Chapter 281: play with fire
As the match between Manchester United and Millwall entered the last twenty minutes, Millwall started an all-out assault, pinning United back in their half.
The defending champions seemed to be cornered with nowhere to escape.
With only a three-point gap between the two teams, losing this match would widen it to six points. Given Manchester United's momentum from the first half of the season, Millwall would find it incredibly difficult to close such a gap in the second half.
At the very least, they needed to secure a draw!
In the seventy-fifth minute, Aldrich made another substitution, bringing on Van Nistelrooy for Helguera. Lampard dropped back to reinforce the midfield, while they shifted to a two-striker formation, combining attack and defense. The backline tightened, and Makelele shifted further back for added support.
After changing tactics, Millwall's attacks became relentless.
But they kept missing their chances; Shevchenko had two close shots that barely missed the target.
The Red Devils fans in the stands held their heads in disbelief, unable to watch any longer.
The lion is no longer the ferocious beast it once was, but a crazy monster!
With Lampard repositioned, he pushed forward for a long shot that turned out to be even more effective due to the element of surprise. Unfortunately, his shot in the 79th minute hit the post and bounced back. Meanwhile, a more surprising move came from Pirlo, who executed a chipped shot that left Schmeichel scrambling backward. Just as the ball looked set to cross the line, Schmeichel leapt up and punched it away from the bar, but in doing so, he ended up rolling into the goal himself.
At this point in the match, the tension was palpable!
Pirlo stood ready to take a corner kick and once again deceived the defenders; instead of sending in a cross, he played the ball back to the onrushing Schneider.
Schneider advanced down the flank, intending to reach the byline and draw defenders out to expose space in front of the goal. But unexpectedly, Elvin slipped and fell just as he tried to retreat, sending the home fans into a frenzy.
Seizing the opportunity, Schneider calmly carried the ball to the edge before cutting in and sending a low, powerful cross into the box.
The United defenders were left on edge; whether they cleared it or not, any slight miscalculation could result in an own goal on that slippery pitch.
Fortunately, none of the United players managed to touch it, and at the back post, Gudjohnsen found himself in a prime position. He had a narrow-angle shot that should have been a certain goal, yet somehow, Schmeichel pulled off a miraculous save!
The ball ricocheted outward, and Southgate, who hadn't ventured too far back, saw it bounce toward him. Without a second thought, he unleashed a fierce shot.
Schmeichel had barely recovered from his previous close-range save when he saw Gudjohnsen staring at him in disbelief, their eyes wide. To his utter shock, the ball came bouncing back toward him, and he spun around, utterly frazzled.
Damn it!
How many world-class saves do you want me to make?
"This is bizarre, truly bizarre! This match has been filled with the extraordinary. In the first half, both teams scored directly from free kicks. Then in the second half, after Millwall's player slipped, United capitalized on their defensive error to score. Now, a United player has slipped too, giving Millwall the chance to equalize! The most remarkable thing is how similar both teams' goals have been. You can't blame the goalkeepers for their mistakes; Butt made a series of great saves, and Schmeichel blocked Gudjohnsen's almost certain goal. Yet, the second follow-up ball is still sent home by the opponent. It's 2-2, and Millwall is back in the game."
The Red Devils fans at Old Trafford stared blankly at the players on the field, particularly at Elvin.
Sigh... his body has completely let go. In a match like this, with the rain pouring, a slip was bound to happen.
The Lions' fans erupted, cheering loudly, chanting "Go ahead!! Go ahead!! Go ahead!!"
A draw was clearly not their goal; only a victory against United would restore their top position in the standings.
Aldrich made another substitution, bringing on Materazzi for Trezeguet to balance the attack and defense.
Playing away from home, they had exerted pressure on United earlier, but the players were running low on energy, particularly due to the rain making conditions tougher.
Both teams were fiercely contesting every ball, committing fouls, unwilling to give each other another chance to attack. It was then that the Welsh wizard unleashed his magic.
Giggs sprinted down the left flank, while Schneider, who had pushed forward crazily for the last twenty minutes, found it hard to keep pace with the flying Giggs in the 86th minute. Makelele quickly intervened, cutting off Giggs just outside the box, but the cost was a foul.
Makelele received a yellow card, and United had a direct free-kick opportunity.
Positioned at a 40-degree angle from the box, Millwall's defense braced itself for the impending strike.
The handsome Beckham stood over the ball, and Butt felt a chill as he observed the short wall assembled in front of him.
There was no way around it; tall players like Materazzi were already stationed inside the box to thwart any potential cross.
Millwall's entire lineup withdrew to defend against this free kick.
The wall consisted of four players: Schneider, Pirlo, Shevchenko, and Makelele.
With an average height of less than 1.8 meters, the tallest being Shevchenko at 183 cm...
When Beckham took the free-kick, the wall leaped into action, heads thrusting toward the ball, clearly aimed at the near post.
Schneider's head connected with the ball.
I may not be tall, but I can jump!
After heading the ball, he looked back before even landing, watching the trajectory and his heart raced in bad premonition.
"Oh no, crap!"
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was closest to the ball's trajectory, knew from the start that the ball was a shot, but was shocked when the ball changed direction and flew towards the goal.
