Football singularity-Chapter 682 Munich (2)
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#Continue from where I left off:
[19/12/2020 | BayArena, Leverkusen | 19:07 CET]
[Bundesliga Matchweek 13 | Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs FC Bayern Munich]
[64]
Despite the earlier chaos, Bayern surged forward with renewed intensity, sensing blood. Kimmich orchestrated from deep, his passes finding Müller between the Leverkusen midfield and defensive lines. The veteran created space with a quick touch, as he spun away from Baumgartlinger, trying to latch onto him.
Facing the goal, he sent a defence-splitting pass forward, finding Lewandowski’s run. The Polish striker was one-on-one with Hradecky, twelve yards out. He took one touch to set himself, shaped to shoot, but Sven appeared from nowhere, sliding across with perfect timing.
His outstretched leg deflected the shot just enough, sending it spinning wide of the post. "WHAT A block!" Robson roared. "Edmond Tapsoba saves Leverkusen again!"
[69]
Hansi Flick made his move in the 69th as the board went up, signalling the entry of Leroy Sané and Jamal Musiala and the exit of Kingsley Coman and Thomas Müller. Sané got his first touch after receiving an outlet pass from Kimmich on the left wing. He isolated Lars with a sharp double stepover, then burst past him with explosive acceleration.
His cross was whipped in low and hard toward the penalty spot for Lewandowski to attack it. But Sven Bender threw himself into the path, the ball cannoning off his thigh and out for a corner. The veteran defender stayed down for a moment, winded, but waved away the physios.
"That’s going to leave a mark," Rae observed. "But what commitment from Sven Bender?"
[71’]
The corner swung in dangerously, curling toward the near post. Bodies collided in the six-yard box—Goretzka wrestling with Baumgartlinger, as they rose into the air. The ball glanced off multiple heads before falling to Musiala at the edge of the box. The young German struck it first-time, his technique clean.
The shot rose toward the top corner as Hradecky launched himself upward, fingertips extended, just getting enough on it to tip it over the bar. The Finnish goalkeeper bounced to his feet immediately, clapping his hands and organising his defence for the next corner. His kit was covered in dirt, his gloves worn, but his focus remained razor-sharp.
"LUKAS HRADECKY!" Rae’s voice carried pure disbelief. "How many saves is that now? Eight? Nine? Absolutely phenomenal!"
[75’]
Bosz responded with his own changes as the board went up, signalling that Leon Bailey and Patrick Schick were coming on for Moussa Diaby and Lucas Alario. Lars Bender cleared Bayern’s second corner, his header finding Aránguiz in space. The Chilean turned immediately, seeing Rakim had already started his run down the left flank.
The pass was weighted perfectly, bypassing Bayern’s midfield. Rakim took it in stride, his pace taking him clear of Pavard, as he lifted the ball over his slide. The defender had been caught too high, and the winger didn’t bother looking back. Davies and Boateng tracked across to cover, but Rakim remained composed with his head up as he scanned for options.
At the edge of the box, he turned lightly to face Boating, who was side-stepping, standing him up. A quick body feint that looked like a cut inside froze the ex-German international for a moment before his right foot knocked the ball forward to his left foot for a nimble La Croqueta passed the defenders’ lunge. A foot race between him and Davis ensued as the Canadian, who had been guarding just for that possibility, chased after him.
With both being speedsters in their own right, the one who got the first step won, and Rakim did just that. Three yards from the byline, he cut the ball back with the outside of his right foot, whipping it, carving across the six-yard box. The delivery skidded across the turf with pace slipping past Kimmich’s sliding attempt to intercept the delivery.
Schick continued his run from midfield, staying behind Alaba and timed his acceleration to perfection. He arrived between Alaba and the retreating Pavard, who had scrambled back desperately. The Czech striker didn’t break stride, nor was he rattled at what would be his first touch of the game, side-footing it first-time with his right foot.
