Chapter 39

Former Manchester United player Blackmore had a large activity area in the front field, making him one of the most threatening offensive initiators for Middlesbrough. After receiving a pass from Neil Cowes in the backfield, he took two steps with the ball near the center circle. Nedved had already retreated to block his path, but Blackmore still forced a long pass. It was supposed to be a wide transfer, but the ball hit Nedved's shin and quickly deflected towards the baseline, creating a corner kick.

The penalty area of Millwall was packed with players. Southgate called out to his teammates to mark their opponents closely. The game had reached a fever pitch, and everyone was on high alert.

Haigney's corner kick flew towards the near post, where Southgate was already marking Middlesbrough's forward Graham Cavanagh.

Watching the ball fly in from a distance, Southgate pressed against Cavanagh, and the two were inseparable. Southgate anticipated the ball's trajectory and felt somewhat relieved. Although the ball was dropping at the near post, neither he nor Cavanagh had the distance to head it with power. They were almost charging towards the baseline, a bit too far.

But Cavanagh jumped forcefully, and Southgate also jumped, clearly higher than Cavanagh. Even if Cavanagh headed the ball towards the goal, Southgate would block the angle with his face!

However, Southgate watched in disbelief as Cavanagh suddenly ducked his head and leaned back. The ball hit his head and bounced out of the penalty area.

Was this a header to the side? A back pass?

Southgate didn't know, but he thought the threat in the penalty area had been neutralized.

However, the ball bounced out of the penalty area at a 45-degree angle, landing in a weakly defended area. Pires rushed to get the ball, but a Middlesbrough player, veteran Nigel Pearson, charged forward.

As a defender, Pearson swung his leg and volleyed the ball!

After the shot, the Middlesbrough fans in the stands looked slightly disappointed.

A defender's technique is ultimately for clearing the ball.

The ball flew diagonally towards the penalty area, and it was clear it would go out of bounds.

But no one expected that this off-target shot would be so powerful. In the crowded penalty area, Schneider, who was backtracking, couldn't avoid the ball. It hit his shin and changed direction, inexplicably deflecting into Millwall's goal. The goalkeeper Keller had no reaction, and all the Millwall players were stunned.

"GOOOOOAL! Middlesbrough takes the lead! 2-1! 2-1! Middlesbrough is now at the top of the League One table! We thought Cavanagh was helping Millwall clear the ball with a header, but by a twist of fate, the ball landed outside the penalty area. Pearson followed up with a shot that went off target, but someone in the penalty area helped Middlesbrough. Schneider! This young German player deflected the ball into his own goal, an own goal, an own goal! What a disappointment for Millwall. Will they lose their top position because of this own goal? There are only twenty minutes left, just twenty minutes."

All the Middlesbrough players involved in the corner kick rushed to the corner flag, where Pearson was being cheered by the fans. Even he didn't expect that a clearance would result in a goal.

Schneider held his head, his eyes vacant. He knew what this own goal meant.

Not only had his team been overturned, but they had also lost their top position.

The young player almost fell to his knees.

At that moment, two men approached him: Southgate and Nedved, the team's captain and vice-captain, who each put an arm around his shoulders.

"Beind, pull yourself together. It's not your fault, and no one will blame you."

"Keep your head up, the game isn't over yet!"

Encouraged by the two captains, Schneider clenched his teeth and lifted his head. He instinctively looked towards the sideline to see how their manager would react.

Would he be so angry as to substitute him?

But when he looked over, Audrich was waving at him and pointing to Nedved. In front of Audrich, Pires, Larsson, and Trezeguet were already standing there.

Audrich didn't care how long Middlesbrough would celebrate.

Although time was running out, Audrich needed to explain the upcoming adjustments to the players.

When the goal was scored, Audrich's face turned expressionless for a moment.

His mind seemed to enter a state of emptiness, and time seemed to slow down. The celebration of Brian Robson and the Middlesbrough bench, not far away, became a slow-motion scene.

The goal was an accident, but it could have been avoided. At that moment, Audrich realized he had made a mistake!

Although he said he would be satisfied with a draw, for the first seventy minutes of the game, he had been thinking about how to win.

The impressive performance in the first nine rounds of the league had bred a sense of complacency in him, which he had only pretended to hide.

Even at Ayresome Park, he hadn't placed more emphasis on defense, a sign of his subconscious desire to win quickly.

In contrast, Brian Robson's Middlesbrough, despite being at home, played very conservatively, truly serving the goal of victory.

If he could go back in time, Audrich would never use the same tactics.

Middlesbrough's conservative play allowed Millwall to be even more conservative, and their counterattacks were more effective than set-piece plays!

When time ran out, Middlesbrough would be the first to crack. After all, this was their home ground, and Millwall was the top team, the one they were chasing. In a draw, Middlesbrough would be the one to suffer.

Audrich felt a deep sense of self-reproach. He could relieve the players of pressure and help them relax, but no one could remind or correct him.

He once thought that with the "future" memory and experience, he was already hardened, but he realized he was still a rookie!

With the team being overturned and the morale hit by an own goal, Audrich knew that Millwall was on the brink. At this moment, he needed to save not just the game but also the morale, and perhaps his authority and trust as a manager.

He had to take a risk.

In a flash, Audrich understood everything. He didn't have time to feel regret or admire Robson's fox-like qualities. He needed to respond quickly. Fortunately, he had a plan for building the team in his mind, and although it might not work at this moment, it was his only choice.

