Bab 187: Chapter 187: Anxious!
Juventus did not make their first threatening counterattack until the 16th minute.
After a successful interception in midfield, Paro quickly delivered a through ball directly behind the Napoli defense. Bojinov sprinted at top speed, chasing the ball.
Just as the Bulgarian forward was about to break through the offside trap, a blue figure dashed back at an even faster pace. David Luiz quickly caught up from behind, gradually closing the gap. Using his body, he leaned into Bojinov, forcing him to slow down, and then skillfully stole the ball.
The Bulgarian fell to the ground again, but the referee did not blow his whistle, signaling for play to continue.
David Luiz's brilliant recovery tackle earned him enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
"Great job, David!" Gao Shen shouted from the sidelines.
In the stands, Napoli fans cheered wildly.
It was a magnificent piece of defending that showcased David Luiz's impressive individual abilities and speed truly a testament to his potential.
"That's the way! Keep it up, come on!" Gao Shen clapped his hands vigorously in encouragement.
Turning around, he saw that Carlo, Lucas, Buenaventura, and the others were all equally excited.
Juventus had yet to take a single shot on target.
And this was Juventus!
Looking over at the opposing bench, Deschamps appeared agitated and on the verge of collapse, which only added to the enjoyment and satisfaction.
"Last season, whether at the Stadio delle Alpi or at the Bernabeu, we were utterly embarrassed by Juventus. This is sweet revenge!" Lucas exclaimed with excitement.
Exactly who could disagree?
Though Napoli and Real Madrid were two different teams, for Gao Shen, taking revenge on Juventus while leading Napoli seemed perfectly natural.
Besides, that guy Secco was sitting in the stands.
With that thought, Gao Shen turned around, raised his head, and looked towards the chairman's stand behind him. Though he couldn't quite make out where Secco was sitting, he could almost imagine the embarrassment on the Juventus sporting director's face.
Hold on!
We haven't scored yet!
Gao Shen thought expectantly.
More than ten minutes into the game, Juventus had yet to organize a decent attack, but their defense remained solid.
The 4-1-4-1 formation ensured a well-organized defensive structure, and Deschamps was known for his ability to manipulate a team's defense effectively.
To break down Juventus's defense, Napoli's attackers would need to step up their game even more.
Gao Shen stood silently on the sidelines. He believed his players knew what they needed to do.
They wouldn't let him down.
Absolutely not!
...
The Napoli players clearly understood the situation on the pitch. Each was determined to press Juventus hard, patiently probing for opportunities, especially with quick counterattacks.
Juventus's 4-1-4 formation made for a very compact defensive line.
Marchionne and Nedved were positioned on the flanks. While these two players didn't offer much in attack, they were invaluable in defense. Marchionne, in particular, doggedly tracked Vargas every time he ventured forward on the left for Napoli.
This made it difficult for Napoli's left-side combination of Vargas and Gervinho to truly threaten.
Gervinho found himself isolated in the attack, and though Birindelli was experienced, apart from that one dangerous cross earlier, Gervinho hadn't managed much else.
As a result, the game fell into a stalemate.
Napoli controlled the possession and pace, dominating Juventus on the pitch, but their attacks lacked real danger, and they were unable to break the deadlock.
...
"Lots of noise but no real threat," Secco scoffed from the stands as Napoli once again attempted a pass into the Juventus penalty area, only to see it cleared away.
He had lost count of how many times this had happened.
Although each attempt made him nervous, they had managed to hold out every time.
Initially, Secco was genuinely worried, but his concerns eased as the team's defense held firm.
"Eventually, there will be a time when you can't hold on," Marino retorted calmly.
Secco was unperturbed. Although Juventus were giants, they were away from home, and their style had always been built around defense and counter-attacks.
"Did you watch the 2003 Champions League final? We can maintain this type of defense for 120 minutes," Secco boasted. The game was considered overly conservative by some, but to professionals, it was a masterclass in defense and tactics.
It was, in many ways, the pinnacle of Serie A in recent years.
"Didn't you still lose in the end?" De Laurentiis sneered.
Secco's face froze momentarily but quickly relaxed.
"Maybe, you won't need to defend for that long. When you can't attack for a while..." Secco chuckled.
De Laurentiis and Marino exchanged glances, both understanding there was truth to what Secco said.
