Chapter 394
After the coin toss, Tottenham won the kick-off.
Manchester United players set up their formation in their own half, ready to start the match.
Mourinho stood on the sidelines, clapping vigorously and shouting loudly, signaling his players to stay focused and give their best effort.
At 2:15 PM, the referee, Mike Dean, blew the whistle to start the match.
Although Tottenham kicked off, Manchester United didn't hesitate, quickly pressing forward. Led by Bruno, the attacking trio immediately put pressure on Tottenham's defense, showing their aggressive intent.
This approach was consistent with Manchester United's traditional style in the Premier League, never shying away from any opponent.
Tottenham chose to retreat and defend. Although they quickly lost possession, they remained securely positioned in their own half.
From the league standings, Tottenham was in fifth place after 14 rounds, with the seventh-best goal tally in the Premier League but the fewest goals conceded. Their offensive ability was decent, but their defensive strength was top-notch.
Clearly, facing Manchester United, Pochettino and his team were prepared to leverage their defensive strengths and counter-attack strategies.
Manchester United undeniably had the upper hand in overall strength. Being familiar with each other as Premier League teams, it was generally expected that Manchester United would win.
However, if Tottenham adopted a conservative defensive strategy, it wouldn't be easy for Manchester United to overcome them, as Tottenham wouldn't easily succumb.
In the first ten minutes, the game was almost one-sided, with Manchester United continually organizing attacks while Tottenham firmly defended their penalty area, determined to keep their goal intact.
Manchester United's eagerness to score led to a lack of clear chances. Bruno attempted three shots in the first fifteen minutes, none of which were on target. Two of them were long-range shots that didn't threaten Lloris' goal.
"Bruno seems a bit anxious, which is unlike his usual composure," commented the announcer.
"Of course, we can understand his current mood. In such an important game, anyone would be anxious, but he must calm his emotions and stabilize his performance."
Manchester United's captain on the pitch, Carrick, clearly understood the situation. He signaled Gündoğan to slow down the tempo.
After the initial ten minutes of probing, it was clear to everyone that Tottenham's defensive preparations were solid, making it difficult for Manchester United to create clear opportunities.
In such a situation, maintaining a high tempo not only exhausted the players but also risked exposing their weaknesses.
Rather than forcing a high pace, it was better to slow down and give Tottenham some breathing space, potentially drawing them out of their defensive shell.
However, Tottenham seemed to understand Manchester United's strategy, staying firmly defensive and not pushing forward, denying Manchester United any openings.
With Tottenham's tightly knit formation, Manchester United's attacks still couldn't break through.
As time passed, Manchester United launched another offensive in the 30th minute, but once again, they couldn't breach Tottenham's defense, leading to some frustration.
As the game progressed, Bruno gradually calmed down.
Initially, he was eager to quickly defeat the opponent, but Tottenham's resilience surprised him. After hitting a wall, he began to compose himself.
With Manchester United pressing high, they patiently organized passes and penetrations around Tottenham's 30-meter zone, probing for weaknesses and waiting for a chance.
Everyone believed that under Manchester United's relentless pressure, Tottenham's defense couldn't be flawless.
Any defensive lapse by Tottenham would be Manchester United's opportunity.
Both teams were testing each other's patience. The game was one-sided but tense.
The fans in the stadium remained highly enthusiastic, knowing the team was waiting for that one opportunity.
And that opportunity came in the second minute of first-half stoppage time!
"Manchester United passes to the right, to Bruno."
"Bruno has the ball at the right corner of the penalty area, one-on-one!"
"Beautiful, Bruno reaches the byline and crosses into the box!"
"Tottenham's center-back Vertonghen clears it at the near post."
"Another long clearance from midfield…"
…
After two long clearances, Tottenham managed to push the ball to the midfield area.
Manchester United's center-back Maguire controlled the ball and quickly passed it back to the Tottenham half, finding Valencia on the right.
As Valencia received the ball, he looked up towards the penalty area and noticed a change.
After clearing the ball, Vertonghen hadn't immediately marked Ibrahimović again, leaving the Swedish striker facing Tottenham's other center-back, Alderweireld.
Alderweireld, standing at 1.87 meters, had good ball-handling skills and positioning sense.
However, this height, which was adequate against most forwards, was a disadvantage against Ibrahimović.
Recognizing this, and seeing Ibrahimović still in the box, Valencia adjusted his path and delivered a 45-degree cross aimed at Ibrahimović's head.
Understanding Valencia's intention, Ibrahimović moved towards Alderweireld, leaping high and heading the ball towards the bottom right corner, hoping to catch Lloris off guard.
Valencia's cross was slightly long, allowing Lloris and Vertonghen to react.
Lloris punched the ball out, but it rebounded to the right side of the penalty area.
Anticipating this, Bruno had already started moving into the box when Valencia crossed. Seeing Lloris punch out Ibrahimović's header, he quickly followed up, striking the ball before Vertonghen could react.
To ensure accuracy, he used the inside of his foot, sending the ball in a straight line past the fallen Lloris and into the goal!
"Goal!"
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!"
"In stoppage time of the first half, Bruno calmly seized the opportunity and finally broke Tottenham's defense. This was his fifth shot of the game, and he finally scored!"
After scoring, Bruno sprinted off the pitch, leaping over the advertising boards and heading towards the stands, arms outstretched, shouting in joy.
1-0!
He finally scored!
The fans in the stands went wild, chanting his name, many reaching out to touch Bruno, wanting to hold onto him.
"What a fantastic goal!"
"This goal came out of nowhere, but we must say, Manchester United's hard work in the first half has finally paid off!"
"Bruno's fifth shot of the game resulted in a goal!"
"This is his 18th Premier League goal of the season and his 70th goal in all competitions in 2016, tying Messi's record for direct goal contributions in a calendar year!"
With over 70,000 fans chanting his name, the atmosphere was electrifying.
Bruno finally broke free from the fans, only to be surrounded by his jubilant teammates.
"There's still the second half! There's still the second half!" Bruno shouted, catching his breath.
The first goal is always the hardest, but once it's scored, the rest will come easier.
Especially as Tottenham players tire, it will be harder for them to maintain their tight defense, leading to more mistakes.
Bruno believed there would be more chances in the second half!
Against a team like Tottenham, one goal wasn't enough to secure victory. So, after the break, Manchester United continued to press forward.
The fans kept cheering, urging the team to keep pushing, especially Bruno.
Many fans chanted in unison, urging Bruno to score another goal or make another assist, aiming to break Messi's record of 113 direct goal contributions in a calendar year.
Just one more goal!
Encouraged by the fans, Bruno played with great energy and determination, tirelessly seeking opportunities.
The fans, seeing Bruno's efforts and dedication, cheered even louder.
To escape Tottenham's defense, Bruno didn't limit himself to the right side; he often switched to the left or moved centrally.
Every time Bruno touched the ball, it excited the crowd.
But Tottenham was well-prepared, staying highly alert and giving no room to Manchester United, especially Bruno.
They were no longer just playing for victory or three points but for honor and professionalism.
They could concede goals and be defeated, but only if Bruno brought out his best.
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