Although he really wanted to play and score, to show off in front of the first team coach, Chen Hero didn't start this game. Instead, he sat on the bench. Popovich didn't plan to give him too much time; his cooperation with his teammates wasn't seamless enough. Too much time, and he might reveal weaknesses. It was better to arrange for him to play in the final stages of the game.

Chen Hero was a little disappointed, but he stayed on the bench with his teammates, cheering for the eleven starters on the field.

Head coach Advocaat and assistant coach Potter stood next to Popovich, watching the game on the field.

If no one said anything, no one would know they were there specifically to see Chen Hero.

The media focused their attention on these two important figures, completely unaware that there was a new face—a black-haired, yellow-skinned Easterner—on Zenit's bench…

After the game started, the stands were quite lively. Although the number of spectators was definitely not large compared to a real Super League game, there were still people singing and cheering. After Zenit's youth team launched a beautiful attack, there was a burst of warm applause. It was quite the scene.

Chen Hero didn't know that many of the people there were family and friends of the Zenit youth team players, which was why they were so energetic.

Tomsk, although playing away, was not weak either, and they played very aggressively.

Both sides were youth players, with fewer tactical maneuvers and plenty of vigor, all wanting to show themselves in the game.

Especially Zenit's players. Popovich had already told them that the two people on the sidelines were the first team's head coach and assistant coach. This undoubtedly motivated them to try their best in the game.

Especially forward Pavel Komolov, who was very active. He had already played eleven times in the youth league, four of them as a substitute, and had scored a total of eight goals for the team. He was the team's top scorer.

He felt that the youth team was no longer his goal. He should go to the first team.

Today, with the head coach and assistant coach on the sidelines, this was his chance…

But unfortunately, there is a strange phenomenon in football matches—the more you want to exert yourself, the less you can. The more Komolov wanted to score, the more the goals eluded him.

In the twenty-first minute, he got a great one-on-one opportunity. But the ball he kicked, although it bypassed the goalkeeper, also bypassed the goal and flew directly out of the baseline!

Many Zenit fans in the stands held their heads in regret.

Komolov himself also felt sorry.

Although Komolov wasted such a good opportunity, the first to score was still the St. Petersburg Zenit youth team. In the thirty-third minute, they took the lead with a goal from another forward, Georgy Mozgovoy!

When Mozgovoy scored, the people on Zenit's bench stood up and applauded and cheered for their teammates, including Chen Hero.

The Tomsk youth team equalized the score before the end of the first half, their number seven player scoring with a direct free kick.

There were no fans following the team to away games in the youth league. So after they scored, there were only sighs of regret for Zenit in the stands, with all the cheers coming from the Tomsk youth team's bench and players on the field.

Advocaat was quite interested in this kind of game. In addition to watching Chen Hero, he also wanted to see what usable players there were in the St. Petersburg Zenit youth team. As the first team's head coach, he also needed to understand the youth team. Only then would he be qualified.

He knew that Zenit's youth team was currently ranked first in Group One of the Russian Under-18 Youth League, but that didn't mean anything. A head coach wouldn't easily believe those things. He still had to see it with his own eyes to know how strong this team was.

From the game so far, the Zenit youth team's level was pretty good, at least much better than he had imagined. But… there weren't any particularly outstanding players. It was obvious that these lads were working hard, wanting to show themselves off in front of him. He didn't know if they were too nervous and excited, or if that was just their level…

Assistant coach Potter seemed a little impatient. He frequently checked his watch: "When is that big Chinese guy going to play?"

Advocaat shook his head: "That's up to Popovich. He's the youth training director."

"His body is really strong, and his height is good… but you know, there are a lot of guys who are all show and no substance, Dick." Potter looked at Chen Hero's back and commented.

Advocaat remained noncommittal: "That's why we need to test him in actual combat."

Chen Hero's playing time would definitely not be long. Judging by Popovich's appearance, he planned to give him playing time only at the very end… What could he show in so little time?

He didn't quite understand.

