novelraw Chapter 361 - 36: England VS North Macedonia IV
Chapter 361 - 36: England VS North Macedonia IV
75’ |
Mount received the ball wide and his cross-field pass found Demien in the center circle, and Demien received with his back partially to goal while Elmas pressed from behind with the timing that came from playing at Napoli where pressing was systematic rather than just energetic.
The body shape said Elmas expected Demien to either play backward or try to turn right, and reading that expectation was what allowed the skill to work.
「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」
Johan Cruyff — Turn Innovator
Demien planted his right foot and dragged the ball behind his standing leg with the inside of his left foot while his body spun one hundred and eighty degrees, and the full rotation happened in the space of one second while Elmas lunged at where the ball had been and found nothing.
Space created. Defender beaten. Old Trafford appreciated the skill with applause building and "Oooohhh!" from the crowd acknowledging technique.
Grealish’s laugh carried from the left wing. "That’s filthy!"
Demien played forward to Kane who laid it off to Saka on the right, and Saka dribbled into the box before shooting and the goalkeeper saved but the chance had been created and the Cruyff Turn had shown composure growing.
Confidence building. Rhythm found. Match intensity understood.
81’ |
England won a corner that North Macedonia cleared desperately, and the ball broke to halfway where Mount won the header and flicked it into the center circle where Demien arrived first.
Thirty-eight yards from goal. Two North Macedonia midfielders closing. Tired now because they’d been running for seventy-seven minutes, but still pressing because professional pride didn’t disappear at four-nil down.
Space needed creating because just receiving and shooting from this distance with defenders closing wouldn’t work, and forcing a shot when the angle wasn’t right would waste the opportunity.
「EPIC SKILL ACTIVATED」
Marseille Roulette
Full three-sixty degree spin. Right foot dragged the ball back while his body feinted left, and momentum carried him through the complete rotation while both defenders lunged at where they thought the ball was going.
Wrong. The ball was already moving in the opposite direction.
Complete rotation. Space created. Both defenders wrong-footed and off-balance while Demien emerged from the spin with clean possession.
The crowd noise jumped with "OOOOHHH!" at the spectacular skill.
Thirty-two yards out now. More space. The goalkeeper’s positioning was slightly high because fatigue or confidence from the four-nil lead had made him less cautious about his line.
Mistake.
Demien set the ball on his left foot and Composure at ninety-one kept the decision crystal clear while his body prepared for the strike.
「EPIC SKILL ACTIVATED」
Dipping Power Shot
「STATS ACTIVE」
Shot Power: 79 | Long Shots: 89 | Finishing: 75 | Curve: 92
Left foot struck clean through the ball with the contact that was pure and perfect, and the ball rocketed forward with the low trajectory initially that stayed below head height of the diving defender trying to block.
The ball traveled fast for fifteen yards before physics took over and the massive topspin from Curve at ninety-two and Free Kick Accuracy at seventy-five generated the vicious dip that made goalkeepers’ calculations wrong.
The ball climbed to its peak and then dropped sharply while the goalkeeper saw it and read the trajectory late and realized his positioning error, and he backpedaled desperately and dove but the angle was wrong and the timing was wrong.
Too late.
The ball clipped the inside of the left post and bounced down into the net.
GOAL: ENGLAND 5-0 NORTH MACEDONIA (81’ — Demien Walter)
The net rippled and Old Trafford EXPLODED.
Seventy-five thousand people roaring simultaneously and the sound was like thunder or earthquake or something physical that had weight and presence, and it was louder than Malta and louder than anything Demien had experienced because this was Old Trafford and this was the Theatre of Dreams living up to its name.
His arms went up with genuine joy that wasn’t restrained because this was real and this was earned and this was the moment that justified everything.
Teammates sprinted toward him and Grealish arrived first jumping on his back and screaming while Mount grabbed his head and Rice ran from deep pointing at him and grinning, and Kane from distance raised both arms acknowledging the quality while Saka laughed and wrapped him in a hug.
"WALTER! WALTER! WALTER!" chant building from all sections and the home crowd embraced him completely.
Commentary:
"DEMIEN WALTER WITH A STUNNING GOAL! The Marseille Roulette to create space, then that dipping shot from thirty-two yards! The goalkeeper had no chance whatsoever! What a finish from the teenager!"
The celebration lasted ten seconds before the referee signaled to restart, and Demien jogged back into position while his teammates dispersed and the crowd continued singing his name.
88’ |
North Macedonia were broken now with heads dropping and bodies tired and the scoreline at five-nil with two minutes plus stoppage remaining, and their pride was damaged but England continued attacking because Southgate hadn’t told them to ease off.
Professional to the end.
A counter-attack developed when North Macedonia lost the ball trying to build from the back and their pass went astray, and Grealish intercepted in England’s half before driving forward with the ball and pace.
He played to Demien just inside North Macedonia’s half with space ahead and their defense scrambling back in the disorganized way that came from fatigue and demoralization.
Demien received and Ball Control at eighty-nine cushioned it perfectly while his head came up and Vision at seventy-seven scanned the space.
「STATS ACTIVE」
Ball Control: 89 | Vision: 77
A North Macedonia defender stepped up as the last man trying to stop the attack, and the one-on-one situation developed twenty-five yards from goal with the defender backing off because committing and getting beaten would leave the goal completely exposed.
Demien drove at him with Acceleration at ninety-five and Dribbling at seventy-four getting him forward quickly, and the defender backed off until he reached the edge of the attacking third and had to make a decision.
He stepped in to challenge.
「EPIC SKILL ACTIVATED」
Step-Over Combo
「STATS ACTIVE」
Acceleration: 95 | Dribbling: 74
Rapid double step-over with the right foot going over the ball quickly followed immediately by the left foot, and the consecutive feints made the defender’s eyes follow the movement and his body shifted and committed to his left.
Wrong direction.
Demien shifted the ball right with the outside of his right boot and the defender lunged the opposite way, and the space opened completely and Demien was into the penalty area on the left side of the box.
The goalkeeper rushed out and the angle closed fast while Kane made a run to the far post offering the pass option, but Demien decided to shoot because the goalkeeper expected far post to Kane.
Wrong guess.
「STATS ACTIVE」
Finishing: 75
Near post. Low and hard. Bottom corner. The goalkeeper dove but the angle was too tight and his reaction was too late.
The ball hit the back of the net.
GOAL: ENGLAND 6-0 NORTH MACEDONIA (88’ — Demien Walter)
Net rippled. Second goal. Seven minutes after the first.
Demien’s arms went wide and he ran toward the corner flag and slid on his knees with joy evident but not wild, and teammates caught him before the slide finished and piled on top while laughing and shouting.
Grealish and Mount and Saka and Rice all on him and Kane arrived to pull him up and grab both shoulders while his voice carried clearly.
"Two goals at Old Trafford. Proper announcement, that. You’ve arrived, mate."
The crowd wouldn’t stop and "WALTER! WALTER! WALTER!" sustained and grew louder.
Commentary:
"TWO GOALS in seven minutes for Demien Walter! The Step-Over Combo to beat the defender, then the clinical finish near post! Exceptional impact from the substitute!"