Football singularity-Chapter 689 Wasp (3)
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[19/01/2021 | BayArena, Leverkusen | 18:35 CET]
[Bundesliga Matchweek 17 | Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1 vs 1 Borussia Dortmund]
[68’]
The equaliser had entirely shifted the momentum as Dortmund, energised by Haaland’s goal, pressed forward with renewed confidence. Bellingham was everywhere—breaking up play, winning second balls, driving his team forward. The young English midfielder had managed to impose his will on the flow of the match that had been lacking in the first half.
Bosz didn’t watch this for too long and responded immediately, making changes of his own. The board went up signalling: Kerem Demirbay and Patrick Schick on for Charles Aránguiz and Lucas Alario. The change seemed to some, while others didn’t quite get the removal of Alario, who had been crucial in link-up plays.
"Interesting changes from Bosz," Rae observed. "Demirbay could add some needed presence in that midfield pivot in the final twenty minutes."
Demirbay wasn’t fancy, nor did he do as much running as Bellingham; instead, he played simple short passes and broke up play. In fact, all he did was help break up that link-up between Reus and the young Englishman.
In the 71st minute, he intelligently wedged him self between Jude, who tried to relieve the ball, and Can, picking up the interception. Without much fuss, he played the ball out wide to Diaby, who was backtracking to the halfway line. His first touch was a pass back to Frimpong, who didn’t let Reyna so much as get a whiff of it as he booted the ball up, switching play.
The ball flew high toward the left flank, where Rakim and right back Thomas Meunier were chasing it. It fell around the edge of the final third, looking as if it would go out for a throw or bounce on the line. Rakim reacted first as his marker looked up to track the ball. He turned his back to the descending ball and let it bounce against his back.
The ball lopped over the right back, falling into the path of Wirtz, who sent a long through ball towards the corner. Rakim raced after it like a wild racehorse, reaching it just a couple of steps before it could go out for a goalkick. He cut back onto his right, placing a cross towards the back post for Diaby to attack.
[73’]
The cross was whipped in with pace, curling downward toward the area in front of the far post where Diaby was surging like a shark on attack path. The French winger rose above Guerreiro, his header directed downward toward the bottom corner—but Bürki was equal to it, diving full stretch to palm it away.
The rebound fell kindly for Schick at the edge of the six-yard box. The Czech striker reacted first, striking it on the half-volley, but Akanji threw himself into the path, the ball cannoning off his shin and out for a corner.
"What defending from Manuel Akanji!" Rae exclaimed. "Dortmund are hanging on by their fingernails here!"
Rakim jogged over to take the corner, the limited crowd rising to their feet in anticipation. He raised his hand, signalling for the near-post run, then took three steps back. His delivery was flat and whipped with vicious pace toward the penalty spot. Bodies collided in the box—Tapsoba rose highest, but Hummels got a touch first, deflecting it out to the edge of the area. Can control it on his chest, letting it drop before striking it out of the danger zone.
[78’]
In the 78th minute, Diaby won a free kick on the right flank just outside of the penalty box. Rakim and Demirbay stood over it, and upon being given the go-ahead, the midfielder whipped it in over the jumping wall. The ball flew over the throng of bodies along the penalty spots, narrowly missing the heads of Hummels and Tah.
It dropped perfectly for Schick at the back post, who had risen above Akanji, smacking the ball downward. Bürki, between the sticks, tried to lung across his line, arms out stretched, but the ball bounced before his line, rebounding into the back of the net. "GOAL!" Rae’s voice exploded. "PATRICK SCHICK PUTS LEVERKUSEN BACK IN FRONT!"
Schick had fallen from his jump but was quick to spring up, roaring in joy as he stormed to the corner flag, beating his chest. "What a beauty of a goal it was. he did everything right to put it out of reach from the keeper," Robsone noted as head coach Bosz could be seen pumping his fist in joy.
[Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Borussia Dortmund — Patrick Schick 79’]
[82’]
Terzić made his final change: Youssoufa Moukoko on for Emre Can, pushing Dortmund into a more attacking 3-4-3 shape. At sixteen, Moukoko was the youngest player ever to play in the Bundesliga, and his pace was frightening.
His first touch came thirty seconds later, upon receiving a pass from Reus in space, and he immediately drove at Tah. With his natural explosiveness he had teh slight edge but the defender had experiance on him. He performed two step-overs, then cut inside sharply, creating a yard of space, then fired from twenty yards. The shot didn’t get far, though, as Tah got a boot to it, stopping it in its tracks as it flew to the midfield.
"Jonathan Tah with the stop!" Robson exclaimed. "The German has been getting courted by some major names, and it’s clear to see why."
[88’]
Bosz made his final change: Sven Bender on for Florian Wirtz. The tactical shift was clear—an extra centre-back, dropping into a 5-3-2 when defending. They came on just as the visitors had won a corner, and it was swung in deeper this time, finding Haaland at the back post. The Norwegian rose above everyone, his header powerful and directed toward the bottom corner, but it deflected off Bender’s shoulder, popping up for an easy catch for Hradecky.
[90’]
The fourth official’s board went up, signalling three minutes of added time. Three minutes for Dortmund to find an equaliser and Leverkusen to hold on and extend their league dominance.
"Three minutes," Rae said quietly. "Three minutes to decide this match-up."
Dortmund won possession in Leverkusen’s half in the 91st, and Bellingham drove forward with the ball. He played a quick one-two with Reus, then launched a long-range strike a couple of yards outside the box. The ball was struck well, but it did not trouble the keeper much, who palmed it down, letting it dorm before taking control of it.
He milked some time before launching the ball out wide for Diaby to chase after, and the winger did just that. He brought the ball up, skipping past challenges before launching a hopeful long-range strike. Bürki wasn’t troubled much, but I did the trick of wasting time for the home side.
[90+4]
The final minute had already elapsed, but Dortmund had won a free kick at the edge of the penalty box. Reus stood over it, facing the four-man wall in front of him as Hradecky organised his defence, shouting instructions, positioning bodies. The German captain took three steps back, then two to the left.
The BayArena held its collective breath—10,000 fans suddenly silent, the tension thick enough to cut. Deniz Aytekin checked that everyone was ready, then blew his whistle. Reus struck it with the instep, curling around the wall’s right side. The ball flew toward the top left corner, dipping late. Hradecky tracked it, his body already in motion, launching himself upward and to his right, arms fully extended.
He retracted his hands as the ball neared, and a loud clang resounded as the ball skiffed the top of the bar. "Oh, so close but no goal," Rae exclaimed as the ball harmlessly flew out of the pitch. "He will want a second go at it, but lady luck just wasn’t on his side tonight."
(Fweeet Fweeet FWEEEET)
The final whistle brought pure relief. Leverkusen’s players dropped to the turf, exhausted, their bodies screaming after ninety minutes of relentless intensity. Some lay flat on their backs, chests heaving. Others sat with heads bowed, processing what they’d just survived.
[FT: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Borussia Dortmund]
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To Be Continued...