If Popovich wanted Chen Hero to show his strength, shouldn't he give him more playing time? So what was the point of putting him on at the end of the game? Could it be that the person himself wasn't good enough, and he was only giving him so little time to avoid embarrassment?

If he wasn't good enough, why buy him in the first place? Could this person be the little brother-in-law of the former assistant coach Borovikia?

Advocaat now had too many questions in his mind, but he didn't show it.

He was still standing on the sidelines, just for one thing: to see Chen Hero play and then observe his performance up close, to see if he was worth Zenit signing.

Assistant coach Potter was waiting impatiently, and Chen Hero was also waiting anxiously.

In the sixtieth minute, he finally heard Popovich instruct him to get up and warm up!

He jumped up from his seat, suddenly standing up in one go. His height of one meter ninety-two was fully revealed, scaring the people next to him.

The reporters who had originally come for Advocaat only noticed at this time that there was such an unfamiliar face hidden on the Zenit youth team's bench.

Except for the goalkeeper, these local St. Petersburg media didn't remember Zenit having any players taller than one meter ninety.

"Look! Who is that?"

"An… Easterner?"

"My God! When did Zenit bring in an Easterner?"

"Korean or Japanese?"

"I didn't see such a guy in Zenit's youth team lineup in the last game…"

The reporters discussed in surprise.

It's no wonder they were so shocked. Chen Hero's signing with the club was a very insignificant matter. He was not a star player, nor was he a young genius who was expected to achieve great things. He was an ordinary player who joined the team through self-promotion. St. Petersburg Zenit Club did not publicize this matter in any way. It was not even mentioned on their official website. So even the most die-hard Zenit supporters would only know that the youth team had such a guy if they went to the youth team's training ground in person.

Some reporters immediately took action, intending to run towards Chen Hero to interview him and learn about his origins—this mysterious Easterner aroused their curiosity.

The club had completed a signing so secretly, which made the reporters who thought they had a good relationship with the club a little unhappy.

However, they were stopped by Popovich.

"I'm sorry, everyone. The game is still in progress! If you have any questions, please wait until after the game…"

The commotion also attracted the attention of Zenit's players. The teammates sitting on the bench with him looked at Chen Hero and muttered, "Why aren't there any reporters interviewing me?"

The teammate next to him patted him on the head: "If you were a big guy with black hair and yellow skin, I think the media would be interested in you too!"

Chen Hero warmed up in the narrow warm-up area on the sidelines. His teammates and the opposing players were all squeezed together, doing the most basic warm-up exercises—shuttling back and forth, leg presses, waist exercises…

Of course, his whole mind was on the field. He knew he was about to play, and letting him go up would definitely solve the battle. The score was still 1:1, and the game was deadlocked. At this time, a strong center forward was needed to solve the problem! Ha!

He desperately warmed up, while waiting for the call from the coaching staff.

In the seventy-third minute of the game, Chen Hero was finally called back.

Popovich looked up at Chen Hero, who was a head taller than him: "Do you remember what you did during the test before you came to this team?"

Chen Hero nodded.

"My request is very simple—just do that!" He patted Chen Hero hard on the back and pushed him to the sidelines. At the same time, a referee on the sidelines had already raised the substitution sign.

Chen Hero, wearing such a large number 33, was about to replace Komolov.

The ball flew out of bounds, a dead ball, providing an opportunity for the substitution.

Komolov walked down somewhat dejectedly. He had played very actively in this game, but always brushed shoulders with the goal. For a forward, no goal meant failure. There were many standards for measuring players in other positions, but there was only one standard for measuring a forward's performance, which remained unchanged—scoring goals.

If you can score, you are an excellent forward. If you can't score, you are trash. Even if you assist thirty-five times in a season, the media and coaches will tell you: your suitable position is not forward, but midfielder…

Komolov perfunctorily clapped hands with Chen Hero, brushing past him.

Chen Hero jumped on the sidelines, took a deep breath, and then muttered: "This is a historic moment! The hero is on stage!"

The youth team's game was not broadcast on TV, nor was there live commentary, so Chen Hero added this commentary for himself…

After speaking, he puffed out his chest and ran onto the field.