Chapter 65 Race Against Time

Materazzi was soon sent on by Mourinho.

Didn't even give him time to warm up.

Of course, Materazzi has gone out to warm up twice before, so it cannot be said that there is no warm-up at all.

In fact, Mourinho needs to take risks for Materazzi to play.

Materazzi was the main central defender of Inter Milan in the previous seasons.

However, he didn't play too many games this season, the main reason is his injury.

Due to injuries, Materazzi has been playing intermittently this season.

It can be said that Inter Milan's excellent defense this season has little to do with him.

Before this game, he had just returned from injury for two weeks and only played 15 minutes of the game.

But now Mourinho has to give him a heavy responsibility.

He believes that Materazzi can withstand.

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When Materazzi was brought on, it was a pity that Giroud missed that chance.

Some commentators even asserted that Lazio would be unlucky after missing this opportunity that might kill Inter Milan.

"Waste the opportunity and you will be punished!"

Some people think that Cesar's save boosted the morale of Inter Milan. Inter Milan is likely to boost their morale because of this save, and then score goals in one go.

Or at worst, a draw can be guaranteed. Just like what Rudy and Di Matteo thought, the commentator also felt that being able to draw with Lazio at Lazio's home court should be an acceptable result for Inter Milan.

"When the game is over, maybe Giroud will deeply regret his missed header! Because this may be the watershed of this game!"

In the camera, Giroud's header and the situation after the header are being replayed.

Saw the ball miss. Giroud held his head in his hands and stroked his hair vigorously, looking very unbelievable.

not only him,

The Lazio fans in the stands are doing this now...

In this corner kick, Lazio did not pose any threat to the goal guarded by Cesar.

This makes it even more meaningless that Giroud missed the header just now.

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Materazzi came on, and Chang Sheng glanced at Mourinho next door.

It seems that Mourinho has seen what he wants to do.

So a targeted arrangement was made.

However, Materazzi has just recovered from his injury, and he hasn't played well at all. What kind of state can he have?

Although Materazzi has height and a header. But Chang Sheng intends to attack him on this point.

So he went to the sidelines again, whistled and gestured again.

He pointed at Materazzi, and everyone knew what to do.

In the next game, Lazio's wide crosses increased significantly. And they are all looking for Giroud.

It doesn't have to be a header, as long as Giroud can get the first point, he can create opportunities for his teammates.

Cavani has become a shadow striker, cruising around Giroud. His task is to control the second point, whether it is shooting or passing.

Strictly speaking. Cavani is not a pure center forward, he played as a full-back when he was in Naples...

So he can be well qualified for the position of shadow striker.

But now, the protagonists are Giroud and Materazzi.

The number of duels between these two has skyrocketed because of more golf shots.

Sometimes Giroud has the upper hand. Sometimes it is Materazzi who pushes the football out to make a clearance.

But as time goes by, Materazzi's success rate is declining.

"Giroud! It's Giroud again! He hit the ball again! This is the third time in a row that he has hit the football!"

exclaimed the narrator.

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Mourinho frowned on the sidelines, he finally felt anxious.

He looked up at the big screen, seventy-seven minutes.

Three minutes to eighty minutes...

in his plan. As long as eighty minutes pass, Lazio will inevitably become impatient. They definitely can't follow the winning tactics to play the game. At that time, it is Inter Milan's chance.

But……

He was vaguely worried.

He is not worried that after 80 minutes, Lazio will not collapse.

He was worried that his team would collapse in less than 80 minutes...

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Just as Jose Mourinho lowered his head in thought, Chang Sheng also looked up at the big screen.

Seventy-seventh minute.

This is a race against time.

But who will win?

At the seventy-seventh minute, is it your own bottom line or the opponent's bottom line?

Chang Sheng didn't know.

When will this entanglement end?

eighty minutes? Or eighty-five minutes?

Or... stoppage time?

Chang Sheng didn't know either.

He has already made all the decisions he can make, and he has done everything that should be done. All three substitutions have been used up, and tactical adjustments have also been made.

As a head coach, there is nothing he can do. Next, we can only look at the performance of the players on the court.

I hope that Giroud will not let himself down, and that Lazio will not let him down.

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Perhaps the Lazio players are also aware of the lack of time.

So they picked up the tempo again.

They don't break through to the bottom line and then pass. After they get the ball from the wing, they turn around and send the cross.

Almost all of them are crosses at a forty-five-degree angle!

