Chapter 7: Stunning Impact

Chapter 7: Stunning Impact

Bruno turned his head to watch the ball in the air and then looked at the two Cesena players charging towards him like pliers. "They really are an Italian team. They're treating an unknown like me with such seriousness!" Bruno thought to himself. Originally, he had thought that Cesena's players might underestimate him at first due to his lack of experience in official matches, and he could take advantage of that.

If there was only one defender from the other team, he could use his speed to bypass them directly and enter the penalty area. If the defender tried to stop him with a foul, they would probably receive a yellow card.

But it turned out that the Cesena players did not underestimate this newcomer at all. Bruno, realizing this, decided to suddenly slow down, then jumped and flicked the ball with his foot. When Bruno landed, the ball was already firmly under his control. "What an impressive ball control!" exclaimed the commentators. "Bruno controls the ball excellently. His skill is remarkable! Even though it's his first game, he shows no signs of fear at all," praised Novara's local commentator, De Canio.

Controlling the ball in this way was difficult, and Cesena's players did not expect Bruno to choose such an advanced technique to control the ball, leaving them somewhat surprised. However, they quickly reacted. The left-back quickly closed in, keeping a distance of about a meter, ready to intervene if necessary. Meanwhile, Cesena's defensive midfielder positioned himself in the center, waiting for his chance to help the left-back intercept Bruno.

...

Bruno realized there was no opportunity to pass directly, so he turned the ball towards the center of the field. The two Cesena defenders also moved in that direction. However, Bruno decided to pass the ball to his teammate, Bizzaglia, and then made a forward run.

Bizzaglia understood immediately and passed the ball to the right, allowing Bruno to compete with Cesena's left-back in a race. Over the past month, Bruno's teammates had already learned about his technical skills and speed. Although he might not match the sprinters in the major leagues, in Serie B, his speed was top-notch.

Although Cesena's left-back was prepared, he was surprised by Bruno's explosive speed. Unable to commit a foul, he was forced to chase after him with all his strength. "Bruno! What incredible speed!" exclaimed De Canio.

In the Dino Manuzzi stadium, the local fans were stunned, while the Novara fans in the stadium erupted in cheers. Bizzaglia's pass was not perfect, a little high and off target, making it difficult for most players to control. However, as he ran, Bruno adjusted his position and lifted his right foot slightly, allowing the ball to stick to his foot as if it were glued.

At the moment the ball touched the ground, Bruno leaned his body to the left and, with a quick move, passed it around Cesena's left-back and headed towards the penalty area.

...

"Bruno, what an impressive play! Controlling the ball and passing the defender in one move! Bizzaglia made a good pass, but even stopping the ball would have been difficult for many, and Bruno did even better by passing the defender!" De Canio commented quickly, barely changing his tone before tensing up, with clenched fists and a body leaning forward. On the monitor screen, Bruno adjusted his stride, his body taut like a bow. Was he about to... shoot directly?

Cesena's central defender turned and saw the ball tracing a white line in the air, drastically changing his expression. When his teammate was bypassed, he had already left his position to cover him. At the same time, he signaled to the defensive midfielder to cover his position, shouting at him.

The exchange of positions among defenders was normal, and since Bruno was on the right side, if he bypassed Cesena's left-back, he would still be on the left edge of Cesena's penalty area, not at an ideal angle. Additionally, Cesena's defensive system was not affected by Bruno's attack, as no one from Novara had entered the area to receive a pass from Bruno. So, Bruno would probably just pass back.

What they didn't expect was that Bruno, after bypassing the defender, decided to shoot immediately, even though the angle was not ideal! As the ball rose, Cesena's central defender felt that something was wrong. He leaped forward desperately, stretching his neck in an attempt to intercept, but the ball passed over his head, leaving only a gust of wind in its wake.

...

Cesena's goalkeeper, Alessio Teodorani, was fully focused. He positioned himself slightly to the left of the goal, ready to dive at any moment to make a save. In his eyes, Bruno's shot was like a rainbow, tracing a perfect curve, bypassing the two defenders, and heading towards the upper corner of the goal. Faced with this shot heading in the opposite direction, Teodorani could only raise his hand in a futile attempt to greet the ball as it sailed over him.

The Dino Manuzzi stadium fell into a dead silence. Cesena's players were bewildered. How did this substitute newcomer manage to break through their defense and score in less than thirty seconds?

Throughout the goal process, it couldn't be said that Cesena's defenders had made mistakes; almost everyone acted correctly in defense, but they still allowed a goal! It could only be said that the opponent was too strong.

How could such a team appear in Serie B? Shouldn't they be in Serie A or one of the other major leagues? Cesena's fans at home were equally puzzled. How could the opponent score so quickly? While Cesena's players were stunned, the Novara fans in the stadium jumped up from their seats, celebrating enthusiastically.

...

In fact, the mastermind himself was confused at this moment. After coming on, Bruno seized the opportunity to attack quickly, but he never imagined that he would end up breaking through Cesena's entire defense alone and shooting at the goal.

Seeing the ball enter the net, Bruno felt a shiver run through his body, his blood boiling, and the noise in his head buzzing like a hive of bees, his eyes only seeing the little white elf.

Did his first goal in a professional league come like this? He hadn't even thought about how to celebrate!

Just as Bruno was a little confused, he was tackled by Bizzaglia, who came running towards him. The big, sturdy Italian shouted in Bruno's ear, "How beautiful!" What a beautiful goal!

The other Novara players also joined in, celebrating in front of Cesena's goal. From the process of this goal, it could be seen that Bruno's individual ability was exceptionally strong. He challenged Cesena's entire defensive line and emerged victorious, scoring an impressive goal. It truly was a stunning entry. (End of Chapter)