The "little box king" hurriedly attempted a header clearance but ended up just grazing the ball, sending it toward the back post with reduced speed.
It was too close! Materazzi saw the ball and immediately swung his head to clear it, but it zipped right past him. By the time he finished his motion, Old Trafford erupted with thunderous cheers!
Everyone turned to the back post to see Stam run toward the sidelines to celebrate, while the entire United squad rushed toward the solid center-back who had performed consistently since his summer transfer.
Cursed traitor!
"Manchester United won the last minute! With less than five minutes left in the game, this game may become a classic. The whole experience is unforgettable. If you are a neutral fan, think back on this game. This game will definitely To bring you a smile, Beckham's shot was blocked by Millwall, and then Millwall relayed the header in front of their own goal, and finally assisted Stam to score at the back post. They may have thought Stam was Team-mates...Can the defending champions equalize at the last minute or pull off a stunning comeback? But Manchester United is not Bolton Wanderers and it's not at home to Millwall today."
Millwall's players were almost in a state of mental disarray; today's match had been unusually strange.
Three conceded goals: one from a free kick, one from the opponent exploiting a second ball to score, and the last, although it had its odd moments, clearly revealed the pressure felt in that tense final moment. Van Nistelrooy's header seemed more like the ball hitting him and sending him crashing backward, taking Southgate down with him.
Seeing that goal, Aldrich covered his eyes with his hand, as if struggling to believe the reality before him.
Ferguson burst from the technical area, sprinting onto the rain-soaked pitch, arms raised in celebration just like when he led the team to their first top-flight championship in the inaugural Premier League season.
Aldrich wiped his face, brushing the rain from it, pointing at Materazzi. The Italian, already tuned in, didn't need further instructions from Aldrich to know what to do next.
Materazzi exchanged a few words with Southgate, implying, "Captain, I'm going to lead the charge; you hold the fort."
With hardly any time remaining, United was resolutely determined to hold their lead. Meanwhile, Millwall was pushing forward desperately, attempting to set up a counter-strike for a potential last-ditch effort!
Pirlo's through ball didn't connect, but fortunately, it was still under Millwall's control after being cleared. Schneider's cross from the side was cleared by Stam, landing at Scholes' feet. The ginger-headed midfielder, remarkably calm, had the audacity to play it back to Neville!
Gudjohnsen immediately pressed Neville, who shifted the ball to Beckham out wide.
With a quick turn, Beckham didn't dribble but instead sent a diagonal long pass down the left.
The Welsh wizard Giggs leaped forward just in front of Schneider, using his chest to control the ball before rampaging forward.
Schneider had completely fallen behind!
He was too far in!
Giggs powered on, with Makelele backtracking to cover space in the box. As Giggs reached the box, Makelele lunged to intercept, but Giggs smartly sidestepped him, pushing the ball laterally to Sheringham. After a triangular passing sequence, the ball was delivered into a gap at the edge of the box, where Cole hit it on the volley with precision into the far corner. Butt was utterly helpless this time!
4-2
Manchester United sealed their victory in the first minute of stoppage time with a counterattack.
Red Devils fans on the stands erupted into jubilant celebration, waving their fists as a display towards Millwall.
What a strange scene.
Had it been three or four years ago, would the Red Devils fans have been this excited over triumphing against Millwall?
They probably would have felt it was simply expected.
Aldrich shook his head, bitterly smiling.
People who like to play with fire will eventually get burned.
Previously, counterattacking against the big teams had felt so effortless, yet today, they had been obliterated by United in such a manner, shattering their hopes for an equalizer.
Though Aldrich felt a sense of loss, he managed to remain composed.
United was simply acclimatized to their home advantage, waiting patiently, and the advantage felt even more pronounced given that nobody expected Millwall to concede that final goal in such a bizarre fashion, flipping the match dynamics completely.
The Lions' fans suddenly began humming in unison, singing their club's anthem.
Today was perhaps the most disheartening Christmas for them in the three and a half years since Aldrich took charge, but it would only be a fleeting disappointment.
"The match has concluded, marking the end of the first half of the Premier League season. In this focal clash at Old Trafford, the visiting defending champions Millwall have lost 2-4. Not only did they fail to close the gap with Manchester United, but the points difference has now widened to six. Furthermore, Arsenal, closely trailing behind, have narrowed their gap to four points, undeniably setting the stage for a more gripping and thrilling second half of the season. Perhaps, in the final round of the Premier League, when Millwall faces Manchester United at home, it will turn out to be a championship decider! That's all for today's commentary, folks. Merry Christmas! We'll see you in three days!"
After the match, Aldrich walked into Ferguson's office. They shared a brief twenty-minute conversation on this special Christmas Day. Though Ferguson no longer attempted to poach Millwall players, he had turned his sights on Millwall's coach.
United wanted Meulensteen, a move that didn't require Millwall's consent. Ferguson merely informed Aldrich as a matter of courtesy. Aldrich appeared calm about it; if Meulensteen desired to leave, Millwall couldn't stop him. However, Aldrich was quite confident about keeping Meulensteen, knowing that the club had much more to offer, especially with a host of exceptionally talented players for him to develop.
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