Football singularity

Chapter 817: Chapter 817 Vs Portugal (5)

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[19-06-2021 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | 18:30 CEST]

[80’]

"RONALDO IN BEHIND!" Matterface’s voice climbed.

The Portuguese captain reached the ball just inside the box, trying to bring it under control before Neuer was upon him. The keeper was already off his line the moment Bruno had made the pass, anticipating the only destination a through ball would go. Spreading himself wide as Ronaldo took one touch to set himself, he was just over a metre from the lethal forward.

Without hesitation, Ronaldo pulled the trigger, his right foot snapping forward with considerable speed and force. The ball met the leather of his white and red Mercurials, deforming it slightly before Newton’s law took over, and it blasted forward. Neuer instinctively jumped, trying to raise his hand to the incoming ball, but he barely managed to get his left shoulder in the way.

The ball ricocheted off the German keeper’s collarbone with a dull thud, the deflection sending it spinning skyward rather than past him. Neuer crashed onto his back hard, breath knocked out of him, eyes locked on the ball that now hung suspended above the six-yard box like a vulture deciding which carcass to claim.

Ronaldo was already moving toward the rebound, but so was Rüdiger, who had managed to recover. The Chelsea defender arrived first by a single stride, leaping into the air with his neck snapping forward, hammering a clearing header that sent the ball into the stands behind the goal.

"RÜDIGER! WHAT A CLEARANCE!" Matterface roared. "Neuer parried it, Ronaldo was waiting, but Antonio Rüdiger has saved Germany once again!"

"That’s two world-class interventions from him in the space of fifteen minutes, Sam," Dixon added. "Neuer’s gone down, though. Looks like he took that one on the shoulder."

The medical staff sprinted onto the pitch as Neuer rolled onto his side, with a hand pressed against his left collarbone. Hummels crouched beside him, trying to check on him, while the rest of the German team gathered in a loose ring, hands on hips, sucking in air. After ninety seconds of treatment, Neuer waved the physio away and pushed himself upright. He rolled his shoulder twice, winced, then nodded to the bench that he was good to continue. The Allianz roared its approval, the chant of "Manuel! Manuel!" rolling around the bowl.

[83’]

Portugal’s corner was taken by Fernandes, who whipped it in with venom toward the near post, where Pepe rose above Gündoğan with a snarl. The veteran defender’s header was vicious, arrowing toward the far post with speed. Neuer didn’t even seem to set himself up, unable to react, but to his luck, it hit the far post, rebounding into the box.

It whizzed out between red and white bodies, trying to get a foot or body part to it, ending up with João Félix at the edge of the area after a Ginter header. The Atletico youngster took it down on his thigh, moving away from Musiala’s press and shaping to take the dropping ball on the volley.

Kroos arrived from his blind side, throwing his entire body in the line of the strike. The ball thudded against the Madrid man’s ribs at almost close range and squirted out for another corner. He lay flat on the turf, both hands wrapped around his torso, the air gone from his lungs.

"And now Kroos goes down!" Matterface called. "Sam, this match is starting to take a toll. Two of Germany’s most experienced players in the space of three minutes."

Kroos was up within thirty seconds, trying to walk it off, as he jogged back into position covering Pereira. The corner came in, narrowly skipping over Hummels, who rose ahead of Rafa Silva, and the ball hit the back of the forward’s shoulder, taking a hop that cleared the middle of the box, flying to the back post. No matter how inhuman Ronaldos’ physique was, even he couldn’t suddenly rise another half a meter after reaching peak elevation.

Guerreiro saw his opportunity as the ball practically flew his way, and his marker had been drawn forward slightly by the initial bustle. The Portuguese full-back swung his head, managing to hit the ball goalward, but to his utter horror, he sent it crashing against the woodwork.

"Ohhhh, he has to do better, Sam," Dixon exclaimed in disbelief, watching the ball that had ended up behind the goal instead of in it. "He’ll be kicking himself for not putting that away."

