Chapter 98: We Appear to Have 34 Players, But Actually We Have 35 People

May 10th marked the U21 Dutch Championship Cup match between Utrecht II and Ajax II.

Pre-match interviews are generally not held for the U21 Dutch Championship Cup, but since today was the final, head coach Melent still came out onto the pitch.

"Melent, today you face an Ajax II team in excellent form; do you think your probability of winning is high?"

"I think it's quite high."

Melent nodded: "Although Ajax (II) has outstanding players, we have them too. In my view, our chances of victory in this match are even higher than Ajax's."

"Wow."

The reporter felt somewhat surprised by Melent's answer.

Hiss, according to the reporter's memory, Utrecht II head coach Melent should be a relatively low-key person.

Could it be...

"Did Tenghahe influence you?"

"Tenghahe? Oh, Eric has strong match tactics; he taught me many things. In today's match, I will employ the tactics Tenghahe taught me and then win the game."

It seems he really was influenced by Tenghahe!

"Can you specify what tactics you learned from Tenghahe?"

The reporter held the microphone to Melent's mouth, and Melent, being polite, actively leaned his body forward: "Fans generally believe our II team has a total of 34 players, but that is not the case; we actually have 35 people."

Huh?

Check Dongqiu Di: Dutch U21 Championship Cup, Utrecht II vs. Ajax II, Tang Ye leads the Utrecht II starting lineup.

This sudden news woke up the Chinese fans who were browsing Check Dongqiu Di in the middle of the night.

【What's going on? The II team? Did I read that wrong?】

【No way, what is Tang Tang Qiuwang doing? No first-team match, so he's just hopping onto an II team game?】

【Tearing up, damn it, what a model worker!】

【So all the first-team matches Tang Ye played were just my dreams; actually, Brother Meng is just an II team player...】

【???】

【Hahaha, I get it, Utrecht II was hiding a trick; Tang Ye registered for this tournament.】

【Ajax II Head Coach: Hey bro, is this really necessary?】

Today's match was Utrecht II's home game, and as a starting player, Tang Ye walked out following Zaka.

"Tom!"

"Tom!"

The Utrecht fans in the stands were now extremely excited.

A ticket for Utrecht II cost only 15 euros, so most fans came to support the first team by watching the II team's match.

As a result, they damn well spent 15 euros to see a star player from the first team.

Can you imagine the expressions on both sets of fans' faces when Tang Ye appeared on the II team squad list just three hours ago?

The camera focused on Melent standing in front of the home team's substitute bench; at this moment, Melent was imitating Tenghahe, putting both hands in his pockets and chewing gum he had swiped from Tang Ye.

Originally, Melent felt immense pressure facing Ajax II.

But now the situation had changed.

Melent could feel that Tenghahe was right above his head.

The savior of Utrecht's first team had arrived at the II team, bringing with him the strongest tactics from the first team!

Instantly, he became confident!

"Remember to pass to Tom!"

Melent gave this instruction, then sat down on a chair in the substitute bench.

The match kicked off at the same time!

Utrecht II, kicking off first, launched an attack against Ajax II at a very fast pace.

When a first-team native comes down to play in the II team, their tactical status naturally goes without saying.

The defender found an opportunity and made a pass directly to Tang Ye's feet.

So comfortable!

Tang Ye felt a bit happy.

This was probably the earliest he had touched the ball in any match this season.

"Go, go, go, you can run, leave this one to me!"

The pressure applied by opponents in U21-level matches wasn't that intense, resulting in Tang Ye currently feeling almost no pressure.

He immediately looked toward the left flank.

Slap!

【De Bruyne Curved Through Ball Lv3: Simulation】

Proficiency: 288/400

This was a very fast ground-driven long pass; the ball soared over half of Ajax II's defensive line before finally rolling to Zaka's feet.

Hmm?

Zaka's eyes lit up; he accelerated directly and curled a shot toward the far corner of the goal.

Goal!

Utrecht II scored first!

"Wuhu!"

Zaka was about to run to the corner flag to celebrate when he remembered Tang Ye, who had created the one-on-one opportunity for him.

He quickly turned and ran toward Tang Ye.

But now, there was no smile on Tang Ye's face.

【At 38 years old, you pretended to be only 17 and illegally participated in a U21-level match.】

【Falsifying your age, you obtained 0 Counterattack Points.】

Damn it!

Tang Ye hadn't expected that playing in the reserve team's matches would yield him no Counterattack Points!

