Greatest of All Legends

Chapter 366: The Race for Trophies IV

#36th minute…

On going behind, Oporto had immediately burst out on the attack after resuming the game with a kickoff and the ball soon found Jason on the right wing.

Jason immediately tried running into Tondela’s 18-yard box, but the player in his path was proving to be an annoyance so Jason changed his plan.

Doing a couple of stepovers and then cutting right to create some space, Jason sent a mid-chest level cross into the Tondela penalty area and Marega flew at the ball.

{Diving header!!!}

{Goal!!!}

{Oporto!!!}

{Just three minutes after going behind and they are level again!}

{They’re making their intent clear!}

{They will not be going down easily!} the commentator shouted excitedly as Marega ran over to the sidelines to celebrate with the team, hugging Jason first before the rest of the team came to join in the celebrations.

#48th minute…

The first half had ended with the scores at 2 : 2 and the two teams had gone to their locker rooms for a rest and revision of their respective game plans.

In this manner, the halftime break had easily passed and the teams were back on the field and playing for victory once again.

Having switched their sides, the two teams sent the balls flying at their opponent’s goal with as much vigor as they could muster, and soon a chance opened up for Oporto who had launched a counter-attack after a failed attack of their opponents.

Marega had made a pass to Jason before running past him into the open space behind the defense line.

On receiving the ball, Jason turned around and with the ball, watching Marega’s run and sending a lobbed pass over the Tondela defense line at the perfect moment.

Marega made it past the defense line, got on the end of the ball, and sent it flying past the Tondela goalkeeper with a thunderous shot.

{GOAL!!!}

{3 : 2!!! Porto take the lead, and what a way to do it!}

{Three minutes into the second half and Porto make it three!} the commentator shouted unreservedly into the microphone as the Oporto camp exploded in celebration.

#74th minute…

The Tondela team had gotten a corner kick after Marchesin pulled off a magnificent save to block a powerful effort from Barbosa just a few moments prior.

*Fweeeeeeeeee*

On hearing the referee’s whistle, the ball was sent flying into Oporto’s penalty box and the players of the two teams jumped for the ball, but a Tondela player managed to beat everyone in the air and reached the ball first, getting his head to it and directing it downward towards Oporto’s goal.

Marchesin followed the ball with his eyes and his body reacted appropriately as he made a dive and just barely managed to block the ball with his palm before crashing into the ground, but before he could rejoice that he had managed to block the shot, Tondela’s striker, Gonzalez appeared behind the ball, completely unmarked, and slammed his foot against it from behind and sent the ball back into the net.

Without a doubt, the net was sent bulging.

{Oh my! What a topsy-turvy game we have here!?}

{Tondela equalizes yet again!}

{Oporto must be frustrated by the tenacity of their opponents!}

{They just will not stay down!}

{Will we see a winner in this game?} The commentator displayed his impartiality in his unreserved commentary that rang into the airs of the viewers while the Tondela players celebrated their goal.

#79th minute…

After Tondela had drawn level yet again, Oporto’s fury had been aroused and they had immediately launched attack after attack right after kicking off to resume the game, and they were at it again.

Jason received the ball at the edge of the box from Manafa and his marker immediately lunged at him, but Jason just pulled the ball back about half a yard before kicking the ball forward, sending the ball between the legs of the player lunging at him.

The ball rolled in between the legs of the player and into the path of Evanilson who had begun making a run as soon as Jason got the ball.

As he got to the end of the pass, he smoothly chipped the ball over the outstretched leg of the goalkeeper who had come rushing at him.

The ball had flown past the goalkeeper’s eyes in almost slow motion before landing and rolling into the back of the net.

{GOA!!!}

{It’s been five minutes! Just five minutes since Tondela equalized and Porto are once again putting their tenacity to the test!}

{It’s almost like they want to see how far their opponent’s tenacity can carry them!}

{What confidence! What presence! What ability!}

The commentator’s efforts to hype up the game at this point weren’t even needed as the fans were already heads over heels after watching seven goals go in.

The Oporto fans were celebrating and the Neutrals were enjoying the game, but the Tondela fans were once again thrown into displeasure and disappointment, they still had hopes that their team could still somehow make it back.

Unfortunately, it was not to be any the scoreline remained at Oporto 4 : 3 Tondela till the final whistle despite the efforts of the two teams to further the scoreline

Jason ended up with the Man-of-the-Match award after his impressive performance in the game, with the focal point being that he had provided the assists to all of Porto’s goals in the game.

The manager, however, hadn’t been too happy with the results as despite their win it was not a good time for him as the manager.

While the match had been exciting for the fans and the viewers, that didn’t hold for the manager and he would rather see his team win with a comfortable 2 to nil scoreline than watch a game where there were eleven goals and his players only managed to get one over their opponents.

It signified that the defenders weren’t at the top of their game and that could cost them in future matches, so while the players celebrated their win, he was already making plans for their next training session.