Football singularity-Chapter 487 Mainz 05 (4)

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The close call sparked a bolt of urgency in both teams, the home team more so, as they trailed by two goals. Mainz fans rose to their feet, singing their chants from the top of their lungs, trying to will their team back into the game. For a few minutes, their energy translated into action on the pitch. Barreiro, now buzzing with confidence, played a clever give-and-go with Boëtius on the left before crossing deep into the box.

Quaison read the delivery well, timing his run between the Leverkusen centre-backs. He rose above Tah and got a firm connection, heading the ball downward with purpose. "HERE COMES QUAISON!" shouted Rae, followed by the thunderous cheers of almost 40,000 Mainz fans as the ball bounced off the turf and slipped past Hradecky's outstretched arms.

"GOOOAAAAL! ROBIN QUAISON BRINGS MAINZ BACK INTO IT!" Stewart Robson bellowed as the net rippled, and the stadium erupted in a frenzy. Fans jumped up and down, shouting in celebration as the forward sprinted toward the corner flag, pumping both fists while his teammates mobbed him.

"This place has come alive again!" Derek Rae added with urgency. "That was a towering header—textbook execution from the forward. Mainz are back in the contest with just over twenty-five minutes to play!"

The MEWA Arena continued to quake with the rhythmic stomping of thousands of boots as flares popped in the home end illuminated by red smoke, which briefly swirled into the air. Peter Bosz, in the away coaching area, animatedly clapped his hands, urging his men to refocus on the mission.

[65]

The Leverkusen players regrouped quickly after the restart, their composure slowly returning. Aránguiz and Palacios exchanged short passes around the midfield area, playing keep away with the ball as the Mainz players chased. They did this with a sense of urgency, doing their best to defuse Mainz's sudden burst of intensity.

"Leverkusen needs to quickly take control of this match, or all their hard work could be for nothing," Robson said analytically. "Mainz have the wind in their sails, and a second goal would completely change this game."

Robson's words proved true as the home team started playing further up the field. Forming little triangles or squares to create a situation where they could overload their opponents, they pressured Wendell into booting the ball upfield. Moussa Niakhaté raced shoulder to shoulder with Kevin Volland to the ball's landing point, doing everything right.

Using his broad frame to keep Volland on the back foot, he confidently nodded the ball towards Zentner in the box. The Mainz players quickly retreated into their own half the moment they regained possession of the ball. A much more mellowed, slowed-down passing game ensued as they comfortably worked the ball across the halfway line.

[68]

The moment they did newly brought on Leandro Barreiro flipped a switch as soon as he got hold of the ball. He deftly spun past Exequiel Palacios in midfield and let loose a defence-splitting through ball that sliced past the entirety of the Leverkusen players. "QUAISON!" Rae exclaimed as the Mainz striker latched onto the ball just as he stepped into the box.

Due to the angles of his run and the pass, he was dragged wide a bit shy of the left post. Hradecky came charging out with both arms spread wide, restricting the angle just as the striker turned to face him. Quaison kept his cool as he eyed the rapidly approaching Hradecky. A subtle feint to his left forced the keeper to adjust, as he shifted the ball onto his right foot, buying himself an extra half-yard.

Hradecky hesitated slightly before committing to the lunge, but the Mainz forward had already swung his foot. With the subtlest of touches, his right foot scooped up the ball, sending it looping high above the keeper. Time seemed to slow down in that moment as Hradecky tried to raise his hand in futility, as he couldn't even grasp the seams of the ball.

The stadium, which had been holding its breath, rose to its feet as they watched the ball descend towards the far post. The goal seemed inevitable, but a figure dressed in the black number four jersey appeared. "Jonathan Tah to the rescue!" Robson exclaimed as Tah's long legs smacked the ball that seemed to almost float in slow motion.

"Another day in the office for Jonathan Tah as he keeps Leverkusen in the lead." Rae intoned with a huge grin as he watched Charles Aránguiz recycle the clearance at the edge of the box. "He is a name that has gone hugely unnoticed, but if he keeps making saves like that, this won't persist for long."

"His coaches will tell you that this is just normal for Tah, a defensive commander who is ready to put it on the line for his teammates," Robson added as Mitchell Weiser body-checked Karim Onisiwo of a hospital pass from Palacios meant for him. "I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a mainstay in the national team given..."

[73]

"Moussa Diaby is on the move down the right flank, and it's looking dangerous." Rae interrupted as the Frenchman feinted a cut inward at the halfway line, only to knock the ball down the line. Hugging the byline, he exploded past Aarón Martín with blistering pace, latching onto the ball a moment later.

