Football singularity-Chapter 413 Gli Azzurri (3)

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[10]

The Italian players jogged toward the German box, setting up for their first real set-piece opportunity of the match. Emanuele Vignato placed the ball down, adjusting his socks as his teammates jostled for space in the box. The tall figures of Gabbia and Bove positioned themselves near the penalty spot, waiting for the delivery.

Vignato took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the crowded penalty area. The Italian players were on their toes, shifting subtly to evade their markers as the German defenders braced for impact. Unbehaun shouted instructions, his gloves clapping together as he urged his teammates to remain alert.

Paul Gartner’s voice carried through the stadium. "Italy have a real chance here. Their aerial presence is strong, with Gabbia and Bove both capable of attacking this ball. Germany will need to be disciplined in their marking."

The whistle blew, and Vignato delivered a whipped cross with his right foot, curling it toward the near post. Gabbia was the target, but Bella-Kotchap matched his leap, getting the first touch to flick the ball away. The clearance, however, was not ideal—it fell to the edge of the box, where Niccolò Rovella was waiting.

Rovella didn’t hesitate, stepping forward and striking the ball on the half-volley with his laces. The shot was clean, rifling through the bodies in the box toward the bottom corner. For a split second, it looked destined to nestle into the back of the net—but Unbehaun reacted swiftly, diving low and stretching out his left hand to parry the ball away.

"Unbehaun again with a crucial save!" Gartner exclaimed. "That was a venomous strike from Rovella, but the German keeper stands firm!"

The rebound fell dangerously inside the six-yard box, where Giacomo Raspadori pounced. Before he could react, though, Kevin Ehlers threw himself in the way, making a brave block to send the ball out for another corner. Cheers erupted from the German supporters, appreciating the defensive effort of their team.

Ehlers, still on the ground, received a pat on the back from Bella-Kotchap as they got back to their feet. Meanwhile, Raspadori clapped his hands, urging his teammates to keep up the pressure.

Vignato went to retrieve the ball for the second corner. This time, instead of an in-swinger, he played it short to Moise Kean, who quickly laid it back to Tonali near the edge of the box. The Italian captain, spotting a gap, attempted to thread a low pass toward the near post where Bove was making a late run, but Engelhardt anticipated it, lunging forward to cut it out. Without hesitation, Engelhardt booted the ball forward, releasing the pressure on the German side as they got back into position.

After that scare, the German players didn’t waste time dictating the tempo and controlling the flow again. By relying on their versatile 4-3-3 formation, they soon hoarded a large percentage of the possession as they searched for that opening goal. However, their efforts were rendered futile again and again by the defensive tactics of the Italians.

They adapted quickly and responded well to Germany’s tempo using their defensive awareness and tactics to stop any attack before it could develop. They followed their coach’s tactics to a T by slowing down the match and letting Germany fall into a passive state. They knew once their opponents who were known for their possession games became deadlocked, not being able to move the ball forward past a certain point they would get adventurous.

This habit had cost the German senior team in recent years, as despite having all the possessions in the world most of it was spent looking for a breakthrough point. A good defence had become their bane, and it was this very same tactic that the Italians decided to implement today. They would be satisfied with a draw since they had one in the first round, but they believed that they would get at least two good counter-attacking opportunities in this match.

However, what they failed to account for is that this German side has something the senior team doesn’t and that is Rakim Rex. A layer that can effectively break through tough defences with surgical precision without fail. This miscalculation caused their strong formation to collapse in the 25th minute when Rakim decided to go on a run.

He had been probing on his left win whenever he received a pass from his back-court teammates or his midfield, but it would usually end with him relinquishing the ball. The occasional time he would skip past his marker but then choose to pass the ball back as the Italian defence was too dense for him to risk it. Not this time though as his left foot that looked like it was going to pass back to Bella-Kotchap flashed over the ball turning it into a feint as he accelerated past Wilfried Gnonto.

Gnonto reacted late, his body shifting in the wrong direction as Rakim blazed past him, using his explosive first step to gain some acceleration. The German winger surged down the left flank, his quick strides eating up the turf as Bellanova stepped forward to intercept.

Paul Gartner’s voice rang through the stadium. "And here comes Rakim Rex! We’ve seen him do this to Japan on opening day, but can he do it to this Italy side, o—oh and he can nutmeg."

Bellanova lunged with his right foot, attempting to poke the ball away, but Rakim anticipated it. A deft touch pushed the ball forward he slipped it through the right-back’s open legs as he used his long strides to skip past him. Latching onto the ball again he burst into the box with his first touch forcing the turning Bellanova to be careful.

"Oh, brilliant footwork from Rex! He’s left Bellanova behind!" Gartner shouted.

Now, with only Gabbia and Bove between him and the goal, Rakim charged toward the box. The Italians scrambled to surround him; their defensive shape momentarily thrown into chaos. Tonali tried to cut him off, but Rakim kept his composure, shifting the ball to his right as he performed two quick stepovers forcing him to step back and stand his ground.

Rakim used this chance to knock the ball forward from behind using his left foot as he took a large step forward manoeuvring past Tonali. Bove stepped up, lowering his stance as he prepared to engage, but Rakim’s touch was too quick. He sent an Ozil-style bounce pass flying towards the back post, Bove tried to lunge at the ball, but it was too late.

"Youssoufa Moukoko!" Paul Gartner exclaimed as Moukoko timed his run to perfection, slipping past Gabbia at the far post. His instincts kicked in as the ball bounced in front of him, the perfect height for a decisive finish. With his weaker left foot, he met it first-time, striking it low and hard toward the bottom corner.

Plizzari, reacting in a split second, threw himself across the goal, his outstretched right arm reaching desperately for the shot. The ball whizzed past him, grazing the tips of his fingers before rippling the net. "GOAL!!!"

The stadium erupted. The German fans in attendance leapt to their feet, their cheers drowning out the stunned silence from the Italian supporters. Moukoko wheeled away in celebration, arms spread wide, his face alight with joy. Rakim sprinted toward him, leaping onto his back as the rest of the German squad swarmed around them.

Paul Gartner’s voice was nearly drowned out by the noise. "It’s in! Youssoufa Moukoko opens the scoring for Germany! What a play from Rakim Rex! A sensational assist and the Germans have broken through in the 25th minute!"

Replays flashed on the big screen, showing Rakim’s dazzling footwork from different angles—first the nutmeg on Bellanova, then the composure to outmanoeuvre Tonali and Bove before executing the perfect assist. Moukoko’s finish was clinical and raw power, beating Plizzari with a bang out of the blew.

As the German players celebrated near the corner flag, the Italian defenders exchanged frustrated glances. Bellanova shook his head, visibly frustrated after being beaten twice in the same sequence, while Tonali barked instructions to regroup. Gabbia picked up the ball from inside the net, his jaw clenched as he walked back toward midfield.

Gartner continued his analysis as the celebrations subsided. "Italy were doing everything right defensively, but one bout of brilliance and they are lagging behind. He was patient all game, waiting for his moment, and when it arrived, he tore through them like a hurricane. That’s exactly what makes him so special. And full credit to Moukoko, his movement was brilliant, and his finishing? Flawless."

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To Be Continued...