Football singularity

Chapter 782 No Penalty

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[2021-05-29 | Estádio do Dragão, Porto | 22:23 WEST]

[Manchester City 1-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen]

[80]

The corner kick came to nothing, Stones heading it clear as City broke immediately, with De Bruyne collecting the clearance and driving forward. He played it wide to Mahrez, who cut inside onto his left foot, trying to muscle past Daley. The Algerian curled a shot toward the far post, but Hradecky was positioned perfectly, catching it cleanly.

Leverkusen tried to build from the back, with Hradecky rolling it to Tah. The German defender played it forward to Baumgartlinger, who was immediately pressed by Gündogan. The Austrian turned away, then played it wide to Bailey on the right. The Jamaican took one touch before launching a cross into the box, but Dias rose above Schick, heading it clear.

As the clock ticked down, the match had devolved into an end-to-end endeavour with tactics going out of the window. Both teams traded blows, neither willing to settle for extra time. In the 84th minute, Sterling received the ball on the left, cutting inside past Frimpong with a sharp turn.

He drove toward the box, drawing Tah across, then slipped it to Foden at the edge of the area. The young midfielder struck it first-time, but Hradecky dropped low, palming it away.

Pep had seen enough and quickly made changes, bringing on Rodri for De Bruyne and Sergio Agüero replacing Raheem Sterling. Rodri was meant to add steel to the midfield, which had become increasingly physical. Agüero came to add a proper goal threat that Jesus failed to provide so far.

The Argentine legend jogged on, and the City fans who’d made the trip rose to their feet, chanting his name. Still in the 87th minute, it was Leverkusen who got the first real attack as Rakim collected the ball on the left touchline near the halfway line. He faced Walker, as the English fullback, stayed tight, refusing to dive in or give him too much space.

But Rakim’s first touch was sharp, knocking the ball past him down the line. He exploded past him, but Walker recovered, giving chase as the winger accelerated his pace, maintaining the distance. Rakim cut inside at the edge of the box, facing Stones, who held his ground, trying to impede his way.

Rakim dropped his left shoulder, selling the feint, but Stones didn’t bite, staying compact, so Rakim went the other way, dragging the ball right with the outside of his boot. Silva stepped across to help, and suddenly he was facing two defenders. His feet moved in a blur, trying to escape the encirclement, step over right, chop left, ball rolling between Stones’s legs.

The defender tried to turn, but Rakim was already through, bursting into the box. Dias came sliding in late from the side, clipping his foot just as he latched onto the ball. The winger went down, tumbling across the turf, immediately looking toward the referee.

Antonio Lahoz was only ten yards away, with a perfect view, and simply shook his head. He raised his arms, waving play on, signalling no penalty. A torrent of boos rained down from above, but the city side and the referee did not care as Ederson quickly secured the loose ball. Bosz, on the touchline, was livid, screaming at the fourth official, but the decision stood.

"NO PENALTY!" Drury called. "Lahoz says no!"

The final minutes of regulation descended into desperation as City pressed high, looking to somehow break Leverkusen, who defended deep. They absorbed wave after wave of attacks, and Agüero had a chance in the 89th minute. Collecting a through ball from Foden, he floated between Baumgartlinger and Tah and struck it from outside the box, but Hradecky got down quickly, pushing it wide.

The corner was cleared, and Leverkusen tried to counter quickly. Bailey drove down the right before being fouled by Zinchenko, who came in flying with venom. The free kick came to nothing, as Demirbay’s delivery was overhit, sailing out for a goal kick.

[90+4’]

The fourth official’s board displayed four minutes of added time, and both teams attacked with renewed desperation. City worked the ball patiently across their back line as Ederson rolled it out to Walker, who worked it to Dias in the centre through Stones, eventually ending back to Walker, who had moved up the wing.

The English full back looked up, then launched it long toward Agüero. The Argentine legend controlled it on his chest, and Tapsoba was immediately on him, but Agüero’s touch was sublime, cushioning it perfectly before spinning away. He drove toward the goal, but Baumgartlinger recovered, sliding in from the side.

The ball deflected out to Foden, before he could strike or try to play it to Rodri, Leverkusen’s Demirbay tackled him from the side, cleanly stripping him of the ball. His tackle sent the ball spinning toward Baumgartlinger, who controlled it instantly, pivoting away from Agüero’s press. The Austrian’s head snapped up, scanning the field, spotting Schick making a diagonal run across the front line, dragging Stones with him and opening space.

Baumgartlinger threaded it through to Bailey on the right, who had dropped deep to collect. The Jamaican’s first touch was velvet, taking him away from Zinchenko’s lunge. He accelerated forward, his dribbling explosive, forcing the Ukrainian to frantically backpedal. Bailey cut inside sharply, drawing Rodri across, then slipped it back to Frimpong, who had overlapped on the outside.

The Dutch fullback drove into space, reaching the byline before whipping a low cross toward the near post. Schick attacked it, but Dias got there first, stabbing it clear. The ball fell to Gündogan at the edge of the box, who immediately played it long toward Mahrez.

The Algerian controlled it on the right flank, Sinkgraven closing him down. Mahrez’s feet danced stepover, right, chop left, mixed in a quick feint, and he created half a yard before cutting inside. His shot was struck cleanly, curling toward the far corner, but he put too much power behind it, sending it sailing over the goal.

(FWEEET! FWEEET! FWEEEEEET!)

"FULL TIME!" Drury announced. "Manchester City 1, Bayer Leverkusen 1. We’re going to extra time in the Champions League final!"

The players from both sides collapsed where they stood, chests heaving, legs burning. Medical staff and trainers rushed onto the pitch, handing out water bottles and towels.

"Well, they have come this far now they will have to dig deeper to drag themselves across the finishing line," Tyldesley added as the player moved to gather at their benches. "Though if you ask them, they will wonder just how much more they need to give to finally get their hands on that piece of silverware."

"If you ask city fans, they would argue this game should have already been put to bed," Drury noted, voicing some of the thoughts of the English sides who saw their team as the clearly superior side. "But the German side could argue that they were denied a clear penalty that I am sure will be a topic of debate in the coming week, regardless of the outcome."

"These things are never clear-cut, as different referees might have given it," Tyldesley added his two cents to the conversation. "Though from Lohaz’s perspective it must have seemed like a fair challenge, which, I’m sure, the City fans would be willing to make their final stand on."

"Regardless of what happens in the next thirty minutes," Drury continued. "We are in for an exciting 30 minutes that will decide the fate of these two sides vying for football immortality. See you after the break."

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TO BE CONTINUED...