Chapter 158 One Minute

Michael Bernard has never been as anxious as he is today. Even when facing the difficulties of clients and sudden official duties, he always deals with them with polite smiles on his face. His subordinates feel full of confidence when they see them, and no matter what difficulties they have, they will definitely not be able to deal with them.

But today is different.

At noon, he locked himself in the office and specifically ordered Mipiao Astronomy to watch the game live. But it was so unlucky. Before he planned to do this, he was called to talk to his immediate boss.

This was really a tragedy, and what was even more tragic was that his boss talked to him this time, telling him that the company planned to further promote him and might have an important task. He dared not not to go such a conversation, nor did he dare to show any impatient emotions in the conversation... although he was indeed very impatient.

Looking at the boss opposite, he really had the impulse: he fucked the thick glass ashtray on the table, covered it on his forehead, and then grabbed the door and ran out to watch the ball. As for work, what's the time to think about those things at this time?

This unexpected conversation made him realize something - it turned out that he could not lose football in his heart. He thought he had forgotten it, but actually buried it in the deepest part of his heart, so deep that he could not even notice it. It was not until today that he was in a hurry to watch the European Cup that he woke up as if he was dreaming.

When his boss finished his official affairs, he was able to leave. Look at the watch on his wrist, there were less than five minutes left before the ninety minutes of the game ended.

He trotted all the way to the elevator, but found that the elevator was still far away from the tenth floor, so he looked at his watch again. He didn't have time to wait for the elevator here, so he simply rushed to the stairwell next to him and ran down jumping and jumping.

Although there were only a few minutes. He didn't want to give up. His feelings for English football have gradually faded. The only team in his life that made him crazy is Nottingham Forest. He just wanted to see how his old friend looked like on the most dazzling stage of this world competition.

I don’t know if it’s still so arrogant, ha!

Michael blew up papers on the tables on both sides of the aisle like a whirlwind. In the surprised eyes of the subordinates, he scraped into his office and had not forgotten to scrape the door.

Michael, who was flying to his desk, urgently clicked on the link to the live broadcast online, and began to wait and wait to connect to the media.

The network quality in the United States is very good. Online live broadcasts took only a dozen seconds to be launched, and they were very smooth.

Before he could breathe, his eyes were fixed on the computer screen, and he almost forgot to breathe.

In the player, the first scene he saw was the fourth official standing on the sidelines and holding up the sign of injury stoppage time: 5.

"Five minutes of injury time!" The commentator of espn told Michael who had just opened the live broadcast in English. "And England is still behind 1:2. The time left for them is only five minutes. I really can't imagine how Don't En's team will save the situation..."

While speaking, the camera was aimed at England coach Tony Donn, who was standing in front of the coach's seat.

Michael saw his long-lost old friend, but he didn't see his face, because the first thing that caught his eye was Tony Donn's back. The man was standing on the sidelines. He wrapped his hands around his chest, and a large area of ​​sweat was wet from behind his white shirt.

The live broadcast did not give him a close-up shot, because the game on the court had entered a white-hot stage, and the camera just flashed behind Tang En. It turned to the court again.

"The England team is in trouble. There are five minutes of injury time. They have to catch it, otherwise everything will be over! But can they seize these five minutes of opportunity? Or... can the Italian team give them a few minutes of time? You must know that the Italian team is in control of the ball now!"

"Let them just pour the ball from the back like this? That won't work!" Vaughan rushed up, hoping to intercept the ball in the frontcourt.

Seeing this, Chiellini quickly passed the football to Sylvester next to him.

However, Sylvestery had just started playing and didn't even have his feet running hot. In such a hurry, he suddenly received a pass from his teammate. His stop was a little bigger. It was as if the sharks smelled bloody, and Rooney appeared in front of him instantly. At this time, don't think about continuing to control the ball on his feet. In order not to make mistakes, Sylvestery directly drove the football big foot out.

England finally got possession.  It was less than five minutes at this time, and they had to seize every time to attack.

The Italian team did not have the strength to harass the frontcourt anymore. After ninety minutes of fierce battle, their physical strength was not enough to avoid any trouble. At this time, they chose to retreat back to the half to defend. Lippi didn't care how embarrassed his team would be in the last few minutes. As long as they could hold on, he would be the one who was in the end.

