As players for Nottingham Forest's youth team, they were essentially fearless. Losing to their own senior team's star players was not a matter of shame at all.
In the current situation, it was the senior team that appeared more nervous.
Cao Baming could tell this from the expressions on his teammates' faces and their slightly twitching movements.
This situation was, to be honest, completely understandable. If they were truly defeated by these young prodigies on this field, wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?
Although losing the match was unlikely, being successfully dribbled past by a young player, or even failing to dribble past one, was quite common. They were undoubtedly fearing such a scenario.
Cao Baming, with his ample confidence, believed that such a situation would absolutely not happen to him. Therefore, he might have been the only one on the entire team who could truly relax.
In the brief two to three minutes at the start of the match, the surging momentum displayed by the Nottingham Forest youth team was indeed eye-catching, and for a moment, even Cao Baming seemed to struggle to cope.
However, such intensity couldn't be maintained for the entire match. Stamina was limited, and it was impossible to continuously sprint back and forth like this for the full ninety minutes.
Seeing his teammates seemingly struggling, their expressions of worry and anxiety increased, which, for a moment, made Cao Baming feel very satisfied.
These young players were the future of the team, and perhaps even the future of the entire football world. They represented the future strength of football.
Among these lads, there was a player of rather short stature, wearing the number 10 jersey, who appeared as the left winger for the Nottingham Forest youth team.
This person was Nelson, who already had a formidable reputation within the club. He was also the youth player most frequently mentioned and considered the most talented.
From the start of the match, Cao Baming focused his attention on this young player, wanting to see what capabilities he possessed to earn such praise.
So far, despite the Nottingham Forest youth team's repeated surges and a possession rate close to 50/50, they had not managed to create a single truly significant attacking opportunity.
The number of touches for this left winger from the start of the game to the present three minutes was minimal. Cao Baming had already noted this down; it was only twice in total.
For a talented player known for speed and explosiveness, if they couldn't get good opportunities and wide areas to sprint, their abilities, no matter how strong, couldn't be showcased.
As the match reached the fourth minute, the Nottingham Forest youth team was presented with an excellent opportunity. Nelson had already created a large open space on the left wing, with a clear path ahead perfect for demonstrating his explosive speed.
The midfielder, Ekson, didn't hesitate. Seeing such an opportunity, he unleashed a long pass without delay, sending the ball towards Nelson's position.
Cao Baming watched silently from behind Nelson. The opportunity for the Nottingham Forest youth team was, in fact, orchestrated by him.
Perhaps they themselves didn't realize that without Cao Baming's meticulous planning, they wouldn't have had such a good chance, and Nelson certainly wouldn't have had such a prime opportunity to prove himself.
However, looking at the pass, Cao Baming almost spat out his drink.
The opportunity was given so well, the space was created, but the pass was absolutely terrible!
Although the wind speed on the field was indeed quite high, it shouldn't have caused the ball to go off target by several meters!
Just as Cao Baming was feeling great pity for this, in the next moment, Nelson still chose to sprint to receive the ball. The ball's intended landing spot was actually about ten meters away from his current position!
Cao Baming could even see his teammate Kuayate standing only about six meters from the ball's trajectory. If Kuayate had also started running, he could have controlled the ball inside the corner before Nelson. This was clearly a voluntary handover of possession.
However, the moment he saw Nelson start to sprint, Cao Baming felt that something was amiss.
It's over, did I underestimate him after all?
Kuayate almost simultaneously saw the trajectory of the ball and judged its approximate landing point. With more match experience than Nelson, Kuayate even began to run towards the ball's landing spot a step ahead.
Yet, in just two seconds, Kuayate, relying on his incredible explosive speed, sprinted in a direct line towards the ball and managed to intercept and control it with his feet before Nelson.
Applause erupted from the sidelines. This scene was truly exciting. If there were fans on the sidelines, they would have undoubtedly been roaring with excitement!
As expected, this kid really had something. That burst of speed instantly reminded Cao Baming of Mbappé, who had recently burst onto the public scene!
At that time, the young Mbappé hadn't shown anything particularly outstanding in terms of football technique or shooting ability. It was solely his incredible explosive speed, a raw potential, that allowed him to overwhelm almost all his opponents.
He had shocked the world at that time. And at this very moment, Nelson seemed not too far off from Mbappé!
Nelson might truly have a chance to achieve what Mbappé had accomplished, or even surpass it, provided, of course, that he knew how to cherish his talent and not squander it!
Kuayate tried his best to chase, but found himself powerless. At this moment, he felt utterly humiliated.
He knew that this player was the most talented in the entire youth team, and his speed was undoubtedly top-tier. But to watch him be dribbled past so easily, to feel utterly outplayed, was truly frustrating.
At this point, Cao Baming also actively ran forward a few steps, intending to cooperate and provide defensive support.