Chapter 23: Vs Monza (3)
The game restarted at 1-1, and the tension in the air was like a string pulled too tight, one tug away from snapping.
Lecce had begun the game like a house on fire, full of urgency, bite, and purpose. But now, just one lapse, one misread cross and a missed marking, and their lead had vanished. All that work, all that control, erased in a blink.
Alex Walker stood on the touchline, feet planted firmly, arms slicing through the air as he barked instructions.
"Reset! Keep your heads up! We’re still in this!"
The crowd, loyal but anxious, tried to find their voice again. The songs returned, but softer now, uncertain.
["And just like that, the dynamic has shifted. Lecce were dominant for the first twenty minutes, but Monza have clawed their way back. The question now is, can Lecce respond?"]
They almost did. Just minutes after the equalizer, Lecce carved Monza open again.
Ramadani read a lazy square pass and pounced. No hesitation. The Albanian bulldog, as Alex had started calling him in his head, drove forward and released the ball wide to Banda, already streaking down the left.
Banda, all electricity and balance, beat his man with a body feint and an explosive burst. He dipped his shoulder, cut past another, then zipped a low cross into the box.
Krstovic arrived right on cue.
Alex felt everything slow down.