Chapter 144: Hat trick, last laugh !
In the following days, Wang Feng's mind was filled with thoughts of Lu Yao and her resolute words. Was she just saying that to fend off suitors? He became somewhat anxious, so he resorted to increasing his training to suppress his overthinking.
During the weekends, Wang Tian and Lu Yao returned to the villa as usual, but Wang Feng didn't act as naturally around Lu Yao as before, leaving her confused. She wondered if she had said or done something wrong. They say a woman's heart is as deep as the ocean, but she didn't expect men's thoughts to be so hard to decipher.
In this situation, two weeks passed quietly, and Inter Milan gathered for training, preparing to resume the league.
On October 20th, the San Siro Stadium reignited with passion. With nearly eighty-five thousand spectators filling the stadium, they were ready to witness a crucial match that could affect the championship. It was the 5th round of Serie A, Inter Milan against Juventus.
Both teams faced significant challenges. Inter Milan had Vieri injured, while up front, Wang Feng partnered with Batistuta. Juventus, on the other hand, had Trezeguet sidelined, with Salas pairing up with Del Piero.
For Juventus, this was a must-win game. They had two consecutive draws, trailing Inter Milan by four points on the league table.
With the cheers of the fans, the game officially began.
Just 2 minutes into the game, Juventus created the first threat. Camoranesi sent a diagonal pass, and Tudor's shot from the edge of the penalty area narrowly missed the crossbar.
In the 5th minute, Juventus launched a quick counterattack. Nedved received a pass from Salas, dribbled into the penalty area, and took a sudden low shot, narrowly missing the left goalpost.
Inter Milan also fought back. In the 8th minute, Wang Feng received the ball in the attacking third, passed it back to Recoba, who took a shot from 35 meters out, but Buffon blocked it.
Both teams wasted numerous chances thereafter. Each player was eager to gain the lead, knowing it would provide a psychological advantage.
This is where the role of superstars shines.
In the 35th minute, Inter Milan won the ball in their half. Materazzi cleared the ball forward, Recoba and Juliano competed for the header, with Recoba winning and flicking the ball to the side.
Wang Feng, sprinting forward, controlled the ball with his knee, pulling away from Thuram gradually. Faced with Ferrara's sliding tackle, he deftly pushed the ball to his right, evading the challenge, then quickly looked up at the goalkeeper and the goal, before suddenly shooting.
The shot was taken from the corner of the penalty area on the right, the ball soared high into the air, then suddenly dipped as it entered the penalty area. Buffon, positioned forward, leaped backward, attempting to deflect it, but the ball sneaked over the crossbar and into the net.
1-0! The San Siro erupted into a frenzy of blue and black. Wang Feng, excited after scoring, dashed out of the field, followed by his teammates, celebrating.
"The goal's in! In the 35th minute, Inter Milan takes the lead!"
"The current superstar of Inter Milan, Wang Feng, once again makes a significant contribution to the team!"
"Although Inter lost the alien Ronaldo, they have found a new beacon in this nineteen-year-old youth, who has shown performances no less impressive than Ronnie's!"
Being scored on first rattled Juventus players, directly affecting their performance. In the 41st minute, just six minutes after the first goal, Inter Milan struck again.
Di Biagio broke through on the left, then sent a cross to the right. The ball found no one until Recoba's header landed near the edge of the penalty area.
Wang Feng, unmarked at the spot, was ready to capitalize. He flicked the ball upward as Julian approached, then hooked the airborne ball with his toe, directing it back. The ball flew over Julian's head, and Wang Feng, turning around, volleyed it as it descended. The ball pierced through the defensive line and crashed into the net.
2-0! Inter Milan expanded their lead!
The first half ended with Inter Milan in the lead. In the second half, Juventus gradually regained their momentum, thanks in part to coach Lippi's psychological guidance and several effective substitutions.
In the 67th minute, Juventus scored a goal through Camoranesi's assist to substitute Salas.
In the 85th minute, Davies of Juventus initiated an attack. Camoranesi entered the penalty area and, after slight contact with Coco, went down, resulting in a penalty. Despite Coco's protests, the referee stood by his decision, and Del Piero successfully converted the penalty, equalizing the score.
Just when everyone thought the match would end in a draw, during stoppage time, the situation on the field changed dramatically.
"Look at this Inter Milan attack, this should be their last offensive move of the game, and the referee is constantly checking his watch."
"Di Biagio has the ball near the baseline, but there's not much opportunity. Let's see how he handles this."
"Oh no, that pass was a bit too much, isn't this just giving the ball away to Juventus?"
"What's happening? Ujfalusi, who went up to intercept, unexpectedly misjudged his kick. Rebic quickly took over the ball, and Inter Milan still holds possession."
After Rebic fortunately received the ball, he took two steps laterally in the penalty area. With no one marking him, Wang Feng stood by for support, creating an opening!
He stepped on the edge of the penalty area, without stopping the ball, directly unleashed a powerful shot. The ball flew like a cannonball, heading straight for the upper corner of the goal, grazing the crossbar and landing into the net!
"Goooooooal!! It's in, it's in, it's in! In the 94th minute, Wang Feng seals the deal for Inter Milan!"
"This is a last-minute goal! Wang Feng scores the first hat-trick of the season, and with this hat-trick, he helps Inter Milan win 3-2 against Juventus!"
"Let's take another look at this goal. Juventus made two fatal mistakes. The first was Ujfalusi's misjudgment when clearing the ball, a rookie mistake."
"The second mistake was Thuram and Ferrara both choosing to defend Recoba, leaving Wang Feng unmarked at the edge of the penalty area."
"Wang Feng's shot was also magnificent. He had almost no run-up, taking the shot directly after receiving the ball, and his power was remarkable, indicating his explosive strength."
"Both teams have contributed to a thrilling match, but Inter Milan laughs last because they have Wang Feng!"
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