Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 203 - 174: Inter’s 999 Cold Remedy Combo! Specialized in Tackling All Challenges!

Chapter 203: Chapter 174: Inter’s 999 Cold Remedy Combo! Specialized in Tackling All Challenges!

In a team’s offensive system, the goalkeeper is often an overlooked link.

According to traditional football tactics, the goalkeeper’s main job is to defend well, guarding the 7.22-meter-long and 2.44-meter-high goal behind him, thereby excellently fulfilling his task.

However, in the ever-changing football tactics of 2015, more and more goalkeepers are starting to participate in the offense!

Due to personal capabilities and growing environments, the goalkeeper from the Eastern European country Slovenia, Handanovic, has average footwork skills and cannot shine in the backcourt passing and control system like high-level "sweeper-keeper" types such as Valdes and Neuer.

Nevertheless, the tall and long-armed Handa has his offensive specialty—long-distance throw-ins!

The speed and accuracy of his throw-ins are top-notch in Serie A, unmatched by anyone!

The football, like a cruise missile, crossed a distance of sixty meters and landed precisely on Tang Long’s favored right foot!

Tang Long only needed to slightly turn his body and lower his center of gravity at the moment of receiving the ball to simultaneously control and pass, bypassing the approaching Cagliari midfielder Paul.

"Wow! What an astonishing throw-in!"

"Handanovic seems like an outstanding thrower in the ancient Greek army, delivering the ball accurately to Tang Long’s feet!"

"Tang Long handled that superbly!"

"Seamlessly controlling and passing, slipping past the tightly-marking Paul!"

"This is a counterattack initiated by the goalkeeper!"

Seeing Tang Long dribble past his opponent, Mancini suddenly lit up with excitement on the sidelines.

In his memory, as long as Tang Long can bypass one person in the midfield, there will always be a gap behind him, and during these moments, whether to pass or continue advancing, Tang Long can make the best decision!

Mancini began anticipating a goal’s arrival.

"Keep pushing forward!"

Berni shouted as he leaped to the sidelines from his seat.

The white towel in his hand waved with a whoosh, cheering Tang Long on.

No matter the time, Inter’s third goalkeeper, who doesn’t play a single game all season, is always Tang Long’s most loyal supporter in Italy!

However, at this moment, Tang Long couldn’t hear Berni’s calls or the whistle of his white towel.

His ears seemed closed, and at this moment, his eyes were only fixed on Cagliari’s goal!

Keep pushing forward!

Bang bang bang—

Bang bang bang—

Tang Long drove forward with the ball!

This counterattack was initiated at an incredible speed.

Handa’s extraordinary throw-in bypassed the defensive line and midfield directly, and Tang Long’s reception on the right flank instantly broke down the opponent’s rear defense.

By chance, the area from Cagliari’s penalty box flank to the sideline had relatively less standing water.

Tang Long carried the ball on the right flank without encountering a single water pit.

Until he approached the baseline, a clearly visible puddle suddenly appeared!

Without any hesitation, Tang Long had already caught a glimpse of Icardi in the center with his peripheral vision.

Only one center-back was marking him.

If he doesn’t pass now, when will he?

Bam!

Tang Long struck the football sharply with the inside of his right foot near the laces!

As he touched the ball, he suddenly exhaled!

This was a unique trick taught to Tang Long by the battle-hardened Chiwo, with the secret being that at the moment of touching the ball, the core tightens suddenly like a drawn bowstring, keeping the entire body’s posture rock steady, unmoved by the leg-swinging motion.

With the core muscles abruptly tightening, Tang Long’s waist seemed injected with an invisible force, which surged up along the spine, providing continuous power for his subsequent actions.

Chin tucked back!

In this perfect contraction posture, Tang Long applied the right amount of force in the lift of his right foot.

Neither exceeding too much force to cause the ball to fly out a high arch nor applying too little to diminish the flight height of the ball.

The football traced a perfect curve in the air!

With a strong spin, as if given life, it flew precisely toward the near corner of the goal!

After completing the strike, Tang Long’s center of gravity was thrown off, and he rolled to the ground, drenched all over!

"Here it comes!"

Icardi shouted explosively, his form like a leopard!

