Chapter 19

Thank you, Tuo Tuo Xie He, for your generous tip, the first fan of this book has been born.

————————————————————

Xian Lian continued to play with high intensity, but their forwards were clearly demoralized, unable to win headers against the tall Stam and always being intercepted by Makelele. With Southgate's steady performance, the two opposing forwards became increasingly disheartened and more lost in the Millwall penalty area.

The left-wing attacker prepared to send a high ball into the penalty area, but he chose to cross from the baseline. Unfortunately, he was dispossessed by Thuram during the breakthrough, and the player fell to the ground, leaving the ball at Thuram's feet.

Peter shouted excitedly into the field, "WTF! That was a clear foul! A damn foul!"

However, the referee on the field made no indication, not even bothering to signal for the Xian Lian players to get up. The fans in the stands clapped and cheered excitedly.

After intercepting the ball, Thuram did not dribble but passed it directly to the nearest Makelele. Makelele, before the opposing forward could retreat and press him, quickly distributed the ball.

Nedved received the ball in the center circle and immediately sent a long pass to Pires on the left wing.

Pires continued to move from the wing towards the center, and five meters away, a Xian Lian defender was preparing to come up and tackle or disrupt his long shot.

Pires remained calm. Not long ago, the coach had gestured from the sidelines, and the game had passed the 30-minute mark. At this point, his role had changed.

The tactical arrangement by Audrich from the previous day echoed clearly in his mind: "Long shots in the first 30 minutes will force the opposing defenders out of the penalty area. If the game develops as expected, after the wingers move towards the center, the two forwards should be ready for a counter-attack. Robert, you and Beindorff should pass the ball directly into the penalty area!"

After observing the Xian Lian defense, Pires was surprised to find that Audrich was right!

The opposing defense had left the penalty area to reduce the threat of long shots from Millwall. At the same time, large gaps were left behind the defenders.

Without hesitation, Pires sent a through pass into the space between the opposing center-back and full-back.

This through pass was not fast but was extremely accurate. At the same moment Pires passed the ball, Larsson turned and sprinted past the center-back who was marking him!

The Xian Lian defenders were accustomed to Millwall's long shots in the first 30 minutes and did not expect this time for the ball to be played behind them. What they did not anticipate was how incredibly fast Larsson was!

The center-back turned to chase Larsson, but the distance between them grew larger, not even giving him a chance to grab him!

Larsson successfully broke the offside trap and faced a one-on-one with the goalkeeper!

The fans in the stadium stood up involuntarily, all eyes focused on Larsson.

Audrich watched this attack from the sidelines, his heart racing, his hands trembling. His calm demeanor vanished, replaced by intense hope.

Score, score, score!

Put that damn ball into the net!

Audrich shouted in his mind, his throat dry, only able to breathe heavily with his mouth slightly open.

The Xian Lian goalkeeper did not expect to face a one-on-one after dealing with long shots from Millwall throughout the first half.

The goalkeeper did not rush out but stayed in front of the goal line, gradually advancing to expand his defensive area, trying to reduce Larsson's shooting angle.

Larsson caught up with the ball as soon as he entered the penalty area. Without stopping the ball, he adjusted his steps and, from the left side of the ball, gently chipped it with his right foot!

The Xian Lian goalkeeper made the basic move a goalkeeper should make in a one-on-one, blocking the near post and diving to the right. However, as he dove, he turned his head in frustration, hoping the ball would not roll into the goal.

But Larsson's shot drew a gentle arc, the ball landing steadily in the far corner of the goal, spinning a few times before coming to a stop inside the goal!

The Lion's Den Stadium erupted!

The fans in the stands raised their arms, jumping and laughing like children, while Larsson ran along the touchline towards the corner flag, creating a wave of excitement among the nearby fans!

The Millwall players ran to Larsson, celebrating with him. They looked up at the stands and were surprised to see many fans holding signs with their names written in different languages, showing support.

The notorious Millwall fans, known for their fierce reputation, suddenly seemed adorable.

It was only the first game, but a significant number of fans already recognized them, knew their nationalities, and used their native languages to express support, making them feel warmly welcomed.

Audrich, watching the goal from the sidelines, jumped up in excitement, his hands clenched into fists, waving in front of him. He turned around, and Jensen and the other coaches also left their seats, hugging Audrich. They laughed and jumped, celebrating Millwall's first official match goal of the season, and Audrich's first official match goal as the manager!

After the excitement, Audrich returned to the sidelines, clapping to encourage the players and making a gesture to keep them focused and not get carried away.

He then cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the field, "Keep playing the way you were!"