The ball flew toward the bottom right corner. Neuer, who had positioned himself for the near-post threat, launched himself across his goal, fully extended. He was far too far even to trouble the attempt as the ball was blasted into the net, sending it rippling. "GOOOAAAAAL!" Rae’s voice exploded through the broadcast. "PATRICK SCHICK! LEVERKUSEN RETAKE THE LEAD!"
The BayArena detonated as ten thousand voices became fifty thousand in volume, the noise reverberating through the stands and across the pitch. Schick slid on his knees toward the corner flag, arms spread wide, his face a mask of pure elation.
"What a goal!" Robson said, his voice carrying admiration. "Brilliant run from Rex, perfect delivery, clinical finish from Schick. He only needed one chance, and he made it count!"
[Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 FC Bayern Munich — Patrick Schick 76’]
[80]
Sané received on the left, but found himself isolated against Lars Bender. He didn’t bother with elaborate tricks, just pure pace as he knocked the ball past the veteran defender and sped up. Lars tried to keep up, but at 31, his legs couldn’t match Sané’s acceleration.
The cross came in flat and dangerous, but it was too close to Hardekey at the front post, and he fished it out of the air. He dropped to the ground to waste some time before slowly restarting play. The ball was retained in the back field for a few moments, the defensive mids pinging the ball back and forth. Bayern’s press eventually compelled them to boot it long to clear the defence.
Around the 83rd, Bosz made another change, bringing on Kerem Demirbay for Florian Wirtz. The teenager received a resounding applause for his performance as he walked off. Demirbay jogged on, slotting into midfield, adding some needed defensive steel. Leverkusen shape-shifted slightly, dropping into a 4-5-1 when defending, with Rakim and Bailey tracking back to become wingbacks.
Kimmich whipped a corner toward the near post with vicious pace, and Goretzka attacked it. His header was powerful, directed downward, but Bailey, guarding the front post, had no trouble defending the strike. He catapulted the ball out of the box, sending it looping toward the edge of the box.
Musiala and Demirbay raced toward the landing spot, boots thudding in unison. Demirbay arrived first, stretching to hook the ball clear, but only managed to send it spinning sideways. Musiala reacted instantly, cushioning it on his thigh and slipping inside, away from the onrushing Baumgartlinger.
[84]
The teenager carried the ball across the edge of the box, head up as he shaped to shoot, dragging nearby defenders toward him. He slipped a pass to the left edge of the box for Sané, who had managed to escape Lars’s marking. Sané struck it first time, sending a curler over the outrushing wall of the red Leverkusen jersey trying to get in his way.
Hrádecký, in between the sticks, threw himself across the goal, but he couldn’t reach it. He wasn’t needed as the ball skimmed the top of the bar, flying out harmlessly for a goal kick. "HOW IS IT STILL 2-1?!" Robson screamed. "Leverkusen defending like their lives depend on it!"
[88]
Rakim received the ball on the counter and immediately drove forward, taking on Musiala, who came to intercept him. A one-two with Demirbay was all he needed to blitz by, but Goretzka was much harder to shake as he latched onto him like a bloodhound. From a stop-and-go to a turn, he reached into his bag of tricks as they crossed into the Munich final third.
In the end, he flicked the ball inwards into Demirbay, who turned inwards, shoulder-checking Kimmich. Creating a little space, he sent a through ball into the box for Baily to attack, and the Jamaican did. He tried to hit it for the first time under Alphonso’s pressure, trying to guide the ball across the goal to the bottom left corner.
"Manuel Neuer to the rescue," Rae exclaimed as the German number one leapt across his goal, planning the ball away on the bounce. "Just like fine wine, he only gets better with age."
[90+2]
The referee had given two added minutes, but the clock had passed beyond that as they waited for the final action. Musiala had drawn a foul from Baumgartlinger at the edge of the box, and now he and Kimmich stood over the ball. "(FWeeet) Last kick of the game, and it could very well change the score sheet." Robson analysed as Musiala closed in on the ball just outside the D.
Kimmich began moving a step later, causing the four-man wall to hold their breath in anticipation.
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To Be Continued...
