Chapter 76 Coming home.

We managed to win the last game, but it was complicated and tiring. I wonder how we will play against Inter. (Dessena)

I also don't know how to say that to myself, the ball only went in based on the offensive we have when making quick attacks against Udinese, even though they aren't doing well in the championship they always seem to give us trouble. (Usman)

It's not something personal, they simply managed to defend to mark our team, do you think being in first will make all the teams below easier to play? (Continued)

No. (Usman)

That's right, they aren't and sometimes you really lose focus because before you joined, our score wasn't as good as it is now. (Continued)

Was not. (Usman)

We simply have excellent players on the team like Nainggolan and Astori, but they are good defensively, they are not people who can be counted on in the definitive attack, that's only you could do. (Continued)

And you are doing it so well that I simply believe that we will be Cagliari's golden era and we will be able to become champions in the championship.

OO

Don't stare at me Usman, Cossu, Dessena, unlike you, I've been playing for this team for more than 10 years, simply, I'm living an era for a year, even a dream that simply may never be repeated, just like the players from the 70's. they did and brought the trophy to Cagliari, we achieved it a second time for the team.

If the Captain is believing this, I will also try to believe it, even if our game now is a match against Inter between Sneidjer, Zanetti and D.Milito. (Cossu)

With our assistance king talking about our opponent as giants it makes me more worried than relieved, can you put more confidence in your speech please master? (Dessena)

What confidence, even though they started a bad year, they are still almost the same champion team as last year, it's difficult for me to say that we will win against these monsters. (Cossu)

Well, even if you say that, our defense is better than theirs, all we have to do is manage to score 1 goal. (Usman)

By saying it this way, it makes it seem like it's easy. (Cossu)

Well, even if we don't win we still have 20 more games to go to try to stay in first place, thinking only about Inter when the most difficult game in the last 5 games was against Pescara is a difficult thought, as we can practically only understand the difficulty when we are playing. (Usman)

Game day has arrived...

The players were nervous seeing this Usman asked Conti.

Captain, why don't you raise a war cry?

Get together guys, I know you're nervous because the team we'll face today has a big burden on its name, but you can't be scared, you can't go backwards in this game, we're with you, they're the challenger, we're simply the ones who must take it more calmly than them, we are playing at home.

Our fans came here to support us in this great game, so instead of being worried about making mistakes, focus on remaining stable, focus not on losing, but that we will win, this year we have our supreme weapon, and it has been giving us more and more more surprises in the face of dangers and calm, our scariest games have already passed this season, 1 of which we won.

And you must remember that we simply won not on luck, but on the basis of race, strength, concentration, simply managing to beat Juventus in our 4th game of the championship, and when we were nervous, having lost the chance to distance ourselves from our opposing team Roma, we simply got nervous and clashed heads to the point of making a mistake at the beginning of the first half and conceding 1 goal.

But you must remember about that game, we gave up?

No, we didn't give up, we kept chasing them for the next 85 minutes of the game until we managed to tie the game in the 70th minute and managed to keep ourselves on this throne, we are close to the middle of the season and we have been in first place since we arrived here.

That's why I say to you men, it won't be today that we fall, gather here.

Cagliari!!!

Victory!

Cagliari!!!

Victory

That's it, let's get on the field.

The game starts with possession of the ball with Cagliari, who simply try to exchange passes to advance against Inter, but suffer from the pressure of their opponents.

Inter were splendidly frightening on the field, they managed to prevent passes and advances from Cagliari players, but they also managed to maintain most possession of the ball with them exchanging passes between themselves and controlling the game, even though they managed to get possession of the ball, they practically couldn't. overcoming the Cagliari team's defense, obtaining useless possession of the ball.

Cagliari continues to keep the Inter team away from their defense with zone marking until the ball falls to Conti's foot, Conti passes it to Dessena, Dessena touches Pisano, Pisano dominates the ball and touches Usman in the center of the middle field.

The Inter team was so advanced that Usman dominated the ball and continued driving from the center of the midfield, advancing against the defenders across the Inter field, he managed to dribble them into the area by running diagonally to the right and kicked the ball into the goal.

Goalkeeper Handnovic simply grabs the ball as if he had received a pass rather than a shot.

Putting the ball on the field again, the Inter team begins to exchange passes even more and keep the Cagliari team on guard to the point that in the last 15 minutes of the 1st half they manage to have 73% possession of the ball.

Scaring the Cagliari players a lot with their ability to control the field.

The referee blows the whistle at the end of the first half and the fans applaud the players for having managed to hold the Inter team to 0-0.

