Chapter 555: Trump Card Against Trump Card (Part 2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The football bounced up in front of Kaka. It was a long pa.s.s from the backfield. Kaka got ready to top the football with a header when the ball was at an appropriate height, and then used speed to break through George Wood.
As soon as he was about to poke his head out, he felt a gust of wind sweep past his forehead.
Wood, who ran past from the side, leapt and swung his leg to kick the football into the air.
The two men collided into each other and the referee whistled to signal that Wood had lifted his leg too high, which was considered a threatening action. He awarded AC Milan a free kick in the front field.
Wood felt wronged. It was true that the average person would not lift his leg to that height, but the football was at that height. What could he do? He could not do nothing and watch Kaka use his head to top the football off, right? That way, if he wanted to successfully stop him, he could only tackle the ball.
Besides, he did not hurt Kaka, and Kaka’s head was a long way from his foot.
Wood wanted to go up and argue but was held back by Albertini.
“Don’t mess with the referee. Be careful of the yellow card on you.” The captain kept Wood behind him and stepped forward to negotiate with the referee himself.
He deliberately dragged out the game time and took advantage of all the opportunities available to him, including talking with the referee to dispute each penalty that could be contested.
In the stands, the AC Milan fans booed. They were not fed up with Wood’s foul action, but rather that the referee would not give a yellow card for Wood’s foul.
Everyone was aware that Wood had a yellow card on him. With just one more card, he could be sent off. Everyone was clear what it would mean for the Forest team.
Albertini was out of strength and the Forest team only had one defensive midfielder like Wood. If Wood was sent off, AC Milan’s offense would be able to drive straight in and directly attack.
Therefore, Kaka’s chances of taking the ball had increased significantly.
AC Milan’s free-kick was ineffective because the penalty spot was too far from the Forest team’s goal. After the indirect free kick was sent out, it was topped by Pepe, and Maldini and Nesta rushed back to defend again. The Forest team immediately returned with a quick counterattack to the other side.
Van Nistelrooy’s shot ended up in Dida’s arms.
The game went on for seventy-five minutes. After AC Milan scored a goal, they had wanted to take advantage of the momentum, but they did not expect Nottingham Forest’s defense to be even more tenacious. George Wood completely ignored the fact that he already had a yellow card on him and showed no sign of stopping in his defense against Kaka. He fouled when it was needed, and never hesitated when he dared to tackle. It seemed that number 13 would stick to Kaka’s side unless they could find a way to get him sent off.
However, AC Milan did not give up. The one-goal gap motivated them and told them that as long as they strove to get another goal, the situation on the field could be reversed. This was what propped AC Milan up. No one thought about things like the champions.h.i.+p trophy. While they played, the only thing to consider was how to win the game. As to the benefit of winning the game, they would have to wait until they won the game before they would think about it.
The football was pa.s.sed to Kaka again. This time, the entire AC Milan team pressed ahead and pushed the Forest team’s defense to the vicinity of the penalty area. The downside for Kaka was that he had little room to accelerate and break through. As long as Wood held his position, Kaka’s options were a lot fewer.
He did not think that Kaka was not a threat even if he could not break through. Wood dared not let his guard down. He followed close on Kaka’s heels. The football was being stepped on by his feet.
Pirlo and Seedorf were both plugged into the box. After Kaka stepped on the football and pulled back, Wood thought he was going to pa.s.s the ball with his heel to Pirlo and Seedorf, so he leaned his body to the side.
Pirlo ran past Kaka from behind, but the football did not reach his feet.
Kaka pulled the football back again and picked it up with his toes. He jumped on the spot with the football and directly volleyed!
The football drilled through the gap from where Wood had just moved!
“Kaka shoots!”
This was the second time he broke through Wood’s defense, even though it was just the ball.
Just as everyone cheered for Kaka’s shot, a man chose to say no to the wonderful goal.
Edwin van der Sar pounced over. His hands firmly grasped the football in the air, and he quickly curled around it to safeguard the football in front of his chest. In order to get the football to bypa.s.s Wood Kaka’s shooting strength and speed were much decreased.
“Where’s our offense?” Edwin van der Sar got up from the ground and held the football as he yelled and waved his fists at his teammates.
In such an important game, he did not want to be a regular in the televised feature.
