Chapter 229: I am !
On April 18th, in the 30th round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Bologna away.
In order to prepare for the upcoming Champions League semifinals, head coach Mancini rotated some key players, hoping Wang Feng could shine on the field.
However, they underestimated the resilience of Bologna. It's worth noting that Inter Milan's only defeat this season was against Bologna.
The first half proceeded as Mancini had planned, with Inter Milan launching fierce attacks led by Wang Feng. In one instance, Récoba and Wang Feng exchanged positions on the right flank, and after shaking off the defenders, Wang Feng cut inside with the ball.
Easily evading the defense of Higounet, he used his left foot to curl the ball into the far corner, making it 1-0!
Just five minutes later, Almada intercepted the ball in midfield and immediately sent a long pass to Carlon up front. The Sierra Leonean striker flicked the ball to the right, where Wang Feng was speeding forward.
Carlon and Wang Feng advanced together, causing confusion among Bologna's defenders as they focused their attention on Wang Feng. Wang Feng showed absolute aggression.
After dribbling past two center-backs in front of him, the others couldn't help but converge on Wang Feng, and in that moment before being surrounded, he accurately passed the ball to the unmarked Carlon.
Carlon found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper! Only Bologna's goalkeeper Paluka stood in his way. The 25-year-old African lad had many thoughts running through his mind. Although he hadn't become a regular starter for Inter Milan, his performances as a substitute were impressive enough.
His agent told him that teams like Monaco in Ligue 1, Braga in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, and Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie had expressed sufficient interest in him, promising him a starting position.
Carlon had already won many honors with Inter Milan, but now he wanted to pursue a core role. However, he felt a bit nervous, unsure if he could handle it. So, he staked it all on this shot!
With determination, he held his breath, faked a move to make Paluka dive, and then calmly slotted the ball into the net. 2-0!
After scoring, Carlon was ecstatic, celebrating wildly as he embraced his teammates who rushed over. When it was Wang Feng's turn, he said, "I can do it!" Wang Feng looked into his sincere eyes and understood. He smiled and patted Carlon's head, "Indeed, you can."
In the second half, as per the planned rotation, Mancini substituted Wang Feng. However, the game took an unexpected turn. With the loss of their biggest threat, Bologna began to press forward without inhibition.
In the 66th minute, their efforts paid off as striker Amoruso pulled one back for the home team. Just two minutes later, taking advantage of a defensive error by Adani, Bologna's Gambirini leveled the score.
The rest of the match saw both sides dissatisfied with the draw and engaging in attacking exchanges. However, despite the combination of Martins and Carlon, they couldn't breach the opponent's defense again, and the alert defensive line didn't make any more mistakes.
2-2! After a rollercoaster of a match, the teams shook hands and settled for a draw.
On April 21st, Louis II Stadium was packed to the brim. Excited Monaco fans occupied most of the seats in the stands. The Champions League semifinals were Monaco's best-ever achievement, and they were eager for the team to go further and lift the trophy symbolizing European supremacy.
With the home fans cheering tirelessly, Monaco, full of momentum, launched the first attack. Although Mancini had repeatedly cautioned against complacency and emphasized fighting with the best mindset, unlike matches against powerhouses like Real Madrid and Juventus, the players couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relaxation, especially with their five-time champion glory.
This provided an opportunity for the opponents. In the 17th and 33rd minutes, Gulli and Morientes respectively breached the defense of the Nerazzurri, and before they knew it, Inter Milan found themselves in trouble!
After scoring the second goal, Morientes passed by Wang Feng and said in a slightly disdainful tone, "Double Mister?" Wang Feng frowned, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face.
Ribéry, beside him, heard this and instantly became furious, pushing forward towards the Spaniard, "Damn it, what did you say?" Wang Feng quickly pulled Ribéry back. It would be disadvantageous to get into a conflict at this moment.
The referee intervened between the two immediately, and both teams' players also rushed over. They were all confused about the conflict, but when they learned that Morientes had taunted Wang Feng, all Inter Milan players showed expressions of indignation.
In their hearts, Wang Feng had become an absolute spiritual leader. Taunting Wang Feng was like taunting the entire Nerazzurri. At this moment, everyone shared a common hatred, and any hint of complacency was long gone.
The referee issued a warning to both sides and then let everyone disperse. After the game resumed, all Inter Milan players stared fiercely at the opponents' half, their eyes filled with infinite killing intent.
Wang Feng was somewhat annoyed, but he didn't say a word because he knew that the best counterattack was to score goals, to eliminate the opponent, rather than futile explanations and conflicts.
In the 37th minute, during Inter Milan's attack, Wang Feng received the ball near the edge of the penalty area. He sent a ground pass into the heart of the penalty area, and Adriano, following up, still managed to shoot despite the tight defense of Monaco's defenders.
However, the shot was too central, and the goalkeeper parried it away. Nearby defenders hastily cleared the ball, which was intercepted by Civu in midfield. Without hesitation, he immediately lofted the ball back into the forward area.
At that moment, Wang Feng was still near the penalty area. Facing the dropping ball, he twisted his body in mid-air and unleashed a side volley, a powerful and precise shot that went straight towards the goal. The Monaco goalkeeper made an attempt to save it, but the shot was too strong. It hit his hand but couldn't be stopped, deflecting into the net.
Inter Milan pulled one back! After scoring, Wang Feng quickly ran to the goal to retrieve the ball. His serious expression sent chills down the spines of all Monaco players.
Just three minutes later, Wang Feng struck again. Dribbling the ball on the flank towards the vicinity of the penalty area, he suddenly used the outside of his right foot to curl a curved cross, prompting both Inter Milan and Monaco players in the penalty area to vie for the header.
"Look at this attack from the flank, Wang Feng sends in a cross—no, this is a direct shot from a tight angle! The ball suddenly bends in front of the goal and deflects off the post into the net!"
"I don't know if he did it intentionally or unintentionally, but this goal is amazing!"
Of course, Wang Feng did it intentionally. At that moment, he noticed that the Monaco defender Evra was positioned to the left, and both defensive and offensive players in the penalty area were concentrated outside the small penalty area. He clearly saw a large space between him and the goal.
How could Wang Feng be content without trying? So, he deliberately used the outside of his foot to shoot, making the ball spin rapidly in the air, executing a small-angle shot.
Equalizing the score didn't satisfy Wang Feng. Towards the end of the first half, he received a through ball from Ribéry and scored again in the penalty area!
A hat-trick in less than ten minutes! After scoring, Wang Feng deliberately approached Morientes and said firmly, "I am the one!"
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