After an inconsistent March, April proved to be just the opposite when we recorded no losses and suddenly found ourselves only four long games from silverware. We labored in the cup to extra time against Krasnodar but kept our belief and bagged a goal before the dreaded penalties setting up a much anticipated tie against CSKA Moscow in the finals.
CSKA must hate the sight of us though because the Slutskiy led(he also manages the national team) team lost their final two games of the month giving us time to erase the 6 point lead they had on in the title race. Now we were all level and only in second place on goal difference. With our final two games in May and of the season being against CSKA though, our own fate was in our hands and I was relishing the opportunity to grab the chance that had presented itself.
Once more Fedun invited me to his boardroom to discuss my contract but once more I asked him to give me until the end of the season. I needed to focus.
I sat in my office and took a sip from my water bottle looking at the contract on the table. I had spoken to no one about it and so far the media had not asked me if I was going to renew my contract. Everyone was focused on our final two games ahead, both against CSKA Moscow. On my computer a news headline ticked over on the sport site I was on and it showed that Jose Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea.
This didn’t have any effect on me though as I barely knew anything about him or the Premier League, once again highlighting my poor knowledge of the game so far. I clicked the report and noticed that the Portuguese guided his team to a second place finish and still got the sack so I was pleasantly surprised. I may not have known much about other leagues but Chelsea’s Russian owner was a topic of discussion here sometimes so I knew he was quick to pull the trigger on his managers. Maybe one day he’ll take a chance with me, I smiled to myself thinking.
My smile became a frown soon though as I remembered why I had been stalling on my new contract. Would I really be staying in the manager’s game? Was my facade over? Or was it just my stay in Russia? Should I continue on and be defiant against Vitor? As these questions flooded my mind, I felt my desk vibrate. From a drawer, my phone that only family could contact me on was ringing. I feared for the worst as I had not heard from any family anytime recently. I picked it up and answered.
“Hello?”
That hello led me to a small pub that was barely lit. I walked nervously up to a booth in the corner and sat down. The person who sat in front of me smiled at me but I was stone-faced. My insides became a monsoon of emotions.
“Hello son,” he said. His features had barely changed though his age showed from his looser skin. His hair had kept it’s color however. I didn’t respond initially but he continued talking. “It’s good to see you. You’ve grown up so much and you look so much like your mother. She would be proud of you. I know you may have many questions but Alexis told me she had answered most of them. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now though. I hope it’s the same you’re feeling. I’ve missed you so much Pau-Alexei.”
He was right, he couldn’t imagine what I was feeling but I couldn’t explain what I was feeling either. I finally spoke, “I’ve missed you father.” No words were truer and Alexis and Vera had made me promised that I’d swallow my anger and learn to forgive him and I did. I didn’t want to waste this moment with him by arguing.
We spent the next two hours catching up. He explained that he had spoken with my family and even visited them to make sure everyone was okay. He told me that he was moved to tears to see his grandsons and told me that I found a fine wife in Vera. He said he saw a lot of the pureness my mother had in her and could see why I was attracted to her. He also gave his approval of Frank and said that he was perfect for Alexis and was glad that I liked him too. His showered praise on Andrei who he compared to Ramon and said that the loyalty shared between us was exactly the same loyalty he and Ramon shared. We talked on and on about family and the good sides of life neglecting to mention Vitor. Then we got to the meat of the matter.
“Don’t make the same mistake I made Alexei,” he said in a sharp change of tone after we had just finished laughing about my story of my first date with Vera. “I can see that you’ve grown into a fine man and maintained a strong family connection. It’s exactly what I wanted from you. Don’t keep them away from you like I did. There wasn’t a moment I didn’t miss you and your sister after Operation Dynasty and though I kept an eye on you from a distance, it did not fill the gap I had in my heart. Your uncle Bruno is great company, don’t get me wrong, but he isn’t receptive to my fatherly love.”
He had pain on his face as he mentioned his time away from us and tried to cover it with a smile. “So what do you suggest dad? I don’t feel safe bringing them back to Russia. Vitor knows too much about our life here.”
“Then go to them. They refuse to settle without you and Alexis has made the decision that she won’t go back to the US as she will be too far away from you. They need you in their life Alexei.”
“But Vitor is targeting them because of me, I need to keep them safe father.”