Sorry guys in this game simply, I'm being useless. (Usman)

If you're being useless, practically I'm off the field I just don't remember being able to participate or make a play today, they just don't attack, but they also stop us from attacking they are simply dominating the game, even if they don't dominate the score and this is somehow stressing me out, more than them attacking. (Cossu)

Hey, who said they're not attacking? They're just terrible at creating offensive plays today. (Astori)

It's not simply like we're bad just because of that, they're trying to create a way to counterattack, focusing on defense, but we're simply playing as deep as possible which is producing a game in which they try to keep possession of the ball. ball and control of the field, but even though they managed to do that the entire first half, now they are exhausted, it was clear to see.

As the 2nd half of the game begins, the Cagliari team simply manages to keep the Inter team back to the point of maintaining possession of the ball, making the fans sing their names in the meantime, until in the 51st minute the Cagliari team begins to advance strongly against Inter's defense with the play of Dessena, Cossu, Conti and Pisano, they begin to play the ball among themselves while slowly advancing against Inter.

Inter were overly cautious against Cagliari to the point of completely retreating into the box, in these exchanges of passes Pisano receives the ball and passes it to Usman who runs into the box on the left side of the goal, where he simply received a low ball.

Usman dominates the ball and takes it as close to the goal as possible and tries to shoot to the left side of the goal in the goalkeeper's corner. Handanovic, who simply wasn't fully expecting this shot, tries to fall to the right side, but puts his leg in the direction of the goal. ball hitting it and sending it towards Lucio, Lucio doesn't hesitate holding the ball in his area sending it away again with a strong shot.

The game returns to the center of the field where the Cagliari team manages to recover the ball and regain possession of the ball, advancing against Inter with all their strength, the Inter team reduced its ability to pressure Cagliari and now focused only on defending, as they were more tired after having tried to dominate the game in the entire first half, in the second half they had a deficit of energy to maintain their plays, causing another Cagliari attack to occur again, the ball is received by Cossu, Cossu turns and plays for Sau, Sau dominates and looks around, checking how he would make the move.

Seeing Usman running on his left side, Sal plays the ball to Usman, Usman receives the ball, dribbles it, Lucio and enters the area on the left side of the half-moon where he tries to finish, Handanovic comes out from under the goal to mark him, making Usman loses his cool when finishing, Usman kicks the ball at the goal, but the ball goes up and goes over the post, scraping it, missing his 3rd opportunity in the game and the team's 3rd shot.

Usman at this point was feeling disappointed with himself, in the opportunities that were created, he was unable to finish them.

With this last kick Ivo replaces Usman from the game by replacing Pinilla, 75 minutes into the game.

When Usman passes responsibility for the game to Pinilla, he leaves the field and apologizes to the coach.

Sorry sir I failed. (Usman)

Don't worry, this was a difficult game, we have to stay focused so we don't waver at the end of the game, of course even if we have to continue to take advantage of chances to score goals, our purpose now is to keep the players rested for the next game. (Ivo)

Right sir. (Usman)

Speaking of the next game you will return to Nigeria, in the meantime don't forget that you will participate in the next game so you only have 2 weeks to stay there, having to return not just 1 day to regulate your physical condition, but at least 2 days, as you will have to rest from your journey when you get here. (Ivo)

Yes sir, I'll stay tuned for that. (Usman)

Another fact, make the most of your time with your family, don't forget to bring something to remember them by, don't forget to leave something for them to feel relieved about being away from you again. (Ivo)

Yes sir, but why are you telling me all this? (Usman)

Well, I can only say that I have faith that you will take us far before leaving the club, so I want as many memories as possible with you here😊. (Ivo)

Serious?

Yes, it may not seem like it, but with you on the team the players are practically being able to fully showcase their capabilities on the field to the point that even I myself am impressed, you will someday simply be someone who changes the world in so many ways, you are brilliant.

Thanks.

The game continues to go on and the Cagliari team was once again managing to keep the Inter team on the defensive, to the point that Pinilla managed to catch the ball on the right wing and cross it into the area, the ball goes up over the defenders and Pisano the header sending her away from the goal.

The fans watching this finish applaud the team as it was another attempt to score a goal.

The players simply focused on maintaining defense in the last 5 minutes and were no longer able to advance on the opposing teams, neither Cagliari nor Inter were able to open gaps in each other's defenses with their attacks, ending the game 0-0.

Cagliari 0 x 0 Inter.

Boy have a good trip.

Yes sir.

Let's get going? (Sofia)

Let's go.