Chapter 147: False goal
In the 7th round of Serie A, the "Northern Big Three" all faced newly promoted teams simultaneously. Inter Milan hosted Como at home, AC Milan hosted Reggina at home, and Juventus challenged Modena away.
Since Juventus suffered a narrow defeat to Inter Milan, they had been consistently trailing behind AC Milan, sitting only in third place on the league table. This undoubtedly displeased the club's executives, and both the head coach Lippi and the players felt immense pressure.
Playing with such a burden in mind naturally led to mistakes. In the first half, Juventus conceded a goal to Modena, but fortunately, they rallied in the second half, with Del Piero scoring twice to help the away team secure a narrow victory.
AC Milan's match, on the other hand, proceeded without much drama. They secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over their opponents with goals from Shevchenko and Rivaldo.
The players of Inter Milan were relatively relaxed in their mentality. Although the scheduling of the Champions League and league matches was intense, their opponents were not particularly strong, allowing Cooper to rotate the squad confidently. Everyone's physical and mental conditions were still decent.
In the 17th minute of the game against Como, Di Biagio received the ball on the left flank, delivered a cross into the box, and Wang Feng swiftly arrived at the far post, smashing the ball into the net with his left foot to open the scoring for Inter Milan.
Six minutes later, Recoba dribbled into the penalty area and took a sudden shot, which struck the hand of defender Monten, resulting in a penalty. The Uruguayan then calmly converted the penalty to extend Inter Milan's lead.
In the second half, Wang Feng and Kalon combined brilliantly. The duo executed a perfect one-two outside the penalty area, with Wang Feng breaking into the right side of the box. Drawing the attention of Como's defenders, he delivered a precise pass to the left, where an unmarked Kalon calmly slotted the ball home to seal the victory for Inter Milan.
With a goal and an assist from Wang Feng, Inter Milan comfortably defeated Como 3-0, maintaining their lead over AC Milan in the league table. Wang Feng was also named the best player of the match.
In the 8th round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Empoli, one of the newly promoted teams. Although Empoli was currently ranked only thirteenth in the league, they were the best-performing among the promoted teams. It seemed not every newcomer could become a dark horse like Chievo.
The maintenance of the Castellani Stadium was poor, causing some trouble for both sets of players. Despite controlling the game, Inter Milan missed several scoring opportunities.
In the 67th minute of the second half, Recoba delivered a lob into the penalty area, where Wang Feng, while sprinting, slipped and lost his balance. However, he improvised, lifting his left foot high in the air before falling, managing to make contact with the ball. The ball flew into the net in a bizarre trajectory, catching the Empoli goalkeeper and defenders off guard.
"Goal!!" The commentator exclaimed, praising Wang Feng's spectacular shot. The fans watching on television also marveled at the goal, attributing it to Wang Feng's creativity.
However, only Wang Feng knew it was a mistake. He had slipped and lost his balance, and after making contact with the ball, he fell heavily to the ground, covered in mud. Nonetheless, the goal mattered above all else. Wang Feng quickly got up, wiped the mud off his face, and rushed to celebrate with his teammates.
During the game's dying moments, Inter Milan scored again, this time from Wang Feng's cross on the right wing, which was headed in by Matrazi. With a 2-0 victory over Empoli, Inter Milan secured a new record of eight consecutive wins, with Wang Feng contributing significantly to their success.
While Inter Milan continued their impressive run, the club's embarrassment was Vieri, who had planned to take a break and return to the team after a dozen rounds to contribute to their title challenge. However, in his absence, the team continued to lead the table. Vieri's replacements, such as Batistuta and Kalon, lacked consistent attacking prowess, but Wang Feng's explosive form, contributing 10 goals in 8 league matches and 6 goals in 5 Champions League group stage matches, exceeded expectations.
Concerned about losing his starting position if he continued to be absent, Vieri became restless. He proactively approached the team's trainers and doctors, eager to start his recovery training ahead of schedule.
After a comprehensive examination by the team doctor, Hert, Vieri received a discouraging diagnosis. His excessive weight and body fat, abnormal heart rate, and endurance meant even with an additional two months, there was no guarantee he would recover to his pre-injury level.
Embarrassed, Vieri smiled awkwardly. Despite being able to move his thighs slightly, he had frequented bars, nightclubs, and other places without controlling his diet.
"Go ahead and make strict plans. As long as it prevents me from getting injured again, I can endure any hardship," Vieri said with determination.
Hert nodded and said, "I will discuss your training plan with head coach Cooper. Don't worry, you are still an indispensable core player for us."
Vieri's worries were unfounded. In fact, the club had not been blinded by their winning streak. Wang Feng's strong performances in the attacking line did not mask the weaknesses of other players.
The veteran Batistuta lacked stamina and struggled to sustain himself throughout the entire match. Kalon and Martins could only be used as substitutes. Therefore, the club's executives were actively seeking reinforcements for the winter transfer window. Otherwise, they would be unable to cope with the three-front battle of the league's second half, the Coppa Italia, and the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Inter Milan's president Moratti, along with the scout Esing, and head coach Cooper, were in a meeting discussing Wang Feng's recommendation of Ribery, evaluating whether he was suitable for Inter Milan.
This was the first time Wang Feng had made a suggestion to the team. Regardless of whether it was accepted or not, it needed to be evaluated. Moreover, many renowned players were unwilling to transfer during the winter window, so finding suitable reinforcements could only start from veteran and young players.
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