Football singularity

Chapter 815: Chapter 815 Vs Portugal (3)

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[19-06-2021 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | 18:00 CEST]

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(IN) Rakim Rex -> <- Thomas Müller 45

(IN) Florian Wirtz -> <- Robin Gosens 45

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"We expected some changes coming into the second half for the German side, and Löw seems to agree," Matterface announced as the fourth official raised his board signalling two changes in succession. "Two young men who have shaken the football world now look to extend their partnership on the international stage, and what a reception they are receiving."

"It’s hard to believe that this German side has the second, fourth, and fifth youngest layers in the tournament." Lee Dixon noted as the changes were completed, and the referee went through his final checks. "And arguably they are the most highly anticipated youngest in their generation, with the two Leverkusen youngest clinching the treble last season."

(Fweeeet)

[46’]

Portugal kicked off the second half, and within thirty seconds, you could feel the rhythm had shifted. The two Leverkusen youngsters on the left flank brought energetic intensity to the pitch, their fearlessness closing down their Portuguese counterpart. They understood each other’s pressing tendencies, subconsciously adjusting to each other’s movements, forcing Samedo to hastily send the ball back to Patrício, who cleared it long under Gnabry’s charge.

Ronaldo battled Hummels for the air all within the German half, nodding it down into Fernandes’s feet. The Portuguese playmaker received it under the pressure of Gündogan and tried to turn away, only to be faced with Kross. He attempted to escape the encirclement, but Gündogan used the momentary hesitation to jab at the ball.

Accepting the present, Kross hooked the back of his left foot around the ball, turning in one go as he used his body to shield the form, Pereira. He dribbled a weighted ball forward, finding Havertz under the guard of Carvalho, and, instead of turning the Chelsea forward, flicked it sideways. Kimmich latched onto the ball, his momentum taking him wide of Guerreiro, who scrambled to defend.

The German fullback had no intention of slowing down to let him get closer and drilled an arcing cross through the box. Gnabry, racing toward the six-yard box, tried to fight past Pepe to somehow reach the incoming ball. However, under the pressure from the veteran defenders, it was he who got a foot to it first, but the direction wasn’t what he intended.

The ball popped up as it continued past the goal, sending Patrício scrambling across his goal. Rakim, who had raced in from the other side, was first to reach the dropping ball at the byline with Samedo and Dias sandwiching him. Flicking the ball back with his left, he sent it past Dias towards the penalty spot, finding an eager Wirtz.

The Leverkusen man took a single touch, nudging it ot his right, creating separation from the chasing Carvalho. Bringing his right foot down on the ball, he drilled it to the right side of the goal, slicing it past Rui Patrício’s outstretched leg. The ball nestled into the side netting, sending the German fans into a frenzy, scarves and beer flying skyward as Wirtz peeled away toward the corner flag.

Hand cupped behind his ear, a wide grin emerged on his face as Rakim sprinted after him, leaping onto his back before they tumbled into the corner with the rest of the bench charging over to mob them. Löw, on the touchline, allowed himself a rare fist pump before snapping straight back into instructions for his backline.

"FLORIAN WIRTZ!" Matterface’s voice cracked with the noise. "The eighteen-year-old, on for ninety seconds, and Germany is level! And look at the architect, Rex, with the most cheeky flick at the byline to set it up!"

"Those two in one squad is a recipe for disaster to their opponents, Sam," Dixon practically laughed. "The chemistry between them is chef’s kiss. Rex flicks it without even looking; he knows where Wirtz will be because they have been doing this together successfully at Leverkusen all season. That is not international football; that is two best mates playing in the back garden."

[Germany 2-2 Portugal — Wirtz 47’]

[51’]

The defending champions tried to reassert themselves immediately, working the ball patiently through Carvalho and Pereira, looking to slow the tempo and reclaim control of the match. But the Germans, who seemed to be operating on a slightly faster frequency, were not about to play along.

The pressure from the front three became suffocating, with the middle four working behind them to block off passing options. Rüdiger, Hummels, and Ginter also pushed up the line all the way to the halfway line, carefully watching Ronaldo for the inevitable outlet pass. Under this pressure, it did not take long before Dias was forced to boot it long unde under the pressure of Havertz and Gnabry.

Ronaldo tried to chase it down, but under the dual pressure of Hummels and Ginter, he had no chance, and the Germans retained the ball. Knocking it back to Neuer, the keeper switched play with Rakim on the flank just beyond the half. Dropping it off to Wirtz under the pressure of Samedo, he turned past the full back looking to chase the return pass.

(Fweeet)

"That’s certainly not allowed," Matterface voiced as Rakim could be seen slowly getting up from the turf after the full back had yanked his kit, halting his charge. "Rex looked ready to turn on the afterburners and leave him in his rear-view mirror there."

Anthony Taylor wagged a finger at Semedo, the Sporting fullback raising his hands in protest, before reaching into his pocket for a yellow card. The Portuguese full back accepted it with a shrug, jogging back toward his line as Rakim dusted off his shorts, exchanging a smirk with Wirtz, who jogged over to help him up.

"A booking, well deserved, Lee," Dixon added. "He had nowhere to go with Rex about to blast past him."

"Honestly, Sam, that’s a smart foul if anything," Matterface countered. "He knows Rex with momentum into open space is a nightmare. Take the yellow, kill the attack, regroup. Ugly but effective, but you only get to do that once, now hell be."

[54’]

Wirtz was the one to strike the ball, hipping a low, driven cross toward the back stick. Havertz had peeled off Dias’s blind side and met it on the slide, stretching every fibre to reach it. His outstretched boot connected, redirecting the ball low and hard toward the bottom corner, but Patrício was equal to it, dropping his frame behind the line of the shot and parrying it down.

The rebound spat out toward the edge of the box, where Gündoğan was arriving late. The City man caught it cleanly on the half-volley, the strike rifling toward the top right corner, only for Pepe to throw himself in the way, the ball thudding off his shoulder and spinning out for a corner.

"Pepe! He’d block a bus with his face if you asked him to!" Dixon chuckled. "Vintage stuff from the old warrior."

The corner came in short, Kimmich rolling it to Kroos, who whipped it in toward the cluster of bodies in the six-yard box. Hummels rose powerfully at the near post, glancing it on toward the back, where Rüdiger had ghosted between Carvalho and Guerreiro. The Chelsea defender met it with the side of his head, but the angle was too tight, and the ball drifted just wide of the far post, kissing the side netting on its way out.

The German bench groaned in unison as Hummels grabbed his head, jogging back into shape. Rüdiger pointed at himself, mouthing an apology to the keeper, before turning to spring back to defence.

"Rüdiger really should have done better there, Sam," Dixon noted. "Free header in the six-yard box, that’s a chance you take ninety-five times out of a hundred."

"Germany is turning the screw, Lee," Matterface agreed. "Portugal hasn’t touched the ball in their attacking half for nearly four minutes."

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TO BE CONTINUED...

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