With this goal, the players on the field began to change their perception of Audrich.

The 18-year-old manager was not just a strict coach during training, a helpful friend in discussions, but also a manager who could lead them to victory!

Peter, with a red face and a swollen neck, kept arguing with the assistant referee, firmly believing that Thuram's tackle on the Xian Lian attacker was a foul. If the referee had penalized it, there would not have been a counter-attack leading to a goal.

After calming down, Audrich put his hands back into his trouser pockets, recalling the beautiful goal, he was highly impressed with Larsson.

The Swedish forward's shooting technique was commendable, especially since he could score with both his head and feet. His shooting was not about power but about composure and finesse, often making precise shots in the penalty area with minimal movement, resulting in beautiful and tricky goals.

The goal just now was a typical example. His side-footed chip from the side of the penalty area, even if the goalkeeper had guessed the direction, would have been out of reach. The ball, moving slowly, drew an elegant arc in the air.

After conceding the goal, the Xian Lian team showed a dejected expression.

Perhaps they thought that in the first 30 minutes, Millwall had only a few long shots from outside the penalty area and no real threat, while they could consistently keep the ball in the Millwall half and even in the penalty area. Yet, they were the ones who conceded.

This dealt a significant blow to the team, and Peter, on the sidelines, angrily urged the players to launch a more aggressive attack.

After being reminded by Audrich, the Millwall players did not get carried away and continued to maintain their solid defensive stance.

The anxious attacks by Xian Lian were ineffective, and they failed to organize any threatening attacks on the Millwall goal. Instead, Millwall's attacks became more and more effective.

In the latter part of the first half, Millwall's attacks moved closer to the opposing penalty area. David Trezeguet, eager to score, started his counter-attack too early, and he might have had a one-on-one opportunity.

In the first half stoppage time, Pires took a shot from outside the penalty area, which was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, resulting in a corner kick for Millwall.

Schneider, known for his excellent technique, was responsible for taking the corner. As one of the best German players of his generation, Schneider's crossing and set-piece skills were outstanding.

Millwall's set-piece tactics were a focus of the past two weeks of training, as the team had many players skilled at heading.

The two forwards, Larsson and Trezeguet, were not only excellent at heading but also had a keen sense of opportunity in the penalty area. Nedved, the midfielder, was also a good header, as were the center-backs Stam and Southgate, and the former center-back Thuram.

Makelele and Lucas Neill stayed near the center circle to prevent a counter-attack, while Pires roamed around the back post and the outside of the penalty area.

Southgate stood in front of the opposing goalkeeper, creating pressure. Larsson and Stam were ready to jump at the near post, Thuram interfered with the defenders' vision at the front post, and Trezeguet stood loosely in the center, moving a step when the defenders pushed him, showing no resistance.

Schneider stood by the corner flag, raised his hand, and made a fist. Seeing this gesture, the Millwall players in the penalty area understood and then Schneider ran up to take the corner.

As the ball flew out from the corner flag, all the Millwall players pressed towards the center, causing the Xian Lian defenders to follow them reflexively. The group of players in the penalty area moved a couple of steps towards the far post, and one player ran out from the crowd, quickly circling around to the near post!

The corner kick was extremely fast but not high, slightly clearing the heads of the Xian Lian defenders at the near post before starting to drop, landing in the near post area of the goal!

There, a bald player in a dark blue shirt and white shorts dove and headed the ball!

Less than two meters from the goal, the ball, redirected by the header, flew directly into the Xian Lian goal, and the opposing goalkeeper fell into the goal without making a save!

The Lion's Den Stadium erupted again.

The player who got up from the ground was the young David Trezeguet!

After the diving header, he kept his eyes on the Xian Lian goal. Seeing the ball go in, he immediately got up, a surprised smile on his face, pointing at Schneider who took the corner, and ran over to lift him up. Pires, running up behind, jumped on Trezeguet's shoulders, celebrating with the fans who were eager to jump into the field.

Seeing this goal, Audrich was even more delighted, as the first half stoppage time was almost over. He had already been thinking about his halftime speech, but he did not expect Trezeguet to score in his debut!

Hearing the thunderous cheers from the stadium, Audrich raised his arms and waved, encouraging the fans to cheer louder.

Jensen, watching Audrich's actions, was both amused and moved. In their minds, this young manager should be cautious and nervous, but the Audrich they saw seemed to have no pressure at all.

Audrich knew the team was young, and the players on the field needed encouragement, affirmation, and recognition, which was crucial for their growth.

So, he worked to energize the atmosphere.

Applause, louder!

Cheering, louder!