Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Too Stretched!
The game's pace was accelerating rapidly.
As Hamsik sent a long ball forward, Napoli's frontline players surged forward in a synchronized sprint.
While Cavani dropped deep to create space, the two wingers, Di Maria and Sanchez, pushed to the forefront of the attack.
After Di Maria caught up with the ball and effortlessly bypassed Materazzi with a series of feints and shimmies, Inter Milan's goalkeeper Cesar could no longer hold his position. He abandoned the goal, rushing toward the left corner of the six-yard box to close down the angle.
But Di Maria, calm and composed, lifted a precise cross before Cesar could intercept.
Inter defender rushed toward the center to block, but Di Maria's pass sailed over him, heading toward the far post.
There, Sanchez stormed in, chesting down Di Maria's pass gracefully. The ball bounced off his chest, hit the ground, and rebounded.
Without waiting for Maxwell to catch up from behind, Sanchez struck the ball cleanly with his foot.
The shot sped past Cesar.
Despite Cesar's desperate dive to save it, stretching every muscle in his body, he could do nothing to stop the ball from smashing into the back of the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"
"In the eighth minute, Napoli strikes again! It's 2-0!!!"
"My goodness! Nobody, absolutely nobody, could have predicted such an explosive start to this match. I doubt even Gao Shen himself could have dreamed of this scenario."
Sanchez, elated from his goal, turned and pointed at Di Maria in the distance, laughing as he backpedaled in celebration. Di Maria, grinning widely, sprinted toward Sanchez and leapt into his arms.
Cavani, Hamsik, and the rest of the Napoli players joined in, forming a jubilant huddle around the two.
The entire Sao Paulo stadium erupted into deafening cheers from Napoli fans.
Some supporters, who were still finding their seats after the first goal, were stunned to realize they'd missed another.
The sheer speed and efficiency of Napoli's offense left everyone in awe.
Gao Shen, pacing the sidelines, could hardly believe his eyes.
If the first goal caught Inter Milan off guard, then this second goal was nothing short of a shock. Even Gao Shen himself hadn't anticipated this sequence of events.
Neither had Napoli's players. The opportunity had appeared so suddenly that they barely had time to process it.
The sequence began when Maicon lost the ball to Biglia, and Hamsik immediately intercepted Maicon's pass attempt. Everyone knows that losing the ball in midfield is dangerous, it directly fuels counterattacks.
It was so unexpected that Gao Shen didn't react until he saw Sanchez's shot hit the net. Only then did he clap his hands and shout loudly in approval, his excitement palpable.
He had envisioned a fast start and perhaps an early goal, but to score twice so quickly and so decisively? That was beyond his wildest expectations.
"Hahaha!"
The people around Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh at the coach's delighted, almost devilish laughter. But nobody minded—it was infectious. The entire Napoli bench was buzzing with excitement.
"We can see even Gao Shen himself is surprised by how things are unfolding!"
"Absolutely. This game is exceeding everyone's expectations, especially given Inter Milan's form and reputation as Serie A leaders. What we're witnessing tonight is hard to comprehend."
"Gao Shen mentioned earlier this season that Napoli would peak in form by late February or early March. Judging by their energy and coordination tonight, it seems his planning is paying off."
"Di Maria has been absolutely phenomenal so far. First, he dribbled past multiple defenders with ease. Then, he completely dismantled Materazzi for the second goal."
"Oh, wait, we're seeing Inter Milan players signaling to the referee. They're asking to pause the game."
"Materazzi is down in the penalty area, clutching his groin. He looks to be in some pain."
"Let's look at the replay. During Di Maria's sequence of feints and direction changes, Materazzi's movements looked... awkward. It seems his legs were overstretched, and he may have pulled something."
The live broadcast cut to the Inter Milan bench, where Mancini was visibly fuming. He gestured furiously at his players, clearly frustrated and disappointed with their performance. His facial expressions and body language screamed of someone on the verge of losing control.
For Mancini, this game was supposed to be a must-win. Yet here they were, down two goals within the opening minutes. What could he do now?
And to top it off, Materazzi was injured. What would happen if they lost one of their key defenders so early?
"There's an old saying," Zidane remarked dryly from the stands. "If you overreach, you're bound to slip up."
The Frenchman's words were devoid of emotion. His personal history with Materazzi still lingered, making it hard to feel any sympathy for the defender's plight.
