"Goal! Pirlo's header lobs into the net! Leeds United's defense made a fatal mistake at this moment!" Seeing AC Milan score, Lineker cried out in anguish, clutching his head. "Leeds United did very well in the first half. They had their chances against AC Milan away from home, and even came very close to scoring several times! But no one expected that they would concede a goal to AC Milan in the 40th minute!"
“That’s right! Before conceding that goal, Leeds United’s defense was very solid, and Schmeichel’s performance was also outstanding. He saved several sure goals from AC Milan!” Jon also agreed with Lineker’s statement. “Unfortunately, they still couldn’t stop Pirlo’s genius runs. In the past, Inzaghi would do these things and Pirlo would be the one to pass the ball! But just now, Pirlo became the killer!”
To counter AC Milan's most threatening attacking style, Li Shiguang specifically arranged for Toure and Mascherano to start in midfield today, in order to limit the connection between Pirlo and Kaká.
The first 40 minutes looked pretty good. Even with Ambrosini and Gattuso protecting him, Pirlo was still somewhat limited by Toure, who was playing in the central midfield position today.
But after that goal, he felt that his defense had been completely outmaneuvered by those two brothers!
Kaka received a tactical corner kick from Seedorf at the byline, dribbled a few steps into the Leeds United penalty area, and then cut the ball back to the edge of the penalty area, with Pirlo as the target.
Pirlo had also made a shooting motion, but after seeing Toure rushing up to block him, he chose to let the ball pass to Oddo behind him and stood still!
Seeing this, Leeds United's lines naturally pushed forward a bit.
But at that moment, Oddo passed the ball back into the Leeds United penalty area, and Pirlo burst out from the crowd, performing a perfect offside trap! He then headed in a beautiful lob shot, sending the ball over Schmeichel's head and into the goal!
Damn it! We still couldn't stop those two!
Li Shiguang stared at Pirlo and Kaká, who were hugging and celebrating their goal, his face ashen, lost in thought...
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After halftime, the two sides switched sides and resumed the game.
In an effort to secure an away goal, Li Shiguang made the first adjustment, replacing Alonso with Torres and changing the formation from 4-2-3-1 to 4-4-2.
With an additional attacking option in the penalty area, Leeds United finally reaped the benefits in the 78th minute.
Ribery delivered a cross from the right at a 45-degree angle. Ibrahimovic, at the far post, headed the ball onto the back of Oddo, who was entangled with him. The rebounding ball landed right in the six-yard box, where Torres followed up with a left-footed volley to equalize for Leeds United.
"Great job! Lee's adjustments have finally paid off!" After Torres scored, Lineker, who had been under a lot of pressure, finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Leeds United have equalized and secured a crucial away goal!"
It's safe!
Li Shiguang, who had been standing on the sidelines, subconsciously clenched his fist after Torres scored. With only a dozen minutes left in the game, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Leeds United could return to Elland Road with an away goal advantage!
But the game didn't go as he had imagined.
Five minutes later.
Kaka received a pass from Pirlo on the left, first using a feint to get past Alves who rushed to defend him, and then using his speed to outpace Cannavaro, dribbling all the way into the penalty area.
With no other option, Cannavaro had to resort to a sliding tackle, but his usually highly successful tackles were ineffective against Kaká, and this time the tackle failed to touch the ball.
After Kaka fell to the ground, the referee, who was not far behind the two players, decisively awarded Leeds United a penalty. Despite protests from the Leeds United players, he still gave Leeds United a red card and a penalty!
Kaka then took the penalty kick, deceiving Schmeichel before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
2:1.
Near the end of the match, AC Milan took the lead again!
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"Oh no, Leeds United is in danger!" Looking at Li Shiguang shaking his head and smiling bitterly on the TV screen, Lineker's relaxed mood tightened again. "Kaka's performance this season has been phenomenal. Both of AC Milan's goals today were thanks to him! No, the second goal was his personal show."
Jon also agreed with Lineker's statement: "You're right, did you just notice his breakthrough on the wing? This guy gives me a strange feeling, his speed when dribbling is even faster than his speed when running off the ball! To be honest, I rarely see Cannavaro fall down and still not be able to tackle the ball."
"But regardless, Leeds United at least secured an away goal. Although Cannavaro received a red card and will be unavailable for the next match, the combination of Silva and Kompany is still a formidable opponent! After today, Lee should be even more vigilant in marking Kaká and Pirlo in the next game!" Lineker concluded.
Just like Li Shiguang's mental state after Leeds United equalized the score.
According to Lineker, Leeds United are likely to lose today's match, but falling behind by one goal is acceptable. Leeds United still have a high probability of winning when they return to Elland Road next week!
But then, during stoppage time, a dramatic scene unfolded!
In the 93rd minute, Leeds United had a free kick opportunity near the center circle. With little time left in the game, Ribery, who took the free kick, didn't make any unnecessary moves.
After the main force squeezed into AC Milan's penalty area, he directly launched a long ball towards AC Milan's penalty area.
The ball landed in the penalty area, bounced, and neither of the two teams' players, jostling for position, managed to touch it at the near post.
As a result, the football bounced and rolled to the far post.
And that's exactly what Ibu was waiting for!
Faced with this opportunity, the Swede naturally wouldn't let it slip by. After controlling the ball with his chest, he used the same move as Torres' previous goal, and unleashed a left-footed volley!
The football shot straight into the bottom right corner of the goal like a cannonball!
Dida reacted quickly; he had already spread his arms wide to try and expand his defensive area when Ibrahimovic took the shot! But he still couldn't stop the ball from slipping through his fingertips and crashing into the goal behind him!
2:2.
In the final moments of the match, Leeds United miraculously equalized the score!
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