His boots dug into the turf, eating up valuable yardage quickly entering the final third as Martín and nearby Mainz defenders scrambled to recover. Diaby lifted his head as he reached the corner of the box, spotting Volland making a darting near-post run and Rakim charging toward the far post. With pinpoint precision, the winger whipped in a sharp, driven cross.

"DIABY WITH A LOW CROSS—!" Rae's voice heightened as Volland lunged forward at full stretch, attempting to direct the ball goalward.

But Moussa Niakhaté was more alert in lunging forward, somehow intercepting it just inches ahead of Alario's boot, sending the ball spiralling into the air. The ball spun upward awkwardly, dropping dangerously at the edge of Mainz's box. Players from both sides converged rapidly, eyes fixed skyward. It was Charles Aránguiz who reacted first, reading the ball's trajectory and unleashing a thunderous volley from 20 yards out.

"ARÁNGUIZ WITH A VOLLEY—!" Rae's voice rang out in anticipation.

The shot ripped through the air, sizzling with menace as it arrowed towards the bottom corner. Zentner, caught briefly flat-footed, launched himself instinctively to his right, stretching every inch of his frame. The entire MEWA Arena seemed to pause in a collective intake of breath.

"WHAT A SAVE BY ZENTNER!" Robson roared as the Mainz keeper's fingertips brushed the ball, diverting it inches past the upright. The stadium burst into applause, acknowledging the brilliance of their number one.

[75]

From the ensuing corner, Palacios swung in a curling delivery that tested Mainz's resolve. Sven Bender rose powerfully, delivering a header towards goal, but the angle wasn't dangerous enough, allowing Zentner to comfortably collect it in his arms. Mainz rapidly transitioned to attack mode, with Zentner sprinting to the edge of his box to launch a throw down the right flank.

[77]

Ridle Baku controlled the throw expertly, swiftly pivoting to shield the ball from Wendell's pressing challenge. With Mainz supporters urging him forward, Baku surged ahead and threaded an incisive pass into Barreiro, who deftly flicked it on towards the overlapping run of Aarón Martín.

"Aarón Martín breaking away down the left wing—Mainz really pushing now!" Rae called out, the excitement palpable in his voice. Martín raised his head, spotting Jean-Paul Boëtius and Karim Onisiwo darting into the Leverkusen final third amid retreating defenders.

Martín shaped his body expertly, whipping in a teasing cross with pace and precision. The ball swung dangerously toward the penalty spot, causing panic among the retreating Leverkusen players. Everyone seemed to have their hearts set on reaching that oh-so-tantalising cross first, but it was Hradecky who came out swinging that.

Almost taking Boëtiusand and Charles Aránguiz's head off in the process, he sent the ball rocketing out of his box. "Lukas Hradecky once again to the rescue, but it's not over yet," Robson exclaimed as they watched Levin Öztunali Mainz's right winger, chase the ball down before it could go out for a throw-in.

Öztunali expertly cushioned the clearance with his chest, swiftly flicking it down to his right boot. Wendell, sensing the immediate danger, rushed to close him down, but Öztunali cleverly used his momentum against him, slipping the ball through his legs and leaving the left-back grasping at air.

"Öztunal is looking silky out there," moved a couple of yards from the defender. "He takes aim and shoots."

Since the keeper was still down from his earlier heroics, Öztunal took the shot from range. The ball fizzed off his Niki boot with venomous intent, slicing through the air like a missile as players from both sides watched in suspense. Hradecky scrambled desperately back toward his goal, eyes widening in panic.

"ÖZTUNALI WITH AN AUDACIOUS EFFORT—!" Derek Rae roared, voice rising in anticipation as the shot rocketed toward goal.

But at the very last moment, the ball dipped sharply, clattering off the top of the crossbar with an echoing CLANG!, sending reverberations through the MEWA Arena. "OHH, OFF THE CROSSBAR!" Stewart Robson shouted incredulously. "Öztunali was inches away from completing a spectacular Mainz comeback!"

Groans mixed with applause echoed from the Mainz faithful, who couldn't believe how close they had come. Öztunali placed his hands on his head, staring upwards in disbelief. Hradecky breathed a visible sigh of relief before turning around to rip his teammates a new one. No one dared to argue with the usually amiable keeper except for Tah, who urged his defensive line to tighten up the gaps.

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To Be Continued...