Chapter 14: Vs Cagliari (3)
Inside the locker room, Alex Walker stood in front of his players. His arms were crossed, his back to the whiteboard, and his eyes scanned each face in the room. They were sweaty, out of breath, and clearly disappointed with the goalless first half, especially after Rebić’s miss. But they were locked in, focused. He had them.
"Listen up," Alex started, his voice clear and commanding. "We should be ahead. We all know that. Dorgu did everything right, Kaba did his part, and Rebić... well, we all saw it. It happens."
Some of the players glanced at Ante, who looked down at the floor, rubbing his hands together. Alex didn’t dwell on it.
"But I’m proud. You’ve executed the plan perfectly. You’ve made them look like the away team. We’ve controlled the press, limited their midfield, forced them into mistakes. Keep that energy. Keep the discipline. The goal will come. We just need to stay sharp."
He pointed to the board, where a diagram of the Cagliari shape was drawn.
"Keep targeting this left channel. Dorgu’s got the pace and they’ve got no answer for it. Ramadani, Berisha—keep the midfield tight. Pierotti, float into the space when you can. The opening is there. It’s just a matter of time."
He clapped his hands once. "We can win this. We will win this. Now go show them."
The players shouted in unison, the energy renewed as they clapped and stood. One by one, they filed out of the locker room and into the tunnel.
The second half kicked off with Lecce picking up where they left off.
["Welcome back, everyone. It’s 0-0 here at the Unipol Domus but make no mistake, it’s been anything but dull."]
["You’re right, Gianluca. Lecce have looked the better side. Alex Walker will be frustrated they’re not in front, especially after that golden chance for Rebić in the first half."]