Football singularity

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[23/05/2020 | Time: 15:53 pM | Borussia Mönchengladbach 0 and 1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Location: BORUSSIA-PARK | Attendance: 0]

[23]

The restart was brisk; Gladbach wanted to get back in the match and didn't want to waste time. Stindl clapped his hands furiously as he urged his teammates higher up the pitch. They were all professionals, and after a moment of feeling sorry, they all quickly got back into formation, ready to do their jobs.

"Now, how do they respond?" Rae's voice pressed through the drizzle. "They've been second best in possession, but they had that one chance earlier through Stindl. They'll know there are spaces if they can break Leverkusen's press."

Following the restart, Gladbach worked the ball back into rhythm, Neuhaus finding Strobl, who rotated possession through Ginter. They were patient now, dragging Leverkusen's pressing triangle back and forth. They aimed to slow down their energetic opponents and slowly find openings which they could exploit, and it was working.

The release came in the 25th minute when Hofmann tucked inside and slid a neat ball between Sinkgraven and Dragović. Thuram latched onto it with explosive strides, his powerful legs tearing up the wet surface. The slippery surface limited his agility, allowing the chasing defender to get close.

Tapsoba was the man as he dove in foot first, almost as if he was doing the split. His long frame extended like a crane arm, cleanly poking the ball away at the last second. "Brilliant recovery, Tapsoba," Robson praised. "His timing has been immaculate."

[28]

Leverkusen didn't slow down after their opener. Demirbay continued to orchestrate in midfield as he got more comfortable. His head could always be seen glancing over his shoulder before receiving the ball. With Strobl now stepping higher to close him down, he could not afford not to know where the ball would go after receiving it.

His football IQ really showed as he made adept use of the gaps that began to open behind Gladbach's double pivot, which decided to press higher. Rakim also spotted it and immediately darted inside from the right flank, motioning with a subtle flick of the arm. Demirbay didn't need to think twice before sending a weighted pass his way, but the winger did not receive it, instead letting it pass through his legs.

Havertz, who was holding off the last man, reacted quickly and flicked the ball behind him into the left side of the box. "Oh, this could get dangerous!" Rae exclaimed as they watched Rakim latch onto the ball as he held off Stefan Lainer, who had switched onto him.

The angle was tightening as Matthias Ginter, the other centre back, was now also closing in. Rakim didn't force a shot, though. Instead, his right foot flashed over the ball and back-heeled it back out towards the edge of the box. Almost as if planned, Diaby was there locking in on the ball, and he took it first time, not bothering to take an extra touch.

The Frenchman leaned into it, his body coiled like a spring, and his right boot connected with a crisp snap. The ball screamed through the drizzle, chest-height, arrowing toward the near top corner. Sommer shuffled furiously, but his dive was late. The strike whistled past him, crashing into the stanchion and sending water droplets exploding off the net.

"OH, it's another from Diaby! No—wait—off the side netting!" Rae's voice cut sharply, the camera panning to reveal that the ball had bulged the wrong side of the goal. For a split second, even the broadcast graphic operator had started to flash the scoreboard.

Relief washed over Sommer's face. He bellowed at his back line, hands slicing through the air. "Wake up!" His voice rang out, clear in the hollow stadium.

