Chương 175: Chapter 175: Free Kick
Chapter 175: Free Kick
After defeating Palermo and securing Udinese's second place in Serie A, Bruno left Italy because the next two weeks were slated for international matches. During this international break, Portugal faced two matches.
The first was a home game against Armenia for the fourth round of the Euro qualifiers. After this match, Portugal would head north to England to face Argentina at Old Trafford. Although it was just a friendly, the match drew significant interest due to the face-off between Messi and Ronaldo.
The match against Armenia began at 7:45 PM local time on November 14. Veteran Bosingwa returned to international duty for the first time in four years, while Guerrero debuted for the national team. Pepe partnered with Carvalho as center-backs, with Bruno starting in midfield alongside André Gomes and William Carvalho. The attacking trident was composed of Ronaldo, Danny, and Postiga.
Portugal started strong, pressuring Armenia but missed several opportunities to score. Danny shot off target, Thiago headed over from a Bruno free-kick, and Ronaldo's 25-yard free kick was blocked.
Armenia had their first chance at the 15th minute when Mkhitaryan was fouled by Carvalho just outside the box, earning Carvalho a yellow card. Mkhitaryan's direct free kick penetrated the wall but was heroically saved by Patricio.
The game continued with Portugal dominating at home, though Armenia's counter-attacks were also threatening, particularly those led by Mkhitaryan from Dortmund. However, it was Bruno who scored first for Portugal in the 43rd minute with a long shot from the top of the box, breaking through Armenia's defenses and putting Portugal ahead.
Portugal entered the halftime break with a 1-0 lead, easing some of their pressure.
In the second half, Portugal continued to press but struggled to extend their lead. After 60 minutes, Santos made successive substitutions; Éder came on for Postiga, and Quaresma replaced Danny, with Ronaldo moving to the center-forward position.
Portugal widened their lead in the 71st minute. Bruno sent a through ball from the flank, and Quaresma's acute angle shot was barely saved by Berezovsky. Voskanyan failed to clear the rebound promptly, allowing Bruno to poke the ball towards the goal, where Ronaldo was positioned to finish it from close range.
This goal marked Ronaldo's 23rd in the Euro qualifiers and finals, surpassing Thomassen and Suk to become the competition's all-time leading scorer.
Despite Éder's missed opportunities, Portugal ultimately secured a 2-0 victory over Armenia at home, maintaining their lead in the group with three consecutive wins.
After their victory against Armenia, the Portuguese team traveled north to England. Upon arriving in Manchester, they were greeted as if they were the home team, all thanks to Ronaldo. Despite leaving Manchester United five years prior, he was still dearly loved by the Red Devils' fans. Whenever Ronaldo touched the ball at Old Trafford, cheers filled the stadium.
As for Messi, he was not welcomed at Old Trafford, perhaps due to the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo or the historical tension between Manchester United and Barcelona. Every time Messi got the ball, he faced jeers from the fans.
However, neither Ronaldo nor Messi were the protagonists of the match as both played only the first half in their first national team face-off.
The real standout of the match was someone aiming to become the future king of Old Trafford. Since Bruno was a recent addition to the Portuguese national team and part of Santos's plan as a midfield commander, Santos decided to give him more playtime to build chemistry with the team.
Bruno was one of the few Portuguese players to play the full game and did not disappoint Santos. He quickly adapted to the match and his teammates' playing style. With Bruno orchestrating from midfield, Portugal was not overshadowed by Argentina and even dominated as the game progressed into the second half.
Despite the friendly nature of the match, which meant constant player rotations affecting the fluidity of the game, the score remained unchanged until the 81st minute. Then, a series of quick passes between Nani, who had come on as a substitute, and Bruno broke the deadlock, with Bruno scoring from just inside the box.
This goal was met with applause at Old Trafford, both for the skillful build-up and because Nani, a former Manchester United player still cherished by the fans, was involved.
Portugal sealed their victory with another goal during stoppage time. In the first minute of added time, Bruno distributed the ball to Quaresma on the right flank, who crossed for Guerrero to head home from close range.
Portugal ended the match with a 2-0 victory over Argentina, breaking Argentina's 42-year unbeaten streak against Portugal and extending their own winning streak to five games.
As the international break concluded and Bruno returned to Italy, he quickly faced another Serie A match. In the 45th minute of the first half, Dinatale put Udinese ahead, but Radovanovic equalized for Chievo in the 74th minute. Despite intense pressure from Udinese, they struggled to find the back of the net again.
With Udinese's improving performance attracting more international players, the impact of the "FIFA virus" was becoming increasingly evident.
In the 92nd minute, with just one minute left in the game, Udinese won a free kick in the attacking half.
The cameras focused on Bruno as he calmly stepped back, intently looking ahead, searching for that elusive feeling of perfection.
The referee prepared the scene, and since the distance was significant, Chievo did not set up a tight wall, anticipating an indirect free kick instead.
As the referee blew the whistle, Udinese players started their runs, drawing defensive attention. Bruno took a deep breath, charged forward, and swung his right foot, sending the ball flying towards the goal.
The Udinese fans in the stadium roared, but the sound of the kick was still distinctly audible.
"Ah, Bruno's direct free kick…"
The ball sped from Bruno's foot, its arc low and fast, a powerful strike. Chievo's goalkeeper, alert to the threat, made a quick decision to dive.
The shot was fast and direct, and the goalkeeper was confident of making the save. But as he committed to the dive, the ball unexpectedly dipped just slightly.
This tiny, almost imperceptible change was enough to throw off his timing. What seemed a certain save turned into a misjudgment.
However, experienced as he was, the goalkeeper tried to adjust but was ultimately unable to prevent the ball from sneaking under his hands and into the net.
It was a goal!
"Goal!!! It's in!!!"
"My God, a direct free kick from thirty-three meters out, and it's in!!!"
"Bruno! From Bruno, a long-range missile has just breached Chievo's defenses!"
Everyone at the venue was stunned before bursting into ecstatic cheers. Bruno himself could hardly believe it; he knew he had struck the ball perfectly, but the goalkeeper's initial reaction had obscured his view.
It wasn't until he saw the goalkeeper on the ground, the ball not in his arms, that Bruno's excitement erupted. He sprinted along the pitchside stands, his name echoing around him, celebrated for a spectacular free kick from thirty-three meters.
Some say you're not a master unless you've scored from over thirty meters out. With this goal, Bruno felt he might just qualify as one.
(End of Chapter)
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