章 386: The First Blow
With the lights of Wembley radiating brightly overhead, the stadium was a sea of fans.
It was a rare occurrence: Millwall's Champions League match attracted a full crowd at Wembley.
Their opponents are Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine, which is very strange because even last season when Millwall played against Barcelona in the group stage and then against Juventus and Monaco, the highest attendance was only 93%.
In just the past three months, the number of Millwall fans has surged.
Under Aldrich's guidance, Millwall has begun to play with a magical flair. They combine fluid teamwork with dazzling individual skills.
Fans flocked to the match, eager to experience Ronaldinho's footwork, Henry's runs, Nedved's powerful strikes, Larsson's ghostly movements, and Pirlo's exquisite passes. With all these captivating elements coming together in Millwall, it was no surprise the fans filled Wembley.
CEO Adam stood proudly in the VIP box, hands clasped behind his back. Today, he had invited many business partners from Millwall to join him for the game, using it as entertainment. However, everyone knew his true intention was to showcase Millwall's popularity!
He felt somewhat dissatisfied.
He had pushed the contractors repeatedly for the new stadium project, but even with their attempts to speed up construction, it wouldn't be ready by the summer of '99. If Millwall couldn't move into the new stadium before August '99, they'd have to wait until the summer of 2000. It wouldn't make sense to relocate mid-season, which would certainly impact the team's performance. Aldrich would never agree to that.
If they could move into the new stadium, attendance could exceed expectations from the previous two years, with over 40,000 season ticket reservations.
In recent months, Adam has become a pivotal personality in English football, with numerous offers from elite clubs knocking at his door. However, he remains unflappable, much like the mindsets of many Premier League CEOs, as he aspires to work for the FA one day. He is aware that his potential stardom relies on the outstanding achievements of Millwall. In this business, it all boils down to performance on the pitch. Just a few seasons ago, Bates's Chelsea was a shadow of itself, nearly deserted, but now, with climbing results, they are slowly turning things around, even as their high debts cast a long shadow over any profits.
When Aldrich appeared in his suit at the sidelines, the atmosphere in the stadium shot up several notches. The Lions fans needed no further words or actions to express their admiration and trust for the young coach. Reflecting on how many star players had been sold just over six months ago, fans had reacted rather calmly; aside from some disappointed murmurings, their mood was strangely composed. In any other team, even a top club, selling so many stars would have caused an uproar, yet the Lions fans seemed undeterred.
Over a year later, Aldrich faced Lobanovskyi once more. He extended a handshake, exchanging a few pleasantries. Up close, he could see that Lobanovskyi appeared slightly worse for wear compared to last year, perhaps in poor health.
As the Champions League theme played, both teams lined up on the pitch.
"The first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals is about to kick off at Wembley, with last season's champions Millwall facing Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv. Both teams should be familiar with one another, having met in the group stage last season. For Dynamo Kyiv, those memories are far from pleasant, as they suffered two defeats, both home and away, to Millwall. Today's starting lineup for Dynamo remains unchanged from last season, while Millwall has seen significant changes, having lost half of their key players from the previous season. This could be a crucial factor in the match. How will Dynamo Kyiv manage to contain Millwall's versatile attacking force? This is likely a question on the minds of neutral spectators as well, as Millwall's recent form has been exceptional, leading many to wonder: how can their attack be stopped?"
Aldridge stood on the sidelines, head held high, expression calm, hands behind his back.
In Lobanovskyi's second year back at Dynamo Kyiv, the team had matured and honed their strength to the maximum.
Their roster remained unchanged, and with the capabilities of their players, dominating the Ukrainian league was no challenge. Their success in Europe wasn't just due to player abilities but also the benefits of playing at home.
Even major clubs struggle when visiting Eastern Europe; combined with weather and pitch conditions, along with adjusting to time zones, their performance can markedly decline. Dynamo Kyiv garnered 11 points in the group stage with a record of 3 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, relying heavily on home advantage while securing draws away.
Today, Millwall welcomed Dynamo Kyiv at Wembley. If they couldn't secure a win in the first 90 minutes, they could be in dangerous territory for the second leg.
Kyiv set up in a 4-5-1 formation, reinforcing their midfield.
Goalkeeper: Shovkovskiy.
Defenders: Luzhnyi, Hrovka, Vashchuk, Kaladze.
Midfielders: Haskovych, Belkovich, Husin, Kardash, Kosovskiy.
Forward: Rebrov.
Without their star striker Shevchenko, Dynamo's offensive sharpness would undoubtedly diminish, which was a relief for Millwall. At least, they wouldn't feel too much pressure when defending against counterattacks.
