Football singularity

Chapter 742 Bayern (5)

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[2021-04-20 | Allianz Arena, Munich | 20:30 CET]

[Bundesliga MW 30: FC Bayern Munich 1 vs 0 Bayer 04 Leverkusen]

[61’]

Bayern kicked off and immediately went on the attack, pushing bodies as they seemed to have realised that sitting back wasnt the solution. Kimmich collected the ball, driving forward at speed. A quick shoulder feint froze Schick, allowing him to skip past the striker to continue his run. He exchanged a quick one-two with Müller at the halfway line, bypassing Baumgartlinger’s challenge.

Sending a weighted pass forward, he found Lewandowski just past the final third. The Polish striker received it on the turn, half-turning to the left with Demirbay closely following him. They fought step by step, shoulders bumping as they veered to the left flank. Lewandowski used his strength, but Demirbay stayed tight, not giving him space to turn or cut across.

The striker suddenly stopped, performing a quick drag-back with his right foot, creating just enough separation. He immediately played it square to Sané, who had drifted inside from the right. The German winger took one touch, drawing Tah toward him, then curled a shot toward the far post from eighteen yards.

Hradecky tracked it all the way, not needing to move much as he threw himself to the left. His fingertips brushed the ball, just enough to send it spinning wide of the post. "Leroy Sané!" Derek bellowed. "Bayern denied once more!"

The corner was delivered by Kimmich with dangerous pace, curling toward the penalty spot. Lewandowski rose highest, getting above Tapsoba, but his header flew just over the crossbar.

[65’]

Bosz made his move, bringing on Leon Bailey for Diaby and Baumgartlinger off for Sven Bender. They brought on instructions to shift the Leverkusen formation to 3-4-3, with Tah, Tapsoba, and Bender forming the back three. Frimpong and Wendell moved up to play as wing-backs standing on the midfield line with Amiri and Demirbay.

Hradecky’s goal kick was sent long, but Süle headed it clear. The ball fell to Kimmich at the edge of the centre circle, who immediately looked to launch another attack. He played it forward to Müller, who turned sharply away from Amiri’s challenge, leaving the midfielder lagging behind.

Müller drove forward, his head scanning left and right, reading the spaces opening up ahead. He spotted Sané making a diagonal run from the right, cutting inside toward the top of the box. Without breaking stride, Müller threaded a weighted pass past Demirbay’s.

Sané controlled it with his first touch, his head already up. Wendell had tracked back to cover, but the German winger was too quick, moving further inward, shaping to shoot from twenty yards. He sized up Hradecky’s positioning and then moved to pull the trigger, but Tah came sliding in, putting a foot in front of the ball.

"Tah with the stop," Rae exclaimed as the ball popped up quickly, being cleared by Tapsoba.

[67’]

In the 67th, Flick made another change, removing Sané for the more versatile Gnabry. The German playmaker had gotten his chance quickly following a throw-in that saw him dribble up the right flank. Wendell attempted to get in his way, but with more gas in his engine, he made quick work of him with a nimble change of direction.

Cutting inwards, Demirbay tried to get in his way with Bender stepping up from the defensive line. Thinking quickly, he used a fast la croqueta to skip beyond the defensive midfielder, but in the process, his boot was caught on the Leverkusen man’s shin. With his moment abruptly interrupted, he crashed to the ground at the edge of the box.

*(FWEEEET)*

The referee pointed to the spot where the foul occurred—twenty-two yards from goal, just right of centre. The home fans in the stands showered the Leverkusen players with a wave of boos and whistles. Bayern’s players jogged into position, several volunteering to take the kick, but Kimmich had already claimed the ball.

The Leverkusen wall formed quickly—five players linking arms: Tah, Demirbay, Amiri, Schick, and Bailey. Hradecky barked instructions from his goal line, positioning them to cover the near post while he guarded the far side. Kimmich placed the ball carefully, smoothing out a small divot in the grass with his boot. He stepped back, measuring his run-up, his eyes flicking between the wall and the goal. The referee checked that both teams were ready, then raised his whistle.

*(FWEEET!)*

Kimmich began his approach—measuring his steps carefully as he closed in on the ball. He struck the ball with the inside of his right foot, sending it curling over the wall with vicious pace and dip. The ball sailed toward the top-right corner, bending sharply in the air as its velocity exploded.

Hradecky had read it clearly, already moving to his right as Kimmich struck. He launched himself through the air, arms fully extended, fingers straining. The ball was heading for the top corner, but Hradecky got there—just barely—his fingertips deflecting it over the crossbar.

"LUKAS HRADECKY!" Derek Rae roared, his voice cracking. "ANOTHER WORLD-CLASS SAVE! How many times can one man deny Bayern?!"

"That is absolutely phenomenal," Robson added, shaking his head in disbelief. "Kimmich struck that perfectly, and Hradecky still got there. That’s the difference between winning and losing titles."

The corner was delivered quickly by Gnabry, swinging it in toward the near post. Lewandowski made his run, but Tah matched him stride for stride, getting his head to it first and clearing it desperately.

[72’]

The momentum had shifted slightly—Bayern were pressing harder now, throwing more bodies forward despite being a man down. But Leverkusen’s defensive shape held firm, the back three of Tah, Tapsoba, and Bender perfectly absorbing wave after wave of attacks.

In the 72nd minute, Bosz made his final substitution, bringing on Alario for Schick. The Argentine striker jogged onto the pitch, exchanging words with Rakim as he took his position up front. The young winger glanced to the sidelines for confirmation, and upon receiving it, he nodded, dropping toward midfield as his area of activity expanded.

[74’]

Bayern won the ball back when Goretzka dispossessed Amiri with a crunching tackle at the edge of the centre circle. The German midfielder sprang up immediately, driving forward. He played it wide to Gnabry on the right, who took one touch before accelerating down the flank.

Wendell tracked back quickly, as Demirbay and Bender moved to close him in from the front and centre. Gnabry tried to cut inside onto his left foot but quickly turned back wide as Demeirbay stepped in his way. He tried to find a nearby player in red but couldn’t dance his way free before Wendell stepped up, tackling the ball loose.

Demirbay sprang on the loose ball using his back to turn past Müller in one fell swoop. He potted Rakim, dropping back to the centre circle and immediately beaming the ball his way. The winger felt Kimmich behind him and stepped up, accepting the ball.

He looked over his right shoulder, half-turning only to spin away to the left, momentarily stunning the Bayern midfield. Goretzka moved to intercept him, forcing him to slow down slightly. Not bothering to take him on, he curved the ball to the right, finding Frimpong who charged up the flank at speed.

The Dutch wing-back crossed the halfway line, barley loosing any speed as he accepted the ball. He carried the ball forward with pace, quickly crossing into the final third. Davis stepped up to meet, sidestepping as he guided him wide, but the fullback chose to send a diagonal ball forward at the first opportunity.

The pass arrowed into the inside-right channel, splitting the space between Davies and Boateng. Alario had already begun his run, cutting into the box in front of Süle, trying to somehow reach the ball. He managed to get there first, the momentum taking him wide of the right post with the defender hot on his heels.

Neuer came rushing out of his six-yard box, making himself big, doing his best to narrow the angle. Alario barely had a second to think with both players moving to shut him down. The Argentine suddenly chopped the ball with the outside of his right boot, cutting it back toward the penalty spot.

The pass cut across the box into where Rakim and Alaba came racing in trying to reach the ball first. The winger arrived at full stride, striking it first time with his left foot, driving the ball low toward the far corner. Neuer reacted sharply, throwing out his right arm as he dove across the goal.

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TO BE CONTINUED...