章 103: What Even Pelé Couldn't Do
[SPORTS NOVEL DONT GET MUCH RECOGNITION SO MANY UPLOADED CHAPTER AND ONLY 450 COLLECTION]
The match had entered the 80th minute, and the score was still 1-1.
Kaká's arrival on the pitch had caught the Turkish team off guard. If it weren't for Rüştü's exceptional performance, he might have already scored twice against them.
Since he replaced Juninho, who played as a defensive midfielder, Kaká wanted to return to his team's half after completing an attack. However, Scolari kept waving at him from the sidelines, shouting, "Kaká! Move up! Go forward!"
Kaká happily obliged and scurried to the forward position, taking up positions on either side with Ronaldinho.
Turkey launched a quick counter-attack, but Brazil's defense held firm, forcing them to attempt a long-range shot instead of getting closer to the goal.
Ceni didn't even need to jump, catching the ball while standing.
Carlos signaled for the ball, and Ceni promptly threw it to him.
Cafu moved inward, allowing Edmílson to cover Carlos' position.
Carlos dribbled the ball down the left flank at high speed. Mürteza, Turkey's defensive midfielder, rushed to intercept him, but Carlos smoothly beat him with a ferocious move, then passed the ball to Kaká on the midfield line.
Tugay, tasked with marking Kaká, became increasingly wary after being dribbled past twice. This time, he was determined to stop Kaká, even if it meant committing a foul.
However, Kaká had no intention of engaging with him. With a deft flick, he lifted the ball over both their heads.
This move was highly appreciated by the neutral fans, who couldn't help but gasp in awe.
Kaká replicated his feat from São Paulo, turning this World Cup group stage match into his own personal fan-gathering event.
The São Paulo fans were ecstatic.
"Is this really the down-to-earth Kaká we know? How did he become so stylish once he arrived in Korea? I can't help but love him more and more!"
Kaká flicked the ball, turned, and dribbled past his marker in one fluid motion. By the time he caught up to the ball, he was already taking long strides.
Fatih attempted to block him, but Kaká swiftly nutmegged him, leaving the defender no chance to intervene.
As Kaká breezed past, a four-on-four situation emerged on the pitch. Ronaldinho joined the attack, and Kaká passed the ball to him.
Ronaldinho and Kaká were now face-to-face but not on the same line. Ronaldinho received the ball and gently flicked it backwards with his heel, perfectly setting up Kaká's forward run.
Kaká evaded the defender and continued his dribble.
He was about to enter the penalty area at full speed, preparing to take on the Turkish defender Bülent in a one-on-one situation.
Instead of challenging Bülent directly, Kaká quickly passed the ball to Rivaldo and continued his run into the box.
After a brief pause, Rivaldo crossed the ball towards the goalmouth.
Kaká chased after the ball like a gust of wind, with Rüştü also sprinting towards it. The two were about to collide within two meters of the penalty area.
The entire crowd rose to their feet, all eyes fixed on the impending clash between the two players and the ball.
Rüştü didn't care about committing a foul anymore and lunged towards the ball at full speed.
However, Kaká managed to reach the ball half a step ahead of him. Instead of shooting directly, he gently nudged the ball past Rüştü.
Rüştü missed the ball in desperation and turned his head back.
After rounding Rüştü, Kaká sprinted towards the goal and managed to get a shot off just before the ball crossed the byline.
The ball arced towards the goal, but Kaká's momentum caused him to tumble out of bounds, rolling twice before sitting up.
Alper, who had been marking Oliveira, frantically chased back and slid in an attempt to clear the ball as it approached the goal line.
His outstretched right leg made contact with the ball, but it had already crossed the line.
Goal scored. 2:1, Brazil took the lead.
"Kaká touched it first... A nutmeg and an open goal finish! A genius goal! He dribbled past two players and then combined with Ronaldinho and Rivaldo in a two-on-one situation, finally rounding Rüştü, who had been Turkey's solid last line of defense in this match..."
"We saw the camera zooming in on Pelé on the sidelines. Many older fans might know that Pelé regrettably missed a similar opportunity during the 1970 World Cup. His dribbling move and shot were almost identical to Kaká's, except that after rounding the goalkeeper Mazurkiewicz, his shot narrowly missed the target. In contrast, Kaká's shot after rounding Rüştü found the back of the net. Pelé's miss didn't significantly impact the result as Brazil had already secured victory, but Kaká's goal helped Brazil take the lead late in the game."
"Kaká accomplished something that even Pelé couldn't. Pelé's missed shot has become one of the most iconic moments in World Cup history, and Kaká's goal will undoubtedly join that pantheon. Could this be a special kind of legacy?"
Kaká stood up, ran towards the sidelines, and raised his arms, pointing to the sky.
Ronaldinho was the first to reach him, jumping onto his back, followed by Rivaldo, Oliveira, and Carlos in a celebratory huddle.
Except for the silent Turkish fan section, all other fans erupted in thunderous applause.
For football, for Kaká.
The match wasn't over yet, but Scolari's next move filled the Turks with dread.
He substituted Rivaldo for Kléberson, setting up a defensive formation with two defensive midfielders and five defenders.
Aside from Oliveira, Ronaldinho, and Kaká, the rest of the Brazilians guarded their own half, with even the assist machines Cafu and Carlos dutifully staying in their defensive zones, making it nearly impossible for Turkey to break through.
In the 87th minute, Kléberson fouled Hakan Şükür in a promising position just outside the penalty area, giving Turkey a dangerous free-kick opportunity. However, they wasted it by blasting the ball into the stands.
Two minutes later, in a similar position, Şükür went down again, but this time, Kléberson played the ball, and the referee allowed play to continue, giving Brazil a counter-attacking chance.
Kaká surged forward through the middle and released Ronaldinho down the wing.
Ronaldinho calmly dribbled along the touchline, drawing two defenders and stalling for time by repeatedly circling in a small area.
Just as the Turks started hurling insults, Ronaldinho's pass suddenly flew out to find Kaká.
Kaká didn't trap the ball but immediately slipped it through to the goalmouth.
Oliveira arrived just in time and gently poked the ball towards the goal, but the miraculous Rüştü managed to smother it.
Oliveira held his head in dismay.
That was the last close scoring chance of the match.
The final whistle blew in the 94th minute, ending the game.
"Congratulations to Brazil for their 2-1 opening victory, with brilliant goals from Ronaldo and Kaká paving the way to success. Few would have predicted such a tightly contested match before the start, and Turkey's goalkeeper has reminded us of the importance of a top-class keeper. We hope they can go further in this World Cup."
(End of chapter)
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