Football singularity

Chapter 819: Chapter 819 A Highland Charge (Part II)

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[22-06-2021 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | 20:37 BST]

[Scotland 0-1 Croatia]

[31’]

The throw-in was launched long by O’Donnell, dropping into the channel where Walker peeled off Lovren’s shoulder. The young striker rose with the Croatian veteran, his six-foot-four frame winning the duel easily, glancing it down for Dykes to chase. The Southampton man latched onto it, but Vida came sliding across, slipping the ball away from Dykes’s feet before he could turn.

"Walker, with his first touch, immediately wins a header that Adams couldn’t all evening," Pearce noted approvingly.

"That’s the difference, Jonathan," Hoddle agreed. "Lovren is six-foot-two and a brute, and Walker just rose above him like he wasn’t there. He gives Scotland an aerial outlet they were missing."

The match settled briefly, Croatia content to slow things down with the lead in hand. Brozović and Kovačić exchanged a series of patient passes in midfield, dragging the Scottish press in shape before switching to Perišić out wide. The Inter winger drove at Robertson, dropped his shoulder twice, then chopped it inside onto his left foot. The Liverpool captain didn’t bite, staying square, and the winger eventually played it back to Juranović.

[38’]

Scotland’s first real moment for Walker came moments later, after Robertson won the ball off Perišić, and slid it forward into McGinn’s feet. The Aston Villa midfielder spun smoothly away from Brozović’s pressure, took two strides, and lifted a diagonal pass over the top toward Walker, who had peeled into the right channel between Vida and Gvardiol.

The young striker controlled it on his chest, taking the steam out of the ball with practised ease. Gvardiol arrived first, the nineteen-year-old defender trying to muscle shoulder from behind, but Walker leaned his weight on him. In one smooth motion, he trapped the falling ball and spun away, turning to face the goal using his shoulder to create some space. He dropped his shoulder to the byline, baiting the youngster, then chopped inside onto his left.

"Walker is dancing here!" Pearce called.

He dropped his shoulder to the byline, baiting the youngster, then chopped inside onto his left. Vida came across, sliding boots first, but Walker hopped over the challenge and burst into the box. The Croatian veteran’s studs caught his trailing ankle as he passed, sending the striker sprawling. The Scottish section immediately rose as one, voices booming, demanding the penalty and a card.

(FWEEET!)

Carlos del Cerro Grande was pointing to the spot before Walker had even hit the turf, the whistle, silencing the stadium for one breath. Vida threw both hands up, his face contorted in protest, but the referee was already turning his way and reached for his pocket. Lovren came charging in to argue, only to be met by the referee’s stern gaze before Vida entered the books.

"Penalty for Scotland!" Pearce roared. "Vida brought him down and should feel lucky it’s not a red"

"He had no choice, Jonathan," Hoddle observed, the replay rolling. "Walker had him beaten. Look at the way he chops inside. Vida is committed to the slide, and his trailing leg clips Walker’s ankle. Clear as day."

McGinn placed the ball on the spot while Walker dusted himself off, exchanging a quick word with Dykes. The Southampton man jogged back to the edge of the area, leaving the penalty to the Aston Villa midfielder. Livaković bounced on his line, slapping his gloves together, his eyes locked onto McGinn’s. The Scotsman took five measured steps back, exhaled once, then ran in, sending it left, and Livaković went right.

[Scotland 1-1 Croatia — McGinn (pen) 40’]

Hampden Park exploded properly this time. McGinn sprinted toward the South Stand, sliding on his knees through the wet turf, fist pumping the air as the rest of the squad piled onto him. Walker arrived last, hauling him upright with a grin and slapping the back of his head.

"GAME ON!" Pearce shouted. "Scotland is level, and you can feel the belief sweeping through Hampden!"

[43’]

Croatia, stung by the concession, tried to respond immediately, with Modrić demanding more of the ball from the restart. He drove forward through midfield, cherry-picking passes as Scotland was forced to retreat to keep them at bay. He slipped a pass into Petković, who held it up under McTominay’s challenge, before laying it back to Vlašić on the edge of the box.

The CSKA man took one touch and curled a left-footed effort toward the top right corner. Marshall, between the sticks, scrambled across his line, both arms fully extended, fingertips clipping the ball just enough to send it spinning over the bar.

"Another save from David Marshall!" Pearce roared. "He is keeping Scotland in this!"

