Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions

Chapter 585 - 397 From "Missed Chance King" to "Ball Snatching King", Icardi’s Diving Header Turns into a Laughingstock! _3

Seeing the two about to burst into a physical altercation, the referee immediately blew the whistle to stop the match;

Other Manchester United players quickly returned to pull the two apart, swiftly defusing the conflict.

Witnessing this scene, the England national team coach Mancini kept shaking his head in the stands.

"Christian, what’s up with Icardi today?" he said to his assistant Chiwo beside him, "Missing an open goal is one thing, but he actually dared to get physical with Rooney. Back when he was at Inter, this kid was arrogant, but not to this extent!"

Chiwo’s eyes also flickered with a hint of disappointment.

Although both had left Inter Milan and joined the England national team, there was no connection between Icardi and the two of them.

But as former members of Inter Milan’s coaching staff, seeing a once carefully mentored disciple suddenly change in temperament, both were quite surprised.

"Who knows, maybe he’s gotten too full of himself, sigh!"

minutes into the second half.

Manchester United launched another high-quality counterattack.

This time, Rooney, Lingard, and De Bruyne, the three advancing players, deliberately bypassed Icardi, who was beckoning in the middle, trying to send the ball to the two wings.

The coordination between Rooney and De Bruyne was exceptionally strong. Despite having only played one season at Manchester United, their cooperation seemed as if they had been playing together for 10 years.

At the right moment, with the right speed, a seemingly simple one-two play became a single chance for De Bruyne to evade Ranocchia due to their mutual understanding after Rooney’s pass!

Fortunately, when Ranocchia was beaten, he instinctively took a step back in defense in a bow stance.

Though this signature defensive move couldn’t stop De Bruyne because of his fast dribbling speed, at least his toe flicked the ball, making it bounce up. As De Bruyne pushed towards the penalty area, the ball’s speed slowed, allowing enough time for Manchester City’s goalkeeper Caballero to rush out!

Icardi was loudly calling for the ball.

But the keen De Bruyne noticed that Icardi was in the offside line, so he didn’t pass the ball. Instead, facing the bouncing football, he gently jumped, and the football traced a parabola in the air, flying over Caballero’s raised hand and plunging toward the goal.

In the stands, Van Nistelrooy stood up once again, cheering with his arm raised!

Giggs, unable to contain his excitement, actually slapped his own thigh vigorously!

Scholes instinctively blurted out, "The ball is in!"

Van Gaal and his assistant clenched their fists!

Bam!

The ball went in!

But it wasn’t De Bruyne who scored.

It was Icardi!

Just as the football was about to cross the goal line, Icardi galloped in and performed a diving header!

He stole De Bruyne’s goal!

Once again, he dove into the net!

Watching the ball hit the net and fall, Icardi was ecstatic, holding the ball, he launched it into the sky with a massive kick.

"Haha, this time I’m in, and the ball’s in, there’s no escaping it!"

In order to catch this ball, Icardi’s diving header was truly a desperate move.

His head almost crashed into the thick iron post.

But for the sake of the goal, none of that mattered. What mattered was, I, Mauro Icardi, was the only Manchester United player who scored in the Manchester Derby!

Icardi was so excited, so oblivious!

So much so that he didn’t even see the assistant referee’s raised flag or notice his teammates’ sorrowful expressions.

He sprinted a hundred meters directly to Manchester City’s bench, performing a knee slide in front of Pellegrini!

This knee slide was incredibly fast, covering a great distance, almost knocking Pellegrini over, scaring the old Chilean coach into jumping away, nearly tripping himself.

However, when he slid in front of Manchester City’s bench, he saw the substitute players sitting there, looking at him with grins, their expressions seemingly treating him like an idiot.

Substitute Bony pointed at the assistant referee in the distance to Icardi.

Icardi got up and found Tang Long beside him, also gesturing towards the assistant referee.

A sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

Icardi swallowed, slowly, slowly turned his head towards the assistant referee.

Offside on the near side!