Chapter 16: A Different Match
The final whistle rang out like a sigh across the Unipol Domus. 1–1. A point on the road, but it felt like two lost.
Alex Walker didn’t even bother masking his expression. Hands on hips, lips pressed in a tight line, he walked over to shake hands with the Cagliari manager, brief, polite, but devoid of warmth. His mind was already swirling with a thousand tactical images, flashes of what could have been. He didn’t bother scanning the crowd or acknowledging the traveling fans. He was locked in his own world of frustration.
The players trudged off the pitch behind him, visibly disappointed. Patrick Dorgu, man of the match in all but name, wiped sweat from his brow as he spoke with Kaba. Their words were lost to the wind, but their expressions told the story: they knew they’d let something slip. Früchtl, still wearing the gloves that had barely been tested after halftime, tugged them off with a frustrated motion, his jaw clenched.
It wasn’t just that they had drawn. It was how they had drawn. Lecce had played like the better team for long spells, showing more organization, intensity, and creativity. Yet the scoreboard read 1-1, and that cold arithmetic didn’t care for context.
In the post-match press room, Alex sat alone behind the microphone stand. His grey Lecce polo was slightly damp at the collar, and the fatigue was creeping into the bags under his eyes. He hadn’t even showered yet. Just pulled on the team polo over his training top, marched into the press conference, and waited. The room buzzed, local reporters from Lecce and Sardinia, a few national outlets, and the ever-hovering Sky Italia correspondents, always hungry for soundbites.
The moderator gave a small nod, and the questions began.
"Alex, a point away from home. Your thoughts?"
Alex leaned forward slightly, his elbows on the table. "It’s a strange feeling. I’m proud of the performance. We controlled large stretches of the game. The lads did what I asked of them. We pressed well, dominated possession, created more chances than I can even count. We were brave in our build-up, disciplined without the ball. That’s not easy against a team like Cagliari in their own backyard."
He paused, inhaled slowly, then added with a firmer tone: "But I’m disappointed. Very disappointed. Because we should have won. Comfortably."