“They’ll never feel safe without you. Be with your family. Vitor has no one but Silvio’s boys on his sides. You’ve got me, your good uncle, Ramon, your best friend and his family, your sister and her family then your own family. That’s a bond that will keep everyone safe.”
It sounded cheesy but he was right. I couldn’t count the children but the adults he listed were more than capable of protecting each other and then Andrei had his control of his security detail who were loyal to him. Standing just outside I had Mikhail and Sergey who were also just as loyal. How could we lose to an old bitter man?
“You’re right. It’s decided then. I’ll go to them. I won’t bring them back to Russia, we have no life here without that house so it’s time to rebuild. Hopefully I can finally live somewhere that doesn’t go up in flames, yeah?” I chuckled. “Tell me where they are.”
Just went through all 11 pages, Hats off to you man. Its simply brilliant and mesmerizing. You seem like a Jeffrey Archer Fan Eh? Love your cliffhangers
Just went through all 11 pages, Hats off to you man. Its simply brilliant and mesmerizing. You seem like a Jeffrey Archer Fan Eh? Love your cliffhangers
So here it was. The Russian Cup final. My first shot at silverware as a manager and what was to be one of my last chances at a Russian title having decided to leave the country and start another chapter of my life elsewhere. I didn’t tell anyone this though and I was focused on winning here today.
My squad was the strongest available to me with both Quincy Promes and Kirill Kombarov coming back into the squad after injuries had kept them out or on the bench. Denis Cheryshev got the nod on the left wing after some good displays recently and our leading scorer Movsisyan started up front unchallenged for the role with Luis injured and Davydov still on loan.
I gave the men the best speech I could and told them that our trust and togetherness brought us here today and it would help us across the line now when it mattered. I asked them to play smart but with passion. To make the fans and themselves proud and bring home a trophy then sent them out.
Kick off.
The game started out fiery and just 30 seconds in Bocchetti got himself in the referee’s book when he throw his body into a CSKA player who was trying to run free. It looked like a soft call but I didn’t do much complaining.
Onwards from there the midfield sparring began and a couple of balls were played through on the wings from both sides but nothing special came at the end.
6 minutes in we won a free-kick on the left side of the pitch and Promes stood over it as the tussling in the box ensued. The referee had to step in which delayed the kick but when it did come in, cheers followed loudly when Bocchetti rose highest and nodded it into the back of the net. 1-0!
11 minutes in I was forced into a twin swap when Kirill went down clutching his ankle. He shook his head at the bench indicating he couldn’t play through it and I sent on his brother Dmitry as his replacement with Makeev moving over to right side of the defense to accommodate the change.
Dmitry heard my frustration just 4 minutes after coming on. “What are you doing!? Come on. You’re no longer on the bench. Wake up and play smarter!” I barked this after the fullback got on to a loose pass in his box and played a ball short to his goalkeeper allowing Musa to intercept and shoot at goal from close range. Thankfully Mitryushkin was much more awake and got down to parry it with Bocchetti then clearing the ball.
The game went back into a midfield square-off with neither team holding an advantage but I kept myself rooted to the touchline encouraging my players.
This encouragement paid off in brilliant fashion when a throw-in from the right worked it’s way to the left side of the field with smart passing. Romulo chipped a ball over to the wing for an onrushing Kombarov to get on to. He beat his man and sent a perfect cross in that Movsisyan rose highest to. It was beautifully worked. 2-0! We had one hand on the cup!
That hand was slightly yanked off though when a minute before half-time CSKA got a goal. Musa broke free on the right but was tackled well by Makeev. Unfortunately the loose ball rolled in the path of Strandberg who broke free from the defense and he blasted it past our keeper.
2-1 and the half-time whistle followed.
It was a solid display so far and I let the players know that but pulled aside Cheryshev and Bryzgalov who had both looked like lesser men next to their teammates. Bryzgalov took it well and said he was eager to do better while Cheryshev frowned somewhat. I’d keep my eye on him in the opening stages of the next half.
Second half.
“What the **** kind of call is that? Have you lost your minds!?” I raged next to the fourth official being pulled back to my touchline by Dubski. This was after I witnessed the referee award a penalty for a weak challenge by Makeev in the box on Strandberg. To make matters worse, he showed the fullback a second yellow card and now we were down a man.
Composing myself I sent Glushakov with instructions to relay to the team and hooked Cheryshev. We were now only operating with one winger as I opted to keep my midfield shape.
