Mario Binco took another look at Ai who has worked very hard since the start of the new season training and practiced extra every day. Compared with last season, he is completely different. Through training and warm-up matches, he has also proved that his strength has made great progress. Len Willard finally nodded and said: "Okay! I'll leave the midfield defense to you!"
Subsequently, Mario Binco requested a substitution and replaced No. 5 midfielder Federico Bismara with a thigh strain and No. 5 midfielder Federico Bismara with a thigh strain.
The fourth official held up a substitution sign, and the TV commentators said one after another:
“The Hurricanes made a substitution.”
"Federico Bismara had to be replaced with a muscle strain, and No. 33 Alan Velarde came on."
"This is the Hurricanes' own youth training player, a 21-year-old young man who only made two substitute appearances last season, which totaled less than 20 minutes."
"It may be a bit difficult for him to face the attack group attack of Boca Juniors, a giant in the A-League, as a single defensive midfielder."
"Perhaps this is an opportunity for Boca Juniors. It depends on whether they can seize it."
"Of course, for Velarde, if he can withstand the impact of Boca Juniors, it may also be an opportunity to stand out."
Indeed, this is both an opportunity and a risk for Willard.
It is a rare opportunity to come on as a substitute in the Argentinian Cup against a giant like Boca Juniors.
But at the same time, the current situation is also very delicate. The one leading the score is not Boca Juniors, but the Hurricanes Athletic Team.
If Willard can withstand the impact of Boca Juniors' offensive line after playing, he can help the Hurricanes win the game and advance to the top 16 in an upset. There is no doubt that he will completely secure his position as the third defensive midfielder in the team, and will get a lot of opportunities to enter the squad and come off the bench in future games.
But if the Hurricanes lose the ball in the last twenty minutes and are eventually reversed and eliminated by Boca Juniors, or even if Velarde makes some low-level mistakes in the middle, then Velarde will definitely have to bear some responsibility after the game.
Even with Willard's mental age, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
However, he did not back down. No matter what the result was, such an opportunity must be seized. As for the result, we can only try our best to fight for it.
Federico Bismara, who was helped off the field by the team doctor, hugged Velarde and encouraged: "Willard, it's up to you, come on."
Willard nodded solemnly and ran into the famous Candy Box Stadium.
In the stands, Krisina, who was sitting in the same area as Dalia, Bonnie Fashaw and other players who were not included in the squad, as well as some of the players’ families, saw her brother coming on as a substitute and shouted excitedly:
"elder brother!"
"My big brother is here!"
"Brother, come on!"
Two friends, Dalia and Bonnie Fashaw, also clapped happily for Willard's appearance. Although the others were a little worried, they still applauded and cheered for Willard, hoping that Willard could stand up. The impact of Boca Juniors' attacking group helped the Hurricanes hold on to a 1-0 victory.
After the game restarted, seeing the Hurricanes' main midfielder Federico Bismara injured and leaving the field, replaced by a 21-year-old young man, Boca Juniors really began to focus their attack on the center, attacking Velarde. The frontier defense zone of the large restricted area began to be bombarded indiscriminately.
In the 73rd minute, the ball reached the feet of Boca forward Gigliotti in front of Velarde. Instead of passing the ball, Gigliotti dribbled towards Velarde.
Willard retreated while getting stuck, but as the distance shortened, he had no way to retreat when he approached the penalty area line. If you retreat further, the opponent will dribble the ball into the penalty area. At that time, the defensive players will be even more afraid to make moves easily: for fear of being fouled and sentenced to a penalty kick.
Just when Velarde was about to grab the ball, Gigliotti moved the ball to the right. Having just come on the field and facing a giant like Boca Juniors, Velarde was highly nervous and subconsciously followed to the right. Move sideways. As a result, Gigliotti's right foot that was moving the ball suddenly went around the ball, went to the outside, and hooked the ball back to the left.
Gigliotti made a move of flicking the cow's tail.
Velarde was caught off guard and Gigliotti broke through from the left and faced the Hurricanes' penalty area.
The commentators said one after another:
"Oh, Willard was breached."
"Gigliotti took advantage of Villard's nervousness as he had just come on and had not yet adapted to the game, and completed a breakthrough in the middle."
"good chance!"
After completing the breakthrough, Gigliotti then faced Hurricanes center back Mancinelli. Instead of choosing to break through, he made a diagonal pass and sent the ball into the left rib of the penalty area.
Another Boca striker, Calleri, rushed into the penalty area from the wing and touched the ball before the Hurricanes' midfielder Toranso returned to defense. However, maybe because the angle was too small, he was not sure and did not dare to shoot directly. Instead, he passed the ball across the middle of the penalty area, hoping to let his teammates who followed up from the center or the right shoot.
There are indeed Boca Juniors players following up in the center and on the right, ready to rush to the goal and grab a shot.
But Federico Carriso in the center was tangled up by the Hurricanes center back, disrupting his speed and failing to arrive in time to touch the ball.