Henry and Larsson stood at the center circle ready to kick off. The poised Millwall attacking unit noticed their opponents adopting a clearly defensive stance, igniting their competitive spirit.
Leading in the Premier League, having reached the top 16 of the FA Cup, and now facing the Champions League Round of 16, external expectations for Millwall to achieve new glory this season were soaring. As March approached, they were well into a sprint for the championship!
The match began, and Millwall launched an attack!
Henry passed the ball to Larsson, who sent it to Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho charged forward, drawing a double-team from the Dynamo midfield. He flicked the ball back with his heel to Nedved. The Czech midfielder took no touch, sending a through ball forward as Larsson and Henry executed a brilliant one-two, breaking through the opponent's midfield defense with their first attack after the kickoff.
Larsson feinted a pass before bursting into the box, unleashing a powerful shot from an angled position!
"Larsson shoots! Shovkovskiy makes a fantastic save, getting up and yelling at his teammates to wake up. Millwall, with just four touches, has already taken a shot within the opening moments, indicating that Kyiv didn't end up finding their rhythm immediately after the kickoff."
Dynamo Kyiv indeed struggled to get into the match after the start. Used to playing in Eastern Europe, they needed time to adapt upon arriving in England.
Millwall dominated the play, fully asserting their control on the game. After three months of offensive cohesion since the New Year, their attacking strategy had reached maturity, with room for further refinement.
Aldrich had instructed the team to come out strong and prevent the opponents from settling in, a tactical deployment that paid off as Millwall relentlessly pressed their attack.
Both full-backs, Zambrotta and Schneider, pushed past the halfway line, supporting from the flanks to engage in second-phase attacks.
In the sixth minute, Schneider delivered a direct pass to Nedved. The Czech midfielder maneuvered with a turn, using his body to skip past Husin. He followed up with a precise shot!
"Nedved shoots from distance! Unfortunately, Hrovka blocked it with his body, and the ball bounced out of the box. Ronaldinho paused, then took a long-range shot! Kaladze again blocked the attempt with his body."
The consecutive long-range attempts unsettled Dynamo Kyiv's defense, causing their positioning to falter. As the ball dropped into the midfield, Pirlo received it about thirty yards from the goal, appearing ready for a long-range effort.
However, as he poised to shoot, Kardash leaped in to block, but Pirlo cleverly sidestepped him, delivering an unexpected through ball to an unmarked Larsson on the right side of the box.
Larsson took a step forward before sweeping the ball across the goal, where Henry stretched his leg to redirect it into Dynamo's net.
"Just seven minutes in, Millwall has scored! While the assist came from Larsson, credit must be given to Pirlo, who calmly passed after evading Kardash, finding Larsson in space. Despite having numerous defenders, Kyiv's chaotic positioning after several shots allowed Larsson to find space—an ability that's second to none. Thankfully, Millwall had Pirlo; his vision and passing accuracy are simply remarkable."
After scoring, Henry pointed to Larsson, who waved to Pirlo. The other Millwall players rushed over, embracing one another as they acknowledged the fans in the stands.
The Lions fans felt euphoric, witnessing their team express beautiful and passionate football. With Ronaldinho infusing joy into the squad this season, fans remained unwavering in their support, not even glancing at the other big clubs, firmly believing Millwall's matches were the most thrilling and captivating.
Aldrich reacted to the goal with calmness, offering a simple applause.
But internally, he was filled with anticipation.
The timing of this goal was crucial; within just ten minutes, Dynamo Kyiv was already trailing. In a two-leg knockout stage, every goal is as precious as gold.
What would Lobanovskyi do next?
Would they continue to defend?
If Dynamo Kyiv advanced even slightly into attack mode, pressing their formation forward, Millwall's offensive threat would increase significantly.
Lobanovskyi remained composed, sitting on the bench without showing any signs of agitation.
He thought the draw lots bad. It was a tough test against Millwall, who beat them twice last season and are now the defending champions. Millwall's recent performance has caused a sensation throughout Europe, and Lobanovskyi hoped that Dynamo would be able to host them. In this way, Millwall's ability might be somewhat limited and Dynamo would have a greater chance. If they could score at home, the feeling of the second leg would be completely different. Unfortunately, the result was the opposite - Dynamo was the away team first, and they could not hold their defense.
What next?
Lobanovski had indeed considered this and had reminded the team.
Thus, Aldrich was disappointed.
He saw no sign of change in Dynamo Kyiv, even after conceding; they continued to sit back and fortify their defense.
After the goal, Dynamo Kyiv quickly found their rhythm, starting to systematically put pressure on Millwall's attack.
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