Football singularity-Chapter 354 Wall
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[14th minute]
Tah reacted instinctively and lunged after the ball but was unable to reach it as it glided along the turf heading towards the penalty spot. Mamba seeing the ball heading towards him instinctively swung his foot trying to take the shot first time. It wasn’t meant to be as Sven Bender sliced along the ground kicking up grass in a slide tackle reaching the ball first before sending the striker crashing to the ground.
The referee’s whistle immediately followed, sharp and piercing, signalling a decision that set both sets of fans roaring in anticipation and protest. "Wheeeuuuuuit!" The referee pointed firmly to the penalty spot. Hans Bauer’s call was decisive, despite the furious protests of Sven Bender and his Leverkusen teammates.
"Penalty!" Derek Rae’s voice carried the intensity of the moment. "Paderborn has a golden opportunity to equalize after a blistering counterattack led by Antwi-Adjei!"
Stewart Robson chimed in with a critical tone: "That was a risky tackle from Bender. He got a piece of the ball, but it’s the follow-through on Mamba that’s convinced the referee. In the modern game, those are often given. Honestly, it could have gone either way but in my opinion that was a clean tackle he won the ball first."
"I agree but maybe the referee witnessed a different angle and from what I’m seeing the Var team didn’t flag his decision," Derek Rae intoned as they watched the Leverkusen fans erupted in disapproval, a chorus of boos cascading down from the stands as Sven Bender pleaded his case.
Arms wide, he pointed insistently to the ball, which had clearly been deflected from Mamba’s path. But Hans Bauer stood firm, unmoved by the protests. As a matter of fact, he reached into his pocket and proceeded to show him a yellow card, making the first Leverkusen player to be booked in the 19/20 Bundesliga season.
The Paderborn players seeing this silently celebrated the decision as if they had already scored. Hans Bauer took a minute to bring the match back under his control. When he did Michel stepped up to the penalty spot, placing the ball carefully as the Leverkusen players reluctantly retreated to the edge of the box.
Hrádecký, the Leverkusen goalkeeper, bounced on his toes, trying to psych out the Paderborn striker. The tension in the BayArena was palpable, the home fans jeering loudly, trying to unnerve Michel.
"Steffen Michel has a chance here to silence the crowd and draw his team level," Derek Rae remarked. "But let’s not underestimate Hrádecký. The Leverkusen keeper is a specialist in these high-pressure situations."
Stewart Robson added, "True, but Michel looks confident. He’ll want to bury this and make a statement that his team can be a contender after their promotion."
Michel stepped back, his eyes locked on Hrádecký. The referee’s whistle blew, and Michel surged forward, striking the ball with his right foot. Hrádecký guessed correctly, diving low to his right, but the penalty was perfectly placed. The ball kissed the inside of the post before rippling the net.
"GOAL! Michel makes no mistake, and Paderborn are level!" Derek exclaimed. The away fans erupted in cheers as Michel celebrated, running to the corner flag and pumping his fist in the air. His teammates mobbed him, their joy contagiously fuelling the spirits of the away fans.
"That’s the response Baumgart would have wanted from his team," Robson said. "Leverkusen were dominant, but Paderborn have shown they’re not here to roll over. Credit to Michel for keeping his cool."
Bosz could be seen on the sideline barking instructions, gesturing for his players to regroup and refocus. The Leverkusen fans, though disappointed, continued to chant in support, urging their team forward.
[20th Minute]
Leverkusen resumed play with renewed urgency, pushing forward in search of a second goal. Aránguiz and Baumgartlinger dictated the tempo in midfield, exchanging quick passes to pull Paderborn out of their defensive shape. Lars Bender, determined to make up for his earlier error, burst down the right flank, receiving a lofted ball from Baumgartlinger.
Bender’s cross soared into the box, targeting Volland, who was sandwiched between Hünemeier and Strohdiek. Volland, showing great strength, managed to flick the ball on with his head, sending it towards the far post. Havertz was there, leaping high above Collins, but his header was just wide of the target.
