Football singularity-Chapter 711 Foul
If you’re enjoying the story, consider voting to show your support. Feel free to join me on Discord to chat and share your thoughts: https://discord.gg/hTQJtj2K9U.
#More than 10 Chapters ahead on my Patreon: patreon.com/TrikoRexIf.
If you have a moment, leaving a review would mean a lot to me and helps me see who’s interested in the story’s future.
~~~
[2021-03-06 | Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach | Bundesliga MW 24]
[Borussia Mönchengladbach 0 vs 0 Bayer 04 Leverkusen]
[4’]
Rakim swung his right foot at the descending ball just as the keeper bent forward to lunge. The top of his boot made contact with the side of the falling ball, sending it flying across the face of the goal out of the keeper’s and nearby defenders’ reach. It looked like the chance would be wasted as Schick, no matter how he stretched, just couldn’t reach it.
Until a red figure came flying, his headfirst body horizontal to the ground, gliding like a flying dolphin, as his head made contact with the ball. Diaby landed on the ground belly first, sliding into the goal along with his flying header.
"GOOOOOAL!" Derek Rae’s voice exploded through the broadcast. "MOUSSA DIABY! What an incredible start to this match! Leverkusen take the lead inside four minutes!"
"Absolutely brilliant team play," Stewart Robson added, his voice filled with admiration. "Rakim Rex with the creativity to find him at the last moment unselfishly squaring it across, and Diaby with the acrobatic finish. The Home side will be asking themselves where Ramy Bensebaini was as the Frenchman made the attempt ungraded."
[Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen — Moussa Diaby 3’]
I sprinted toward Diaby, who had raced to the corner flag only to slide belly-first to the corner flag, his arms spread wide. Wirtz got there first, joining the celebrations, and I followed immediately after, creating a pile of celebrating bodies as more joined. "That’s what I’m talking about!"
[8’]
Gladbach responded by upping the tempo, with much more determination, to equalise quickly. But they were clearly rattled, as evidenced by their hasty passes whenever they would enter danger zones. It looked like they were scared to lose the ball and risk a speedy counter.
However, their efforts to play it safe only led to less effective attacks, as Charles Aránguiz in the holding midfield role made short work of them. The Chilean became a one-man legion, sliding into tackles, intercepting through balls and jumping into the air to win aerial passes. In combination with Tah, who would occasionally step up to support the lower midfield as Tapsoba held the line, nothing got through.
In the 12th, Stindl tried to make something happen as he picked up the ball from midfield. A quick one-two with Hoffman allowed him to circumvent Witrz quickly, getting hot as he crossed into the final third. Like a bloodhound, Aránguiz lurked onto him from his right as the winger scanned his options developing.
Hefianted a cut his way with a shoulder drop before deftly nudging the ball away with his left. It looked like it worked, but the Chilean didn’t haggle with the German and came sliding across the turf. He manoeuvred in an arc on the ground, sliding around past the player to hook his foot around the ball.
[14’]
Tah picked up the loose ball before Pléa and sent it long over Gladbach’s defence. Diaby exploded down the right flank, beating his man as he looked up to track the descending ball. It dropped close to the side of the box, but the Frenchman had to stretch his foot out high to keep it from going out for a throw.
The action took out his momentum and left Ramy caught up, standing him up at the line. For a moment, it seemed like no one was moving, when in reality, it was just the two players. Diaby twitched his left foot, stabbing the turf next to the ball, looking for a reaction, but the full back remained composed.
In the next moment, he flashed his left foot across and charged down the line, and Ramy immediately moved to give chase. But just as he moved, Diaby turned back, nudging the ball that he never touched past the player as he fought past his hand, trying to hold him. He got by, but the recovering Neuhaus was immediately upon him, but the Frenchman didn’t take him on.
He slotted the ball past him, narrowly avoiding the lunging foot, to find Wirtz with a surging run forward. The young playmaker at the edge of the D nudged the ball slightly, adjusting his momentum with the ball, and rifled a shot before Nico Elvedi could block him. The ball flew like a rocket, taking the shortest distance to the goal straight for the bottom right corner, dipping late with vicious spin.
