Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 246: Top-Level Ball Control

After scoring, Bruno dashed out of the penalty area with his arms spread wide like a glider, flying across Friuli Stadium and basking in the cheers of 40,000 Udinese fans. He was visibly ecstatic!

Soon, Théréau, Cancelo, and other teammates caught up with him, surrounding Bruno in celebration. The scoreboard now read 1-1, with Udinese finally equalizing. It was no easy feat in this half, especially after conceding an early goal in the third minute, with Manchester United adopting a solid defensive counter-attack strategy. Despite Bruno's lively performance and several chances created, they had struggled to break through United's defense.

But now, Bruno himself had equalized, bringing the game back to level terms. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Stay calm, don't rush. We have an hour left in this match. We're not here for a draw; we want to win!" Bruno's emphatic words boosted his teammates' spirits.

Bruno took special notice of Cancelo, patting his wet face, and then Adnan's shoulder. Both players were older than him, but on the pitch and in the locker room, Bruno had more influence. Today, he also wore the captain's armband, assuming the role of a leader.

In fact, after conceding the early goal, Udinese's midfield had organized itself well. As the game progressed, Cancelo and Adnan started to find their rhythm. The attack, centered around Bruno, created more space and opportunities for the team. As Bruno remained active, Manchester United was forced to focus on defense, giving Udinese more chances to exploit.

But Manchester United was no pushover. After conceding the equalizer, they continued their defensive strategy.

...

Due to Luke Shaw's injury, the first half had a lengthy 10 minutes of added time, but neither team scored during this period. Udinese produced several promising attacks, but failed to convert, while Manchester United managed one counter-attack, which also didn't yield a goal.

In the locker room, Guidolin expressed satisfaction with the first half, particularly praising the team's ability to quickly recover and refocus after conceding the early goal. Everyone knew Guidolin was indirectly praising captain Bruno.

"In the first half, our right side barely created any real chances. The only exception led to a goal," Guidolin said, looking at Widmer, urging the Swiss player to be more proactive in the second half.

"I can tell you that Van Gaal will target Bruno's area for defense in the second half. He alone can't solve the problem, Manuel, you need to push harder," Guidolin instructed.

Chile midfielder Manuel Iturra nodded firmly. In the first half, his primary role was to assist Badu in defense, cautious of Mata's involvement, fearing mistakes.

"Additionally, Manchester United's defense is focused in the middle, leaving their flanks vulnerable. We didn't exploit this enough in the first half; we need to in the second half."

Guidolin looked at Adnan and Widmer, instructing, "You two need to run into the middle to create space and send through balls, while Manuel should distribute the ball to the wings."

Bruno attracting defensive attention would open up more opportunities on the flanks, a familiar Udinese strategy. However, with Di Natale absent and only Théréau up front, Widmer's cautious play on the right had led to a left-leaning attack in the first half. Ironically, their only goal came from a right-sided cross by Widmer, leading to De Gea's error and Bruno's equalizer.

Football often hinges on a blend of chance and strategy.

...

In the second half, Manchester United fully committed to defense, while Udinese continued their aggressive play. Van Gaal reinforced marking on Bruno, with Herrera and Schweinsteiger focusing on containing him, and Mata frequently dropping back to help.

Guidolin quickly adjusted, encouraging his full-backs to push forward and Iturra to advance, leaving Badu to cover the back. Udinese began to dominate, creating numerous chances.

First, Bruno's cross found Théréau, who missed the target. Then Bruno set up Cancelo, who shot wide. Next, Bruno and Théréau combined for an Iturra shot that went just wide. Widmer's cross then saw Théréau head it down for Adnan, whose shot was saved by De Gea.

Manchester United weren't without chances either. In the 50th minute, a counter-attack ended with Schweinsteiger's long-range effort, which posed no real threat.

Udinese had the upper hand.

...

A sharp whistle from the referee halted play, as Iturra turned to see Martial on the ground, pulling himself up with a teammate's help. The French forward had tried to dribble past Iturra, but the Chilean veteran held firm, almost winning the ball. Sensing an opportunity, Martial went down under minimal contact, earning Manchester United a free-kick.

It wasn't quite a dive, as Iturra did make some contact. But it was a wasted attacking opportunity.

Iturra retreated to help form the defensive wall. Mata's free-kick struck the wall and was cleared to the left, finding Cancelo, who passed forward to Bruno. United's players quickly retreated, wary of Bruno's influence.

Bruno, not lingering, passed back across midfield to reorganize.

Udinese's quick, simple ball movement shifted play from left to right. Badu, receiving the ball, advanced and passed to Widmer, who was tightly marked by Rojo. Widmer passed back to Théréau, marked by Smalling, who returned it to Badu.

Badu, in space, lofted a ball over Smalling towards the penalty area. Bruno, positioned between Schweinsteiger and Smalling, timed his run perfectly, staying onside. He burst past Smalling, with Schweinsteiger in close pursuit, both heading for the box.

Bruno, sprinting full tilt, juggled multiple factors—Schweinsteiger's pressure, the ball's trajectory, and De Gea's approach. The crowd watched breathlessly, with Andy Gray, Sky Sports commentator, voicing the excitement.

"Udinese with a successful offside trap, Bruno breaks into the box, let's see if he can control it."

Under the intense scrutiny of fans and viewers worldwide, Bruno shielded the ball from Schweinsteiger, swinging his right leg. Stopping the high pass perfectly, the ball stuck to his foot as if glued.

This surprised De Gea and Schweinsteiger, who immediately reacted, but Bruno was quicker. He nudged the ball right, evading De Gea's dive, and slid it into the open net.

...

Bruno's performance, showcasing his elite ball control and composure, brought Udinese a crucial 2-1 lead against Manchester United.

(End of Chapter)

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