Chapter 257: Roy Keane Part 2
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Albertini saw Wood run to the field again and returned to his side. He turned and smiled at him.
“How’s it going, George? You okay?”
Wood nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Great, then we can make an attack now!”
When he heard Albertini say that, Wood looked at the time on the big screen. The game had been going for twenty minutes, and the score was still 0:0. The Forest team looked a little battered, but this had happened at Old Trafford to, hadn’t it?
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Manchester United continued to attack. After Scholes had taken possession of the ball, he gave it to Ryan Giggs on the flank. The Welshman was old now. If he had received the ball two years ago, he would have caused his opponent’s entire right flank to go into high tension. His breakthroughs had always been successful and intimidating for his opponents.
Now, his breakthroughs had obviously lessened. Compared to Cristiano Ronaldo on the right flank, he looked like a hero past his prime. But that did not mean that he should be taken lightly.
Chimbonda, the young man from France, had somewhat underrated Ryan Giggs. He had heard of the Welshman’s fame for his prowess, but that was a long time ago, and no one could escape the stress of time.
That was what Chimbonda thought when he rushed up the first time. He wanted to seize the opportunity from his rival not yet adjusting his ball to intercept and counterattack. Except he underestimated the strength of the veteran. Giggs saw Chimbonda rush up, and nimbly used the tip of his toes to poke the football in between Chimbonda’s legs!
Afterwards, he immediately jumped to dodge his rival’s tackle.
“Oh, oh, oh, oh!” The commentator was excited. After twenty minutes of play, Ryan Giggs had not had a breakthrough. It had been disappointing not to see the Welshman’s lightning-fast breakthroughs. “Ryan Giggs! Look at the gap between Chimbonda’s legs! Big enough to drive a car through! What was he thinking? He’s too rash!”
When Albertini saw Giggs break past Chimbonda, he hurriedly dropped his position and rushed to the flank because he was closer. Instead of letting the center back rush over, it was better for him to go. So, he ran towards Ryan Giggs and signaled to Matthew Upson to return to his position.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney were not just there for show.
Seeing Giggs break through Chimbonda, Ferguson stood up from his seat and clenched his fists, waiting for the right moment to cheer.
The Nottingham Forest defensive line had been torn apart. To make up for the crack, the Forest team would need to draw their players from other areas; in that way, more cracks would appear one after another. This was the moment he had been waiting for!
In contrast to Ferguson’s expectations, Twain also stood up from his seat and leaned out of the Old Trafford technical area, clutching both his fists; but it was not to celebrate anything. His lips were pursed as if he was ready to swear at any time.
Giggs saw Albertini coming at him, and he knew clearly the situation in the penalty area without even looking.
It was crowded in front of the Forest team’s goal. Ruud van Nistelrooy attracted all of Gerard Piqué’s defensive attention, Wayne Rooney was marked by Matthew Upson, and Leighton Baines had come back to the penalty area to help defend. Cristiano Ronaldo had also gotten in on the action. It would be ineffective to kick the ball to the front of the goal, which would most likely be headed out anyway.
Albertini was getting closer to him. Ryan Giggs feinted a direct cross movement, which tricked Albertini into doing a slide tackle. The Welshman simply twisted and flashed past Albertini, and then crossed the ball to the front of the penalty area.
And Scholes was there!
Albertini went up to fill the position; George Wood naturally would cover Albertini’s position.
Paul Scholes ran towards the ball, looking like he was going to shoot directly. Wood wanted to leap and block the line of shooting while he was swinging his feet to kick. But there was a sudden flash in his mind of the scene of Ryan Giggs whizzing past Demetrio…
Therefore, he suddenly halted; at the same time, ahead of him, Scholes missed the ball!
The football flew past Wood and fell to Roy Keane!
Not again!
Wood turned at the same time and rushed towards him again. He could not think about whether the ball would hit his face or not. He was the defensive midfielder and the first barrier to the goal. He absolutely must not retreat.
“Roy Keane received the ball… and George Wood rushed up!”
When the football had not yet zoomed in, Keane had already swung up his leg on the spot with the intention of volleying the ball with his leg straight away. But he suddenly saw Wood turn around, which surprised him a little. Why wasn’t this kid tricked by Paul?
The next second, he did not have time to think about that problem. Keane changed his mind about a direct volley at the last moment because he was not certain if he would hit the Wood with the ball again.
Kid, even if Scholes couldn’t trick you, you won’t have any other way now!
Wood saw Keane swing his leg, so he vaulted himself again; everything was exactly the same as when he was hit in the face. However, this time he was tricked.
Roy Keane was poised, and George Wood leaped out. It was a vivid scene. But then Keane kicked the ball close to the ground, and Wood flew past him.
Immediately after, without waiting for Wood to get up, the Manchester United captain changed to his other foot to shoot!
This time it was not a feint, it was real!
“Roy Keane!!”
It was as if the football was shot from a cannon. It instantly passed through the crowd in the penalty area, and when Wood turned back, he could only see van Nistelrooy lowering his head to let the ball pass.
Because his view was blocked by the crowd in the penalty area, the goalkeeper, Darren Ward, did know how to be on guard against Keane’s long shot. Although he leapt up, he was too far away from the ball.
“What a GOOOOOOOAL!! What a great GOOOOOOOAL!!!”
The football forcefully lifted the net up, and the stands in The Theatre of Dreams erupted into thunderous applause and cheers. The leading man, Roy Keane, clenched his fist, brandished it into the sky, and hollered skywards!
And under his feet lay George Wood, who was beaten by his single shot.
