From Arsenal to the Ball God

Chapter 419 - 118: Homecoming Battle! The Midway Finale! Arshavin’s Farewell Match! A Perfect Curtain Call!

....

"Bang!"

In the 41st minute of the first half, Van Persie received a direct pass from Ramsey inside the penalty area, stopped the ball, and took a shot with his right foot.

The football skimmed past the forehead of the blocking defender and finally slammed into the net.

Two to zero!

Easily extending the lead!

The unbeaten run at halftime is really coming!

"Oh...!"

Van Persie roared as he ran to the sidelines, performing his favorite knee slide celebration, signaling to the Arsenal fans.

Ma’el ran behind him, and although he hadn’t scored any data yet, his mood was quite good.

Arsenal will soon be revived..... A perfect end to the first half will surely give the team a strong motivation to fight for the title, creating a positive cycle of morale.

"Bang!!"

It wasn’t over after this goal. In the second minute of extra time in the first half, Arteta blasted a long shot from outside the penalty area, changing the score to three to zero.

Three to zero at halftime!

"The Arsenal warriors are playing like crazy today! Sheffield United fielded a five-defender formation but still quickly collapsed!"

"Garrispeed’s team was relatively good when facing strong opponents in the past, but why do they seem weak when they face Arsenal? Is it reluctance to strike at the team where last season’s hero was?"

"I wonder if Ma’el might also be holding back. It’s rare for him not to score when the whole team scores from multiple points."

"....."

"Beep! Beep——!"

The referee soon blew the whistle to signal the end of the first half. Arsenal players returned to the locker room with ease, while Sheffield United players hung their heads in shame and worry.

"Too strong."

Janu looked at the backs of the Arsenal players as he left the field and exclaimed, "It’s no wonder they’re the top team on the table. What bad luck to meet them when they’re crazy."

Evans walked beside him, constantly watching Ma’el, "He’s also terrifyingly strong now, creating threats every time he has the ball. He bypassed 8-9 players in the entire first half."

Janu nodded, glanced around to ensure no one else was there, and said, "Do you think he’ll score today? Will he go easy on us?"

"I don’t know." Evans shook his head. As he walked into the player tunnel, he heard the staff next to him discussing the same topic. It seemed everyone considered Ma’el the focus of this match.

Behind them, Wenger walked down the steps at this time, met with Garrispeed, and smiled while shaking hands.

Thanks to Ma’el and Gilbert, they hadn’t met much previously but certainly had a good impression of each other.

"Let’s take it easy." Garrispeed joked, then brought Jorson over, introducing him: "On account of him discovering Ma’el and Gilbert, and us helping you with training soldiers."

Wenger smiled, shook his head, and raised his eyebrows, "Going all out is a respect toward the opponent."

...

As soon as the second half started, Wenger subbed on Arshavin, placing him on the left wing.

Thinking that this was his protégé Ma’el’s homecoming match, he didn’t take Ma’el off but kept him in the central position, just like in the last match.

"Come on."

Ma’el felt no discomfort, encouraging as he saw the Tsar playing after coming on.

This match was not only significant for him but for Arshavin as well. It was likely his farewell match.

"Wait for my pass." Arshavin was optimistic today, winking his right eye at Ma’el, actively running on the field.

Arsenal fans were aware this might be Arshavin’s farewell match, raising banners in the stands.

——"Thank you, Arshavin, for your 28 goals and 35 assists! Thank you for your contributions to Arsenal over the years!"

"Arshavin! Arshavin.....!" The shouts rang out, fans showing their respect. He was once their beloved player.

This season, he had been somewhat forgotten, mainly because of Ma’el’s outstanding data performance, drawing attention away. Reflecting on it now, he was indeed owed a lot.

Arshavin heard the voices behind him, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. However, he didn’t greet the fans but instead accelerated his pace, more actively fighting and running.

In the 68th minute of the match, he intercepted the opponent’s side defender’s dribbling, turned back, and launched an assault toward Sheffield United’s defense line.

"Bang bang....!"

However, the defensive area on that side was very dense, seemingly still unable to escape the shadow brought by Ma’el, mistakenly considering him to be Ma’el.

Arshavin had no choice but to carry the ball and cut inside toward the middle, enduring two rough challenges on the way.

He gritted his teeth and persisted, unwilling to fall here. Arsenal’s set-piece attack wasn’t strong, so it was better for him to pose a threat with this ball.

Soon, he found himself in a slightly awkward position. Due to keeping his head down while dribbling, he hadn’t noticed that the opponent’s midfield had formed a surround on him.

Arshavin looked up, seeking a passing opportunity, but only saw Ma’el tightly marked by the defender.

"Bang!" He said an apologetic "Sorry and it’s up to you" in Russian, kicking the ball towards Ma’el in front. It was definitely not a good passing opportunity, but if he held the ball any longer, he would lose possession.

He could only let Ma’el give it a try!

The Sheffield United defensive line immediately became alert, with center-back Paul closely blocking Ma’el from behind, preventing him from directly turning and breaking into the penalty area.

Luton also moved to Ma’el’s front position to prevent Ma’el from directly shooting with a touch after the ball.

"Pop!"

In this situation, Ma’el ran toward the ball, then suddenly hooked it with the heel, redirecting it in the opposite direction of everyone’s movement.