Chapter 180: Desperation!

Words : 1356 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

"Manchester United is playing far too passively!!" Dinamo Zagreb's high pressing continued to pile on the pressure. Under this constant strain, United's midfield couldn't find effective support and gradually started losing possession. Simply put, United's midfield looked on the verge of collapse. Suker often dropped deep to help Modrić carve forward passing lanes. And Suker himself was more than capable of handling creative duties in the final third—he had a sharp instinct for finding space. Again and again, he pushed Manchester United's backline deeper. The pressure in midfield was now trickling into the defense—a nightmare scenario for any team. Especially when Modrić was playing as brilliantly as he was. Rakitić might be small, but he was tenacious. The guy tracked back constantly. He didn't even need to win the ball—just sticking to United's front-line receivers was enough to kill their buildup. Dinamo Zagreb was rolling a snowball downhill, capitalizing on their midfield advantage. Manchester United fought hard and kept running relentlessly. But Dinamo Zagreb matched their intensity—and added creativity on top. As a result, Zagreb had United pinned down. "Keep pressing!! Don't give them a breather!!" "Push forward! Press!!" The young Dinamo Zagreb players surged forward with determination. They fought for every ball! Under this rabid pressing, Manchester United looked increasingly uncomfortable—almost overwhelmed. Sir Alex Ferguson stood on the sidelines. He kept instructing his players to maintain their shape. Meanwhile, his gaze kept drifting to the left flank—toward Suker. That kid was drifting between the wing and central zones. A dual threat—he could pass or make penetrating runs. That made him incredibly hard to mark. Even if the attack seemed disjointed, Suker could hold up the play with his individual skill until teammates got forward. And once an opportunity emerged, he'd immediately get involved. Whoosh!! The ball slid between Neville and Silvestre. Suker darted past Silvestre with explosive acceleration. Despite a late start, his powerful burst helped him pull away. "Don't let him go!!" Silvestre grabbed Suker's shoulder and yanked hard. Suker slipped and hit the ground. Tweet!!! A piercing whistle echoed. Silvestre froze, and then his face turned pale. It was the penalty box! The referee pointed to the spot and pulled out a yellow card. In the 28th minute, Dinamo Zagreb earned a penalty thanks to Suker's incisive run. Mandžukić handed the ball to Suker. Without hesitation, Suker placed it on the spot. United players crowded the referee in protest, but he stood firm. His hand was already on another yellow—forcing United to back off. "Suker wins the penalty!! A golden chance for Dinamo Zagreb to score!!" Commentator Kraljević shouted with joy. Davor Suker added, "This penalty was inevitable. Suker put too much pressure on the back line—Silvestre simply couldn't keep up with his acceleration. His only option was to foul. After this, things will get even worse for United." Yellow for the center-back! And worse yet—it was the one tasked with marking Suker. Now Suker would have even more space to exploit. "Damn it!" Ferguson clenched his fists. Midfield was overwhelmed! Now the defense was collapsing. A booked center-back, and a penalty conceded—this was a disaster. All he could do now was hope Suker missed. But hopes were crushed when Suker calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. The stadium erupted in celebration. "Goal!!! Suker calmly finishes the penalty—he's scored against United again!" "That's his 10th goal in 8 Champions League matches!" "A phenomenal scoring rate! Unbelievable performance!" "Dinamo Zagreb leads Manchester United 1–0. One foot into the Champions League quarter-finals!" English commentators groaned in despair: "Another goal conceded! United's defense is in shambles—they've been pushed to the brink!" Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! The Zagreb fans were in a frenzy. They never imagined they'd play this well against the mighty Manchester United. A home-and-away double over United? Unthinkable! Now United needed three goals to qualify. But Dinamo's onslaught continued. "Go!!" Modrić passed the ball to Suker, who held his position near the back line—waiting. Then, Modrić sprinted around from the side. Suker cut the ball forward at the perfect moment—tearing open United's defense. "Danger!!" The English commentators couldn't help but yell. Modrić surged down the flank. Before the fullback could recover, he whipped a low cross into the box. Mandžukić battled Ferdinand for position. This time, Mandžukić had half a step on him. He lunged and connected before the keeper could intervene. Whoosh!! The ball found the net again. 38th minute—Dinamo Zagreb scored again. 2–0 against Manchester United. "Another goal!! My God! Dinamo Zagreb has scored again!" "A stunning one-two between Suker and Modrić—Suker held the ball and timed his pass perfectly for Modrić's overlapping run." "That tore Manchester United's defense apart. Modrić delivered the cross, and Mandžukić finished with a sliding shot!" On the Croatian commentary desk, Kraljević was shouting in joy. Davor Suker watched United's collapse and exclaimed, "These youngsters are incredible!" Dinamo Zagreb's young players had improved so much, he barely recognized them. Just a year ago, they were raw talents—promising, but unproven. Now they were dominating Manchester United. Sure, United had their flaws—but even so, this performance was remarkable. And the storm wasn't over yet. Suker couldn't help but wonder: How far can these kids go? "Goal! Goal! Goal!" Modrić, Suker, and Mandžukić celebrated in the corner, jumping with joy. With a two-goal lead at halftime, victory felt close. Now, they just had to avoid mistakes. Meanwhile, Manchester United looked dejected. Ronaldo and Rooney's faces were full of frustration. They'd barely received any decent passes all half—crippling the attack. Midfield just couldn't hold up. As the second half began, United clearly became more desperate. They started hoofing long balls into the final third for Rooney and Ronaldo to chase. Both were fighting hard! Rooney's tenacity was unmatched. And Ronaldo's hunger to win was obvious. They muscled and battled for every opportunity—and created a few chances through pure effort. But with no support and no structure, it was a lost cause. "Pass it to me! Stop trying those long shots—they're useless!" Ronaldo shouted at Rooney. Rooney turned his head away—refusing to engage. Why should I pass? I want to shoot too! On the sidelines, Ferguson chewed his gum furiously. But his face was already flushed with rage. Yes— Ferguson had gone full "Red Mode" again. Especially seeing Ronaldo and Rooney's selfishness up front—it made him livid. He welcomed competition within the team. But during the match, the only priority was to win. There was no room for petty fights or egos. Halftime. From United's dressing room came more shouting and the sound of things being smashed. Šimunić grinned, "Here we go again." Mandžukić: "They break stuff. Do they have to pay for that?" Suker glanced at Mandžukić. This guy had a truly... unique focus. "Alright, boys, ignore them," said coach Bešić. "Stay focused on the second half. We're up by two—we need to stay stable now." "United will definitely come out more aggressive, especially in midfield. They'll rely more on passing and physical battles. Suker, drop back and help Luka when needed. If Luka's marked, you organize." Bešić anticipated United would fight to control midfield. Modrić would be heavily targeted. They could let Modrić battle it out—but it wasn't worth it. Better to switch the point of organization to Suker if needed. That's the beauty of a dual-core midfield. When one is targeted, the other takes over. Bešić took a deep breath—everything was going their way. Two goals up at halftime gave them the upper hand. Most importantly, United's two most dangerous attackers were completely neutralized. And Zagreb didn't fear United's long-ball game—they had the aerial strength to handle it. Those long balls were more likely to result in turnovers. Zagreb could control the tempo. Clap clap clap clap! Bešić clapped and shouted: "Remember the second leg of the first round of qualifiers? Just like that game—let's control possession! Let the ball do the work!"

Chapter 180: Desperation!

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