Just thinking about it made him feel a bit of lingering fear.

If Ten Hag hadn't brought him to the first team back then, Tang Ye might never have known his system could do so many things!

……

Shortly after the match began, the large screen at the venue displayed the statistics for this goal.

1' Zaka

Dongqiu Di Live Match Report: In the 1st minute of the match, Tang Ye created a one-on-one opportunity and assisted the striker to score; Utrecht II leads by one goal!

【Hahaha, can someone find me a live stream source? Damn, my King Tang Ball has started crushing weaklings.】

【Damn it, does any brother have a website? Throw a link my way.】

【I'm done. Last season, I remember a streamer broadcasting Eredivisie matches, but since Tang Ye never played, they stopped broadcasting.】

【The one-year period has arrived; King Tang Ball returns to the reserve team!】

The match continued; after scoring the first goal, Utrecht II did not choose to defend but instead became even bolder.

"Pass to Tom, quickly, get the ball to Tom!"

Zaka shouted repeatedly from the front field.

Although he was a striker, that did not prevent Zaka from telling his teammates the most correct tactics.

It was with this very tactic that the Utrecht first team won the KNVB Cup and finished first in the Eredivisie.

So if the reserve team also uses this tactic, wouldn't it be an easy slaughter?

Bang!

Dongqiu Di Live Match Report: In the 21st minute, Tang Ye cut inside from the left flank and curled a shot into the dead corner to score; the score is now 2:0.

Dongqiu Di Live Match Report: In the 28th minute, the Ajax II striker scored from long range at the edge of the arc to pull one back; the score is now 2:1.

Dongqiu Di Live Match Report: In the 37th minute, Tang Ye delivered a 45-degree cross; the team's striker controlled the ball and calmly pushed it into the net to score; the score is now 3:1.

"Roar ah ah—!!"

Zaka spread his arms and ran toward Tang Ye at great speed to celebrate.

This was a brace, and moreover, a brace scored against Ajax II!

Ajax II was already sensing something was wrong, and several midfielders began marking Tang Ye specifically.

Just before the end of the first half, Tang Ye was directly fouled down in the center circle.

The opponents were starting to play dirty, but that didn't matter much.

Tang Ye was pressured by opposing strikers every single day in the Eredivisie.

These U21 strikers were incomparably weaker than those Eredivisie forwards!

Soon the match reached halftime, and the players gathered in the locker room.

Melent began summarizing the team's first-half mistakes, while Tang Ye shared his chewing gum with Zaka.

"Not enough, still not enough!" Melent paced back and forth in the middle of the locker room. "I don't know what some of you are thinking in your heads; can't you even handle something as simple as passing?"

"I've said it many times already: pass that damn ball to Tom, okay? If you don't understand what I mean by that, I won't hesitate to substitute you off the field."

Slap!

Melent's fist slammed heavily onto the tactical board: "Our biggest problem in the first half is that Tom touched the ball far too few times—far, far too few!"

"Last year I already told you: Tom is a possession-style midfielder; you must pass the ball to him more often. Do you understand what I mean? Pass more!"

Gulp gulp!

With chewing gum in his mouth, Tang Ye took a drink of water.

A cool sensation entered his throat, and Tang Ye felt a slight touch of emotion.

Finally, someone acknowledged his identity as a possession-style midfielder!

The second half began, and the players walked from the locker room toward the player tunnel.

At this moment, Tang Ye asked Zaka a question: "Do you want a hat trick?"

!

"Hm? What?"

Zaka didn't react immediately.

"It's a hat trick; scoring three goals in one match is called a hat trick."

Tang Ye held up three fingers.

"I know, of course I know what that is."

Zaka was somewhat speechless.

After all, he was half a professional player; how could he possibly not know what a hat trick was?

But he immediately realized what was meant.

"Tang, do you mean..."

"You can position yourself a bit further forward; you already have two goals, so let me see if I can pass you another one."

Tang Ye said, then suddenly remembering something, he leaned his mouth close to Zaka's ear: "You must absolutely not tell anyone else!"

Tang Ye still remembered those two guys, Ale and Di Di Bala, who came to privately chat with him before every match.

"Tang, rest assured about this!"

Zaka stood up straight.

He vaguely felt a force pouring into his body through the crown of his head.

This was an infusion of power!

Power from the Utrecht first team!