Yann Sommer dove desperately, his arm fully outstretched, but it wasn’t enough as the ball bounced on the line just short of another hand. The ball clipped the inside of the post and nestled into the back of the net.
"GOOOOOAL!" Derek Rae roared. "FLORIAN WIRTZ! Strikes again! Leverkusen are running riot here at Borussia-Park!"
"What a finish!" Stewart Robson exclaimed. "And what brilliant build-up play from Diaby! He’s been absolutely unplayable down that right flank. Gladbach’s defence is in shambles!"
[Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-2 Bayer 04 Leverkusen — Florian Wirtz 14’]
[35’]
Gladbach’s frustration was palpable after conceding again so soon. Their usually composed passing game had devolved into desperate long balls and rushed decisions. Marco Rose was animated on the touchline, barking instructions and gesturing frantically at his players to calm down and regain control.
It was for nought as the players were too desperate to make a mark in the gam. It didn’t help that Leverkusen played a textbook possession game for the twenty minutes they were on the field, sucking the life out of the game. They seemed content to keep the ball and slowly whittle down their opponents’ nerves.
Around the 35th minute, Kramer won the ball in midfield with a strong challenge on Amiri, immediately playing it forward to Thuram on the left. The French winger had pace to burn and drove at Frimpong, performing a quick stepover before cutting inside onto his right foot.
He shaped to shoot from twenty-five yards, drawing Tah toward him, then slipped a pass behind the Slovak’s position. Pléa made a clever run into the channel, staying just onside for what would be his first chance at goal. He took one touch to control the ball under pressure from Tapsoba, then fired toward the goal.
Hradecky was alert, though diving low to his left and pushing it away with a firm hand. "Excellent save from Lukas Hradecky!" Derek Rae noted. "Gladbach finally creates something, but the Finnish keeper is equal to it!"
The corner was swung in with pace by Hofmann, curling toward the penalty spot. Bodies rose in a mass of limbs—Elvedi got the strongest contact, his header powerful and directed toward the near post. But Wendell, guarding it, was quick to head it clear. As nearby Amir volleyed the dropping ball long and away.
[38’]
Leverkusen continued to probe patiently, working the ball with quick one-twos in midfield. Amiri collected it centrally, playing a pass to Wirtz, who immediately backheeled it to Aránguiz. The Chilean drove forward, then switched it wide to Diaby on the right.
The French winger definitely had Ramy Bensebaini’s number today as he found space yet again and exploited it, driving toward the byline. Bensebaini scrambled back to cover, but Diaby was too quick, reaching the ball first and whipping in a low cross toward the near post. Rakim attacked the cross charging from the other side of the box, swinging a boot as the ball arrived at shin height.
His foot only wiffed air, though, as Elvedi got there first, clearing desperately for a corner. "So close!" Stewart Robson exclaimed. "Rakim almost got on the end of that chance, and he looked like he was gonna bury that!"
[42’]
Gladbach had one last chance before halftime when Thuram picked up a loose ball in midfield. He drove forward with pace, exchanging a one-two with Pléa to bypass Aránguiz. He entered the box at an angle, shaping to shoot, and Tapsoba slid across, making a perfectly timed challenge.
The ball deflected out for a corner—but the referee had already blown for a foul. The players and staff in attendance fell silent, all confused, as the official pointed to the spot. "Penalty to Gladbach!" Derek Rae announced. "Tapsoba appears to have fouled Thuram!"
Tapsoba immediately stormed over to the referee, surrounded by teammates protesting the decision, but the referee was unmoved. He pointed firmly to the spot, then showed Tapsoba a yellow card for dissent. The Burkinabé defender wasn’t the only one involved in incest, as Bosz could be seen giving the fourth official a talking to, visibly turning red in anger.
"Harsh decision," Stewart Robson said. "And you can see why, as from the replay, it looks like Tapsoba got the ball. But the referee seems to have seen it differently."
. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
.
.
.
To Be Continued...
