From Arsenal to the Ball God

Ma’el and Ivanovic both ran towards the drop point of the football; he deliberately didn’t run too fast, always staying just ahead of Ivanovic.

As the ball was about to reach his feet, he suddenly turned sideways and placed the outside of his right foot into the path of the rolling ball.

”Screech...!” The football made contact with the outside of his foot and slid up along the curve of his foot, grazing his shin.

Ma’el’s shin hooked backward suddenly, sending the ball soaring over two meters high into the air, while still moving in the attacking direction.

A single-touch dribble to bypass the opponent!

After completing the move, he didn’t stop but gracefully sidestepped past Ivanovic, accelerating towards his rear.

Ivanovic was dumbfounded as he ran past Ma’el and saw the ball overhead; he’d never felt so powerless against any high ball and never imagined Ma’el would break through like this.

”Bang... thud...!”

By the time he turned around, the football had already landed at Ma’el’s feet, and he fiercely advanced it towards their backfield.

”Wow.....!” The Arsenal fans beside him stood up with their hands raised, their eyes excitedly watching Ma’el’s back, while some looked at him with mocking smiles.

Ivanovic felt a sense of humiliation; if they lost this match, he even thought about leaving the Premier League, wanting to escape from such a left winger.

”Bang!!”

Near the sideline, Ma’el’s left foot curled around the lower middle part of the football, executing a cross with both impressive speed and curve, precisely aimed in the direction of Big Giroud.

Giroud leapt up, pressed down on David Luiz, swung the right side of his forehead towards the football, trying for a powerful header to the far corner.

”Smack....!”

But he didn’t see Cech already at the far corner, who hadn’t yet managed to catch up, ultimately using both hands to punch the ball to the ground, then quickly recovered with a second reaction to hold the ball in his arms.

”Good shot, Captain! All mine!” Giroud thumbed up towards Ma’el after landing, following with his habitual spit.

Ma’el felt regret but didn’t blame him, running back into position.

”Bang!”

Nine minutes later, Ribery from Arsenal’s rear position finessed a delicate arc, finding the attacking flank of Fabregas, who then swept it across the goalfront.

Danger!

After Cech made a crucial save, Lori also responded in kind, diving to seize the ball ahead of Torres.

”Ah....!” The fans from both sides let out a burst of exclamations, though some were frustrated, others relieved.

Wenger on the sidelines folded his arms, glanced at his watch, realizing the match was nearing halftime, and observed the substitutes’ bench for any potential changes.

”Aahhh.....” Just then, faint cheers came from all around, gathering together into a deep chant.

Wenger abruptly turned back to see Ma’el once again advancing toward the opponent’s backfield, launching a counterattack.

Unlike before, this time he had a lot of starting room, allowing him to accelerate to peak speed, while Chelsea’s central defense was stretched thin, having just participated in an attack.

Perhaps an opportunity..... A flicker of expectation appeared in Wenger’s eyes as he watched Ma’el confront Ivanovic once again.

”Bang....!”

He suddenly switched the attack strategy, dribbling towards the middle, seizing a brief inner cutting gap, then avoiding Ribery’s chase slide tackle, heading straight for the two center-backs and the recovering Fabregas.

In fact, when Xiaofa appeared in front of him, he was already faked out with a single touch and was no longer in a position to intercept even though seeming close.

In just this moment, he shook off three players with his extraordinary rhythm and directional change!

Three consecutive breakthroughs!

The show was not yet over; due to Ma’el’s speed, the two center-backs were forced and chaotic, rushing out to intercept, incapable of performing any defensive delay.

”Swoosh... bang!” Ma’el once again wove his way past David Luiz with nimbleness, then chased the ball with a burst of speed, fiercely dribbling it behind Terry before darting after it.

A separation dribble in the penalty area!

”Bold moves by a skilled person!!

”The touch pressure was spot on, Terry stretched but didn’t reach the ball. Ma’el consecutively sliced through 5 defensive players! It’s a great chance to turn the tide!”

In the penalty area, Ma’el could hear Arsenal fans’ cheers almost at their peak, all waiting for the final moment.

He arrived behind Terry, then pulled the ball back, aimed with the instep of his right foot at the ball’s far corner, and struck.

”Smack.....!”

Somehow, he felt himself hit something hard, then immediately a tremendous force knocked his supporting foot off balance, causing him to fall.

It was only after lying on the ground that he saw Terry, with a helpless look, holding his hands up towards the referee.

It was a foul by the opponent!

”Damn you!”

The newcomer Giroud, with the fearlessness of a young bull, charged forward displeased, shoving Terry in displeasure for sabotaging the captain’s brilliant multi-player maneuver with foul means.

Terry, knowing his guilt, didn’t fight back, but in a London Derby, who would shy away from confrontation?

”Watch your mouth!”

”Stay humble!!”

Xiaofa and Ribery, already annoyed with Giroud, seized this opportunity to brawl with him. Several people immediately fell to the ground together, and chaos ensued.

”Tweet—!!”

The referee didn’t focus on them for the moment, instead pointing to the penalty spot, showing a yellow card to Terry before clutching the card and walked toward the conflict.

Yellow card and penalty set!

After Ma’el got up, he felt fine, but clearly didn’t understand this decision.