บท 111: Chapter 111: Thunderbolt from the Blue
Chapter 111: Thunderbolt from the Blue
Bruno continually passed the ball with a few teammates in Udinese's midfield and defense, occasionally pushing it forward but quickly signaling for it to be returned to him. Whenever Benfica's forward line edged closer, he would revert to back or side passes, clearly in no rush to push forward aggressively.
But don't assume he was just passing for the sake of it; all the while, he was keenly observing the movements of his teammates and Benfica's defensive line. When he did choose to pass forward, it was only when a small gap appeared in the opposition's defense—a gap that would swiftly close, prompting him to reclaim the ball and wait patiently for another opening.
For five or six minutes, the ball stayed predominantly with Udinese. Benfica's players, knowing they had scored an away goal in the first leg and could advance with a 1:0 home victory, didn't press aggressively. They were not desperate to attack but rather focused on not making errors while waiting for a chance to deliver a fatal blow to Udinese. An overly aggressive approach could expose them to counter-attacks and risk conceding an away goal, which would be disastrous.
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Both teams seemed content not to press the attack, but Benfica's fans in the stands were growing restless and increasingly vocal. Their frustration stemmed from Benfica's first-leg defeat; a failure to win could mean elimination. They also mocked Udinese for what they saw as overly cautious play, likening them to a "turtle hiding its head," much like the disdain they held for Barcelona's style.
The jeers and insults from Benfica fans grew louder. Initially, the booing was sporadic, intensifying whenever Bruno touched the ball. Now, it became a constant din, escalating whenever Udinese played the ball backward.
Amidst the escalating abuse, Bruno called for the ball from Danilo and passed it to Kante. As Kante took the ball, Cardoso charged forward, perhaps tired of the continuous back-and-forth passing in Udinese's half. Seeing the opponent approach, Kante prepared to pass to Silva, who had come back to help. But then, Bruno signaled for a pass forward instead. Trusting Bruno's judgment—after all, the young playmaker was known for his smart plays on the field—Kante complied.
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As Kante passed the ball forward, Bruno surged ahead. Rodrigo tried to intercept or at least delay Bruno, but Bruno didn't engage. Instead, he quickly played the ball forward to Maksuél. Unlike previous plays, Maksuél didn't pass back but knocked the ball to the side, right into the path of the advancing Bruno.
Silveo, initially guarding Maksuél, was caught off guard by the sudden lateral pass. Before he could react—wondering who the pass was meant for—he saw a blur of blue sprint past.
Martin Tyler, the Sky Sports commentator, exclaimed in surprise: "Wow! That's Bruno Fernandes breaking from midfield! He's shifted from the meaningless midfield passing and surged forward, catching Benfica completely off guard!"
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Argentine center-back Garay from Benfica was one of the few to react. Cursing under his breath, he lunged toward Bruno, anticipating a long-range shot. To him, it seemed the perfect setup for Bruno to strike.
Tyler also anticipated a shot: "Bruno Fernandes is lined up with the goal, the ball at his feet, it looks like he's going to shoot… he winds up!"
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As Garay charged, expecting to block a powerful shot, Bruno instead lofted a gentle chip over Garay's head. The ball wasn't fast, but Garay couldn't adjust his forward momentum in time to jump and block it.
"Chipped pass!!"
"What a play! What a play!" Martellinho, watching in the VIP box with Bruno's family, applauded the skillful pass. "That's a brilliant corner pass!"
Garay, who had jumped to intercept, could only watch helplessly as the ball floated over him.
"Maksuél!!" Tyler shouted as the player rushed into the box to receive Bruno's clever pass.
Indeed, it was Maksuél. As Garay had moved out to challenge Bruno, Maksuél smartly exploited the space behind him. Dinatale's run had not drawn away the other Benfica defender, Luisão, so no offside was called.
Maksuél controlled the ball deftly on his left foot, unmarked. The other Benfica defender, Sequeira, could only raise his hands, futilely signaling for an offside that wasn't called.
With no time wasted, Maksuél struck a powerful shot right into the goal, past Benfica's goalkeeper Artur Moraes, who could only wave as the ball flew by.
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"Goal! It's in! No offside, a clean goal! Riyad Maksuél! He scores Udinese's first away goal! Now leading Benfica 4:2 on aggregate! What a strike, Riyad!" exclaimed the Italian Sky Sports commentator.
Udinese's local commentators were ecstatic: "Oh—Oh! What a beautiful goal! Beautiful!! Bruno's sudden advance threw Benfica's defense into disarray, but the most brilliant part was his unexpected chip and Maksuél's insertion. What synergy between them!"
In the East, a commentator known as "the Poet" leapt up, thrilled: "A heart with courage, thunder from a clear sky! Bruno Fernandes' dribbling and passing were beyond anyone's imagination!"
Compared to their jubilation, the Portuguese commentators clearly expressed their stance: "What a goal that was…"
"What was Benfica's defense thinking? Did Udinese's back-passing lull them to sleep on the pitch?"
"They let the opponent pass and shoot so easily. Maksuél even had time to tie his shoelaces before sending the ball into Artur's net!"
"Well, Benfica's away goal advantage is now erased, and more importantly, they are two goals behind on aggregate!"
"This goal has truly backed Benfica into a corner! Now they need to score three more to eliminate their opponent!"
At the 29th minute, Bruno Fernandes' sudden acceleration disrupted Benfica's defense, followed by an imaginative pass that set up Riyad Maksuél to break the deadlock.
Udinese now led 1:0 away at Benfica! (End of Chapter)
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