Chương 220: Chapter 219: A Goal to Be Worshipped
Chapter 219: A Goal to Be Worshipped
Bruno indeed saw an opportunity. Despite Barcelona's solid defense, even the tightest defenses have their lapses.
Barcelona's defensive issue was that they were pushing too high up the field. When Bruno dropped back to the right edge of the penalty area to receive a pass from Piris, the entire Barcelona backline was near the penalty spot.
Rakitic was defending around the edge of the penalty arc, while Busquets shifted to the right side of the arc, both protecting the front of the box.
Barcelona's defense was well-organized, making it difficult for Udinese to penetrate head-on. However, the pace of the game was fast, and Barcelona's defense was slightly forward, clearly rattled by Bruno's earlier long-range shot. They feared another sudden strike from him.
When Bruno received the ball, he quickly surveyed the field and grasped the overall situation. He decided to pass the ball horizontally to Guilherme, who had temporarily shaken off Busquets' defense, and then swiftly cut inside, accelerating to get behind Alba.
Guilherme understood Bruno's intention immediately. As soon as Bruno started his run, Guilherme delivered a direct pass into the box, threading it between Alba and Mascherano towards the baseline.
Bruno's acceleration was swift, leaving Alba behind and charging into the box. Mascherano reacted quickly but Bruno still managed to get ahead of him.
At the right corner of the six-yard box, Bruno had three options. First, he could pass horizontally to the middle, where Di Natale was no longer offside and Salah was also arriving at the far post. However, Piqué and Alves were blocking their paths, making it difficult to find them. The second option was to stop abruptly, attempt to shake off Mascherano, and shoot with his left foot. However, with Piqué and others back in the small box, the chances of scoring were slim. The third and boldest option was to continue towards the baseline and try to shoot himself. But this would reduce the shooting angle significantly, and it was uncertain whether he could even get a shot off.
The first option was the safest and most logical. If his teammates could capitalize on the chance, Bruno would be credited for creating it. If not, he wouldn't be blamed. The third option was the riskiest; if he scored, it would be brilliant, but if he missed, he'd be labeled selfish.
All these thoughts flashed through Bruno's mind in an instant, and he made his decision just as quickly.
As soon as he received the ball, Bruno hesitated slightly before accelerating again. This brief pause caused Mascherano to instinctively slow down, allowing Bruno to pull ahead.
Seizing the opportunity, Bruno accelerated further and shot the ball directly.
Barcelona's goalkeeper, Ter Stegen, positioned himself close to the right post. In that instant, Bruno noticed a narrow gap between Ter Stegen's left foot and the post.
Believing he could squeeze the ball through, Bruno shot without hesitation, opting for a low bouncing shot to evade Ter Stegen's outstretched foot.
Ter Stegen, focused intently on Bruno, anticipated the shot but was slightly delayed by the sudden bounce.
Cursing internally, Ter Stegen stretched his left foot, feeling the ball graze it, but it deflected straight into the net.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!"
"My God, oh my God!"
"Just three minutes into the match, and Udinese have scored first against Barcelona!"
"A near-zero-angle shot from Bruno!"
"This is unbelievable!"
"Bruno has started this match with immense intensity. Within the first minute, he threatened Barcelona with a stunning long-range shot, and now, just three minutes in, he scores with an almost impossible shot!"
"Barcelona's defense was tight, but Bruno still found a way through."
"This is Bruno's 15th goal in this season's Champions League! He has nearly secured the top scorer title. Even if Udinese doesn't make it to the final, a five-goal lead over Messi is hard to overcome."
"Fifteen goals in a single season, just shy of Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 17!"
"It's hard to believe these stats belong to a midfielder!"
"Is this how ordinary people play football?"
Bruno, elated after scoring, turned and sprinted off the pitch, leaping over the advertising boards to the stands, arms wide open, fists clenched, and shouted, "Yes!!!"
The front-row fans hugged his legs, while the entire stadium erupted in deafening cheers. The scene was electric.
No one expected Bruno to come close with a long-range shot within the first minute and score within three minutes with a near-zero-angle shot. His performance was outstanding.
Udinese's entire team was in top form tonight.
"From the slow-motion replay, this was a fantastic goal and a well-executed tactical play."
"We can see how Bruno linked up play, with Guilherme making two key passes. One found Di Natale, who, under pressure, returned it to Piris."
"Piris played almost like a winger with his forward runs."
"Bruno, seeing no immediate chance, pulled out of the box to receive Piris's pass and then passed it to Guilherme."
"Bruno's off-the-ball movement was crucial, pulling Barcelona's defense apart."
"Guilherme's through ball was perfect, allowing Bruno to speed past Alba and face Mascherano."
"His subsequent shot was spectacular."
"Udinese's attacks have been beautifully executed, indicating well-rehearsed tactics."
Bruno's teammates surrounded him in celebration. With the aggregate score now 2-3, Udinese still trailed, but thanks to their away goal, they needed only one more goal to advance.
Every Udinese player was exhilarated, sensing the possibility of reaching the Champions League final.
Bruno had been Udinese's driving force, leading them to the Italian Cup, Europa League, European Super Cup, and Italian Super Cup. Now, with the Serie A title within reach, they were on the verge of a Champions League final.
How could the players not be excited?
Bruno was seen as a god-like figure by his teammates, always delivering surprises and miracles, just like his long-range shot at the start and his near-zero-angle goal.
To them, Bruno was nothing short of divine.
(End of Chapter)
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