Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 180: 180. Belgium’s Desperate Relay Race!

Check out advanced Chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari

----------

”OHHHHHH!!!”

”Lance!!! You are my God!!!”

”Oh my god!!!”

The moment Lukaku scored, the entire Belgium squad rushed madly towards the front.

Of course, their target wasn’t Lukaku, but Lance, who had just performed his fancy football skills!

Two flick-ups and turns outside the box were absolutely incredible!

If this were street football, there would be many kids with flashy footwork in Brazil who could do such moves with a big bus.

But on the World Cup stage, against the most tightly defended Argentine team!

Nearing the 90th minute, in a desperate situation on the verge of losing, to still perform so perfectly!

Lance truly was the miracle boy of Belgium!

This made Lukaku, who was nearby, quite awkward; he was the one who scored, after all.

To avoid looking like an idiot in front of the cameras, Lukaku quickly rushed over to join the team and celebrate with the Belgian players.

Argentina’s goalkeeper, Romero, was very frustrated. How exactly did he concede that goal?

Demichelis was even more furious, kicking the ball forcefully to midfield, muttering curses under his breath, perhaps taking his anger out on Lance, or perhaps angry at his own defensive lapse.

”This is Lance!! You can always trust him in critical moments!”

”It’s hard to imagine he just finished his first year of professional league football.”

”As the saying goes, Bayer Leverkusen has unearthed a treasure.”

On German television, nearly ten million German fans were also watching this match.

Germany’s undisputed victory left them wanting more, so they were checking on how their Belgian brothers were performing.

It was also a good opportunity to scout future opponents, if Argentina maintained their form, they might meet in a final showdown in the future!

Unexpectedly, in a desperate situation, Lance’s performance gave Belgium a glimmer of hope!

This young star, already famous in the Bundesliga, seemed to be rapidly growing into a world-class superstar!

German commentators Schaul and Kahn praised him endlessly.

”Lance’s performance has brought both sides back to the starting line!”

”If it goes into extra time, Belgium still has a chance.”

”Of course, it looks like the Belgian players are pretty much exhausted; De Bruyne shows signs of cramping.”

”Hazard also seems to be out of gas, so they might not have a chance in extra time.”

”But no matter what, as long as they don’t lose, there are infinite possibilities!”

While the Belgian players celebrated, the clock had mercilessly ticked down to the end of regular time.

The fourth official held up the board: 3 minutes of injury time.

Barring any surprises, it would be difficult for a goal to occur within 3 minutes; both teams might play cautiously, trying to drag it into extra time.

Both coaching staffs were holding emergency meetings, discussing tactical countermeasures for extra time.

Belgium, after a brief celebration, had already lined up.

”What do you say, want to go for another one?”

”Yeah, I’m already exhausted.”

”Lance, what do you think?”

The front three giants, Hazard, De Bruyne, and Lance, discussed a plan before Argentina’s kickoff.

From their expressions, both intended to push hard during injury time rather than just hold on for extra time.

In extra time, it would be very difficult for the three of them to perform effectively, and Argentina would likely still win.

Even if it went to a penalty shootout, Argentina would have the advantage.

Belgium’s penalties were notoriously bad; De Bruyne once revealed in a World Cup interview: ”We never practice penalties because we find it embarrassing.”

Looking at their opponents, Argentina had many famous moments in major tournaments, and their penalty shootout win rate was terrifyingly high.

Thinking about future predictions feels incredible, Mbappé, a young player from France that no one had heard of, scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, and was still dragged into a penalty shootout, then Argentina performed perfectly in the penalty shootout, defeating France to win the championship.

Lance couldn’t let them be dragged into penalties.

”Alright!! Let’s go for it!”

After a fist bump, the three quickly returned to their positions; Argentina had already kicked off!

Injury time was ticking away mercilessly, 90:15... 90:59... 91:12...

As one minute passed, Argentina was clearly trying to run down the clock.

After a sluggish attack in the front, they quickly retreated to park the bus, giving possession to Belgium.

Dembele dribbled the ball past midfield, but even he, a substitute, was almost out of energy.

Argentina’s defense was very tight; De Bruyne was surrounded by players.

Just as he was at a loss, Lance fortunately dropped back to the center circle in time, and Dembele passed the ball to Lance.

”He’s really reassuring.”

This teenager, Lance, was simply the team’s treasure; as long as he was on the field, Belgium felt very secure.

While some felt secure, others were anxious.

The entire Argentine squad was on edge; they had been terrified by Lance.

Suddenly, Fernández, Biglia, Mascherano, and Di María, four people, simultaneously tightened their encirclement, giving Lance no room to maneuver.

