Chapter 242: Beating the Offside Trap!

Words : 1459 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

"Hey, kid! Did Ancelotti send you out here for a walk?" "Coward! You're too scared to play at the Franchi Stadium, so you sat on the bench!" "Where's Suker? Where is he? We can't see you! Hahaha!" The Fiorentina fans on the stands launched a wave of vicious taunts. Boos echoed throughout the stadium. The mocking and abuse directed at Suker spread across the entire arena. The Fiorentina supporters were already celebrating victory. They didn't believe Suker could change anything. AC Milan was on the brink of defeat at the Franchi Stadium! "Don't listen to those bastards!" Inzaghi tried to comfort Suker. Suker turned his head forward and said, "They'll shut up soon enough." Inzaghi looked over at him. The match soon resumed. After conceding a goal, AC Milan restarted the game. Suker immediately passed the ball backward and sprinted upfield. Time was running out for AC Milan, but after 80 minutes of constant attack, Fiorentina's energy reserves were nearly depleted. At this stage, Suker's appearance on the field had even greater impact. "Suker!" Pirlo passed the ball to him. Suker lowered his center of gravity and stuck out his butt. Fiorentina's defensive midfielder Montolivo tried to close in, but Suker bumped him off with a backward push. This butt-bump move was one Suker learned from Seedorf—it never failed. It not only helped shield the ball but also warded off interference from defenders. It was a highly practical move. But it also required strong gluteal muscles. After bumping Montolivo away, Suker turned sideways and passed to Kaká while simultaneously turning to face forward. Suker didn't move toward the center, because Kaká was already making a run into that area. Suker stayed in the half-space, slightly behind Kaká. Once Kaká entered the penalty area, he attempted a shot. But the ball was saved by the goalkeeper. It deflected to the left side, and Suker rushed over. Amid a tussle with the opposing fullback, Suker used his fresh legs to win the ball and passed it back. Then he shouted at Kaká: "Don't rush, take your time!" Kaká was clearly impatient, charging in without checking for open space. Despite his talent, that kind of shot couldn't threaten the goal. "Mark Suker!" Fiorentina reacted swiftly. After Suker escaped them once, they knew they couldn't let him hold the ball easily. They had to pressure him. Suker could feel the difference. Now, every time he moved, someone was shadowing him. "Love marking people?" Suker sneered. He drifted toward the center, raised his hand to call for the ball—pretending to want a pass. Sure enough, two defenders moved toward him. Their forward movement created a huge gap between Fiorentina's midfield and defense. Kaká immediately cut across to exploit the space. Pirlo passed right past Suker into that gap. Kaká turned and launched the attack. But in the final shot, Inzaghi was pressured and couldn't get a clean strike—his shot was caught by the goalkeeper. "Good! We're doing well! Don't rush it!" Suker shouted, encouraging his teammates while constantly pulling defenders with off-ball movement. His impact wasn't limited to dribbling or passing. Even off the ball, his running attracted defenders and created space for teammates. Like this time—Suker dropped along the flank, then suddenly cut laterally, pulling defenders with him. Ambrosini burst into the space Suker left behind. Pirlo delivered the pass. Milan's attack reignited along the left. "Pirlo looks like he's finally woken up!" The assistant coach exclaimed. Ancelotti smiled. "It's not that Pirlo's woken up. Suke is creating passing lanes for him. When opponents push forward on defense, they create gaps behind. Suke is using off-ball movement to expose those gaps." "He may not be touching the ball, but he's absolutely involved in the attack!" That's why Ancelotti liked Suker so much. He always saw the heart of the problem! It was as if Suker always made the smartest decision. His spatial awareness was elite—he could sense even the smallest opening. And even if there wasn't space, he'd create it through intelligent off-ball movement. With Suker on the pitch, AC Milan's dynamic clearly shifted. Pirlo was activated! Kaká suddenly surged into life too! "Pirlo!" Suker shouted. Pirlo immediately passed toward him. Suker feinted as if to receive