Chapter 717: Depressed Ten Hag
Mahrez got the ball on the right and tried to break through Tagliafico, but the Argentine left-back did not give him a chance. Tagliafico, who had settled down, also had excellent one-on-one defensive ability.
Mahrez was not sure and could only protect the ball and pass it back.
Cancelo quickly moved forward and entered the 30-meter area. After receiving the ball, he glanced at the penalty area and saw Harry Kane raising his hand to ask for the ball in the penalty area.
The England center forward was already stuck in position, and Cancelo chose to make a 45-degree cross without hesitation, sending the ball directly into the penalty area.
The biggest difference between a low cross and a 45-degree cross is that when the former is sent, the offensive player who receives the ball generally attacks the goal head-on, which poses a greater threat. This is why all defensive players dare not take it lightly.
However, when passing the ball at a 45-degree angle, the player usually faces the goal with his back to the goal, which makes it difficult to create a direct threat and requires a transition.
De Ligt stood behind Harry Kane, not giving his opponent any chance to turn around, while Blind was looking for a second landing point.
Bruno also rushed from the left rib to the left side of the penalty area, and De Jong and Van der Beck followed him all the way.
Harry Kane had no other choice. Ajax almost blocked all the passing points around him. The England center forward could only head the ball out of the penalty area and intend to pass it back to Kante who was coming in from behind.
But at this time, Shene took control of the second landing point and intercepted the ball before anyone else.
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When Bruno saw Schone grab the second landing point, he rushed towards Schone immediately.
Kante has been partnering with Bruno since Udinese. The two are very familiar with each other and are in sync with each other at this moment. He is closer to Schone and rushed forward directly.
Harry Kane headed the ball back and Schone got the ball, but he was not a pure defensive player. The first thing he did when he received the ball was not to clear it, but to stop the ball and then pass it out.
But at this moment, Kante got behind him and kicked the ball decisively while Schneider stopped the ball.
As soon as the football reached Schone's feet, Kante kicked it away and rolled into the penalty area.
Bruno originally rushed towards Schone, planning to get after the opponent stopped the ball, but he didn't expect Kante to be one step faster, and Bruno immediately changed his strategy.
Just in time, Kante poked the ball into the penalty area. Bruno reacted quickly, took a step forward, stretched out his left foot, and intercepted the ball poked by Kante.
At this time, the Ajax penalty area was full of people, including Schone, De Jong, Van der Beck, Blind, Harry Kane, De Ligt, Kante...
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. By the time the Ajax defenders reacted, Bruno had already intercepted the ball. At this time, he was facing the right. Behind him was De Jong, on the right were Schone and Kante, on the left were Blind, Harry Kane and De Ligt, and in front of him...
There are not many people in front, and both Tagliafico and Feltman are some distance away!
Have the opportunity!
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Bruno made the most appropriate decision almost immediately. All this was due to his unremitting training in the systematic training ground over the past few years and his persistent review and analysis of the pros and cons of all the games.
This has almost become a football instinct for Bruno.
As soon as the football was intercepted, Bruno suddenly started and dribbled the ball horizontally to the right.
Harry Kane also reacted quickly and immediately used his body to block De Ligt who was the first to be hit, preventing the Ajax captain from rushing towards Bruno in the first place and disrupting Ajax's defensive formation.
When Bruno rushed out of the arc with the ball, he saw a route to the goal. He swung his right foot and shot without any hesitation!
"Schoene got the second touch, but Kante poked it away."
“Bruno got the ball, took a step to the right, and shot directly!!!!”
“The ball went in!!!!”
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
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Bruno's right-foot shot deliberately hit a rebound ball. Although Onana flew to make a save, he didn't expect the ball to bounce in front of the goal. In the end, the Ajax goalkeeper was powerless and could only watch the ball go into the net.
1: 1!
In the 85th minute, Manchester United equalized the score!
After Bruno made this shot, he slid to the ground, but quickly got up and ran out of the stadium and rushed to the corner stand where Manchester United fans were.
Along the way, he kept cheering and shouting, venting his inner excitement.
In a match that lasted nearly 90 minutes, he only had this one chance, and he seized it. How could he not be excited? How could he not be thrilled?
