Tuesday, December 06, 2005

“You are not weak, are you?” Kubo’s words again.

“Yes.” Tokiwa got up with some help from Yokoi.

“I get it,” he thought.

“Tokiwa is limping slightly there.”

“Yokoi to Tokiwa. Tokiwa knocks it back to him. He has a lot of space! Takes the ball. Sprays it down the right. Yoshida takes it around Tani! Akiyama breaks out. Clever backheel! Nishizawa was wrong-footed! Terakawa turns Abe inside out! Against the bar!”

“Tokiwa heads it straight to Oka. Oka has space. Oka plays it behind Tamashiro. Nagai is there! Nagai with the cross! Terakawa again! Straight at the keeper! Nishizawa clears it!”

“Terakawa ought to kick himself. He should have added to his tally by now.”

“Tokiwa plays it back to Takeda. Takeda with a long ball. Terakawa holds off Abe, plays it to space. Nagai has run in! Last ditch tackle from Miura!”

“Tokiwa is taking us out of the game. He can’t use his speed in this condition but his quick passes to his teammates set them free while we all concentrate on him,” Ishizuka gazed at Tokiwa.

Tokiwa met his glance. “It takes trust in your teammates to do this. The faith in them that they can do it.”

“Yokoi sets Yoshida free. Yoshida puts it behind Tani. He gets it back himself!”

“Watch Yokoi!” Ishizuka barked.
“It is now!” Tokiwa thought. “Bear with the pain!”

“Get back, Tani! Get back!”

“Akiyama runs out…Oh he plays it square! It’s Tokiwa! Tokiwa runs into the box…slots it beyond Kashiwaji’s arms! Goal!”

“What’s this? A late challenge by Ishizuka on Tokiwa!”

“But the goal will stand. It’s a clumsy challenge. Ishizuka is penalized for it. But Tokiwa has pulled another goal back. 15 minutes to go.”

“Tokiwa seems to be ok. He hasn’t really been running much so far. That was a rare burst of speed.”

“Yes…but he sure is using his brains. That is why they rate him so highly.”

“Substitution for Kunimi. Tani is coming off for Aoki.”

“What the hell are you doing? I told you to get back!”

“I can’t do everything! You pushed Yamaguchi up. It is too much on us!” Tani threw the bottle a teammate offered him away.

“Hang in there. The game is there to be won,” Tokiwa said quietly.

“Pressure! Don’t give anyone of them space at all!” Yamashita shouted.

“Yokoi, under pressure by Yamaguchi. Plays it back to Mizuzawa. Katou chases. Katou has been quiet in this half. Oh! Mizuzawa slips! Katou is there. Katou takes on Takeda, inches ahead, but he flicks it back for Shiozawa! Muscled out by Tokiwa! Yokoi gets the loose ball. Yamaguchi pounces on him. Gives away the free kick.”

“Stray pass by Yokoi. Ishizuka with the ball. Ishizuka to Katou. Katou back to Ishizuka. Ishizuka to Takahashi. Floored by Tokiwa! Play on!”

“Tokiwa with a quick ball down the right. Aoki holds Akiyama back. Foul.”

“Morikawa, Tokiwa is playing like a man possessed.”

“Yes…very impressive…”

“Ishizuka wins it in midfield. He is starting to reassert himself again.”

“I think they got carried away with marking out Tokiwa, if you ask me.”
“Ishizuka with a brilliant ball to Shiozawa…Shiozawa gets ahead of Tokieda…Oh! Just wide of the post! Aoyama was totally stranded.”

“If that had gone in, it would be the nail in the coffin for Akiba.”

“Ishizuka tries from long range! Blocked by Yokoi. Tokiwa picks up the loose ball…Goes right between Takahashi and Yamaguchi! He plays it to Terakawa. Knocks it straight to Nagai. Nagai takes it past Miura! Drives it back to Terakawa. Abe slides in. A bit of a scramble in the box. Hits someone. Comes out. And Kunimi keep their lead.”

“Ishizuka with a long drive! Just over the bar!”

“Tokiwa with the corner. Off the line by Yamaguchi!”

“Oh…Nagai should have scored there!”

“The board says 3 minutes of injury time!”

“Tokiwa, Terakawa, back to Tokiwa. Tokiwa lays it off for Yokoi. Yokoi goes for a shot! Charged down by Yamaguchi. Ishizuka runs with it. Beautiful ball to Aoki. Aoki takes it past Yoshida easily. Aoki sends in a cross…Tamashiro! Straight at Aoyama. Can’t hold on to it. Takeda puts it out for a corner!”

“Akiba has to watch their back. Tamashiro was totally unmarked as he ran in.”

“Ishizuka floats the ball in…Headed out by Tokieda! Yamaguchi…Charged down by Tokiwa. Tokiwa puts it beyond Yamaguchi. Shrugs off Takahashi. Veers away, OH! Lovely through ball to the right! Terakawa gets to it, but he’s all alone. He is holding off Nishizawa. Tries to take it around Nishizawa. Nishizawa kicks the ball away. Nishizawa chases after it. Corner kick. He couldn’t stop the ball from going out.”

“Last chance for Akiba. Even Aoyama is up there.”

Tokiwa placed the ball on the line. “Be with me.”

“Cross sent in…oh headed out by Yamaguchi! Miskick by Aoki! Falls to Tokiwa. Tokiwa is just outside the right side of the box. Aoki stands in front of him. Tokiwa skips to his left…”

“What? Too fast!” Aoki thought.

“Now,” Tokiwa thought.

“Goal!”

“Oh my god! What a goal. He struck it with the outstep of his right foot! Totally caught Kashiwaji by surprise.”

“Kashiwaji was out of position. He was anticipating the cross.”

“Tokiwa was too agile. What a quick movement. He pushed the ball to his right and struck immediately. Aoki had no chance at all, he was totally caught wrong-footed.”

“Yes, it is that magic, that style.” Senzaki smiled.

“We go into injury time. What a hell of a match here.”

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