※※※
Albertini patted Wood on the shoulder. The sound of his breathing sounded like a wind tunnel.
“George, I don’t even have the strength to run now. Don’t pa.s.s the ball to me again. Let’s change positions…” He pointed to the front. “You go up during the attack, I’ll pa.s.s the ball to you from behind.”
As he looked at the captain, who supported his hands on his knees and leaned over to speak to him, he did not refuse this time. He nodded. “Okay.”
“Just plug ahead when you get the chance. Don’t worry that you won’t get the ball. Even though I can’t run, I still have the strength to pa.s.s. Pirlo and Gattuso have been marking me all this time. They won’t be able to adapt once we have a change of position. But it can only be for a short time. With the abilities of the AC Milan players, even if the manager does not instruct them, they will adjust themselves. You’re not an attacking midfielder who can accomplish anything when multiple players mark you. So, you have to seize this vacuum in their defense during this time. Can you do that, George?”
Albertini looked up at Wood.
Wood nodded again. “Yes.”
“Very good.” Albertini smiled.
※※※
As the game went on, AC Milan still did not give up the chance to score goals. They had no other way to win except to try to score goals.
Ancelotti replaced Jankulovski with Kaladze in the 77th minute. AC Milan switched to three defenders and Oddo was pushed into the midfield to take part in the offense.
Two minutes later, Ancelotti brought on Gilardino to replace Inzaghi, who gad run until he was almost in an energetic overdrive.
This game was really frustrating for Inzaghi. Since Nottingham Forest had executed Twain’s requirements to not create offside, their withdrawal was compact. When AC Milan attacked, the Forest team’s penalty area was full of players. Pepe skillfully followed him at every step, and it was extremely difficult for him to seek a chance to shoot. He could only keep running, nonstop, in hopes that he would find a hole in the Forest team’s defense.
As a result, he did not find a decent chance until he was brought off.
When he came off the field, a caption on the television screen display the distance that he had run in the game — 11,134 meters. He had run eleven kilometers and did not score a goal. How could he not be frustrated?
Inzaghi took big gulps of air as he reluctantly left the field. He high-fived Gilardino on the sidelines, and then lowered his head as he walked back to the bench. He sat there with a towel on his head and did not speak.
He knew he only had a few years left in his career. In 2003, he had represented AC Milan and got the Champions League t.i.tle. In 2005, he broke into the final but got nothing for his efforts. 2007 was supposed to the year he had a great opportunity to make up for it. But now the score was 1:2 and AC Milan was behind. He himself had been brought off due to his lack of contribution and physical exhaustion. He could only be a spectator now. His heart was willing, but his body was weak…
He wanted to win the Champions League again, more than anyone else. As a striker, he could only pray that his teammates worked hard to create a miracle now. This was such a humiliation!
Twain heaved a sigh of relief when Inzaghi was brought off. In his view, Gilardino and Inzaghi were not strikers on the same par at all. Even if Inzaghi did not score, his own rear defensive line dared not move an inch with him running back and forth on the field — he was afraid to give Inzaghi a chance to shoot from a non-offside position. Ferguson once said that Inzaghi was a striker born on the offside line, and Twain agreed.
It used to be said that Brazil’s Ronaldo was the kind of striker who could change the outcome of a game in one second. But in fact, Twain thought this statement was more appropriate for Inzaghi. He truly was a striker who only needed a second and a grab point to change the outcome of a game. He did not need to dribble too much and required no fancy skills. He just had to to be in the most suitable place when needed. Then once he extended his leg to complete the shot, the football would fly into the goal.
Seeing Inzaghi being brought off, Twain got up from his seat and walked to the sidelines. He made a hand gesture there to inform his players that a ma.s.sive offense could be considered.
He did not want to drag the game into overtime. He never even considered doing that. They had to end the battle in ninety minutes and actual results to tell the world who the worthy king of Europe was. AC Milan wants to defy the natural order of things? No way!
※※※
Wood’s deliberately plugged ahead. He was not as overwhelmed as he was a season ago. Now he was clear about his purpose, how to run, what to do after he went up and how to do it. These were all thanks to Albertini’s careful guidance over the past year.
He received a pa.s.s from Albertini, which surprised Gattuso. He did not expect George Wood, and not Albertini, to come up.