it, but suddenly stepped over and made a bursting run forward. In the gap, Kaká made a lateral move, received the ball, and half-turned to send it into Suker's path. Suker received it and took a powerful first touch! It was perfect—he pushed the ball right past Fiorentina's backline! "Suker! Driving forward into the right half-space—he's fast! Suker shoots!" It was from a tight angle, and the keeper had most of it covered. But Suker still went for goal! The keeper crouched low, expecting a shot along the ground. But Suker's strike split the keeper's hands and slammed into the roof of the net! "GOAL!!!!!!!! Suker!!!!!! Just seven minutes after coming on, and he's already scored!!" "The score is now 3–2—AC Milan still has a chance!" Suker ran into the goal, grabbed the ball, and raced back. The keeper tried to slow him down. But Suker tucked the ball under his arm like a rugby player, dipped his shoulder left, pivoted off one foot, and sprinted away from the challenge. He shouted back, "Trying to take me down? In your dreams!" "Get back! Fall back!" Suker called his teammates to retreat. He placed the ball at the center circle and pointed at the Fiorentina players. They were still walking slowly. Suker yelled at them to hurry. It was already the 88th minute. "AC Milan hasn't given up—there's still time, and they're just one goal away from equalizing!" After the goal, Milan's morale visibly rose. Fiorentina delayed the kickoff, and the clock ticked to the 89th minute. Once they kicked off, Suker roared: "Press up! PRESS!" Everyone charged forward. "Filippo! Ram into him! Apply pressure!" Watching the smaller-framed Inzaghi press, Suker sighed. If it were Shevchenko, the opponent would've been forced into a wild clearance. But Inzaghi's pressure wasn't enough. Luckily, Suker and Kaká were both lightning fast—they surged in from the flanks. "Switch! Switch!" Fiorentina players were getting nervous. Di Loreto passed to Donadel, but Pirlo was already closing in. Donadel passed it back. "They're pressing—play it long, find Toni!" Pasqual booted it forward. The ball flew leftward. Toni tried to control it, but someone raced in from the side— Boom! The ball was headed away. "Maldini wins the header! Milan countering again!" Pirlo dropped deep, controlled the ball, and launched it forward to Suke. Suker met it and immediately passed to Kaká, then turned and sprinted again. Kaká paused, dribbled forward, and then passed to Suker. Suker had reached Fiorentina's backline. "Offside!!" Fiorentina's center-backs raised their hands. The linesman kept a close eye. The ball flew toward Suker—who suddenly stopped. He didn't touch it. He just watched it roll past. "Inzaghi!!" Inzaghi popped out from behind Suker. He caught up with the ball, took a touch, and shot— Right between the keeper's legs and into the net! "OHHHHHHH!!!! You clever bastard!!!" Inzaghi leapt onto Suker. They hugged wildly, shouting in celebration. They'd equalized!! "Goal! It counts! The goal stands!" "My god! AC Milan equalizes in stoppage time!!" "What brilliance, what chemistry!!" "Suker's decision was genius!" "When Kaká passed it, Suker was already offside—if he touched the ball, it would've been flagged. But he didn't! He let it roll!" "And Inzaghi, creeping in while the defenders were busy appealing, latched onto it and scored!" "It's magnificent! This Milan team is magnificent!" "They're so smart!" Commentator Aldo Serena was in awe. Anyone who saw such a beautifully executed offside trap would be amazed. Especially at such a critical moment. This goal's importance elevated the play tenfold! After celebrating, Sukeer turned toward the bench and gave an "OK" gesture. Ancelotti's expression remained calm—but his clenched fist and narrowed pupils betrayed his shock. He only meant for Suker to get some minutes and maybe score one goal. He didn't expect two goals in ten minutes, and a dramatic equalizer. The situation flipped instantly—Fiorentina's three points became one. The Franchi Stadium was dead silent. When the final whistle blew— Suker ran to the Fiorentina supporters and cupped his ears with both hands. "Come on! Keep shouting!" CRASH! CRASH! Furious Fiorentina fans started hurling debris onto the pitch. A storm of trash rained down. Suker covered his head and scrambled into the players' tunnel.

Chapter 242: Beating the Offside Trap!

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