That wasn’t the end of it as the Red Lions continued to ramp up the pressure. In the next few minutes, they showcased a master class of attacking football only to fail in the last moments. It largely had to do with on-form goalie J. Huth who was matching the masterclass of attacks through his way.
The German keeper flew across his line with cat-like reflexes defending his goal like a knight on the round table. 23rd minute Leverkusen received a freekick on the right flank allowing Baumgartlinger to deftly float in a ball across the penalty box.
To his delight, Volland rose above the crowd beating the marking of the two Paderborn defenders Strohdiek and M. Dräger. Firmly guiding the ball down towards the goal with his head. He was sure he hit the sweet spot as he guided it towards the far post.
However, J. Huth wasn’t so easily beaten as he showcased a rapid piece of footwork allowing him to quickly change direction. In the next moment, he was leaping across his touchline firmly nudging the ball beyond his post.
A couple of moments later, he leapt into the air, channelling his inner Mike Tyson, punching the resulting corner out of his box. It’s safe to say the home fans felt frustrated after seeing Huth’s explosive display of skills. However, the away fans couldn’t be bothered with them, so they started singing songs showing their appreciation.
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[27th Minute]
The frustration among Leverkusen’s players was evident, but they remained relentless. Wendell advanced from his position on the left, weaving past Pröger with a quick feint and a burst of speed. As he approached the edge of the final third, Wendell suddenly cut in words leaving the approaching Dräger a step behind.
He wasn’t about to wait for him though as he decided to unleash a venomous low shot from about 30 yards aimed for the bottom corner. However once again J. Huth was the hero for Paderborn, diving to his left to parry the shot away with a strong hand.
The ball rebounded dangerously into the box, but before Volland or Havertz could pounce, Hünemeier cleared it with a thunderous kick upfield, drawing cheers from the travelling Paderborn supporters. "Another big save from J. Huth!" Derek Rae exclaimed. "He’s single-handedly keeping his side in the game."
Stewart Robson added, "Leverkusen are creating plenty of chances, but they need to be more clinical. This isn’t the first time Huth has saved Paderborn in this match, and if they don’t capitalize soon, it could come back to haunt them." He paused for a moment before continuing his commentary after watching the blue Paderborn player once again easily give away the ball which resulted in a long shot attempt by Aránguiz. This once again forced the keeper to show his resilience as he firmly blocked the ball with his legs.
"In Paderborn’s case if I was Huth I’d be asking my teammates some serious questions. Yes, he is performing exceptionally but he is going to need help otherwise hell quickly burnout and in a top-flight league like the Bundesliga one person’s solo heroics won’t guarantee victory."
[30th Minute]
The relentless attacking pressure from Leverkusen continued to mount, but Paderborn’s defence held firm, backed by the incredible form of J. Huth. The home side began to look more and more desperate, with Baumgartlinger pulling the strings in midfield, trying to orchestrate an opening. Aránguiz, now deep in the heart of Paderborn’s defensive third, received a ball from Bender and flicked it forward to Havertz, who cleverly dragged it back, evading the lunging Hünemeier.
But just as Havertz looked set to unleash a shot on goal, the Paderborn defenders closed him down quickly. Havertz shifted the ball to Volland on the edge of the box, who fired off a low shot. However, yet again, Huth was there to smother the effort, diving to his right and gathering the ball in his arms before Volland could pounce on the rebound.
Derek Rae’s voice was filled with disbelief. "How is he doing it?! Huth is single-handedly keeping Paderborn alive here. You’ve got to give credit to the goalkeeper, but at some point, the defenders need to step up."
Stewart Robson agreed but with a cautionary tone. "Yes, Huth’s performance is nothing short of heroic, but it’s clear Leverkusen is finding pockets of space. If they keep testing him, eventually something will give. Paderborn needs to close those spaces faster, or Leverkusen will punish them."
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To Be Continued...