The penalty that followed scored and now the game became heated.
I was in disbelief in the 67th minute. My hands were glued to my hair after witnessing the latest events. We worked a corner that was cleared back into the opposition half and then box. The ball came to Movsisyan who played through Romulo brilliantly. The Brazilian was all alone with very little time and he beat the keeper
Movsisyan was surely my man of the moment as he was leading the line brilliantly. The Armenian controlled a ball a defender misjudged and charged at the defense. He played it back to Promes who played a lovely one-two with Romulo. Promes had the option to shoot but played the ball back to Romulo who was now in more space in the box and the Brazilian pulled the trigger quickly. The CSKA keeper got his leg to it though. Corner!
Breaths were lost when CSKA almost sealed it. A cross in the box was met by Natkho but his header hit the crossbar and we scrambled it away. What a game this was turning out to be.
Chepchugov was becoming my enemy real fast. The CSKA keeper once again saved his side when Promes sent an early cross in the box that Movsisyan got to the end of with a great volley. How the keeper kept it out left everyone dumbfounded. It should have been over - again!
Down the touchline with my bench and in jumping wildly. You’d think the game was over but nothing could contain us. Kombarov found himself in acres of space on the left who was absent of a winger. The fullback bombed in the space and got to the byline and sent a dangerous cross in. Movsisyan got to the end of it and hit the crossbar! I couldn’t believe it but the chance wasn’t over. Chepchugov finally ran out of luck and couldn’t hold on to the loose ball. Feet flew in and the luckiest foot of them all belonged to Movsisyan. 3-2! We were in front with 9 minutes to go!
In the build up to the goal Romulo suffered an injury and had to come off. I quickly got Tasci to strip into his kit and go on the field to shore up our defense with Glushakov going in a more natural position in the midfield.
“Keep the ball. Keep the ball,” I begged as the minutes ticked away to the 90th.
Mitryushkin wasted away precious seconds in stoppage time when he got a goal kick after a corner led to nothing. “We’re almost there!”
“Got a minute Alexei?” Gerd Muller asked as he poked his head through my door after knocking. These days it’s almost never closed.
I waved him in and he sat down. These days he was speaking fluent Russian and in high spirits, as was the case with everyone who had joined the club along with me.
“What’s on your mind Gerd?” I asked as I sat my folder down on the desk to give him my attention.
He eased back into the chair and sighed smiling. “I’ve been doing this for a lot of years Alexei. When I got a call from you back in June asking to join your team. I was skeptical. You were basically unknown-”
“Still am.”
“Yes,” he continued. “But not so much now. You have a title under your belt and the backing of fans and people who have seen you work. You’ve been great Alexei and I know you’ll only grow from here. I don’t know what you deal with off the field that makes you lock yourself in here away from everything but I see a strong character. One that ignores it all because of a true passion for the game. Once you’re in that dugout you’re someone else and I’m glad I was able to witness it at the start. Unfortunately I will not get to see it through from this vantage point.”
“What do you mean Gerd?”
“I’m retiring at the end of the season Alexei. It’s the right time to step away from it all and be with my family. Coming to Russia was a good moment for me but I don’t think I can follow you to another country right now so it’s the best time to call time on my career.”
I sat in silence. How did he know I was going to another country.
“How did you know?”
“I just do. I spoke with Leonid about your contract. He asked me if I could get you to sign it but I told him you had already made your mind up. I wish you success wherever you go next Alexei. I’ll be watching you.”
Shortly before this game, I was named the Russian Manager of the Season. It was the last thing on my mind though. I wanted to win this game for the fans. Winning the title was beyond us because the Russian league was decided by goal difference and not head-to-head.
To be honest, I didn't know this fact until after the game which is why I even detailed the match report like below. It was a complete bummer lol
With the Kombarov brothers being unavailable through injury and suspension, Makeev and outgoing Parshivlyuk took the fullback positions. In front of them was my trusted six in the outfield that was responsible for a bulk of our goals this season. All eyes were on this one and we were ready.
“We beat them last week, we can do it again. Keep that same spirit and belief and they won’t be able to stop you. Go out there and win this one for everyone who has believed in you all season even with the odds against you.”
The stadium was electric with a packed crowd here to see this one.