Fernández simply rushed up before Lance received the ball, trying to prevent him from making a clean stop.

But stopping the ball was second nature to Lance!

What would normally be a textbook instep trap in front of him, as the opponent pressed in, Lance timely adjusted his point of contact; the front half of his right sole slightly adjusted when stopping the ball, and as Fernández rushed up, Lance’s stop turned into a nutmeg, cleanly beating him with a turn!

The stadium immediately erupted in thunderous cheers, and it was Argentine fans’ turn to get nervous.

”Beautiful! Lance’s delicate touch!!”

Just as he turned and moved forward with the ball, Di María had already rushed over.

He was very wary of this player, but Lance surprisingly made a calm sudden stop, letting Di María pass, and then used Di María’s position to block Mascherano’s defense, killing two birds with one stone!

At the same time, he created an angle and calmly played a diagonal pass to De Bruyne on the right!

A perfect play!

”Lance, that ball was so calm!! That’s how you should play!”

LeTV guest commentator Zhang Lu was full of praise!

Every touch by Lance could be described in two words: ’sensible’ or ’reasonable’!

De Bruyne, freed from Di María’s entanglement, was even more threatening; the left-back alone couldn’t stop him.

Argentina’s defensive focus again shifted to encircling De Bruyne.

”Wait a little longer, wait a little longer!”

De Bruyne dribbled horizontally for two steps; he was waiting for an opportunity! The opportunity for Hazard to make a run!

”Now’s the time!”

Flicking the ball past left-back Basanta, De Bruyne decisively took a shot!

”Oh no!”

Di María arrived a step too late; his flying tackle went through, but De Bruyne had already passed the ball!

However, Di María couldn’t stop, and he tackled De Bruyne to the ground on the spot!

”Ouch!! That ball!! Play on, the referee indicates advantage!”

Hazard was about to receive the ball in a dangerous area, and with Belgium’s attack having an advantage, the referee wouldn’t easily blow the whistle, extending both arms to let play continue.

Facing the incoming ball, Hazard easily controlled it outside the box on the left, using the momentum to accelerate and change direction, getting past Zabaleta, and simultaneously bursting into the box.

Injury time had already reached its final minute; there wasn’t much time left!

Biglia and Mascherano made their third return run, sprinting back to stop Hazard.

”Damn it!!”

Hazard steeled himself, ignoring the tightness in his leg muscles, and forced a large shoulder drop and change of direction, shaking off Biglia, then accelerated and dribbled the ball horizontally to shake off Mascherano!

The King of Belgium, at a crucial moment, displayed his peak dominance!

Just as he was about to burst into the box, suddenly, intense pain in his leg made him stumble for two steps!

”FUCK!!”

Already on the verge of cramping, the forced change of direction just now put immense pressure on his knee; he was about to give out.

”Oh no!”

At this critical juncture, a black figure accelerated from behind, rushing towards the box.

The last second before Hazard fell, he swept the ball to him with his right foot!

”It’s up to you! Lance!!”

Lukaku was in the box at this moment, his movement drawing Demichelis away!

Only Otamendi stood in front of the goal, terrified, trying to stop that terrifying teenager!

Who else could be the one making the run but Lance!

He had already activated Bachira Meguru’s boost, unleashing the monster within to generate endless energy.

Within less than 10 seconds of the boost, he had to finish this attack!

De Bruyne and Hazard had fought with all their might to create this opportunity, I will never let my brothers down!!

”Monster, it’s up to you.”

”Ho ho ho—”

The sound of what seemed like a primeval beast within his body made Lance’s eyes turn red as he burst into the box, receiving the ball with a ghostly change of direction!

The second before Otamendi closed in, he pulled the ball back at the last moment, nutmegging his opponent, and vanished past him like a phantom!

”That shot!! Lance! He’s broken through!! Face to face with the goalkeeper!!”

In the dying seconds of a crucial World Cup knockout match, Lance once again descended like a divine soldier!

Could it be...

All fans around the world instinctively stood up, nervously watching Lance draw back his foot like a bow, and unleash a powerful shot from just outside the six-yard box!

Time almost stood still for a second, followed by, an instant explosion!

”Lance!!! That goal is in!!! Can you believe it?!! Two consecutive knockout matches, Lance with two consecutive last-minute winners!!”

”The teenager who creates miracles, he is a miracle himself!”

”In the final minute of injury time, Lance scores the goal!”

”Belgium refuses extra time! They want to end the battle in regular time!”

”2-1!! They defeat Argentina!”