Schneider, still nervous, approached Audrich with Nedved. Audrich didn't have much time to comfort him, so he calmly said, "Forget about that goal. You've played exceptionally well today, but I hope you can continue to do so until the end of the game."

Hearing this, Schneider almost shed tears. He clenched his teeth and nodded fiercely, the heavy self-reproach instantly turning into boundless determination, even making him forget the fatigue from seventy minutes of intense play.

Audrich kept it brief, explaining his tactical adjustments to the front five attackers. Although the changes weren't drastic, they required the five to move in unison and with perfect coordination.

The game quickly resumed, and with a one-goal lead, Middlesbrough played more calmly and conservatively.

The Middlesbrough fans in the stands sang, and although Brady's "Lion Roar" was also singing loudly, it was drowned out by the waves of Middlesbrough fans' songs.

On the field, Nedved took the ball and immediately passed it to Pires on the left wing. Pires cut into the center and took a long shot that went over the crossbar, making the Middlesbrough defense break out in a cold sweat.

Brian Robson frowned.

Millwall, trailing, started to play more recklessly!

Trezeguet was at the front, Larsson moved out of the penalty area to the left, and Nedved also moved to the left. Pires quickly became the core of Millwall's attack.

Nedved passed the ball, Pires received it and played a one-two with Larsson, then cut into the penalty area, but the ball was intercepted.

Pires cut into the center, Trezeguet received the ball and passed it back, and Pires took a long shot...

In the ten minutes after the restart, Pires was undoubtedly the star of Millwall. He took four shots, made three breakthroughs, and created a decent header opportunity for Trezeguet.

Pires' individual skills were on full display in these few minutes, from dribbling and breaking through to precise passing.

As the player who scored Millwall's goal in the first half, Pires naturally became a major threat to Middlesbrough's defense. Marking him and limiting his movement became Middlesbrough's top priority.

As Millwall's attacks continued to focus on the left wing, Middlesbrough's defense inevitably shifted to the right.

Audrich stood by the sideline, watching the game. He was at least relieved that his team hadn't lost their fighting spirit despite being behind.

Nedved, tirelessly running and organizing attacks in the midfield, set an example that influenced every teammate.

Now, Millwall was focusing on the left wing, even if it meant a strong attack, which made the game's pace very fast in the last twenty minutes!

Every time Millwall attacked, Middlesbrough's players instinctively focused on the right side.

When Pires was being double-teamed on the left wing, Audrich looked at the scoreboard: 88:27, 88:28...

He was solemn, thinking: The decisive moment has arrived!

The Middlesbrough fans in the stands were singing and laughing. When Pires was intercepted on the left wing, they erupted in thunderous cheers.

Cowes cleared the ball with a long pass, and Blackmore, whose stamina was clearly waning, waited for the ball. Brian Robson was also preparing to make substitutions to waste time, waiting for a dead ball.

Just as Blackmore was about to stop the ball, a figure appeared in front of him.

Defensive stalwart Makelele!

He charged from behind, used his chest to block the ball, and then passed it to Nedved in the front.

When Nedved took the ball, Middlesbrough's defense instinctively focused on Pires, but this time, Nedved made a powerful through pass to the right wing.

Middlesbrough's defense, already leaning to the right, didn't realize how much space was left on the left!

Schneider, who had been invisible since the own goal, was walking along the sideline, but he was always pressing the Middlesbrough defense.

Nedved's through pass completely broke through Middlesbrough's defense. When Fleming realized what was happening, Schneider had already received the ball at the baseline.

Schneider, who was exceptionally calm, cut into the penalty area with the ball. His determination was stronger than ever. He knew his manager was watching from the sideline, and this opportunity was created by his teammates' tireless efforts. He couldn't waste it, or he wouldn't forgive himself.

Middlesbrough's penalty area suddenly became chaotic. Pires cut into the far post from the right, Trezeguet charged to the near post, and Larsson sprinted from the edge of the penalty area towards the goal, causing Middlesbrough's defense to instinctively contract and retreat.

When Schneider entered the penalty area, Steve Wickes came to block him, and Fleming joined in. Instead of trying to dribble past them, Schneider calmly passed the ball.

Middlesbrough's defenders were shocked by the ball's trajectory.

It wasn't a cross to the front of the goal, nor a high ball into the box.

The damn ball was actually back-passed to the top of the penalty arc.

The retreat of the defense created a significant gap at the top of the penalty arc.

A blond figure rushed in, took a powerful shot!

Audrich clenched his fists and gritted his teeth on the sideline. He could almost see every detail of Nedved's shooting action. The powerful leg swing was a beautiful display of strength, like a noble king, a golden lion!

Bang!

The powerful shot from Nedved's foot was like a cannonball, flying into the top left corner of the goal!

"GOOOOOOOAL! Pavel Nedved! Pavel Nedved! Millwall has equalized the score, now it's 2-2, 2-2! Millwall has kicked Middlesbrough back to second place, and they are still the top team in League One!"

Seeing the ball fly into Middlesbrough's goal, Audrich suddenly knelt on the ground, his fists shaking in front of him, and he let out a loud roar with his head thrown back and eyes closed!

This goal was of great significance!

League One top spot?

To hell with it!

The fierce lion Millwall has a soul!

PS: Thank you to "Tuo Tuoxieba" for the tip!

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