We should have been ahead 5 minutes in when we launched a counterattack that reminded me of the style of football I always wanted to play. We broke fast and in numbers with 4 attackers up against just 2 defenders. A ball was played out to Ozbiliz on the right and he put it back in the center of the box with 3 players able to get on the end of it. Glushakov was quickest and the Russian somehow blasted the ball over the goal. Chance wasted!
Near 10 minutes later I was almost celebrating again when a great cross from the left found Movsisyan. He rose highest but his header hit the post!
The rest of the first half withered out with no real chances falling to either side. We did however have the bulk of possession.
“Come on men. We can win it here. Just keep playing the way you’ve been playing. They stand no chance if we keep knocking on their door.”
Second half
Sadly in the second half we were forced into a substitution when Promes picked up a thigh strain. He limped over to the touchline, “Sorry boss. I don’t think I can go on.”
I gave him a hug and told him it was okay then got Jano warmed up to replace him.
This largely reminded me of our cup final when we hit the post again. This time from an Ozbiliz volley from close-range!
Soon CSKA also wasted a chance when Milanov was played in free at our back post. Somehow he didn’t even get his shot on target.
Chances upon chances went begging. I was pulling my hair out at the latest one, when Jano put his shot well off target after another counter.
62 minutes in Cheryshev was given the chance to win it for us, replacing Obiliz.
Then the unthinkable happened. We took the lead but not by our own hand but instead from an own goal. Makeev was free on the left wing in fashion we’ve become used to and he put in a dangerous cross. Ignashevich then tried intercepting it so Jano couldn’t get to the end of the cross but he ended up rolling it into his own net. 1-0!
Soon I made Tasci replace Bocchetti to shore up our defense.
In the 82nd minute it was all over as a contest. We launched another devastating counter which led Jano to be alone with a defender on the right. The winger ran directly at the defense all the way into the box and released a shot. He first hit the post but it came back to him and he squeezed it in from the angle. Lovely! 2-0!
That was all she wrote in this match as we went on to win the game. CSKA was able to clinch the title on goal difference but we were no doubt more deserving. I congratulated the players and said nothing to them about my impending departure.
“Are you sure you want to do this Alexei? There’s no way I can change your mind?” Leonid asked after I handed in my official resignation. I chose to tell him on the night of the awards so I could give my resignation speech at the dinner. It was after all the last time I planned on seeing them.
“I’m sure Leonid. I had a fantastic time here but my family comes first and after losing our home, they’ve decided they want a change of scenery.”
He sighed and tapped his fingers together before smiling and saying, “Very well. I’ve heard you speak about your wife Vera so I know this is a losing battle if her mind is made up. I would have loved to keep you on longer though Alexei. I even had these files for next season done up already for you.”
He slid it across the table and I examined the contents. They papers about sponsorship, shirt sales and a report saying that our facilities aren’t up to the modern standards of other clubs.
“You should look to work on the facilities around here Leonid. Get some new equipment to keep up with clubs around us. It’ll definitely be one of the things that attract new players and help develop our younger ones.”
“Us...our, you don’t sound like a man who wants to leave Alexei,” he said with a grin. He was right. I didn’t want to leave Spartak. I had just won a cup and gotten them into the qualifying rounds of the Champions League but I did want to leave Russia and as such I had to leave.
Later that night I attended the awards dinner alone and told everyone I was resigning in my speech for the night. I thanked everyone who was involved in getting me settled in my first year in management and helping it to be such a good year. I congratulated the award winners and praised them for their performances one last time as they played a huge hand in us winning something this year and finishing in second. I thanked the chairman and I also thanked the fans and told them that Spartak would forever be in my heart and I would continue to follow everything related to the club.
At the end of the night, I did my round of goodbyes and went straight for the airport with Mikhail and Sergey. Our destination was the Caribbean.
The waves quietly roaring in the distance were met with children’s laughter as little feet scampered across the wet sand. Vasily, Viktor and Alexander were enjoying our time the most in the Bahamas. They had grown so much in the months I was without them and their energy levels seemed even more limitless despite the heat in the caribbean.
“They love it here,” Vera said. She was wrapped in my arms as we laid on our beach bed.
“They do. So does Alexis. She’s always wanted this kind of life. Where is she and Frank anyway?”
