Chapter 567: Another Goal!
Sure enough, Dembele didn't come up, and Ben Davies stuck close to Bruno, not giving him any space to turn. Meanwhile, Tottenham's forward Son Heung-min was shadowing Valencia, cutting off any passing options for Bruno.
With each step Bruno took, he was pushed closer to the right sideline by Tottenham's defensive strategy, which aimed to force him out of bounds—a common yet effective defensive tactic.
"The tighter the defense, the easier it is to fall for a feint, as long as you're quick enough!" This was advice Cristiano Ronaldo had once given him.
At this moment, Bruno had no other options. Despite the sustained physical pressure for half a year, Ben Davies's pushing from behind didn't make Bruno lose his balance, though it did make his steps slightly unsteady. He kept the ball firmly under control while monitoring his opponent, who was also watching him closely.
When Bruno suddenly accelerated forward, Ben Davies was taken aback, thinking Bruno intended to use his speed to break free. He immediately moved to cover Bruno's right side. The sideline was to his left, and his defensive instincts told him that if he guarded the right side, Bruno couldn't break free.
But this was exactly what Bruno had been waiting for. The moment Ben Davies moved, Bruno skillfully hooked the ball backward with his left foot and quickly turned to the left.
With this swift movement, the ball was now in front of Bruno, who had turned around successfully.
"A Cruyff turn!!"
A wave of exclamations swept through Wembley Stadium. With the turn, Bruno faced the attacking direction, while Ben Davies was now behind him. Bruno quickly advanced with the ball, passing it to Gündoğan before Dembele could close in.
Gündoğan understood Bruno's intentions and dribbled diagonally towards the center. Dembele, worried about the center, moved closer to Dier.
Suddenly, Gündoğan passed the ball behind Dembele instead of towards the box's edge. Bruno, moving at top speed, cut behind Dembele and received the ball near the box's edge. Now, only center-back Vertonghen stood in his way.
"Manchester United's right flank is launching a fast attack. Bruno is advancing towards the box, moving quickly."
Vertonghen, the last defensive player, knew that if he didn't stop Bruno, it would be a one-on-one with the keeper. So he focused intensely on Bruno, not letting any distractions, like sweat dripping into his eyes, deter him.
Just as it seemed Bruno would enter Vertonghen's zone, Bruno accelerated, appearing to cut towards the penalty arc. Vertonghen, having prepared for this moment, shifted his weight to block the left-footed shot, as Bruno was ambidextrous.
"Damn it!" Vertonghen didn't have time to think, knowing that any delay could give Bruno a shot. As he shifted right to block, Bruno moved left, slipping past him.
"Beautiful dribbling!"
Bruno, having passed Vertonghen, suddenly saw a figure approaching rapidly. What was happening?
He barely registered who it was, instinctively recognizing that the goalkeeper had charged out. But this was too far from the goal.
With no time to think, Bruno felt grateful for the training system that had taught him to always keep the ball within control. Even after bypassing Vertonghen, the ball was still under his control. As the keeper charged with outstretched arms, Bruno pushed the ball forward.
Tottenham's keeper, Hugo Lloris, had confidently charged out, predicting Bruno's inside cut. He aimed to block the ball as Bruno bypassed Vertonghen.
But Bruno's quick reaction meant the ball remained under control, allowing him to push it past Lloris.
Lloris tried to intercept but was too slow. Bruno accelerated and, before the ball could go out, swept it across the goal. The ball skimmed the right post and hit the net. Bruno crashed into the advertising boards.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLL!!!!!!"
"In the 38th minute, Manchester United equalized!"
"Oh my God, what a stunning individual performance by Bruno!"
Wembley erupted as Tottenham fans reeled in shock. The entire sequence seemed long and complex but happened in the blink of an eye. Only Bruno crashing into the boards and the ball in the net reminded everyone that United had scored.
Bruno stood up, fists raised, yelling in triumph, quickly embraced by his teammates.
"This is an amazing goal, showcasing Bruno's exceptional skills."
"From the Cruyff turn to the dribble past Vertonghen and the final touch past Lloris, this was a masterful goal."
The first half ended 1-1, with Bruno's solo effort boosting United's morale and denting Tottenham's spirit.
In the halftime break, Mourinho praised the team's performance. "As long as we keep Eriksen in check, we can win here!"
The second half saw Tottenham taking a more aggressive approach, but United, though young, remained steadfast and experienced, having endured last season's trials.
Tottenham pressed forward while United defended and countered. In the 48th minute, Alli and Eriksen combined, and Eriksen was fouled by Valencia, earning a yellow card and a free-kick for Spurs.
Eriksen's free-kick aimed for the corner but was saved by De Gea, posing no threat.
Tottenham's continued assaults were met with steady United defense. For the first ten minutes of the second half, United didn't manage a single shot, focused solely on defending.
Even Bruno dropped deep to help defend, highlighting Tottenham's pressure. United's goal area was fraught with danger.
But Tottenham's relentless attacks eventually exposed weaknesses.
In the 74th minute, Bruno defended against Dembele, while Kante tackled and dispossessed him. Valencia quickly advanced, passing to Bruno and then sprinting forward.
Bruno returned the pass, setting up a one-two with Valencia, who sped down the right. Bruno followed, slightly behind and closer to the center.
Valencia's speed bested Ben Davies, but he couldn't cut inside and crossed from the right.
The ball reached the penalty spot, where Bruno, bypassing Vertonghen, volleyed it into the left corner of the net.
"Another goal!"
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