Capítulo 63: Pro Debut!!!!
The roar of Stamford Bridge echoed as the referee signaled the restart. Chelsea, now trailing 2-1, had found new energy after Eden Hazard's goal. The once cheerful Fulham fans were slightly subdued, sensing the shift in momentum.
{And we're back underway here at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea has pulled one back, and you can feel the atmosphere heating up. It's 2-1 in favor of Fulham, but Hazard's strike has surely rattled the visitors,} the voice of Martin Tyler boomed over the stadium speakers.
{Absolutely, Martin. Fulham's defense will need to tighten up. Chelsea smells blood, and with the quality they've got, you can't give them an inch,} Martin's co-commentator, Alan Smith, added.
The ball was in play as soon as Mitrovic restarted the match. Chelsea were relentless, spurred on by their goal, and they began overloading the Fulham defense.
Their midfield pushed higher up the pitch, cutting off Fulham's passing lanes and forcing errors. Kanté, energized by his earlier tackle, was relentless, breaking up play and distributing the ball with precision.
Fulham tried to regain their composure, stringing together passes to slow the game down. Marcus found himself deep in his own half, helping his team withstand the pressure. But Chelsea's intensity was overwhelming, and the visitors struggled to get out of their half.
{You can see the difference in Chelsea's play now. They're pressing high, not giving Fulham any time on the ball,} Martin Tyler observed from his seat in the commentator's box.
{Fulham needs to be careful here. They've got the lead, but it's a slim one. They need to maintain their shape and discipline,} Alan Smith warned.
On the sidelines, Coach Anderson continued to observe the flow of the game. He could see his players were tired, the pace of the match was frantic, and Chelsea's resurgence was relentless. Anderson knew a fresh injection of energy was needed to stem the tide.
He turned to his bench, and his decision was swift. Anderson called over Fabio Carvalho, the young talent brimming with potential. He gave quick, precise instructions—Carvalho was to inject pace, creativity, and composure into Fulham's midfield, helping them regain control of the ball and relieve some of the pressure.
As the substitution board went up, announcing Carvalho's introduction and Andre Schürrle's departure, the Fulham fans found their voices again, cheering for the young player. He stepped onto the pitch, full of determination and focus.
The game resumed with Carvalho's fresh presence on the left wing, hoping to change Coach Anderson's mind about him not starting, as the rest of the U21 players who were promoted to the first team had started this match.
Fabio Carvalho stepped onto the pitch with a fire in his eyes, determined to prove himself. Despite being one of the most promising players promoted from the U21 squad, he had started the match on the bench. That decision had stung, and now, with the game finely balanced, he had the chance to show Coach Anderson that he belonged in the starting eleven.
As the match resumed, Chelsea immediately tried to press forward. The Blues were hunting for an equalizer, their midfield pushing high up the pitch. The pressure was intense, and Fulham's defense had retreated deep into their own half, leaving little room for error.
Around the 82nd minute, Chelsea's Mateo Kovačić received the ball in midfield, looking to orchestrate the attack. With a sharp turn, he spotted a gap in the Fulham defense and attempted to slice through with a precise pass aimed at Hazard. But in his haste, the ball was misjudged, veering off course.
{Kovačić tries to thread the needle... but it's gone astray! Chelsea's move breaks down, and now Fulham can break!}
{A rare mistake from Kovačić, and now Fulham has a chance to capitalize. They've looked dangerous on the counter all day,} Alan Smith chimed in.
The misplaced pass was pounced on by Tom Cairney, who read the play perfectly. His first touch was immaculate, cushioning the ball before immediately surging forward, leaving the nearest Chelsea defender trailing behind.
Fulham's counterattack was swift as Tom Cairney played a through ball toward Fabio Carvalho, who was down on the left wing.
Fabio raced toward the ball, his fresh legs pumping as he left the Chelsea midfielders in the dust. Carvalho sprinted down the left wing, with Marcus, Harvey Elliott, and Aleksandar Mitrovic running alongside him.
Chelsea's defense, caught off-guard, scrambled to get back into position, but the pace of Fulham's attack was relentless.
{Carvalho's on the move! Fulham breaking with pace—Chelsea's defense is in trouble here!} Martin Tyler exclaimed.
With a quick shift of his body, Carvalho feigned a pass to Mitrovic, causing one of the Chelsea defenders to momentarily lose balance. But instead of releasing the ball, he continued his run, driving straight at the heart of the defense. He was calm, composed, and confident—everything Coach Anderson wanted to see from him. He had seen his teammates do it in the first half—he could do it too.
As Carvalho neared the edge of the box, the Chelsea defenders finally committed, closing in on him from both sides. With a deft flick, Carvalho slipped the ball to Marcus, who had peeled away from his marker and found space just inside the area.
Marcus took the ball in stride, his touch setting him up perfectly for a shot. But instead of shooting immediately, he looked up, seeing that the Chelsea keeper had anticipated the strike. In a split second, Marcus made a decision. He cut back onto his right foot, leaving the defender who had rushed to block the shot sprawling on the ground.
With a swift glance, Marcus spotted Elliott on the right, unmarked. Without hesitation, Marcus played a trivela, passing the ball across the face of the goal—a perfect pass to the waiting Elliott.
{Marcus... cuts it back to Elliott... This could be it!}
Elliott met the ball with a powerful volley, directing it downwards and into the back of the net, the goalkeeper nowhere near it. The Fulham fans erupted in celebration as the ball hit the back of the net.
{GOAL! Fulham strikes again! Carvalho, Marcus, and Elliott combine to devastating effect!} Martin Tyler's voice boomed as the away fans cheered.
{What a counterattack! This young trio has been electric. Fulham now with a commanding lead at Stamford Bridge!} Alan Smith added.
As Elliott wheeled away in celebration, Carvalho was mobbed by his teammates. He had made his point—his introduction had been the spark that Fulham needed, and now, with a 3-1 lead, they were in a commanding position to claim a famous victory.
The Chelsea fans, who had been fervently urging their team forward just moments before, were suddenly silenced. A wave of disbelief washed over the home supporters as they watched the ball ripple in the back of the net. Some fans held their heads in their hands, while others simply stared in shock at the scoreboard, unable to comprehend how their team had been caught out so easily on the counterattack.
A few murmurs of frustration and anger began to ripple through the stands, the Chelsea faithful clearly unhappy with their team's defensive lapse. The tension in the air was palpable, with some fans beginning to voice their displeasure more vocally.
On the sidelines, Antonio Conte's reaction was one of barely contained fury. As soon as Marcus's pass found Elliott, Conte's face twisted in frustration. He had seen the danger unfolding but was powerless to stop it. The Italian manager's hands clenched into fists, and as the ball hit the back of the net, he spun around in disbelief, muttering angrily to himself in Italian.
Conte stormed to the edge of his technical area, shouting instructions at his players, his voice filled with urgency and frustration. He gestured wildly, pointing to the pitch where the breakdown had occurred, clearly irate that his defense had been so easily bypassed by Fulham's young attackers.
As the Chelsea players slowly walked back to their positions for the restart, heads down and shoulders slumped, Conte clapped his hands, trying to rally them. He shouted encouragement, but the frustration was still clear in his voice. This was not the way he had envisioned the game unfolding, and now, with the clock ticking down, the pressure was well and truly on.
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