Bab 75: Chapter 75: The God's Eye View
Chapter 75: The God's Eye View
After celebrating the goal, Bruno and his teammates walked back, passing by the referee with a surprised glance, wondering why, unlike his first-half calls, he hadn't blown the whistle when Kanté made the tackle. Could it be a sudden bout of conscience, or had he not expected Udinese to score from that counterattack?
Soon, DeMarco proved that his previous decision wasn't due to a change of heart aimed at rectifying his ways in the remaining game, but rather he hadn't anticipated Udinese would actually score from that play.
As Catania restarted the game and launched an attack, the ball quickly returned to Udinese's possession. With Bruno orchestrating, Udinese swiftly pushed forward into Catania's half, exploiting the hurried retreat of Catania's defense.
Spotting an opportunity, Bruno didn't hesitate. Near the upper left corner of Catania's penalty area, he delivered a beautiful 45-degree cross into the small box. Bruno's pass was precise, finding Udinese's forward Muriel who, with minimal adjustment, took a direct shot at goal.
The ball traced a stunning arc, heading for the far post of Catania's goal. Catania's goalkeeper, initially guarding the near post to block a potential close-range shot, scrambled desperately towards the far post, but it was clear to all that he wouldn't make it in time.
Suddenly, Catania's veteran center-back Lerotale, realizing the imminent danger, made a desperate leap. Finding himself unable to head the ball clear, he resorted to a goalkeeper-like dive, batting the ball away with one hand.
Aware of the consequences, the 37-year-old Lerotale braced himself for the inevitable penalty — and possibly a straight red card. His immediate concern was to preserve the 1-1 scoreline, even at the expense of being sent off.
He stood his ground, ready to face the referee's severe penalty. But to his shock, he saw something entirely different unfold.
Udinese players, having seen Lerotale's defensive action, raised their arms in protest for a handball violation. Yet, referee DeMarco, as if blind to the incident, awarded Udinese a corner kick instead.
Stunned, Udinese players protested vehemently. "The defender batted the ball over the baseline, and you're telling me it's a corner?!" They crowded around the referee, demanding a change to the call.
DeMarco remained as stoic as a statue, completely ignoring Udinese's protests. On the sidelines, Udinese's coach again roared at the fourth official, thankfully pulled away by his staff before the referee could approach.
Catania's coach De Canio, meanwhile, clapped, though he muttered under his breath, "Don't think this makes us even, I won't forgive you for this!" His words, overheard by nearby officials and Udinese's coaching staff, left the fourth official frowning at the brazen shamelessness, while Guidolin exploded in rage, nearly breaking free from his assistants to confront the outspoken coach.
Seeing Guidolin dragged away, De Canio shook his head in disappointment. He had deliberately provoked Guidolin, hoping to see him lose his temper and get sent off, which would have left Udinese without their coach. It was a critical match for Catania, who had finally seen a chance for a win against a strong team.
The stands erupted with cheers from Catania fans, applauding the referee's "brave" decision. "Clearly, the referee has made a severe error again," the commentator from Sky TV Italy noted. "Lerotale's handball was obvious, but DeMarco acted as if he hadn't seen it. I can somewhat understand Udinese's frustration now…"
"It's a total eclipse!" yelled a commentator from Udinese's station. "A cloud named Andrea DeMarco has cast a shadow over Stadio Massimino, trampling on the rules of fair play!"
Amidst the chaos, Udinese set up for the corner kick. Bruno and today's on-field captain, Basta, playing as a makeshift right-back, decided on a tactical play.
Basta passed the corner to Bruno, who turned with the ball, immediately drawing Tahzidis and Almirón's attention. They pressed him, knowing they couldn't let him near the box. But Bruno had no intention of breaking through; he spotted a route into Catania's area.
Catania's left-back Capuano was still defending against Udinese's attackers, and with Tahzidis and Almirón drawn out, a significant gap appeared on the left.
Almost simultaneously, Mahrez also noticed the gap on Catania's left and moved into position. "Watch there!" shouted Catania's goalkeeper Andujar, directing his team to shift their defensive focus quickly.
Just as Catania's defense seemed to regain control, Bruno made his move. He sent a long, lofted pass through the gap between Tahzidis and Almirón, targeting Udinese's right flank.
The camera followed the play, but initially, no receiver was visible. Had Bruno made a passing error? At that moment, a blue figure surged forward—it was Udinese's left-back, Domizzi, who had stayed back in midfield ready to defend against a potential counterattack but was now sprinting forward with all his might.
"Domizzi! He's sprinting! Beautiful pass!!" exclaimed the commentator from Sky TV Italy, caught up in the excitement. Such an unexpected pass—did that Portuguese kid have a god's eye view to spot a teammate half a field away?
Guidolin watched intently, his heartbeat racing. This was a perfect chance; Catania's defense had been pulled right by Bruno, leaving the left wide open. If they could capitalize on this and score, Udinese could take a 2-1 lead.
Given today's circumstances, even a 2-1 lead for Udinese wouldn't be secure, as no one knew when the referee might award another penalty to Catania. But leading was always better than being tied or behind.
"Bruno's pass has sliced through Catania's defense! Spectacular!" Domizzi reached the ball, cutting inside rather than continuing down the flank. Catania's defenders panicked, with center-back Lerotale abandoning his mark on Muriel to challenge Domizzi.
Domizzi quickly nudged the ball to an unguarded Muriel. In a crucial moment, Muriel made a glaring mistake—he swung and missed, the ball rolling under his foot. "Heaven! Muriel didn't even hit the ball!" "And there's… Basta!" As the commentator from Sky TV Italy shouted, a blue figure dashed to the goalfront—it was Udinese's captain for the day, Dusan Basta. After the tactical corner, he had quickly repositioned himself onside, then surged forward again, reaching the ball before Catania's goalkeeper Andujar, who had come out to intercept, and a defender aiming to clear.
Inertia carried him into the net along with the ball. Above him, the ball thudded against the net, the rustling sound delightful to his ears. "Ooooooh!" the local Udinese commentator stood up, screaming in frenzy, "At Stadio Massimino, after facing a series of unfair decisions, Udinese has scored two goals in five minutes!" "Now, we lead 2-1 against Catania!" "Resilient Udinese! Magnificent Udinese!! Invincible Udinese!!!" (End of Chapter)
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