Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: FA Cup Semi-Final vs Tottenham (2)
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The match kicks off with Manchester United having the advantage of starting with possession.
Lucas passes the kickoff back to Bernal, and Tottenham's striker Georges Ilenckena comes charging forward.
How is it that Nigeria never runs out of world-class striker talent?
He's Tottenham's current front-line monster—a 185cm Nigerian beast handling their finishing duties.
But.
I don't need to worry about the opponent's forwards.
The players I have to deal with are the midfielders and the defenders behind them anyway.
Tottenham's promising midfield duo—now veteran midfielders—Archie Gray and Lucas Berival.
Berival boasts tireless stamina, while Gray has sharp passing skills. They're a well-balanced volante pair.
Maybe that's why they'll be easier to handle.
"Kamason!"
Bernal receives the ball and chips it out wide under pressure from Ilenckena.
Kamason, about to send a straight pass to Lacy in line, hears my call and redirects it.
Not only our team can hear my shouts, so Lucas Berival is already charging toward me.
Pang!—
A quick, heavy pass to avoid interception.
No need to force it down.
Lucas Berival barrels in confidently.
There's no opponent more welcome than one who presses with endless stamina like this.
Thung—
A touch that keeps Kamason's pass alive.
Berival jumps to head it, but it clips his hair perfectly and rolls past.
Thung—
One touch melts the marker.
Space opens up ahead, letting me build speed.
Thuk— thuk—
Maintaining just the right pace for a quick change of direction, I push forward boldly.
Any further advance opens a direct shooting angle, so Tottenham's left-back Destiny Udogie has no choice but to rush in.
Meanwhile, Shay Lacy is free.
A pass now would create a solid chance, but I'm confident I can make an even better one.
Thuk—
I shift the ball left to evade Udogie approaching from the right.
Archie Gray lunges in like he's been waiting for it.
Thuk—
Tackles from both sides simultaneously, but two quick direction changes in a split second shake them off.
"Mickey!!!"
I've beaten two at once.
Tottenham's left center-back Mickey Vanderpen has to come out to stop me now.
And he has to watch Shay Lacy waiting on the right too.
Vanderpen's choice: He lunges forward but aims to block the pass to Lacy.
'As expected!!'
As Vanderpen steps up, Ban Yeager lifts his right foot like he's passing right away.
Confident in his read, Vanderpen stretches with all his might.
Pang—
"Ah!!"
The pass threads straight between Vanderpen's legs.
If he'd held position without lunging, he could've blocked it easily.
Iyaaaaaaaah!!!—
A perfect chance opens for Shay Lacy.
Instead of going for glory, Lacy makes the higher-percentage play.
A cutback pass to Lucas Cruijff waiting central in the box.
Pang!!—
Lucas Cruijff smashes it past the keeper's head—a devastating finish.
Just one minute into the match.
Manchester United takes the lead against Tottenham.
——
The hero of the early opener is Lucas Cruijff.
But the true star is Ban Yeager.
Even the goalscorer and assist-maker had no choice but to acknowledge it, rushing straight to me instead of celebrating.
Paak!—
"Ugh!!"
Does he not realize how big he is?
Lucas comes barreling in and hugs me full-force.
Shay Lacy joins, wrapping around from the side.
"Yeager! You could've finished that yourself, right?!"
Lacy sounds like he feels bad for taking the pass.
"Winning's what matters."
"Damn it!! Yeager!!!"
Lucas hears me and squeezes harder, like he's gonna crush me.
Only when the rest of the team arrives do I get free. Lucas belatedly waves to the crowd before jogging back to our half.
No room for complacency yet.
Scoring early is great, but it also means tons of time left.
Over 80 minutes remain—plenty for a comeback.
Especially those eyes.
They came in brimming with confidence, only to concede in the first minute.
Tottenham isn't panicking—they look awakened.
Instead of reckless pressing like before, they'll focus on stopping my advances.
Meaning the difficulty of those impossible breakthroughs just skyrocketed.
'Still gotta do it...'
At least three more ahead.
Coming to United, lots of goals were my way of proving myself—but lately, with Cruijff fixing our scoring woes, I've played more like a pure midfielder.
Now there's reason again to rack them up.
Even if it's personal. Either way, striving to gift goals to the team is a good thing, right?
——
The match restarts with Tottenham's kickoff.
Ilenckena charges again right away—no need to mind him.
But things have changed since the first three minutes.
Now I have to watch their attacking mids too, including Kulusevski on the wings.
Having seen my dribbling threat, they'll tighten up on me. So I'll drop deeper, join the buildup, and drag them out.
A luxury tactic with a one-goal lead.
From now on, lure them in and hit the space behind.
Just as we hoped, Archie Gray brings the ball forward aggressively.
Trailing, they have to take risks and push.
Thung—
Pass to left winger Mohammed Daramie.
True to his explosive pace and elastic movement, he attempts a side breakthrough immediately.
Jayden Kamason marking him shouldn't lunge recklessly.
Letting him advance on the flank only opens more space behind for us.
I ease back slowly, allowing progress without losing him.
Daramie gets impatient with his dribble.
Mistakes are inevitable, and Kamason times it perfectly to win the ball.
Pang!!—
Jayden Kamason boots it long upfield instantly.
Not aimed at our forwards specifically.
Receiving in behind is purely the strikers' job.
Kamason's done his part perfectly: win the ball, send it behind.
Waaaaaaaaah!!!—
The ball drops into space on the right flank.
Lucas Cruijff and Mickey Vanderpen race for it.
Premier League's fastest at 37.38 km/h top speed—Mickey Vanderpen.
Surprisingly, Cruijff keeps up.
Cruijff starts straight ahead; Vanderpen turns on Kamason's kick.
Similar speeds—obvious who arrives first.
Thung—
Kudangtangtang!!
Cruijff doesn't slow, backheels it on the run.
Then just flops down to brake.
Vanderpen brakes late—too much momentum.
He slides past.
The player in red who collects Lucas Cruijff's backheel pass?
Ban Yeager.