The second half began; after Tang Ye lost possession, he immediately pressed high, decisively played a through ball, and successfully delivered it to Zaka's feet.

The latter gently pushed it home, completing a hat-trick.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Mehlent sat on the substitutes' bench, applauding the hard-fighting reserve team players.

Actually, he was not a head coach accustomed to sitting during matches, yet he did so anyway.

Because Ten Hag liked to sit in his chair when leading, Mehlent wanted to draw power from Ten Hag, so he needed to follow in Ten Hag's footsteps.

At the final whistle, Utrecht's reserve team defeated Ajax's reserve team with a score of 5:1.

【At 38, you lied about being only 17 and illegally won the U21 championship】

【You gained 0 Counterattack Points】

After one whole match, he hadn't earned a single Counterattack Point.

But the good news was that he had successfully led his friends from the reserve team to victory in this match.

"Tom!!"

Zaka and captain Truppe tightly embraced Tang Ye.

Compared to the KNVB Cup ceremony, the U21 Championship award presentation was much more makeshift, but what mattered was not the ceremony itself, but the championship trophy in Truppe's hands.

"Come, come, come! Mr. Mehlent, over here!"

Truppe called Mehlent to the center of the squad; the reporters on site were already ready.

"Tang!"

Zaka placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder; Tang Ye understood the gesture and also placed his hand on Zaka's shoulder, the two hugging tightly.

Click!

Click-click-click-click!

After the match, the visiting fans on site were furious at Utrecht's maneuver, with some even holding up signs reading "Cheating" and "Rule-breaking."

Clearly, Ajax fans were extremely dissatisfied with Mehlent's sudden method of recruiting outside help.

At this moment, the Royal Dutch Football Association issued a statement.

Royal Dutch Football Association: Utrecht Reserve Team defeated Ajax Reserve Team 5:1, bravely claiming the 2015-2016 season U21 Dutch Championship; player number 99, Ye Tang (U19), was awarded Final MVP.

"Yes, that's exactly it; this is absolutely not about recruiting outside help."

Facing reporter interviews, Mehlent spoke eloquently, displaying a hint of Saint Ten's style.

"The FA official statement has already clarified Tang's status: Tang is a U19 player, and a U19 player participating in a U21 match is a challenge against a higher level."

Mehlent sat in his chair, facing football reporters who had rushed in from all over the Netherlands.

"As you know, Tang is an extremely talented player, so we let him participate in the U21 match as a higher-level challenge. I know the U21 match is very difficult for Tang, but he was willing to accept this challenge."

Mehlent's words completely baffled the reporters below the stage.

But upon careful thought.

Today's match was indeed at the U21 level, while Tang Ye was a U19 player.

A U19 player participating in a U21 match—isn't that exactly a challenge against a higher level?

Bullying the weak?

How could it be bullying the weak!

Facing so many players older than himself, Tang Ye was under immense pressure, you know!

After hearing Mehlent's words, the reporters below frowned, their expressions filled with contemplation.

On the surface, it sounded absurd, but upon careful thought, there were no loopholes.

Mehlent's words gave the reporters a familiar feeling.

No!

These words were prepared by Ten Hag for Mehlent!

At the same time, Stam, the head coach of Ajax's reserve team, was accepting reporter interviews on the pitch.

"You lost to Utrecht's reserve team, Stam, and you were considered the more hopeful side before the match; fans generally believed Ajax's reserve team should be stronger than Utrecht's reserve team."

"But we just lost."

Stam's expression was not good.

This season, Ajax's reserve team had already lost the chance to win the Eerste Divisie championship; they thought this U21 Championship Cup was as good as secured, never expecting Utrecht to play the card of a divine soldier descending from heaven, directly punishing Ajax.

"Utrecht's reserve team called for help from their first team; because he signed a youth training contract, he was eligible to play for the reserve team. Did you know about this beforehand?"

"Damn it, how could I possibly know!"

Stam was not the type with a good temper: "We haven't seen Tang the entire season; who knew he was even part of Utrecht's reserve team? Damn it, I should have checked their player roster with the FA before the match. Damn it!"

"Football is a sport of eleven people; some fans believe Tang's assistance was insufficient to turn the match around. Why did you lose..."

"To hell with 'some fans'!"

Stam interrupted the reporter.

"Even our first team can't beat him, and you're asking me why we lost? Is this something I wanted? Our opponent summoned power that doesn't belong in this competition; in a game, this kind of behavior would get your account banned."

(End of Chapter)