Chapter 104: Defeat
While Wang Feng was recovering from his injury, Inter Milan traveled to Perugia to prepare for the 18th round of matches.
The first encounter with Perugia was in the opening round, where Wang Feng contributed two assists and two shots to a big win. Now, halfway through the season, Perugia's ranking was mediocre, making it difficult for them to compete for a Europa League spot. Inter Milan felt this was a match they should win.
Coach Cooper deployed a 4-4-2 formation, with Recoba, usually active in the midfield, pushed up to the forward line alongside Vieri, while Ronaldo continued to come off the bench.
However, the game did not unfold as expected. Perugia's midfield duo of Tedesco and forward Frizzaras successfully connected, causing significant trouble for Inter Milan and creating several threatening attacks.
In the 41st minute, Perugia's efforts paid off. Tedesco cleverly lofted the ball into Inter Milan's penalty area, and Frizzaras, well positioned, headed the ball past the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper.
In the second half, Inter Milan's performance did not improve. In the 59th minute, after Frizzaras's shot in the penalty area was saved by the goalkeeper, substitute South Korean player An Jung-hwan scored on the rebound, further extending Perugia's lead.
After scoring, An Jung-hwan went wild, tearing off his shirt in celebration, marking his first goal of the season!
Unable to sit still any longer, Coach Cooper made a substitution in the 60th minute, bringing on Ronaldo early.
In the 81st minute, Inter Milan earned a corner kick. Ronaldo chested the ball and volleyed it directly into the net, pulling one back for Inter Milan. This goal was Ronaldo's first of the season.
But it was too little, too late. Inter Milan ultimately lost 1-2 to Perugia, suffering their second defeat of the league season!
As Juventus won 1-0 against Venezia and Roma triumphed 3-2 over Verona, Inter Milan dropped to third place in the standings.
After the match, criticism from the media and fans flooded towards Inter Milan, primarily targeting Coach Cooper. Milan Sports Daily sarcastically commented, "With Wang Feng on the field, Inter Milan's many problems were masked. His absence now reveals all of them. Inter Milan is still the same as last season, showing no change."
"Why can't Cooper ensure more playing time for Ronaldo?"
"If Inter Milan continues like this, even with Wang Feng's return, they won't be able to recover. They will drop out of contention for the title."
Cooper also had his grievances. He was deeply concerned about Ronaldo's physical condition, so he limited his playing time, not expecting it to become the catalyst for defeat.
This game became a sensation in South Korea. Many Korean media outlets reported on it, considering An Jung-hwan's goal the key to deciding the outcome of the match.
It was a goal against the powerhouse Inter Milan, against the extraterrestrial Ronaldo!
Some Korean media even wrote, "Wang Feng's injury exposes Inter Milan's fatal flaws, and An Jung-hwan's winning goal against Inter Milan reveals the true nature of a superstar." They believed that Wang Feng's success in the first half of the Serie A season was due to his lack of injury troubles and the strong support of his teammates, while An Jung-hwan's ability to rise above demonstrated his true strength.
This view received widespread agreement in South Korea, with fans believing that under the leadership of Park Ji-sung and An Jung-hwan, the South Korean national team would surely achieve a historic breakthrough at their home World Cup!
In the midweek Coppa Italia round of 16 match, Inter Milan faced Serie B team Empoli. Coach Cooper, after much consideration, still decided to keep Ronaldo on the bench.
Despite dominating the game, Inter Milan's attack remained a major issue. Although they had absolute control of the game, they couldn't convert it into goals.
The first half ended 0-0. Frustrated, Cooper had to bring on Ronaldo at the start of the second half. With him supporting upfront, Inter Milan's attack gradually became threatening.
In the 65th minute, Konan Kou broke through the wing and crossed the ball into the box, where Vieri, who had made a run from midfield, slotted the ball home, finally breaking Empoli's defense.
In the 77th minute, Vieri and Ronaldo combined in the penalty area, with Ronaldo scoring the second goal to seal the victory.
However, just before the end of the game, Empoli managed to pull one back.
Ultimately, Inter Milan won 2-1 against Empoli, advancing to the quarterfinals.
In the 19th round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Parma at home. The precarious situation forced Cooper to start Ronaldo for the first time this season.
Amidst the thunderous cheers of the home fans, Inter Milan launched a fierce attack against Parma. However, the strong defense led by Cannavaro and Junior prevented them from converting numerous chances.
In the 72nd minute, Parma launched a swift counterattack. Cannavaro broke through with a pass from Lamouchi, tearing apart Inter Milan's defense. Finally, in the penalty area, Cannavaro slotted the ball home, helping Parma secure the only goal of the match.
0-1! Inter Milan suffered their second consecutive defeat.
To make matters worse, the previously fourth-placed Chievo continued their impressive performance from the first half of the season, surpassing Inter Milan in the standings. Inter dropped to fourth place.
By the Como Lake the next morning, Wang Feng was jogging with the company of Le Goff and team doctor Glover. Throughout these past ten days, all of Wang Feng's injuries had almost completely recovered. He watched as Inter Milan slipped further down the league standings, feeling especially distressed, eager to return to the field.
"Wang, let's do a comprehensive check again. If everything is fine, I can approve you to play," Glover said.
"Don't worry, Mr. Glover, I feel very good now, there shouldn't be any problems," Wang Feng said confidently.
After the examination, Wang Feng's physical report was quickly sent to the head coach and club management. Seeing the words "completely healthy" in the report, Coach Cooper excitedly paced around his office.
These past few days had been worrisome, and now he could only hope that Wang Feng could turn the tide and halt Inter Milan's decline.
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