At the moment Tang Long touched the ball, he was just about to reach the area at the top arc of Cagliari’s penalty box.

But by the time the football was halfway, Icardi had already charged to the near post like a cheetah, with incredible speed!

Crossing and attacking the near post is his instinctive goal-scoring sense!

Whoosh—

It was at the near post position that Icardi broke free from the defense and leaped high.

In the air, he deliberately widened his eyes, gaze sharp, performing a lion’s head throw action!

In the high suspension, Icardi’s view was incredibly broad.

He saw Tang Long who had fallen into the water pool, his teammate fighting side by side;

He saw the direction the football was flying from, the target he was about to conquer;

He felt the friction of the football against his forehead, the moment he was about to create a goal!

Soon, his gaze, with the inertia of the fast head-turning action, looked towards the far corner of the goal!

Chua!

Before his body fell, Icardi saw the football pass over the opponent goalkeeper’s long arm, landing like a meteor into the far corner!

Only then did he blink twice in relief, landing with a splash.

Despite the soaked shoes making him very uncomfortable, and the thick socks sticking clammily, compared to scoring a goal, these were insignificant.

"Haha! Great pass!"

As soon as Tang Long stood up, he saw Icardi rushing from the penalty area, sliding on his knees towards him.

Standing up from the water pit, Tang Long, wiping the water from his eyes, got splashed in the face by the water from Icardi’s knee slide!

"No need to shower today, Mauro, let’s just shower here."

"Tang, let’s play like this! Go direct, give me a high ball!"

The two wet bodies hugged tightly.

In the live broadcast room.

-[Still the familiar formula, still the familiar taste!]

-[Tang Long assists Icardi! I’ve seen this routine a thousand times, but each time it’s still thrilling!]

-[Even a muddy field can’t stop their connection!]

-[In the past, their link-up was always a through ball in the middle, it’s the first time seeing a traditional wing connection!]

-[The sugar-coated cannonball combo launches a first attack on Sardinia!]

-[The crossing and header, this link-up is simple, crude, I love it!]

-[One number 9 and one number 99, might as well call them the 999 cold remedy combo, curing all ailments!]

-[666, this nickname works too!]

The Cagliari players were a bit bewildered~

Clearly a chance for themselves, how did Inter seize a counterattack?

At the start, Gualin’s mistake was caught by Ekdal.

Then, Ekdal, relying on familiarity with the field, smoothly jumped over the water pits, dribbling laterally, passing the ball to the teammate on the wing.

This sequence of attacks had no issues.

But the fault lay in Inter’s goalkeeper Handanovic being too impressive!

Despite the waterlogged ball, he managed, mid-air, above the head of the forward, to securely catch the ball instead of punching it away, truly bold from great skill.

The ensuing thrown ball left Cagliari completely off guard.

This throw was even more accurate than if we had kicked it.

No need to mention Tang Long’s excellent dribbling, crossing, and Icardi’s elegant header to score.

Just the spectacular performance from Inter’s goalkeeper left the Cagliari people on Sardinia both afraid and impressed!

Inter is truly strong.

We have no chance, fighting is useless.

Ultimately wasting energy, better to focus on the next match against Palermo, the real competitor in the relegation battle.

This is what’s called Tian Ji’s Horse Racing.

In the Serie A arena, in the past, only Juventus could make the mid-lower teams in Serie A adopt the Tian Ji’s Horse Racing strategy.

When facing Juventus, they mentally gave up, and the coaching staff wouldn’t expect the team to gain points.

Sacrifice a match, focus energy on more likely opponents— this is the pressure Juventus has given many Serie A teams in recent years.

This Tian Ji’s Horse Racing reaction, Inter also experienced it, but the last time was in the 2010 season when they won the European treble.

Five years later, Inter once again brought this pressure to opponents in the Serie A arena.

Cagliari in the first half made some ineffective resistance, by the second half, they were just symbolically playing.

They need to avoid relegation, preserve their strength, can’t go head-to-head with Inter, because Inter’s legs are way too strong, no matter how much we try, we can’t match them.

Eventually, the 1-0 score was maintained until the end of the match.

Ding!

Another 3 points added to the standings!

Inter draws level with Napoli!