When a team is attacking for a prolonged period without success, it's often at its most vulnerable especially a young team like Napoli.
At that moment, Napoli tried to pass the ball to Pelle again. After using his body to shield Kovac, Pelle tried to lay it back, but Zanetti, who had dropped back to help defend, intercepted it.
Napoli's attack had failed once more.
Secco laughed. "Your biggest mistake tonight is starting Pelle. He can't handle the intensity of a game like this."
Neither De Laurentiis nor Marino could refute him.
Truth be told, since joining Napoli, Pelle had not performed impressively. Cavani, on the other hand, had been excellent; the Uruguayan was arguably Napoli's best performer this summer.
But for reasons unknown, Gao Shen had benched Cavani and started Pelle instead. What was he thinking?
Was it really, as Secco suggested, a fatal mistake?
Just then, Napoli organized another attack.
...
Pelle felt that Juventus's counter-attacks were lackluster.
Against David Luiz, Bojinov had been unable to gain any advantage, rendering Juventus's counter-attacks toothless.
The Bianconeri were playing like a tortoise head tucked in, just waiting for Napoli to tire themselves out.
But Juventus's defense was compact and left Napoli little room to work with.
Every attempt to create a threatening opportunity was thwarted by Juventus players.
Pelle felt frustrated.
He had been trying his best. Both Gao Shen and Borrell had told him repeatedly that even if he couldn't score, he needed to create space for his teammates.
But how could he create that space?
It sounded simple, but how was he supposed to do it?
Pellet was troubled.
Both the coach and Borrell had said that this sort of thing was something he had to figure out on his own.
But how?
If he knew how, he wouldn't be in this situation in the first place!
Maybe he just wasn't cut out for this role.
Pelle thought in frustration.
Another attack fizzled out, and Napoli quickly switched to pressing. Juventus failed to clear the ball effectively and were forced to kick it out for a throw-in.
Gervinho wanted to take the throw-in, but Vargas moved in.
The Peruvian full-back quickly stepped forward and gestured for Gervinho and Hamsik to come over.
Pelle considered moving over to support, but seeing that there were already three teammates there, he felt it might be overcrowded and decided to hold his position in the middle.
Vargas threw the ball in. Gervinho passed it to Hamsik, then made a run into the penalty area, anticipating a return pass. However, Juventus had already caught onto the tactic.
Hamsik, having no good options, passed back to Vargas on the left.
The Peruvian full-back controlled the ball just inside the sideline and looked towards the penalty area. Seeing Pelle raising his hand, Vargas crossed with his left foot.
The ball curved towards the penalty area.
Pelle wrestled with Kovac, unable to face the goal directly.
Kovac wasn't tall and couldn't physically match Pelle, but he was experienced, always positioning himself between Pelle and the goal. With a keeper like Buffon behind him, Juventus's defense was nearly impenetrable.
But as the ball came over, Pelle could see the entire left side of the penalty area. He noticed Gervinho turning and making a run back into the box after spotting Vargas's cross.
A sudden idea flashed in his mind.
Using his body, Pelle pressed against Kovac, forcing him to back up two steps. When the ball descended, he chested it down and, before it could touch the ground, nudged it forward with his foot.
"Come on!" Pellet shouted loudly.
He didn't know if Gervinho would understand his intention or react in time.
Almost simultaneously with Pelle's shout, Gervinho turned, accelerated, shrugged off Birindelli, and sprinted straight to the left corner of the six-yard box, latching onto Pelle's pass.
It happened in the blink of an eye. Gervinho, reaching the ball, didn't hesitate he struck it cleanly with his right foot. The ball flew in a near-straight line, like a bolt of lightning, smashing into the net.
1-0!!!
Buffon was disrupted by Pelle, and by the time he reacted and dived to the side, it was already a bit too late.
Gervinho's shot finally found the back of Juventus' net.
The entire crowd at the San Paulo Stadium had been holding their breath since the throw-in, and at that moment, an explosion of thunderous cheers erupted.
Amidst the roaring cheers of the fans, Gervinho turned and sprinted out of the Juventus penalty area, running all the way to the sideline, celebrating non-stop, releasing all his inner excitement and joy.
The entire San Paulo Stadium instantly transformed into a sea of celebration.
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