Chapter 24: Vs Monza (4)
Lecce walked out for the second half with something different in their eyes. It wasn’t just determination, it was something deeper. Maybe it was anger. Maybe pride. Or maybe it was that fire you only see when someone’s had enough of being pushed around. Whatever it was, it was real. You could feel it in the air.
Their shoulders were squared. Their jaws clenched. No one was laughing or smiling. Every single player had a look like they were marching into battle. The home fans felt it too. The chants grew louder. Not just random noise anymore. There was rhythm now. Purpose. Like war drums beating in sync with the players’ hearts. The entire stadium had been holding its breath during the first half. Now it was alive.
Alex stood by the touchline, not moving much. Arms folded, eyes sharp. The kind of sharp that made you not want to look him in the eye for too long. He wasn’t barking orders or pacing nervously like before. That had been done already, inside the dressing room. Whatever needed to be said had been said. Now, it was on them. The eleven players on the pitch.
The referee’s whistle pierced the noise.
The second half began.
And Lecce? They exploded into life.
Not even thirty seconds in, Ylber Ramadani read a sloppy pass from Monza like an open book. He stepped in fast, stuck out a foot, and took it. Then, using his strength, he shrugged off Monza’s number 7 who tried to win it back. He didn’t panic. Ramadani turned and quickly slid a pass sideways to Berisha.
Berisha didn’t waste time either. One touch to control, then he turned on the spot and sent a clever ball down the flank toward the right. That’s where Patrick Dorgu was already making his move.
"Go on, Patrick," Alex muttered under his breath.
Dorgu didn’t need a shout to get going. He was already gone. The second he saw space, he attacked it like a man possessed. He pushed the ball ahead and stretched his legs, running with the kind of confidence that said, try and stop me.
The Monza defender tried. He reached out, grabbing a fistful of Dorgu’s shirt, but it was like grabbing water. Dorgu just powered through, never even looking back. The defender stumbled, and the fans jumped to their feet.