The replay looped, showing how close it had been. "The disguise on that from Rakim Rex," Robson added, "the audacity to let the ball run across and back-heel it out… he's making Gladbach's defenders look silly out there."

~~~

[31]

The match began to stretch, like elastic about to snap. Gladbach, stung by conceding, no longer sat back. Neuhaus pushed higher, trying to connect with Stindl, while Hofmann hugged the right touchline to test Sinkgraven. The rain, instead of dampening the game, seemed to fuel it — players skidding into tackles, passes pinging faster than dry turf would ever allow.

Gladbach's turn to carve out danger came when Bensebaini angled a neat ball down the left flank. Thuram shouldered off Weiser with his raw power, sending the latter skidding. He surged toward the byline, his long legs eating up ground. Inside, Stindl gestured furiously, pointing to the penalty spot.

Thuram obliged, cutting a low delivery into the mixer. Stindl darted across Bender, flicked his boot, and the ball ricocheted goalward. The shot was too central, though, as Hradecky dropped his body weight low, kicked it away instinctively with his right boot. The rebound skidded out to Neuhaus, who took it first-time.

His curling effort, soaked by the ball's weight, floated narrowly over the bar. "Gladbach showing they've got teeth," Rae remarked. "They might just need to be a little more clinical in this final third."

[36]

Leverkusen responded by upping the tempo using the slick surfaces as a medium, and the ball was fizzed amid their ranks.

Following a one-two to gain separation from his marker, Charles Aranguiz sprayed a diagonal switch from deep. The ball fizzed like a skimming stone across the wet grass, beaming to the feet of Rakim. He barely brought it under control with a shaky first touch, as the ball was more slippery than he had expected.

He managed to bring it under control before Bensebaini could close him down enough to become a problem. Without even thinking, as the defender was already within the meter, he shifted his hips left, right, then burst inside.

The defender was left slipping, but managed to clutch onto his jersey, yanking him back, causing his jersey to tear slightly. The sudden, abrupt pause in his momentum and the jersey that pressed against his neck caused him to gasp for breath as he crashed backwards.

The referee's whistle shrilled instantly as Rakim lay on the slick grass, clutching at his throat where the damp fabric of his torn shirt clung. The referee's arm shot upward without hesitation, brandishing a yellow card at Bensebaini, whose palms spread wide in protest.

"Clear tug there, no argument," Rae's commentary cut through the drizzle. "Rex had him beaten all ends up — and Bensebaini knew it."

Robson chimed in: "It's ok for defenders to panic, but a foul in that area is never the answer, especially against a team full of deadball specialists."

Rakim sat up, shaking his head, one hand tugging at the ragged neckline of his shirt. Weiser helped him up with a pat on the back, while Demirbay claimed the ball, positioning it carefully on the right channel some thirty yards out. The Gladbach wall lined up just inside the penalty arc, Sommer bellowing orders with both arms waving in frantic semaphore.

[39]

Demirbay's delivery arced perfectly toward the penalty spot. Bender rose first, crashing through the spray, but his header lacked sting, bouncing tamely into Sommer's gloves. The keeper wasted no time launching the counter — a booming punt sent Thuram racing into the opposite half, the ball spinning viciously in the rain.

Tapsoba tracked him stride for stride, the two long-legged athletes duelling shoulder to shoulder. Thuram tried to muscle his way inside, but Tapsoba nudged his shoulder, pushing him away, and his leg sent a calm pass back to the waiting Hradecky on the six-yard line.

"Outstanding again from Tapsoba," Robson noted. "He's been a wall."

[41]

The rhythm refused to dip. Leverkusen pushed forward with their usual vertical ferocity. Aránguiz stole possession off Neuhaus, springing a lightning counter. One touch, two touches, and suddenly the Chilean had Rakim streaking free on the right.

The pass found him in stride. Rakim darted forward, rain spraying off his boots, Bensebaini once more his victim. This time, he didn't overcomplicate things using pure speed, one heavy push, then an electric burst down the touchline. His stride opened fully, shoulders pumping, leaving the left-back lunging hopelessly behind.

He swung a vicious low ball across the face of the goal. Havertz launched himself forward, sliding with studs stretched, but Ginter arrived at the last instant, toeing it out of play for a corner.

[42]

"Leverkusen are suffocating them down that right-hand side," Rae observed. "Rakim is running riot against Bensebaini. Marco Rose might need to consider adjustments, especially since his man has already been booked."

The corner was played short. Demirbay squared to Rakim at the edge of the box. The winger fainted a shot, then dinked a delicate ball toward the back post. Diaby ghosted in, leaping above Lainer, but his header skimmed the roof of the net.

[45]

Halftime loomed, but Gladbach wanted one last hoorah. Stindl dropped deep to collect a pass from Elvedi. After dribbling up a couple of yards, he threaded a pass through Dragović's legs into Pléa's path. The Frenchman got loose, adjusting his stride as he locked onto the ball. His strides were measured as he shot across Hradecky with his first touch.

The Leverkusen keeper, without a moment's thought, managed to sprawl low, fingertips brushing the ball wide of the far post."Vital save!" Rae shouted. "That could've changed the complexion of this first half completely."

The corner that followed was cleared with authority by Bender. The referee glanced at his watch, the rain now pelting in heavier bursts. Moments later, the halftime whistle blew.

[HT]

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To be Continued...