Juan Martinez, another forward of Boca Juniors who was at the back, rushed over. While he was entangled with another midfielder of the Hurricanes who was returning to defend, he aimed at the near corner of the goal and pushed the ball with one kick. Push into the blind spot.
If this goal is scored and the score is equalized, he will undoubtedly be the hero of Boca Juniors.
The Hurricanes goalkeeper Diaz has just been attracted to the left side and has not yet fully moved into place. If Juan Martinez hits this ball within the goal frame, there is a high probability that it will really score.
Just when Juan Martinez pushed and kicked out, he suddenly felt that the ball was there, and when he was about to raise his hands and run wildly to celebrate, a foot suddenly appeared in front of him and kicked him away. The ball went out and cleared the baseline with one kick.
"well……"
The more than 20,000 Boca Juniors fans in the stands let out a chorus of sighs.
Juan Martinez took a closer look, blocked his shot, and then rolled directly out of the baseline due to strong inertia. It was Ai who had just been met by Gigliotti and broke through with a tail flick. Len Willard.
It turned out that Velarde, who was hit by a breakthrough, was not beaten to the point of standing there in a daze as everyone imagined. Instead, he immediately turned around and returned to the penalty area to defend, just in time to catch up with Juan Martinez. Pushing the ball, he made a flying tackle in time, saved the ball in front of the goal, and successfully destroyed the ball out of the baseline.
The commentators all exclaimed:
"Juan Martinez shoots!"
"oh……"
"The ball was broken out of the baseline!"
"Boca Juniors' shot missed again!"
"It's Alan Willard!"
"Villade, who had just been beaten by Gigliotti, did not feel sorry for himself. Instead, he turned around and defended in time. He just rushed into the penalty area and a flying tackle destroyed Juan Martinez's shot from the bottom line."
"Villade made up for it and personally resolved the goal danger caused by his breakthrough just now."
In the stands, Willard's sister Krisna jumped up excitedly, clapped her hands and shouted: "Brother, this goal is great!"
The fans who were still a little disappointed that Velard was broken through instantly also applauded Velard excitedly.
Goalkeeper Marcos Dias, who rushed from the left side of the goal, pulled Vera up and hugged him with lingering fear, and said: "Good goal, Velard. If it wasn't for you, this goal would have been scored."
Villard was panting and said nothing, but just hugged Diaz. He really tried his best when he returned to defense just now. The sprint and flying tackle at full speed of more than ten meters made him feel very tired and he didn't even want to say anything.
Several other defenders also stepped forward to hug or pat Velarde, expressing their appreciation for his save in front of the goal.
The Hurricanes fans in the stands also gave him a round of applause, expressing satisfaction with his critical goal save.
The game continues.
Boca Juniors took a corner kick, but they failed to grab the first point and were saved by Hurricanes center back Eram Spey out of the penalty area.
As time goes by, Willard's performance is getting better and more stable.
Although Boca Juniors' players' offensive attributes may be higher than Velarde's defensive attributes, Velarde did not fall into the trap of fighting alone. He was very good at using his physical fitness and positioning ability to delay the opponent's offense, and he was never beaten again. The opponent broke through one-on-one and defused the opponent's attack with the help of surrounding teammates.
Head coach Mario Binco watched as his defense became more and more adept. Velarde, who was constantly neutralizing Boca Juniors' offense through various pressings, blocking, collisions, and assisting defense, was facing the assistant Andres Yalin next to him. : "Villad adapted so quickly that even star forwards like Boca couldn't get any advantage from him."
Yalin nodded and said: "Yes, he is completely different from last season. Maybe his parents passed away and allowed him to grow up!"
Binke said: "It should be for this reason. We should focus on cultivating him in the future."
Yalin nodded in agreement.
On the field, the game continues.
After more than ten minutes of practice, Boca Juniors finally recognized the fact that the 21-year-old Alan Willard was not a soft persimmon, and they could not find a breakthrough from Willard.
As a result, Boca changed the direction of attack and began to attack from the wing.
In fact, in the 352 formation, the wings are the weak point, and attacking from the wings is the most appropriate. If you always attack the Hurricanes' center, you are asking for trouble. Even if the Hurricanes only have Verard as a defensive midfielder, the other teammates are not dead. Regardless of the three defenders at the back, or the bilateral midfielders and double midfielders in front, they can all return to defend and assist Verard.
The wings are the weak spot of this formation, but Boca Juniors previously thought that Velarde was the bigger weakness, but now they no longer think so.
After recognizing the reality, Boca Juniors began to avoid Velarde and attack from the wing, and gradually took the initiative on the wing, frequently passing the ball from the wing to the Hurricanes' penalty area.
Although the Hurricanes have three central defenders to defend the penalty area, and Alan Willard, who is returning to defense, is not short, it is difficult for Boca Juniors to grab the first point. But everyone knows that as long as Boca grabs it once, it may change the situation of the battle.
What's more, with the development of modern football, wing attacks are no longer just a simple way of flying from both wings and passing from the bottom. They can also cut in from the wing to shoot, or pass the ball in an inverted triangle, threatening the Hurricanes' goal. .
As time goes by, the Hurricanes may not be able to withstand it.