"Di Maria has been spectacular in this game," Valdano chimed in. "He's already shown more consistency and flair than Gervinho did last season."
Sacchi nodded in agreement. "What's even more impressive is his tactical execution. It's clear why Gao Shen has prioritized Di Maria and Callejon over Gervinho. Their style fits perfectly with his system."
As an analyst covering every Napoli game this season, Sacchi had become intimately familiar with the team. Writing columns and analyzing Napoli's tactical brilliance had turned into a lucrative endeavor for the Italian legend.
"If Inter Milan doesn't adjust soon, they're going to collapse completely," Sacchi continued. "Right now, Napoli has all the momentum, and Inter looks lost."
For Napoli, the game seemed entirely in their control. But for Inter Milan, the stakes were dire. A continued lack of adjustments would only lead to further disaster.
Fortunately for Mancini, Materazzi's injury wasn't serious. After a brief consultation with the team doctor, he was back on his feet. However, the brief stoppage granted Inter Milan some much-needed time to regroup.
Taking advantage of the break, Mancini called several players to the sideline, providing quick instructions in an attempt to stabilize the game.
For Gao Shen and Napoli, there wasn't much they could do about the delay. Accusing Materazzi of faking an injury wasn't an option, as the defender had clearly been in discomfort.
This moment revealed Inter Milan's experience. They were cleverly using the rules to their advantage.
The game resumed.
Napoli maintained their high pressing, repeatedly creating chances.
But Inter Milan had adjusted, adopting a more conservative approach. Their defensive line and midfielders packed the final third, with even Stankovic dropping deep to help defend. Ibrahimovic and Suazo remained up front, ready for counterattacks.
Napoli's relentless attack continued, with Di Maria, Sanchez, and Hamsik driving forward and Cavani wreaking havoc in the box. Yet despite numerous chances, Inter's disciplined defending and Cesar's heroics kept the scoreline at 2-0.
By the 20th minute, Inter Milan had begun to settle, finally halting Napoli's relentless wave of attacks.
"Napoli's attack is overwhelming!" one commentator exclaimed. "It's been 20 minutes, and Inter Milan hasn't managed a single shot! They haven't even come close to threatening Napoli's penalty area."
"This is unbelievable!"
"Napoli's high pressing is suffocating Inter Milan. They're completely boxed in!"
Just as the commentators marveled at Napoli's dominance, Inter launched a counterattack.
Ibrahimovic dropped deep to combine with Maicon, who sent a diagonal ball behind Napoli's defense. Suazo broke free from his marker and chased the pass, poised to enter the penalty area. But just as he did, David Luiz sprinted back and executed a perfectly timed sliding tackle.
Suazo tumbled inside the box, but the ball was cleanly intercepted by David Luiz.
Inter Milan's players protested, demanding a foul, but referee Rizzoli waved play on, indicating a clean challenge.
"From the replay, David Luiz's tackle was precise, but it was also incredibly risky. A fraction of a second later, and it could've been a penalty," the commentator noted.
"This Brazilian center-back has nerves of steel."
The ball was cleared, and Napoli launched another lightning-fast counterattack. Hamsik surged forward and laid the ball off to Di Maria, whose attempted breakthrough past Materazzi was finally blocked.
The deflected ball ricocheted dangerously toward Inter's own goal, but Cesar reacted swiftly, tipping it over the crossbar to avoid an own goal.
Napoli continued to apply pressure, creating more chances, but Inter's compact defensive shape kept them at bay. For the first 30 minutes, Inter failed to register a single shot on target, leaving fans and analysts alike stunned.
"Inter Milan's performance has been shocking," a commentator remarked. "Is this really the Serie A leader?"
Even Gao Shen appeared surprised on the sidelines.
Was Napoli simply in incredible form tonight? Or was Inter Milan's performance simply too stretched?
Despite their struggles, Inter's defense refused to completely crumble. For all of Napoli's dominance, the scoreline remained 2-0.
Until the 33rd minute, when Inter finally managed to mount a threatening counterattack. Suazo timed his run perfectly, breaking the offside trap to receive Ibrahimovic's pass. As he charged into the box, Handanovic raced off his line.
Diving at Suazo's feet near the penalty spot, the goalkeeper smothered the ball before the striker could shoot. Suazo, unable to stop, tripped over Handanovic and crashed to the ground.
Inter Milan's protests for a penalty fell on deaf ears.
***
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