Chapter 196: Unexpected Deadlock

Coach Johansen stayed true to his word regarding changes in the line-up after half-time. Immediately, after exiting the tunnel for the second half, he went ahead and signaled to the fourth official to introduce both Verner Rönning and Ole Selnæs as substitutes.

He couldn't let any mishaps happen when his team was already in the lead. So, he decided to take a guarded approach and introduce two defensive-minded players to reduce the likelihood of the opponents scoring.

"Make sure you stay solid at the back," he said to the two substitutes as they were going through the mandatory routine of being checked by the fourth official. "Always make first-time clearances—and please, avoid making mistakes close to our defensive third. If there are opportunities, try to pass the ball to Zachary. He'll be our playmaker for the second half. Are we clear?"

"Yes, coach," the two players replied in sync just before the fourth official raised the board to announce their entry.