บท 60: Pro Debut!
The referee blew his whistle as Chelsea restarted the match, going for an all-out attack to try and bring the game level. Their midfielders moved the ball quickly, trying to stretch Fulham's defense. Marcus tracked back, ready to help out as needed. He knew Chelsea would press hard, looking to equalize as soon as possible.
An opportunity presented itself around the 23rd minute. Chelsea's captain, Cesar Azpilicueta, surged forward from the right, combining with N'Golo Kante to create a two-on-one situation against Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham's left-back.
Marcus sprinted to close the space, knowing they couldn't afford to give Azpilicueta any time on the ball. The Fulham defenders held their line, forcing Chelsea to play wide.
Marcus's heart skipped a beat as the ball was whipped into the box. Chelsea's tall striker, Olivier Giroud, was lurking in the danger zone, ready to pounce. Fulham's center-back, Tim Ream, rose to meet the cross, his header clearing the ball to the edge of the box. But it wasn't over yet.
Chelsea's Jorginho was the first to react, collecting the loose ball and immediately laying it off to Willian on the right wing. Marcus moved forward, trying to dispossess him, but the experienced winger proved too much to handle.
Marcus shifted his position, trying to anticipate the next move, but the Brazilian winger moved around him after performing some quick stepovers, leaving Marcus disoriented.
Willian then cut inside, looking for a shooting angle, but Fulham's midfield was quick to react, surging out of their box to close him down. The shot that followed was hurried and off-target, flying harmlessly wide of the goal.
As the game wore on, the intensity only increased. Fulham's midfielders were working tirelessly, breaking up Chelsea's play and trying to launch counterattacks. Marcus knew his role was crucial in these moments. Every time Fulham won the ball, he had to be ready to burst forward, providing an outlet for the quick counter.
About thirty minutes into the half, Chelsea had a corner. Marcus stood at the edge of the box, marking his man. The ball was swung in, and chaos ensued. Players jostled for position, and the ball pinged around the penalty area. It was a nerve-wracking moment, but Fulham's defense held firm, with Tim Ream eventually clearing the danger.
Marcus was quick to react, sprinting forward as soon as the ball was cleared. Fulham's strategy was clear—they needed to capitalize on every opportunity to counter. He saw Harvey making a run down the right and called for the ball. The pass was precise, and Marcus unleashed it with perfect weight before sprinting into Chelsea's half in line with Harvey Elliot and Andre Schurrle.
{The ball's been cleared by Fulham, and now they've got a chance to counter-attack here!} Martin Tyler's voice boomed through the speakers as the Fulham supporters raised their voices, urging their team on.
The noise from the away fans was deafening as Marcus continued to run in line with Andre Schurrle, Harvey Elliot, and Aleksandar Mitrovic, trying to catch up a bit behind the rest of the Fulham attackers.
"Go! Go! Quick transitions!" Marcus heard Coach Anderson shout from the touchline. Harvey Elliot had just gotten past Marcos Alonso, Chelsea's left-back, and had stepped into Chelsea's final third.
It was three versus two as the Fulham attackers faced the last of Chelsea's defense, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. Harvey Elliot stepped into the final third, cutting inside.
Harvey Elliot kept pushing forward, trying to draw out one of the two experienced defenders. Andre Schurrle, noticing what Harvey was up to, made a forward run, almost moving into an offside position. Antonio Rudiger left his position to mark him, trying to intercept a pass if it was played to him.
Andreas Christensen, noticing that Harvey Elliot was still moving toward him, took the bait and left his position to try and dispossess Harvey, leaving Marcus in space, one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Harvey Elliot, noticing Christensen starting the press on him, passed the ball to Marcus.
Marcus stepped into the Chelsea box, face-to-face with Kepa Arrizabalaga, his heart pounding in his chest. Kepa raced forward, trying to make himself look bigger, putting the pressure on Marcus.
In the final moments, Marcus didn't panic. He moved forward, faking a shot as Kepa reacted. Marcus moved around him, noticing Kepa reacting towards the left, and slotted the ball into the empty net as the away section of the stadium erupted in cheers.
{Goal!! Two-nil!}
{The goalkeeper was in no man's land there! A debut goal for the young Marcus Pearson! And Fulham have doubled their lead at Stamford Bridge!} Martin Tyler's voice boomed over the speakers, adding to the noise erupting from the away fans.
Marcus ran towards the corner flag, pumping his fists into the air. In the stands, Ethan's heart swelled with pride. He watched, his eyes fixed on the pitch, as his son was engulfed by his teammates. He let out a shout of joy that was lost in the crowd's thunderous applause. Laura gripped his arm, her face glowing with pride and excitement.
For Marcus, the noise of the crowd, the commentator's praise, and his father's cheers all blended into a single, overwhelming wave of emotion. As he jogged back to his position, his heart pounded in his chest. He had just scored his first goal on one of the biggest stages in football, and the feeling was indescribable.
The referee blew the whistle to signal the restart after the celebrations were done, placing the ball on the halfway line as the Fulham players reorganized themselves into their positions on the pitch.
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