[85’]

The German fans exhaled as one, scarves released from white-knuckled grips, and the Portuguese section across the bowl let out a collective groan. Löw, feeling the jump scare, barked instructions at Goretzka, who had been warming alongside the touchline for the last five minutes. He was brought on immediately, replacing Kross in midfield with a job to see out the match.

Neuer took his time with the goal kick, directing his side to move upfield before booting it long up the right flank. Havertz battled Pereira in the air, managing to knock it down to the nearby Musiala. The youngster got on his tiptoes and shimyed by three red shirts, escaping long enough to find Gündogan in the middle.

What ensued was what Germany did best: holding possession as long as possible, which became even more effective with the three teenagers. They had an uncanny ability to get out of trouble when they found themselves surrounded, allowing them to retain control. But with nerves as they are, mistakes were bound to happen, and when Kimmich sent a slow pass to Musiala, his marker exploded from behind, nimbly stealing the ball.

Jamal Beraly reacted, and Rafa Silva was already gone, his quick feet carrying him into the German half before Kimmich could fully turn. The eighteen-year-old took two strides, head up, and slipped a clever pass between Ginter and Hummels into the path of Ronaldo, who had peeled across to the left channel where the space had opened up.

"Rafa Silva strips Musiala, and now Ronaldo is in!" Matterface called, the strain back in his voice.

Ronaldo collected it at the edge of the box, Rüdiger angling across to cover his right side, Hummels recovering on his left. The captain didn’t hesitate, dropping his shoulder once to sell a cut inside, then dragging the ball outward with the outside of his right boot, creating half a yard. His shot was struck with venom toward the bottom corner, but Neuer was equal to it, dropping low and palming it wide for a corner.

"What a save!" Dixon exclaimed. "Neuer, hurt or not, he is not letting Ronaldo win this match."

The corner whipped in by Bruno was claimed cleanly under pressure from Pepe, Neuer rising at full stretch and bringing it down to his chest with a wince. He held onto it for a long beat, walking it to the edge of his box, letting precious seconds tick away before rolling it out to Ginter.

[92’]

In the final minutes of extra time, Rakim found himself in space and dribbled up the left after circumventing his man. He charged forward, driving at the retreating Samedo, only coming to a sudden stop to dodge the incoming Carvalho. The man tried to pull at his shirt, but his hand was quickly slapped away, and the winger was free.

Spotting space as Hvertz made a run into the box, he curved a grounded Trivella into the box, his right boot kicking up grass. The ball sailed between Samedo, who was about to step up, and Dias, narrowly gliding past the centre back. Havertz stretched out his foot perfectly, latching onto the ball as he broke into the box, his momentum carrying him across the outrushing Patrício. Curving the keeper with his next step, he fired the ball low and hard out of his reach, sending the back of the net rattling for the 8th time.

"Kaaaiii Havertz with the closer!" Matterface exclaimed as the German forward struck it first time, guiding it past the diving Patrício. "GOOOOOAAAL, surely they have done it now."

The German fans rose in the stands, frantically waving their scarf and screaming their frustrations into the night air. "Oh, wait a minute, the flag is up," Dixon noted instantly, dousing the happy atmosphere as fans who thought they had sealed the game suddenly found themselves denied. A torrent of boos instantly descended, but the referee calmly blew his whistle after listening to his earpiece.

(FWEEET)

"He gave the free kick, no check needed," Dixon added as they got a chance to see the replay. "It’s narrow, but the correct call, his arm and shoulder were clearly offside."

Portugal took the set piece quickly, knowing they were still trailing and needed to create a chance quickly. And they only got one chance in the form of Bruno Fernandes, who decided he had a rocket for a boot as he fired a missile from way downtown. The ball sailed goalward, rising above the defenders with gusto, but it was too central, and Neuer wasn’t troubled much as he caught the ball.

(FWEET FWEEET FWEEEET)

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TO BE CONTINUED...

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