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Making eye contact with Kristoffer Klaesson pouncing over in desperation to stop the ball Rakim ruthlessly brought his foot down. Similar to an Ozil bounce pass he sent the ball skipping over the keeper’s outstretched body as it sailed into the open net. Leo Østigård in a last-ditch effort jumped feet first into the goal trying to kick it out, but he was too late as the ball softly hit the back of the net.
As he crashed to the ground a crescendo of cheers erupted at the Stadion GOSiR, as the German fans erupted from their seat letting loose their pent-up emotions. The Norwegian fans could only watch in stunned silence as Rakim followed by his teammates sprinted towards the corner flag in celebration. Performing his signature Griddy celebration as he neared the corner flag he brought a hand to his face.
It covered most of his face as he tried to make it seem like it curved towards his right eye as his other hand performed a one-handed hand seal. He held that pose for a few moments before being enveloped by his teammates as they celebrated the goal. The score changed once again in the 45th minute reading Germany 1:1 Norway.
Following the goal Norway barely got a chance to restart the match before the official blew his whistle to end the first half. He had given a minute of added time but with Germany’s later equaliser and celebration, there wasn’t much to be played. Haaland had one long-range attempt from around 40 yards, but it couldn’t trouble Luca in between the sticks.
The players trudged off the pitch with mixed emotions swirling through Stadion GOSiR. The Germans, buoyed by their late equalizer, walked with a renewed swagger, their steps lighter, their faces alight with the thrill of the comeback. They knew that Coach Baum wouldn’t be too hard on them since they had managed to level the score, and the momentum of the game had likely shifted their way. In stark contrast, the Norwegian squad looked rather frustrated at having their lead snatched away, their initial confidence shaken as they still contemplated how they conceded in the first place.
In the locker room, the German coach Baum, didn’t waste time in setting up the whiteboard as he motioned for his players to pay attention as they gathered their strength. "That’s the spirit I want to see!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands for emphasis. "You were patient and didn’t panic after falling behind and we were rewarded for it, congrats."
"Whoo," some players exclaimed followed by a few of them clapping their hands in agreement. Some of them had wanted to speed up the tempo after falling behind but curbed their eagerness in favour of team tactics.
It also helped that the attacking players strictly followed the tactics making it hard for those in the ranks behind them to charge forward. Although they didn’t plan on conceding holding more than 65% of the possession was and that allowed them to control the match. For a time, Norway went five whole minutes without once touching the ball.
Now that might not sound like a lot but in a game where some teams can score 3 goals in 2 minutes, it might as well be a century. Players who excel with the ball on their feet will quickly lose their touch if they can’t impact the game. So, when they do finally get the ball and try to take advantage of a chance, they are more likely to make mistakes.
"I couldn’t have structured that goal better if I tried, well done connecting together and breaking them down. I wasn’t to see more of that in the second half but let’s not underestimate our opponents we were punished for that already. Kevin, I want you to stick to Erling closer than glue and my two defensive midfielders I want you breaking up passing lanes forward," He stated as he proceeded to go around the room giving instructions to his players.
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[Stadion GOSiR, [19:00], Germany U-20 vs. Norway U-20 – Round of 16]
The second half kicked off with the stadium still buzzing from the excitement of the first. Commentator Paul Gartner’s voice rang out, crisp and clear over the stadium speakers. "And we’re back for what promises to be an enthralling second half here at Stadion GOSiR. The young Germans have shown resilience to come back from a goal down, and now, it’s all to play for!"
On the pitch, Germany maintained their composure and control, their earlier struggles seeming like a distant memory. The Attacking midfield trio of Jamie, Wirtz, and Rakim, looked even more eager as they actively linked up with their teammates. They would expand the field and contract their movement on the pitch keeping their opponents busy.
Their effort bore fury in the [48th] minute when they created their first real chance. Rakim received the ball just outside the box after a quick turnover in midfield just as he cut to the middle of the field. With a deft flick, he sent the ball spinning into Jamie’s path on the left.
The winger exploded with agility, as he darted past Hugo Vetlesen and cut inside, drawing two defenders toward him. This movement created a pocket of space for Florian Wirtz, who had smartly positioned himself just at the edge of the penalty area. Wirtz received Jamie’s pass and feinted to shoot, causing the defenders to halt momentarily.
Instead of taking the shot, he tapped the ball to his right, where Malik Tillman was lurking. With the Norwegian defence now slightly off-balance, he spotted an angle and didn’t hesitate. He curled a precise shot towards the far post, but Kristoffer Klaesson stretched to his limits, fingertips brushing the ball enough to nudge it onto the post. The ball rebounded back into play, and amidst a scramble, it was cleared by Leo Østigård, who sent it flying towards the midfield.
The German crowd groaned in frustration but quickly resumed their enthusiastic support, sensing that their team was on the verge of breaking through. Coach Baum, from the sideline, gestured vigorously, encouraging his players to keep up the pressure.
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As the game progressed, Germany’s dominance in possession continued. Niklas Tauer and Angelo Stiller controlled the midfield with discipline, frequently disrupting Norway’s attempts to build attacks. Their movement acted as a gate between the midfielders and Haaland breaking that crucial link to the German’s goal.
Their effective distribution and ability to maintain possession allowed Germany’s attacking players more freedom to express themselves creatively. In the [56th] minute, another opportunity arose. Noah Katterbach intercepted a poorly judged pass from Emil Bohinen near the halfway line and quickly passed it forward to Malik Tillman.
Malik laid it off to Wirtz, who spotted Rakim making another run down the right flank. Lifting the ball, he sent a chipped-through ball into his path just as the winger ran past his marker. John Kitolano stuck closely to his side but quickly slowed down as he realised the winger would overshoot the lofted ball.
Turning ready to tap the ball down the unthinkable happened as Rakim’s left foot shot backwards like a scorpion’s tail. He deftly flicked the ball up sending it floating over the figure of John who tried to rise up in a futile attempt to intercept the pass. The ball almost lazily landed in front of Rakim as he deftly touched it down just as he entered the box from the side.
A wide smile appeared on his face as he looked to accelerate into the box only to suddenly halt and drag the ball backwards. In the next moment, the figure of John appeared sliding past him tearing up the turf as he exited the field. He didn’t accelerate into the box but delivered an arcing cross into the box after spotting Malik Tillman repositioning near the penalty spot.
Malik had just enough space to fire a low drive towards the goal. Klaesson, who was already positioned at the near post in anticipation of a shot from Rakim, could only watch as the ball hit the back of the net. The German fans erupted, their cheers almost deafening, as Malik and his teammates rushed towards the jubilant crowd, celebrating their lead for the first time in the match.
The German fans erupted, their cheers almost deafening, as Malik and his teammates rushed towards the jubilant crowd, celebrating their lead for the first time in the match. Coach Baum nodded approvingly, after seeing his strategy to maintain control and apply constant pressure finally paying dividends.
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To Be Continued...