Facing the Italian team where even the forwards were retrieving to the front of the penalty area to participate in defense, the England team was a little at a loss. After several consecutive passes, they still couldn't find a suitable time to pass the ball directly. Bentley, who was a little anxious, simply shot out of the long shot in the ribs with an outrageous foot...

Italian fans in the stands gave warm applause for his shot, thanking him for helping to waste another attack opportunity for England.

Tang En is no longer as anxious as before. He is called blind long shots by Bentley. He is indifferent to Bentley, without making any annoyance, nor does he yell. It seems that the one behind is not his team. Maybe he can't do anything at the moment. As a head coach, he has done everything he should do. It's impossible for him to play football by himself, right?

What happens after this depends on the players' performance.

For example, James Vaughan has not made any achievements since he was on the court.

Vaughan himself was also very dissatisfied with this - when he was not on the court, he complained that he was not valued, but Abang Raho, who replaced him, scored a goal. But when he had the opportunity to play, the team was facing a crisis, but he made no contribution, which was really unreasonable.

"We need to score! Rooney! Vaughan! And Walcott, what are you doing?!"

In bars in the UK, countless people stared at the screen and asked such questions. Tang En had used all three substitutions, and the matter could not be found on him later.

"What can we do at this time? We can't go up and help them score goals, but we can inspire them with our singing!" In the stands at the Bernabeu, John was chanting generously to his partners. "Guys, sing with me - St. George bless England! St. George bless England -!!"

"St George bless England!!"

The singing came from everyone's mouth, as if rivers were flowing into the vast ocean, and finally formed a storm of waves.

At this time, the English fans became the absolute masters in the stands. The Italians' voice was suppressed by them.

However, it seemed that their singing did not work. In the first three minutes of injury time, England failed to threaten the Italian goal.

"It is worthy of being the Italian team, worthy of being Lippi. This set of defense has left Tony Donn's England team at a loss. The Italian team is getting closer to the second European Cup in their history little by little, while the leading England team is far away from their first European Cup. This is really a reality that makes English fans sad..."

I don't know if others think so, but John and the Earth Fans did not give up singing because of this.

Even Motson was a little discouraged: "Maybe only the gods descending from the sky can save us... Such a reality is so cruel. Who would have thought that we would have been one goal ahead twenty minutes ago?"

The fourth minute of injury time has officially entered.

Now the head coaches of both teams are out of cards. All they can do is watch the show. Lippi also stood up from his seat and walked slowly to the sidelines. At such a tense moment, even after experiencing countless storms, he could not sit still.

This sentence is almost done to draw a circle.

George Wood is holding the ball, and he faces little defensive pressure because he is in a low position. The Italian players are shrinking further back, and there is a long distance between the two. The cautious Italians did not rush up to intercept the ball, and they do not want to give England a chance to play behind them.

Wood distributed the football to Bentley on the wing, and Bentley transferred the long pass to Chris Cohen on the other side.

It seems that England can only pass so meaninglessly so far. It is impossible to send football to the front.

Chris Cohen made a cross. Rooney struggled to get the ball, but the football hit Chrischito and flew out of the bottom line.

England quickly took a corner kick, a tactical foot ball. Wood stepped forward to receive the ball and passed the ball back to the rushing full-back Joe Matok. Matok defended against Balotelli, and then made a fuss to break through after a fake shot, but was knocked to the ground by Balotelli.

The referee's whistle sounded, and England won a free kick with a small angle on the left side of the Italian goal, which was more like a thirty-degree angle kick closest.

At this time, every set ball could break through the opponent's goal. Terry and Taylor all pushed forward, and even Johart was ready to rush forward and contribute to the team.

Benterley is a right-footed player. It is logical that a free kick from this angle should be passed, and it is more reasonable to kick it from the left foot in the future. However, the right-footed player's free kick on the left has a different effect.

Bentley placed the football, got up and stepped back, waiting for the referee's whistle tone.

"This is an intra-rotation ball! Be careful of their back inserting!!" goalkeeper Amelia shouted in front of the goal, asking his teammates to keep a tight watch.