Because Inter Milan's back line will not be compressed in front of the goal, there is still room for the center forward to sprint. There is also a blank area in front of him. When the passing time is in place, it is possible to play an anti-offside here.

That way you can hit the goal unmarked.

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In the 78th minute, Giroud headed the ball, Cavani volleyed directly, and the football was blocked by the crossbar!

"What a pity! Beam!!"

"Lazio have the upper hand, but the advantage doesn't translate into victory! They still can't score! Giroud's header makes Cesar save it, and now Cavani's volley keeps the crossbar out outside!"

"Maybe today's draw will really be a fair result for both sides. Lazio is like this and can't score... That is obviously not their problem."

After Cavani got up from the ground. Depressedly looking up to the sky and howling.

Then turned around and ran back.

There is no time to regret and regret, and we have to organize the next attack quickly.

※ ※ ※

Julio Cesar's big kick was pushed back by Jose Passarella.

Giroud jumped high again, and this time he won Materazzi again!

Giroud tipped the ball over to Modric who came in behind.

Modric was heavily marked by Inter Milan players.

Inter Milan knew that time was running out and as long as they could drag the draw into the 80 minutes, their chances of winning would be greatly increased. So they double-teamed Lazio playmaker Modric.

Modric faced the defense of two people and did not greedy possession of the ball, nor did he force a breakthrough.

He deftly knocked the ball out with his heel and gave it to Ledesma who was behind him.

Ledesma made the transfer immediately.

He distributed the football to the right, and Brazilian defender Belletti received the football, and then made a two-for-one cooperation with the retreating Gotze.

When he received the football again. He paused for a moment and made a move to cross.

Lazio's crosses were all crosses at a forty-five-degree angle from this position before, so Inter Milan's left-back Chivu immediately jumped up and stretched his legs, intending to block his cross.

Now the defenders of Inter Milan can see that Materazzi has a header despite his height. But he has just returned from injury, and his body and condition are not at their best, so he does not have the advantage in the process of competing with Giroud.

In order to prevent the French big man from pushing the football towards the goal again, they must stop the opponent at the crossing stage, and even if they cannot stop, they must interfere.

In short. Lazio's wide players cannot be allowed to take the ball easily.

They can't expect Cesar to make world-class saves every time, can they?

Chivu such a block, but did not block the football.

It's not that the football bypassed him, it's that Belletti didn't pass the ball at all!

He paused and made a pass. Just a feint.

When he saw Chivu jump up to block his cross, he knocked the football forward and strode the ball over!

Belletti's breakthrough beyond the expectations of Inter Milan.

If the full-back is breached, the central defender must come up to defend. The gap left by the defensive central defender must either be made up by the defensive midfielder retreating, or another central defender will make up for it in turn. The full-backs on the other side also came in to defend. As for the original position of the full-backs...it doesn't matter, anyway, it's also on the side. Even if the football passes, the threat is much smaller.

So how did Inter Milan choose?

Central defender Cordoba made up the past and pressed Belletti.

Cambiasso withdraws and becomes a central defender!

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"Belletti broke through! He has a chance now..."

"Córdoba goes up to defend, but it's an opportunity for Lazio... Let's see how Belletti handles it..."

Belletti didn't wait until the opponent was fully forced to get rid of it.

He knows that now is the best time, because Cambiasso has just made up for it, and he has not yet gained a firm foothold.

After Inter Milan's defense was messed up by itself, there was an inertia.

This inertia makes them make some small mistakes when defending.

This kind of small mistake is the most useful for Lazio now!

So Belletti made a direct pass without warning during the sprint!

"The Belletti cross - oops!"

Caresa yelled because he felt that Belletti's pass was bad.

It stands to reason that if you want to take advantage of Giroud's high point, you should try to send the football as high as possible, so that you can make full use of Giroud's height.

But the football passed by Belletti is not high, and it seems more suitable for jumping up lightly, and then being able to hit the football.

Can't blame Belletti, though.

He was the starting player, and by the 79th minute, his stamina was running low.

The sprint just now from Fang's backcourt to near the opponent's bottom line in one breath, he was already exhausted.

Also pass.

In order to enhance his strength, he throws his whole body center of gravity to cross.

So after the pass, he flew out with his whole body.

Lying on the ground, he looked at the football in the air and was helpless.

All he can do next is to pray, pray that the football can fly as he imagined, and there must be no deviation!