Football singularity
Chapter 522 522 Vs Borussia Dortmund (4)

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[Time 19:59 | BayArena | Bayer Leverkusen 2 – 3 Borussia Dortmund]

[69]

Following their entry into the match, Leverkusen began actively attacking the flanks. Though Dortmund did not make things easy for them, especially now that they held the lead. The tempo of the game only continued to increase as Leverkusen entered full-on pursuit mode.

Rakim wasted no time demanding the ball along the right flank to test the waters of the defenders around him. Tapsoba accepted his call, sending a weighted pass up the flank just as Rakim backtracked from the halfway line. He held off Sancho, who was chasing him and let the ball roll across his body as he turned sideways, getting in Sancho's way.

Before the opposing winger could react, he sprinted after it, quickly crossing the halfway line as he picked up speed. Witsel immediately left his marking of Bender, looking to close him down before he could pick up more speed. Rakim didn't take him on, though, as he sent a nimble side pass to the now-free Bender as he sped by Witsel.

The return pass came crisp, connecting with Rakim's boot just as he entered the final third. Guerreiro stepped up to face him, body low, eyes locked in, trying to force Rakim to the outside. But the youngster didn't flinch. He slowed, feinted with his right, then flicked the ball inward with the outside of his left, pulling off a La Croqueta so smooth it left Guerreiro's legs tangled like puppet strings.

"Rakim Rex… with absolute disrespect!" Robson howled as the crowd came alive. The BayArena rose to its feet when he burst inside just as Hummels side-stepped across to face him.

He wasn't fazed as he performed two quick stepovers as the distance closed, baiting the defender to lung in. Hummels remained composed, though, but it didn't matter as Rakim suddenly performed a rebound pass into the box just as the defender stepped back. The ball spun across the damp surface, bypassing the defender's right foot, homing in on the run of Volland.

Volland arrived in stride, beating Zagadou by a half-step, and let the ball roll across his body before snapping a low shot on his weaker left foot. The strike was instinctive but far from clean, as he hit more turf than the actual ball, sending a wild shot towards the direction of the ball. Bürki in between the sticks, hurried to move across, only to stop himself from leaping as the ball impacted the LED billboard, causing a light crack.

A collective groan surged through the stands like a crashing wave. Volland buried his head in his hands before kicking the turf in annoyance at wasting yet another opportunity. He apologetically looked at Rakim, but the latter merely shrugged his shoulders before backtracking to his position.

[73]

Leverkusen refused to let up. The next sequence came quickly off a Dortmund goal-kick, but it was poorly struck by Bürki and intercepted by Amiri near the centre circle. The midfielder calmly nodded the ball to Lars Bender, who swept it first-time out wide to Bailey on the left. The Jamaican had barely been on the pitch five minutes, but he shifted into gear immediately, taking on Akanji with a burst of acceleration that brought the crowd to its feet.

Akanji kept pace well initially, but Bailey chopped the ball back with his left, then hit a blistering stepover before cutting inside. He surged forward into the half-space, dragging defenders with him before slipping a disguised through ball into the box where Amiri had continued his run. Amiri reached it just before it ran out of play, toeing it across the face of the goal.

"Someone's got to be there!" Rae exclaimed as the ball trickled tantalizingly past the six-yard box.

And someone was Rakim Ghosting in from the right flank, beat the opposing defenders and Volland to the race and launched himself forward in a feet-first slide. It was a tight angle, but the 16-year-old managed to toe-poke it between Bürki and the post. The contact was clean enough, but Bürki reacted brilliantly, sticking out a boot just in time to deflect it out for a corner.

"Outstanding from Bürki!" Robson praised. "That was nearly a storybook moment for the youngster."

Rakim slapped the turf in frustration but quickly clapped his hands, apologising to the home crowd and his teammates. He was met with roaring approval as they began singing the "UFFTA UFFTA TäTäRä" song.

[75]

The BayArena was roaring now. The missed chance only heightened the tension, each fan willing the next attack into the back of the net. From the ensuing corner, Amiri jogged over to take it, signalling a rehearsed routine. He raised one arm, then whipped it in flat to the near post.

Tapsoba rose highest, towering over Zagadou and flicking it on. The ball skipped dangerously through the crowded six-yard box—Bailey nearly got a toe to it—but it pinged off Hummels' thigh and fell to Sancho, who booted it upfield in panic.

The attack wasn't over, though, as Sven Bender arrived at the ball's landing point at the edge of the centre circle on BVB's side. He didn't even think of taking it down as he swung his foot, meeting it on the volley, and launching it back into the final third. Amiri chested it down along the left flank where he backtracked from the corner flag to stay onside.

[76]

Amiri let the ball roll a step ahead before nudging it forward with the outside of his boot. Hazard raced to close him down, but Amiri merely feinted a breakthrough to the touchline, prompting the winger to lunge to cover it. Dribbling past him, he scanned the chaos in the box looking for a way through until his attention caught a figure circling back out to the edge of the D.

Rakim, who had been at the back post for the corner kick, stopped just as he was about to backtrack. Seeing Bender launch the ball back up the field, he drifted wide, pulling his defender with him before suddenly accelerating to the edge of the D. Lars Bender, who was a few paces from the D with his marker, was surprised to see the ball speeding his way.

Scrambling to react, he held his man back, readying himself to shield the ball. "Leave it," He heard someone shout, and before he could react, a red figure appeared before him, his left foot already swinging to meet the ball that was racing towards him.

The crowd drew in a sharp breath as Rakim stretched out his left hand for balance, planted his right foot, sliding slightly on the turf, but his balance was good enough not to let it affect him. His left foot sliced through the ball, sending it spinning like a razor-edged blade through the floodlit air.

The strike was a thing of beauty, sending in a wickedly curving shot. The ball curled viciously in mid-air, swerving away from Bürki's dive and kissing the inside of the far post before nestling into the side netting with a satisfying thump. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Then came the explosion.

The BayArena erupted as hands flew into the air, fans leapt from their seats, and the ultras behind the goal lit flares, quickly sending plumes of red and black smoke. Rakim sprinted toward the corner flag, doing his signature Griddy celebration the moment he exited the box. His teammates descended on him, a second later exclaiming in joy as they engulfed the teenager in tight hugs.

"Oh, my days! Take a picture, frame it, hang it in a museum—what a strike from Rakim Rex!" Derek Rae's voice soared.

"Are you kidding me? No sixteen-year-old should be pulling that out of his bag of tricks." Robson gasped. "At this point, nothing he does surprises me anymore."

"If it helps, he turns 17 this July," Rae commented in slight amusement.

"-_-" For a moment the commentary booth was silent before Robson decided to do his job. "Look at that vision from Amiri..."

As the stadium trembled under the noise, the cameras panned to Peter Bosz on the sideline, fist clenched, and mouth stretched in a rare smile. He couldn't hide the joy of levelling the match that almost slipped from their grasp.

[Score: 3–3 | 77th Minute: Rakim Rex 22]

[80]

Dortmund tried to slow the tempo after the equaliser as a light drizzle descended from the heavens, quickly soaking the players. Hummels and Witsel exchanged controlled passes across the backline, attempting to draw the wind out of Leverkusen's sails. But the home side refused to settle for a draw with the amount of momentum they had gathered.

Seeing his team struggle to contain the home side, Favre called for his bench, looking to bring on Mario and Giovanni. He got his chance in the 81st minute after Guerreiro wrestled the ball free from Rakim's feet for a Leverkusen throw-in.

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To Be Continued...