Chapter 45: Three Consecutive Wins

Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup – Zrinjski Mostar vs. Leotar "Goal!! Kosovič scores with a powerful header!" "Leotar is completely outmatched in the air. They've been totally dominated by Zrinjski Mostar's aerial game!" "After going scoreless for two games, Kosovič once again proves the power of a traditional target man. That's his second goal of the match! Zrinjski Mostar now holds a massive advantage going into halftime!" Kosovič's headers remained Zrinjski Mostar's primary offensive weapon. Though he'd been targeted and somewhat neutralized in the league, in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup against lower-tier opposition, it was a clear mismatch in quality. Suke watched as the same Leotar center-back, Unović—who had once caused him considerable trouble—was now repeatedly outmuscled and dominated in the air by Kosovič. It sent a wave of excitement through him. "Captain! You're awesome!" Suke yelled from the sidelines. Hearing the shout from his younger teammate, Kosovič flashed a huge smile and gave a big thumbs-up toward Suk. Things were looking great for Zrinjski Mostar. Head coach Van Stoyak sat calmly on the bench and said to Suke, "Go warm up. You'll be going in for the second half." Suke eagerly ran off to warm up. Halftime arrived quickly. Van Stoyak instructed the team to maintain stability for the first five minutes of the second half, after which substitutions would be made. Kosovič and Oliveira were to come off. Suke and Boame were subbed on. Suke was naturally thrilled to be coming on, but no one was happier than Biliar. "Hey! Suke! High five!" Biliar jumped up and raised his hand. Suke slapped it energetically. Biliar put his arm around Suke and whispered, "This morning, I bought you milk and breakfast. I've been so good to you—you'll pass to me, right?" Suke replied, "That was your leftover food." "I'll get you a fresh one tomorrow." Suke narrowed his eyes, "Just tomorrow?" Biliar gritted his teeth, "A week! I'll do it for a week, okay?" "Deal!" Suke responded immediately. Suke coming on was a huge deal for Biliar. First, Suke didn't occupy the same space like Kosovič, who limited Biliar's room to operate. Second, Suke's main role was to distribute and assist, which would naturally increase Biliar's chances of scoring. So yes, Biliar much preferred Suke as the starting center forward. Five minutes into the second half, after stabilizing the play, Van Stoyak made his planned substitutions. Kosovič and Oliveira came off. Suk and Boame came on. Standing on the sideline, Suk reached out to Kosovič as he walked off. The two exchanged a firm high five. "Good luck!" Kosovič shouted. Meanwhile, Oliveira brushed past Boame without so much as a glance. Boame didn't seem to care much either. Suke's entrance got commentator Basodachi excited. "Zrinjski Mostar's No. 99, Suk, is coming on once again!" "In the last two league games, Suke has been outstanding, registering three assists. His excellent off-the-ball movement and link-up play have really unlocked Zrinjski Mostar's offense. He helps free up the midfield and wingers. If Kosvieč is a battering ram who crashes through defenses, then Suke is the lubricant that allows the whole machine to run smoothly." Basodachi looked at Suke with great anticipation. Meanwhile, Leotar's center-back Unović also fixed his eyes on Suke. This was the same "small" center forward who had played for Mostar Wanderer and single-handedly defeated them in the final game of last season. Even though they had already secured promotion and were complacent at the time, looking back, even if they had taken the game seriously, it might have still been a battle. Unović dared not be careless. That said, compared to Kosovič, he felt Suke was easier to deal with. Once play resumed, Suke immediately dropped deep to receive the ball. Unović followed him. He knew very well what would happen if Suke was allowed to pass freely. Suke dropped deeper, Unović followed closely. Suk shifted slightly sideways to create space, but Unović stayed right with him. Suke turned his head and suddenly said, "It's open behind you!" "What?" Unović was confused. The next second, Modrić delivered a powerful ground pass, skimming across the grass directly into the space Suke had created. Boame ran onto it from the side, using his pace to beat the fullback, and then laid it off to Biliar. Biliar took the shot. Bang! It was too central! The goalkeeper read it and caught it cleanly. "Ahhh~~~" Biliar ruffled his hair in frustration, clearly disappointed with the poor finish. But he quickly gave a thumbs-up to Suke and Boame, acknowledging the good movement and great pass. On the other hand, Unović was left stunned. He'd tracked Suke tightly, yet Zrinjski Mostar's attack was still so fluid. This was not what he expected. Of course not! Suke looked at Unović's confused face and silently scoffed. Zrinjski Mostar and Mostar Wanderer were leagues apart. Just looking at the midfield—Mlinar and Modrić were not even on the same level. At Wanderer, Suke had to drop back constantly to help Mlinar and act as a passing outlet. But here at Zrinjski, Modrić's precise passing and vision brought a different level of sharpness. Suke just needed to pull defenders out of position, and the rest of the team would rip open the opponent's defense. This created confusion and hesitation for defenders. Should they track him or not? Unović hesitated, but this time Suke dropped extremely deep, all the way to the halfway line. "Shit!" Unović cursed. He couldn't follow that far. Suke realized he'd shaken off Unović, and immediately turned and made his move. Now on the right, Suke was actually positioned deeper than the winger. Modrić immediately passed it to him. Suk received the ball and switched play wide, then made a forward run alongside Modrić. Full-back Kelpich overlapped down the right. Zrinjski now had a numerical advantage in the attack. "This is the power of superior numbers!" Van Stoyak clenched his fists in excitement. With overlapping full-backs, Suk and Modrić pushing forward, and defensive midfielders Kamnar and Boban stepping up to control the middle, the backline also advanced. The sudden tempo shift completely stunned Leotar. Zrinjski Mostar had already formed a sharp attacking shape. Biliar passed to the overlapping full-back Kelpich, and Suke made a blindside run through the inside channel, dragging a center-back with him and opening up space. Biliar was left unmarked. Kelpich slipped a pass between the legs of the defender right into Biliar's path. The latter smashed a shot into the top left corner of the goal. Zrinjski Mostar extended their lead once more. "What a beautiful tactical move!" Basodachi couldn't help but exclaim. In the Bosnian Premier League, most teams use brute force—either with battering rams like Kosovič or speedsters down the wings. Zrinjski's fluid and complex movements were a rare sight. And that made this match so enjoyable to watch. Of course, this was the greatest impact Suke had brought to the team since joining. Even though he only touched the ball once during this attack, he was the key initiator. His pass wide and intelligent movement drew defenders and created space for others to shine. The whole buildup was intricate, but a joy to watch. "Roar!!!——" Biliar pumped his fists in celebration. He ran toward the stands, waving both arms to stir up the crowd. Zrinjski Mostar's fans were ecstatic. To them, football had become fun again. And their support for Zrinjski Mostar was rising fast. For Suke, however, this match was only just beginning. The next day, the Mostar town newspaper printed a new headline. Front and center were stories about Zrinjski Mostar. "A Beautiful Match! Zrinjski Mostar's Stunning Football!""Van Stoyak Brings a New Philosophy to Mostar!""Two Tactical Systems – Zrinjski Claims Three Straight Wins!" Nearly the entire front page was dedicated to Zrinjski Mostar. And at the bottom corner, a small image and a single caption read: "Van Stajak: He is the key to everything. He made it all happen! His name is Suke!" Below the quote was a black-and-white photo—Suke smiling among the team, arms raised in celebration.