Wood eyed the situation up ahead and sent the football to Ashley Young. He did not choose to break through with the ball. He was aware that it was not his specialty. It was better to leave it to the experts to do it…
After he pa.s.sed the ball, Wood did not run back, but drew Gattuso to run forward with him.
Since AC Milan had changed to three defenders, there was more room for the Forest team’s two flanks. Ashley Young was determined to break through with a cross from the byline after he received the football. His pa.s.s was topped by Nesta out of the end line and the Forest team received a corner kick.
Gattuso looked around him and Wood was gone. He did not pay it any mind. During the previous corner kicks, Wood would run back to defend. It would be no different this time.
Albertini did not come up for the corner kick. Instead, the player who ran over was Gareth Bale.
The football was sent out and it was chaos inside the box. The player who leapt high among the crowd to head the ball toward the goal was not van der Vaart, Pepe or Piqué, but…
“George Wood!”
The number 13 on the red back was prominent in the air. He did not jump on the spot. He rushed in from outside the box and took off for the jump. He leapt higher than anyone else. When the football came toward him, he gave a powerful toss of his head!
Dida was unresponsive, but the football hit the crossbar!
“Whoop—” The AC Milan fans exclaimed loudly.
“Why would he be there?!” Off the field, Ancelotti could not help but ask. The Forest team had previously won several corner kicks in the game, and every time Wood was in the back, ready to guard against the other side’s counterattack. Not only this game, but in the previous Forest team’s games as well, the center-back and full-backs would all go up and the player in charge of the defense in the backfield was George Wood.
There was no suggestion in any intelligence about Wood’s involvement in the corner offense. n.o.body knew how useful his headers and jumps were in an attack. They saw it this time.
Watching the football smashed into the crossbar and pop out of the end line, Wood did not grab his hair in chagrin in front of the opposing goal. He turned around and sprinted back to the defense zone.
The AC Milan’s goal ball was quickly sent out. Just as the football bounced out, the ball boy threw the spare football in and Dida positioned the football. Once he saw everyone move out of the box, he sent a long ball to the front.
If Wood was still upset about not scoring, the Forest team might have conceded the ball again. He was not a striker. After he missed the opportunity, he could still use the action to try to save face on television.
Dida’s long ball was topped by Albertini and handed to Pepe.
Pepe made a feint for a long pa.s.s and swung past Gilardino. Then he chose to dribble the ball for a direct breakthrough.
His intention was to dribble the ball was detected by Kaka, who cut off Pepe’s ball in advance. The center-back losing the ball was the first blow to the Forest team’s defenses, as well as a great opportunity for AC Milan. The AC Milan fans in the stands gave a huge cheer.
This sound had not dissipated before Kaka lost the ball.
The mantis stalked the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Kaka intercepted Pepe’s ball, but his ball was stabbed away by Wood, who returned to defend.
When Kaka got ready to speed up, he found the ball under his feet was gone. His first reaction was to turn around and give chase. After eighty minutes of entanglement, he already knew that if he had lost the ball, it had to have been Wood’s doing.
Kaka turned to pursue Wood, who did not plan to pa.s.s the ball out.
On the one hand, his teammates were too far away from him. On the other hand, there were not many defensive players in front of him. Gattuso and Ambrosini did not rush up at the first instance, which gave him a chance to breakthrough.
There was another reason why he wanted to break through — Kaka was after him.
How did that ball from AC Milan go in? Was it not because Kaka started to dash all the way from the center circle, and he could not even intercept it even if he wanted to?
He found a chance to retaliate.
Come try and intercept my ball, Kaka!
As Kaka chased, he did want to intercept the ball. But when he wanted to extend his leg to tackle the ball, he had to slow down, which gave Wood a chance to pull away.
Kaka suddenly realized how Wood felt.
Wood’s basic dribbling skills were very good. He was very precise and fast his dribbling. This was thanks to the basic training he had stuck to daily since he joined the Forest team training base.
He had known he switched to a job he was not trained for and was not a player who had been professionally trained since he was young. Twain knew that. Therefore, the two were rigid with his basic training.
With Wood’s conscientiousness and Twain’s strict supervision, Wood had practiced until he had the ability to dribble the ball so that Kaka was unable to get to his foot.
