Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 72: 72. Beautiful frontcourt, De Gea in the backcourt

Check out advanced Chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari

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Oh no!

Wayne Rooney’s worst fear had come true.

From the moment he boarded the plane to Germany, Rooney had a bad feeling.

Lance’s shot inside the box just 22 seconds into the game found the net.

The huge stone in Rooney’s heart sank completely.

”Bloody Hell! Jesus!”

Cursing aside, the match had only just begun.

The impulsive young man who once stomped on Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup, leading to a red card, was now a crucial pillar the entire team relied on.

Rooney quickly calmed down.

Bad news: conceded a goal in 22 seconds.

Good news: there were still 90 minutes to turn the score around.

It’s just 2 goals!

Manchester United had reversed scores before, and this level of disadvantage didn’t even rank in Rooney’s entire career!

”Hey lads! Guys!”

As Manchester United players looked bewildered, with captain Nemanja Vidi? absent, Rooney, as vice-captain and on-field captain, quickly clapped his hands to gather his teammates and boost morale.

Since David Moyes couldn’t temporarily find the soul of Manchester United, having lost the glory of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

As a trusted minister entrusted by Ferguson, he had to carry the team forward!

”It’s okay, we only need to score 2 goals, 2 goals! First place in the group is ours!”

”Come on United!”

”United!”

Regardless of morale, Manchester United players also knew that conceding a goal didn’t mean losing their composure, so they followed Rooney’s shouts for now.

The Manchester United fans in the away stand were equally professional, singing the Manchester United team anthem in unison:

”Glory Glory Man United!”

”Glory Glory Man United...”

Before they could finish singing, how could the home Bayer Leverkusen fans let the away team gain momentum?

The sound of 50,000 people easily drowned out the more than 2,000 people in the away stand.

”Bayer, Bayer 04, wir stehen zu Dir!”

”Bayer, Bayer 04, wir stehen zu Dir!”

Bayer Leverkusen’s team anthem ”Standing Together” echoed throughout BayArena.

Encouraged by the fans, the entire Bayer Leverkusen team, off to a dream start, was also full of fighting spirit.

”It’s really comfortable at home!”

The team’s defensive midfielder, Lars Bender, was in top form, and he clearly performed much more relaxed than in the previous match at Old Trafford.

Lance could also feel that the other teammates were all the same.

That’s why they say fans are the 12th player on the field.

Home advantage isn’t some kind of mysticism, but a genuine buff power!

Under Manchester United’s gradually escalating offensive rhythm, Bayer Leverkusen defended steadily and counterattacked, repelling Manchester United’s attacks again and again.

Fans back home were all simultaneously following this match.

Many Manchester United fans defected, turning their support to Bayer Leverkusen.

Of course, a few fans inevitably rooted against Bayer Leverkusen.

”Just wait, let me show you what the Red Devils’ heritage is.”

”Ferguson has retired, where is the heritage?”

”Manchester United’s people haven’t changed, this is the most predictable comeback in history.”

”Why are there still people supporting Manchester United? Shouldn’t we be united against outsiders?”

”Lance doesn’t even have an ID card, he’s still a foreigner.”

”Exactly, even if he has an ID card, this is a club match, not a Chinese National Football Team match...”

”No one even watches the Chinese National Football Team!”

”Is it possible that this is Lance’s fan club? They’re all his supporters?”

Individual Manchester United fans were left speechless.

However, as Manchester United intensified their attack, the netizens in Lance’s fan club also stopped arguing and quickly turned their attention to the match on TV.

Today’s commentary team was Duan Xuan and Coach Gong Lei.

Duan Xuan kept saying ”Ai ai ai” non-stop.

”Ai ai ai... This shot! Robin van Persie!! Wow, quite dangerous! Fortunately, Emir Spahi? was focused and extended his leg to block the shot...”

”Ai ai! Lance! This ball!”

”Kiessling—ah ah!! A shot from the six-yard box was blocked by de Gea’s outstretched leg!”

”Manchester United goalkeeper de Gea also performed excellently! Aside from the goal conceded in the opening 22 seconds, de Gea made high saves and blocks today, transforming into Manchester United’s guardian deity!”