Bruno rushed to the corner area, slid to his knees under the stands, and clenched his fists towards the fans in the stands.
Manchester United players also rushed up from behind frantically and hugged Bruno excitedly.
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In front of the home team's coaching bench, Mourinho jumped up with excitement, yelled a few times, turned around and hugged Faria and others, celebrating the goal, while the coaches and players in the coaching bench and the substitute bench also rushed out of their seats to celebrate.
This goal is so precious!
Although this was just a goal to tie the score, it was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for Manchester United, which had been behind for almost the entire game.
After Manchester City broke their 84-match unbeaten home record, Manchester United was tied by Chelsea at home. If they lose at home again today, it will definitely be a big blow to Manchester United players.
Ajax is very fierce this season. They always perform well in away games in the Champions League. During the group stage, they drew with Bayern Munich and Benfica away, defeated AEK Athens, beat Real Madrid 4:1 away in the round of 2, and beat Juventus 1: away in the quarterfinals. They can be called the away dragon of the Champions League this season.
Ajax is also one of only two teams that remain unbeaten in the Champions League so far this season, the other being Manchester United.
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"Bruno performed rather poorly in this game. Ten Hag used Van der Beck and De Jong to restrict him, which prevented him from getting many good opportunities in the game. But unexpectedly, at the critical moment, Bruno stepped forward again!"
"Strictly speaking, this was not a good chance. It can even be said that this was not an opportunity. Kante poked the ball away from Schone, and Bruno reacted very quickly to intercept it. Then he made a very wise choice, dribbling the ball to the right. Neither Tagliafico nor Feltman were able to intercept it in time."
"It was precisely this tiny time difference, maybe just one second, that allowed Bruno to kick the ball decisively."
"It was a very exciting shot, and also a very crucial shot!"
"This should be considered Bruno's few chances to shoot in this game, but he showed his superb efficiency and scored the winning goal, equalizing the score for Manchester United and preserving their hopes of reaching the final!"
The Millennium Stadium also fell into madness, everyone was cheering Bruno's name, and more than 70,000 Manchester United fans made a huge wave of noise.
At this moment, in more than 100 countries around the world, countless Manchester United fans sitting in front of their TVs are cheering for Bruno's goal and watching Bruno and his teammates celebrating the goal on the sidelines.
Ajax is the away dragon in the Champions League this season, but Manchester United's away record is even better as they have won all five of their previous away games, including a 3-1 victory over Barcelona.
With such an away performance, Manchester United fans are full of confidence that the team can make a comeback away from home.
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Ten Hag was helpless, he had already done the best he could.
In the Europa League final two years ago, his Ajax team had almost no chance to fight back against Manchester United and lost 0:4. But today, his team led Manchester United for almost the entire game. Whether it was defending Manchester United's attack or defending Bruno, he had done his best.
But unexpectedly, when the game was about to end, his team was scored by Bruno!
Just one chance, just one chance!
The Dutchman wanted to curse, but he couldn't because he didn't know who to curse.
Schone? Yes, if he hadn't stuck to the ball, Kante wouldn't have poked it away, and there wouldn't have been this goal.
But can he curse? Tonight was Shene's best performance, he had almost no loopholes throughout the game.
At that time, there were so many people near the front of Ajax's penalty area, but for various reasons, no one could stop Bruno, giving him the opportunity to shoot.
Just that one time, he caught it and broke the door!
This is the role of superstars. At the critical moment, they are the ones who can make the final decision!
"F**K! F**K..." Ten Hag cursed angrily and walked back to the visiting coach's seat.
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However, what made Ten Hag want to vomit blood even more happened in injury time.
Manchester United's morale was boosted after they equalized the score, and they began to attack Ajax, which even found it difficult to get the ball out of the defensive third.
Manchester United's offensive, like a tide, hit Ajax's defense again and again.
In the third minute of injury time, Bruno made a cross from the left, De Ligt cleared the ball with a header, and Mahrez followed up with a long shot from 3 meters away, which once again penetrated Onana's goal.
2:1, Manchester United reversed the score!
Looking at the Manchester United players celebrating wildly, Ten Hag felt a little dizzy.
His team persisted throughout the entire game, but with less than thirty seconds left and the three minutes of injury time about to end, his team fell behind in the score!
What a fuck!