Kaka wanted to rely on his speed to overtake and leave plenty of time for the shovel, but he found that Wood was as fast as he was. He had no other way except to run behind.
“George Wood’s dribbling! It’s a rare sight. Wood has personally dribbled the ball to charge toward the front field, and Kaka follows him to intercept the ball…”
Kaka looked ahead. Gattuso and Ambrosini had noticed Wood’s intention and planned to come over to surround him.
It appeared Wood could not escape.
“Watch out for his pa.s.s!” Maldini roared in the back, which gave pause to Gattuso and Ambrosini at the same time.
How could they forget? How would Wood have dribble the ball to directly attack? It had to be a pa.s.s!
Wood also saw the situation ahead of him. He was close to the two defensive midfielders.
He could not understand what Maldini shouted, but he did not plan to pa.s.s the ball. It was not that he had a lot of confidence in his breakthrough, but because he had no energy to think about where his teammates ran to…
When he glimpsed a tiny crack as the two players closed in, Wood did not hesitate to kick the football forward!
The football rolled in between the two men, Gattuso and Ambrosini, while Wood suddenly sped up and rushed over while the encirclement had not yet closed!
“Oh my G.o.d! A beautiful breakthrough! One over two! George Wood’s speed is formidable! Is he really just a defensive midfielder?”
Kaka knew the situation was bad when he saw Gattuso and Ambrosini pause. He was not worried that Wood would pa.s.s the ball as he had an idea in his head that the boy would break through and would surely break through!
It turned out to be true.
Kaka was not surprised at all that Wood relied on his speed to force his way out of the encirclement by Gattuso and Ambrosini. He bypa.s.sed his two teammates and accelerated to give chase.
He followed Wood from the beginning and did not believe he could not find the right chance to cut off the ball. Other than that, If it became really dangerous, he did not mind fouling right away and risk getting a card to stop the Forest team’s attack.
Gattuso and Ambrosini did not expect to be broken through. Maldini and Nesta both froze for a moment.
It seemed they had all underestimated Wood’s speed and determination to break forward…
We can’t let him push ahead anymore!
This was Nesta’s only thought after he reacted, and he rushed up.
※※※
Twain got up from his seat the moment Wood began to dribble the ball forward and break through. When he saw Wood break through Gattuso and Ambrosini with speed, he could not help but follow and run along the sidelines in the direction toward AC Milan’s goal, as if it would help Wood make a smoother breakthrough past AC Milan’s blockade.
While running, he muttered under his breath, “Come on, George…”
His voice grew louder as Wood ran faster, as if it were a drumbeat in response to Wood’s footsteps.
※※※
Nesta was determined not to let Wood break through him. He had to do it!
Because he wanted to break through Gattuso and Ambrosini, Wood kicked the football out and away from his body. Now he had to speed up to give chase since he had not control the ball. In such cases, the rule stipulated that the attacking side and the defending side each have half the opportunity. If a physical collision were to occur, a foul would not be attributed to the defending side.
This was the opportunity that Nesta was going to take advantage of. He acted as a wall to get Wood to b.u.mp into him.
Kaka saw that Wood and Nesta were about to meet, and he believed that Nesta’s defense would surely force Wood to slow down, or even stop completely. It would be his chance.
He was already ready to intercept the ball.
However, he found that Wood still had no intention of slowing down!
※※※
“Come on! George!” Twain roared.
Rus.h.i.+ng at a full speed, Wood and Nesta unsurprisingly crashed into each other.
“Oh my G.o.d,” the commentator wailed.
Kaka wanted to go pick up the intercepted ball. But where was the football? He did not see it. It was not around Nesta and Wood. The football’s gone?
There was a sudden burst of resounding cheers from the Nottingham Forest fans in the stands. If he listened carefully, he would hear that they were shouting a person’s name.
“… Wood… Wood… Eastwood! Eastwood!”
Wood made the reasonable use of the default rule before he collided with Nesta that both sides had an equal chance, and the physical collision would not convict either party of foul play. Before Nesta fell to the ground, he shoveled and sent the football to the front.
It was too late for him to observe his teammates’ situation in that moment. But when he looked up, he saw the Romani, Eastwood. Was he surrounded by AC Milan’s defensive players? Was he offside? Wood did not have time to think about the circ.u.mstances. He only cared that he pa.s.sed the football to the only teammate within his view, which would complete his task.
