Football singularity

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[10/11/2019, Stadion GOSiR, 18:07]

"Wow, Ehlers with the crucial intervention!" Paul exclaimed, nearly shouting into his mic. "Smith was poised to pull the trigger there." The loose ball rolled toward the edge of the box where Angelo Stiller comfortably collected it as he deftly turned, avoiding a tackle from Giovanni.

The defensive midfielder did not initiate an attack but instead returned possession as he started dictating passes along the German ranks. They started forming triangles and squares as passing angles continued to open up for them as they slowly pushed their opponents back. The boys in white tried to disrupt them with frantic pressing but the Germans were technically sound and most importantly tactically strong.

Thus, for the next 5 minutes, they fully controlled the ball as they even passed it back to Luca in between the sticks. It was as if they were asking their opponents if they had run enough and simply waited for them to realise that they wouldn't be easily winning the ball. With Wirtz who played as an attacking midfielder even dropping back even further than the defensive midfielders, slowing down the pace became easy.

Still, there were a few close calls when Weah and Pulisic, on their respective wings, came close to winning the ball. However, that close call was what the European Eagles needed to up the pace at which they moved the ball. They got confident enough with the ball to keep pining it in a triangle around Weah at some point until the winger voluntarily stopped chasing.

Yet through all that passing and patient buildup, there was an undercurrent of tension rippling through the stadium. You could see the frustration building on the American side. The crowd sensed it, too—some fans started to clap in unison, urging the boys in white to press harder, while others booed every neat exchange from the German midfield.

[10]

Germany had pushed up past the halfway line and was comfortably moving the ball around when Wirtz suddenly held onto the ball and dribbled forward. Quickly breaking into the ranks of the US defensive lines, he manoeuvred the ball between his feet in a display of quick feet. His diagonal run forward towards the right flank instantly created chaos as he somehow glided past 3 players.

Just before reaching the edge of the box, he knocked that ball back with a backheel pass sending the ball into the feet of Angelo Stiller. The German midfielder didn't even bother taking a touch as he sent a chipped cross into the box. "Angelo attempts a cross but who is his target?" Paul Gartner exclaimed as the ball floated towards the area around the back post with speed.

As the ball rose in a gentle arc through the cool evening air, it seemed to take a lifetime to reach its apex. Eyes darted to the far post, where Rakim and Moukoko both looked ready to pounce. The American defenders—Dest and Richards—were also on high alert, bodies tensed like coiled springs.

Then, at the last second, Weston McKennie soared into view. He thrust himself forward, cutting off the flight of the ball with a solid header that sent it bouncing clear of danger. A wave of relieved applause rolled through the American supporters. They couldn't breathe in relief though as the Germans won possession of the loose ball when Niklas Tauer out-muscled Giovanni for it.

Without a second thought, they went back to controlling the pace of the ball as the players who had led the attack slotted back into their positions. As if nothing happened, Wirtz and Angelo went back to pining passes around the field as they looked for another breakthrough point. Just as it looked like it would persist with a spell of German possession, Yunus Musah anticipated a pass from Ehlers that was meant for Rakim.

[13]

With no hesitation, charged forward, bursting past a shoulder tackle from Wirtz before sending a weighted pass to Matte just past the halfway line. The young striker Cooley received as and used his strong body to hold off Bella-Kotchap. "Matteo Smith on the ball let's see what wonders he will work," Jamie exclaimed as he spun to his right and sent a pass to Christian Pulisic who was charging up his left flank.

The winger's first touch was a piece of brilliance as he used his momentum to deftly blitz past Angelo Stiller as a foot race between him and Germany's right-back Simon Asta ensued. Pulisic sped forward, each stride fuelled by the buzz in the crowd. Simon Asta, determined not to be bested, raced shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Both fought with their hands, but it was Pulisic who reached that ball first at the edge of the box, but Aster was there to meet him.

Pulisic managed to shield the ball near the edge of the box, his feet dancing as Asta lunged in with a determined slide. The American star flicked it forward at the last second, skipping over the defender's outstretched boot. For a moment, it looked like he might break free into the penalty area, but a quick recovery from Armel Bella-Kotchap forced Pulisic to pull back, halting the immediate threat. Frustrated murmurs rolled through the stands, mingling with scattered cheers for the German defence's quick reaction.

Without a clear path into the box, Pulisic slid a safe pass back to Musah, who opted to reset the tempo instead of forcing a risky move. The US crowd sounded restless—some were urging a direct assault on goal, while others seemed relieved their side held possession for what seemed like the first time in this match.

Around the 17th minute, the game settled into a tense rhythm of steady passes and cautious marking. Each side seemed wary of committing too many players forward, especially as possession of the ball continued to interchange between both teams. You could see it in the way the American forwards hovered near the halfway line, reluctant to leave too much space behind for Rakim or Jamie Leweling to exploit.

On the German side, Tauer and Stiller calmly tapped the ball around, waiting for an opening that never quite materialized. [20] That spark nearly came when Mark McKenzie intercepted a stray pass intended for Leweling. Seizing his chance, McKenzie drove forward from his centre-back position with unexpected momentum. The stadium buzzed with excitement—or alarm, depending on which side you were on—as the defender burst past a napping Wirtz and threaded a crisp pass toward Reyna just inside Germany's half.

"Oh, that is a fantastic initiative from McKenzie!" Paul Gartner called out, standing halfway in the commentary box. "You rarely see a centre-back burst through lines like that!"

"He's doing the right thing in my opinion, Paul!" Jamie Oliver exclaimed, a trace of pride creeping into his voice. "USA needs all hands-on deck if they want to break this German wall."

Reyna cushioned the pass with an elegant first touch, then immediately scanned for Matteo Smith. But Bella-Kotchap, clearly unwilling to be caught off-guard this time, raced out to close him down. Recognizing the pressure, Reyna shifted gears, pivoted, and looped a pass to Weah, who had drifted near the right sideline to find space.

Weah controlled the ball, but Katterbach arrived a heartbeat later, pressing him tightly. They wrestled for control—shoulders bumping, feet scrambling. Neither wanted to surrender even an inch. Eventually, Weah managed a quick turn that drew a foul, earning a free kick in a decent position out wide. A flicker of hope rippled through the American supporters, while the Germans quickly organized themselves into a tight defensive shape.

[23]

The referee's whistle cut through the noise, and Weah placed the ball carefully, his eyes scanning the penalty area for McKennie or Richards. The tension soared with every step he took backwards, preparing to whip in the cross. But just as he was about to take the kick, the referee signalled for him to wait, gesturing toward some pushing and jostling at the edge of the box giving each a warning.

A brief lull followed as players bickered, the crowd grew louder, and the officials tried to restore order. Through it all, Rakim stood near the halfway line, hands on his hips, visibly impatient. Eventually, the ref allowed Weah to proceed. He stepped up and launched a teasing, curling cross into the German penalty area. Muscles tensed on both sides as McKennie soared into the air, towering over Tauer.

But Ehlers, once again, performed a last-second intervention, heading the ball but he felt like the contact wasn't as clean as he would have hoped. Sure enough, he saw the figure of Yunus at the edge of the box running forward to where the ball would land. "Mine!" A voice exclaimed, causing Yunus to stop in his tracks and in the next second, Ehler, saw a figure wearing USA's number 9 jersey with his back towards the goal jump into the air.

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To Be Continued...