”Bayer Leverkusen’s consecutive 3 on-target shots were all saved by de Gea!”

”Just now, Lance almost scored a brace, ending the match!”

”Yes, de Gea’s goalkeeping technique is excellent compared to other goalkeepers, and his reactions are world-class.”

”Others prefer to dive and use their hands to save, but de Gea is accustomed to using his feet to block ground balls, and it really works well.”

Coach Gong Lei was helpless; with Manchester United’s goalkeeper on fire, how could they play without nerfing him?

Manchester United’s attack was very luxurious now, with Rooney and Robin van Persie, two world-class forwards.

There were also Nani, Ryan Giggs, Antonio Valencia, Shinji Kagawa, and other elite players.

The defense, relatively speaking, was weaker.

The combination of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones couldn’t be considered Premier League top-tier, let alone European top-tier.

Only de Gea awakened after the conceded goal, ensuring the goal remained intact.

He also became a player who maintained a high level of performance for many years in the post-Ferguson era.

Later, Manchester United continuously spent money to bring in star forwards, leading to the scene of ”beautiful attack, de Gea in defense.”

Lance was also full of regret.

Bayer Leverkusen seized two good counter-attacking opportunities; the first time, he tried to dribble past Smalling outside the box and shoot towards the far top corner.

He thought it was a sure goal, and Lance was even ready to celebrate, but de Gea made a flying save.

Just now, he attracted two defenders in the box, then unexpectedly pulled out and made a brilliant pass to Kiessling.

Kiessling was almost facing a half-open goal, but de Gea still saved it!

Unbelievable!

Son Heung-min also had a long-range shot saved.

Consecutive miraculous saves reignited Manchester United’s morale, and their offense surged like waves.

Bayer Leverkusen’s pressure suddenly increased!

”Hold on!! Hold on until halftime!!”

Sascha Lewandowski and Sami Hyypi? nervously shouted from the sidelines.

With halftime approaching, if Bayer Leverkusen could go into the locker room with a 1-0 lead, Manchester United’s morale would inevitably drop, and the match would be practically secured.

But even if their attacking tactics were chaotic, their individual abilities were still there.

In the 45th minute before halftime, during the 1 minute of injury time.

Valencia burst down the wing, accelerating past the full-back, and delivered a high, floating cross.

This ”Cristiano Ronaldo successor” was not good at shooting, earning him the nickname ”Valencia the Non-Shooter.”

At the same time, his crossing technique was only passable; he was better at using his speed to break down the wing and create chaos near the box.

The cross almost flew to the far post.

Shinji Kagawa, the ”Taichun,” chested the ball down, used his delicate small techniques to juke past a Bayer Leverkusen defender, and suddenly crossed it into the middle!

Rooney received the ball at the near post, and everyone thought he was going to shoot.

But Rooney actually let it pass through his legs!

”Robin van Persie!!”

In that instant, Bayer Leverkusen fans’ hearts skipped a beat!

Robin van Persie suddenly surged in from the edge of the box, and his shot was incredibly lethal!

Fortunately, Lance had been keeping an eye on Robin van Persie’s every move.

From the moment he deliberately pulled out of the box, Lance had already rushed over, intending to intercept.

But neither of them realized that Rooney’s backheel pass was too sudden, passing right in front of them!

”Whew—”

Lance let out a long sigh of relief.

It seemed the threat was neutralized... What the hell?

At the far post, the ball was controlled by Valencia.

For a moment, no one went to press him.

Valencia, who never shot, unleashed a powerful shot from a tight angle!

”This goal! Ah? This goal went in!!”

”Valencia! Manchester United equalized before halftime!”

”1-1! The suspense of the match is restored!”

Damn it!

The dream goal at the start made Lance slightly relax his guard against Manchester United.

After all, he was just a 16-year-old boy.

He thought that was enough to defeat Manchester United.

But a valuable lesson from reality told Lance:

Before the match ends, you can’t relax your guard for even a single second!

A lean camel is still bigger than a horse, and Manchester United isn’t dead yet!