The corner that followed was claimed cleanly by the Scottish keeper, who held onto it for a long beat before booting it up the field to the chasing Dykes. The striker won the header against Gvardiol, flicking it on toward Walker, who had peeled wide of Lovren.

The youngster controlled it on the run, two strides into the Croatian half, before being scythed down by Brozović from behind. The Inter midfielder caught him high on the calf, arriving a tad later than intended, drawing the ire of the whistle. Carlos del Cerro Grande reached for his pocket, showing the Croatian midfielder a yellow.

"That was needed," Hoddle observed. "Walker was about to break, and Brozović took one for the team. Smart, ugly football."

McGinn lifted the free kick into the box, Hanley rising at the back post, but glancing his header just wide of the far upright. The whistle for half-time blew moments later, and both sides were jogging off with the score level.

(FWEEET! FWEEET!)

[HT: Scotland 1-1 Croatia]

~~~

[46’]

The second half began with Scotland kicking off, and within thirty seconds, Hampden was on its feet again. Robertson won the ball off Juranović on the left touchline, immediately driving forward and feeding McGinn. The Villa man took one touch and lofted a beautiful diagonal pass over the top, sending Walker into the channel.

The young striker was off Lovren’s shoulder before the veteran could turn, the ball dropping perfectly into his stride at the edge of the box. Livaković charged out, spreading wide, but Walker didn’t shoot. He dragged the ball wide of the keeper with the outside of his right boot, taking him to the byline, then cut it back across the six-yard box.

Dykes was arriving, so was Gvardiol. Both stretched for it, but it was Vida who got there first, sliding in on his backside and trying to clear it. His clearance struck Dykes’s shin and looped goalward, dropping past the recovering Livaković. The ball rolled across the line by a foot before the keeper could recover. The Scottish section erupted again as Dykes raced away in disbelief, both hands on his head, before Walker arrived to mob him, screaming something into the man’s ear.

"DYKES! OR IS IT VIDA?!" Pearce shouted. "It doesn’t matter, it’s in the back of the net! Scotland leads!"

"That’ll go down as a Vida own goal, Jonathan," Hoddle confirmed. "But you have to give Walker the assist. The cutback was perfect. Vida was so terrified of Dykes getting there first that he sliced it past his own keeper."

[Scotland 2-1 Croatia — Vida (OG) 46’]

[52’]

Croatia, now needing two, threw caution aside as Dalić’s men pushed Modrić further forward, leaving Brozović and Kovačić alone in midfield. The Real Madrid captain took the game by the throat, demanding the ball every time it came near his half, dictating every pass.

In the 53rd minute, his patience paid off, and he picked up the ball thirty yards out, took one touch to set himself, and curled a beautiful effort toward the top left corner. Marshall was beaten, watching it the whole way, only for the ball to clip the underside of the crossbar and bounce down in front of the line before being hacked clear by Tierney.

"Off the bar!" Pearce gasped. "Modrić, inches from a wonder strike!"

"Welcome to the second half, Jonathan," Hoddle said, half-laughing. "This is going to be a wild forty-five minutes."

The clearance fell to McGregor, who knocked it long to Walker on the left. The youngster brought it down on his thigh, holding off Juranović with his back, then spun out toward the touchline. Modrić chased back to help, the Croatian captain extending a leg to nick the ball, but Walker rolled it under his foot and burst forward.

The Croatian veteran caught his shirt, dragging him to the ground in frustration and effectively stopping the attack. The whistle blew sharply, and Carlos del Cerro Grande showed Modrić a yellow. Modrić threw his hands up, jogging back muttering to himself as Walker rose with a small smile, and he jogged back into position.

"A booking for the captain," Pearce noted. "And he is not happy about it."

[63’]

The match opened up properly now, with both sides going for it. Croatia attacked as Modrić drove forward, nearly finding the equaliser in the 64th when Perišić broke down the right and whipped a low cross across the six-yard box. Kramarić, on for thirty seconds, lunged at the near post, his outstretched boot inches from the ball before McTominay slid in and hacked it clear for a corner.

The set piece came in, Modrić’s delivery vicious toward the near post, and Lovren rose above Hanley to glance it on. The ball flashed across the six-yard box, where Gvardiol was arriving at the back post unmarked. The young Croatian defender met it with the side of his head, six yards out, with the goal yawning in front of him.

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TO BE CONTINUED...

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