※※※
While the Forest fans cheered, the AC Milan team captain, Maldini stood on the penalty area line and held up his right hand to motion that Eastwood was offside when he received the football. This would render the attack ineffective!
Just as Wood was about to collide with Nesta, experience told Maldini that he should move forward and let the distant Eastwood fall into the offside trap.
Therefore, he moved forward. When he last glanced at the other party, he saw that Nottingham Forest’s number 11 was still standing in place and did not move. He felt that his tactics had succeeded, so he raised his hand and motioned to the referee.
However, he did not hear any whistle. What about the a.s.sistant referee?
When Maldini turned his head to seek the a.s.sistant referee, he saw that there was another man before him and the a.s.sistant referee. The man wore the AC Milan white jersey and stood in a position that was… further back than Nottingham Forest’s number 11!
There was no offside!
Eastwood received the football that Wood shoveled over, and turned around. He also looked up specifically at the a.s.sistant referee and found that the a.s.sistant referee had not raised the flag because AC Milan’s third defender, Kaladze was at the back!
Dida had also thought Eastwood was offside and stood in front of the goal line as he raised his hand to signal. In the next second, he realized that something was wrong and struck in a hurry.
Unmarked by anyone, Eastwood swung his right leg and made to look like he was about to do a powerful volley. After he deceived Dida to lose his balance, he nimbly did a lob shot!
“A Panenka!” The Italian commentator exclaimed.
The football flew over the top of Dida’s head and easily fell into the empty goal!
“YES! 3:1! In the 83rd minute, this is the goal that almost locks in the victory!” The English commentator stood up from his seat and waved his fists hard.
“George Wood’s sudden insertion and forced breakthrough messed up AC Milan’s defenses! Kaka could only run along and follow!” The English commentator was separated from the Italian commentator by a wall. He could finally vent. “He was completely helpless, the poor man…”
“Nottingham Forest has once again achieved a two-goal lead! Is this going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back?”
Because he had caused the failure of Maldini’s offside by being at the back, Kaladze stood in a daze. He only focused on Wood and Nesta. He had no idea that Wood would be able to send football to Eastwood’s feet under such circ.u.mstances.
“You have Kaka, we have Wood!” The Forest fans in the stands sang “Wood’s Praises.””We still have Eastwood! We have a vast Forest, and you’ll get lost when you come in! Do you want to go out? Do you want to go out? Then leave the Champions.h.i.+p trophy behind!”
Maldini looked up at the night sky. For a moment, he was at a loss. He had gone through countless games in his career. He had experienced victories, defeats, and all sorts of feelings. A familiar bad feeling emerged from within.
He felt he might lose the t.i.tle again.
However, the thought only flashed for a second in his mind before he shook his head to toss it aside. No, there’s seven minutes left, and I refuse to admit defeat!
※※※
After the goal, Eastwood turned his head again to the referee to confirm. He saw the a.s.sistant referee running towards the center line, and the referee whistled as he pointed into the center circle — the goal was valid.
The goal was valid!
Eastwood turned and sprinted towards the Forest Team technical area.
He opened his arms as he shouted. All the Forest players on the field were behind him. If they caught up to him, it would be another human pyramid.
In front of him were the cheering Forest team subst.i.tutes’ bench and the coaches’ seats. His target was Tony Twain.
It was the man who told him that he was going to be a legendary striker in the future, the one who came to him and asked him if he wanted to play in professional football when he could only play amateur football, the man who told him that destiny was a series of choices and his destiny was something he chose while he was in hospital with another serious injury and about to give up.
I listened to him, and I went to play professional football. I listened to him, and I chose not to give up. It’s because I listened to him that I have today’s Freddy Eastwood…
I want to thank you, chief!
Twain waited with open arms to embrace Eastwood but was slammed directly to the ground by the Romani, who did not stop. A group of people seemed to have planned ahead and piled on top of them.
A full human pyramid was indeed spectacular.
“The team rules don’t allow… Ah!”
Twain’s screams were drowned out by the thunderous cheers.
“Forest! Forest! Nottingham Forest!”
“Champion! Champion! We’re the champions!”