth, we’re still in the middle of training-“

“No, I wanted to see them so badly! The players my dad boasts about on the phone every day…”

Guardian cleared his throat, looking embarrassed.

“My Elizabeth… I mean…”

“Dad, I’ll do it.”

Elizabeth took a step forward.

One could glimpse Guardian’s DNA in her confident demeanor.

“Hello. I’m Elizabeth. It’s an honor to meet the players my dad always brags about.”

“No, but still, during training…”

Guardian said, looking troubled, but Elizabeth had already started asking the players various questions with sparkling eyes.

“Guerrero, my dad said your goal-scoring ability is truly amazing… Especially the equalizer in the last Chelsea match was fantastic!”

“Hahaha, I am the best!”

“Sanchez, you’re so cute! How are you so good at football too?”

“Gasp… Uh, uhm… Thank you.”

Sanchez’s face instantly turned red.

‘As expected, when a pretty woman comes to a place with only men, the atmosphere livens up.’

Elizabeth approached each player, shook their hands, praised them, and boosted their morale.

“Hahaha, it’s nothing.”

“The coach boasted a lot about his daughter, and now I see why.”

Finally, Elizabeth came to me.

Up close, she looked like a picture.

Her blonde hair, sparkling in the sunlight, flowed smoothly like silk, and her transparent blue eyes were reminiscent of a clear Nordic lake.

“I’m a really big fan, Jeong Taewoo.”

Of course, I had Damin.

I thought Elizabeth was pretty, but only as the coach’s daughter.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too.”

“Hehe, would you like to go out with me?”

The training ground froze in an instant.

“Whaaaat?!”

“Huh?”

“Gasp!”

The players’ surprised voices erupted from all over.

“Jeong Taewoo! You bastard!”

For the first time, Coach Peter Guardian’s poker face completely crumbled.

His usually calm face instantly turned red.

He started running towards me.

“Coach, wait a minute! I didn’t do anything…”

Coach Mike and Coach David hurriedly held Guardian back.

“Calm down, Coach!”

“Taewoo didn’t do anything wrong…”

Elizabeth was still smiling brightly, as if she found the whole situation amusing.

‘Is this the so-called American style I’ve only heard about…?’

I alternately looked at the still-charging Coach Guardian and the coaches holding him back, the players unable to hold back their laughter, and the innocently smiling Elizabeth.

‘She’s the coach’s daughter, how do I turn her down…’

A sigh escaped me automatically.