At this time, the players on both sides were concentrated near the penalty spot and did not squeeze in front of the goal like a corner kick. This was obviously to let the free thrower kick the football towards the goal instead of spinning out. The group of people in the middle inserted and rushed to the goal, and the players on the defensive side had to follow the offensive players to sprint towards the goal. In this process, it was a bit difficult to let them shake their heads and push the football in the opposite direction... Even if no one could hit the goal, the football will continue to fly straight to the back corner of the goal according to the established trajectory. As long as Amelia was shaken by anyone during the whole process and lost the initiative and due judgment, it may cause the football to fly directly into the goal.

This is the benefit of letting the right-footed player play the set ball on the left and letting the left-footed player play the set ball on the right.

How could the Italian team not see such an obvious tactic? The Italians strengthened their close-knit control of the English players, and even used the action of pulling the jerseys to stop their offensive.

Everyone focused on Bentley's air ball.

George Wood stood next to Bentley, but did not attract any attention. Although Wood scored a goal with a free kick in the match against France. However, the free kick was directly in front of the penalty area, on the penalty area line, and the shooting angle was very good. Now the football and the goal were at about 30 degrees, and Amelia could easily block the angle. A strong shot here would not work.

In the penalty area, English players and Italian players are entangled. One side wants to get rid of it, while the other side is trying hard to stick to each other.  Don't give in to each other, but English players have their own little plan - let them pull it at this time.  It doesn't matter.   When the ball is opened, you just need to go with the trend, maybe it's a penalty?

The referee retreated from the penalty area and blew a whistle that could kick off the ball.

After running up, Bentley did not pass the ball directly into the penalty area, but instead drove it away!

Wood, who was standing aside, rushed up. He swung his left foot and directly pulled the football in!

Starting from Amelia to forward Forti, eleven Italians put the center of defense into the air. No one expected that the ball would fly towards the goal against the turf!

Could it be that he really shot directly?

Amelia was shocked and quickly lowered her center of gravity, calmed down, and tried to poke the ball horizontally.

At the same time, the Royal Jockey Club in the penalty area was like a gunfire. Players from Italy and England fought for the first place and rushed towards the goal.

In fact, it was not a shot at all, but a cross, just a Wood-style cross. The football headed towards the far corner of the goal, and as long as someone touched it during this process, it would...

Rooney at the front point did not hit the football under the interference of Chrischito, and he passed by the football. Wood's powerful "shot" was really too fast, and the opportunity to shoot was fleeting.

Walcott and Terry in the middle did not meet football either. Instead, they collided with Chiellini and Sylvetri.

This even call collision also disturbed Amelia. When he finally got rid of the situation in front of him and was about to save the fire, he found that it was too late!

In the chaotic penalty area, no one outsiders could see clearly what was going on. But a white figure suddenly pierced out in the crowd. It seemed like a dagger flashing with a cold light, and then the football suddenly changed direction just one step away from the goal. Rolled across the goal line!

This was a really unexpected scene. No one expected that this free kick would actually result in a goal!

“what?what…what_the_great_gooooooooal!!!”

John Motson, who was a little dejected just now, was instantly resurrected.

"What have we seen? A miracle that is happening! England tied the score in the fourth minute and tenth second in injury time!! Who scored the goal? Or is it an own goal at all?!"

In a puzzled manner, a person rushed out of the crowd in front of the Italian goal, but James Vaughan in a white jersey!

While running towards the corner flag, he lifted his jersey against the camera lens, revealing his long-prepared T-shirt that he had read: "We're with you, Aaron!"

"This ball is dedicated to you, Aaron!" he shouted at the T-shirt on his chest, pointing to the camera.

"James Vaughn! James Vaughn!! He saved England!! He saved Tony Donn's heart!!"

Motson shouted at the top of his lungs, almost losing his voice.

"What happened? The ball went into? The England team equalized the score?" The Italian commentator used three questions in a row, and the shock in his heart was undoubtedly revealed. "God, what's going on?"

The fans from England from the stands answered him with tsunami shouts: "Long live! James Vaughan! Long live! St. George!"

Amelia lay on the ground, spreading her hands into a large shape. At this time, he had no strength to get up, and he felt weak all over. All his strength was pulled away with the loss of the ball.

What's going on? His mind is still unclear.

Why is this happening?

This is probably also a common question among countless Italians.
To be continued...