“Probably cave diving again. She is as energetic as the kids. They’re going to be so bummed out when we leave.” Truth is, this was just a vacation for us. I fully intended to move back to Europe and get back into management. I used my extra time to continue studying the game in hopes of keeping my ideas fresh for whatever new challenge I’d take. No one really wanted to leave though and it had seemed like everyone had forgotten that we were still hunting for Vitor. “I wish we could stay little love but you know we can’t.” “I know, I know. Are you still meeting with the men today?” she asked as she rolled over and looked up at me.
“I think so. If Andrei ever decides to leave his room,” I smiled down at her.
“He’s on his honeymoon Alexei. You’re the one who convinced him to get married,” she said with a wide smile. Just two weeks prior we attended Andrei and Oksana’s wedding right here on this beach. A quaint ceremony with the usual faces on a night full of laughs and a strong family feeling. It was one of the reasons why no one wanted to leave. They had been here since they left me in Russia and developed relationships around the town we were in with the boys evening enrolling in a school here for the moment. It wasn’t something I wanted to break up in all honesty and it made me consider if I really wanted to go back into management a few times but then a call from my father made me sure I really did. It was why we were meeting tonight.
Vera and I spent the rest of the day lounging on the beach under the sun, watching the children run wild and tire themselves out. I took a sip from my water bottle as I began to tell her my plans to stick to a counter-attacking mentality when I got back into management and explained to her the different roles I wanted the players to play in this system. Not long into my rambling I heard a low snore and looked down to find her sleeping.
Later that night I was standing at the edge of the beach while the waves crept up over my toes. It was relaxing. With me was Andrei and Uncle Bruno. The former was laying flat on the sand snoring away while Uncle Bruno trudged forward from the house with a cooler of beers. He walked by Andrei and sat the cooler down next to him. He grabbed a beer and stood next to me.
“Campeao. I can’t get used to standing side by side with you,” he said as he took a sip. He was the one who picked me up at the airport when I landed in Bahamas and we spent the entire ride catching up. He told me how he has been living the years that had missed us. The most noteworthy thing was him finding a wife.
“Neither can I uncle. The last time I saw you, you were my age. Now…”
“I’m old,” he laughed. “I may be 62 now but let’s remember, I’m always 3 years younger than your father.”
I chuckled as I walked back to the cooler to grab a beer for myself. Andrei was still sound asleep through it all. Noticing this, uncle Bruno said “I was like that on my honeymoon night. Every moment I had to sleep was a blessing.” He had a big grin on his face. “So Alexei, tell me. Do you agree with your father’s plan?”
He was referencing our meeting earlier. Father and Ramon were here, along with Frank who had now fully integrated into this side of our life. In the meeting, right here on this spot - as casual as it was, we discussed the plan forward. Father had contacts in Brazil trying to pinpoint the location of Silvio’s sons who could lead to Vitor and he wanted to personally go there himself and have a look. I then objected and said that I would never let him go back without me. This led to a debate about whose problem Vitor really was. In a fatherly fashion, he argued that Vitor is only after me because of him while I countered with a cliched family line akin to “if he’s after one of us, he’s after all of us.” Uncle Bruno pointed out how cheesy it sounded to lighten the mood and it worked. That’s when father compromised and appealed to a side of me he knew would be easy.
“What if I let you come, but you had to come as Alexei Ivanov - the manager. Not the druglord.” I was intrigued and listened further. He then reminded me that the Olympics was being held in Brazil and as such, there would be a lot of tourists. “Vitor wouldn’t be able to attack us under such circumstances. Too many variables in such a crowd. This gives you the chance to let your family see Brazil too. Vera told me she’s never been there.”
“Okay, but how does the manager in me fit into this plan?”
“The U-23 competition. Let’s get you a team and have you compete. If you win it, you’re CV looks better than it does now and that gives you a better chance of landing another job in Europe. The exposure would be good.”
“Win it? I’d need an impressive team to do that. I’m not that good a manager yet father and I’m still relatively unknown. It’s not like Russia has a team there.”
“But Argentina does. I can put in a call to their FA. I have contacts there. I’m sure they would hire you if you showed an interest. I’ve heard you’re great with words. A call from me, a call from Leonid at Spartak. You’d be a shoe in.”
I thought about it. Managing a club was one thing but managing a level of an international team like Argentina, just a full year into management? That was something entirely different. Could I really do it?
“Fine. Let’s do it. If I get the job, we go to Brazil. I’ll have to talk to Vera first though.”
“It’s fine with me,” she said from behind me. She, Alexis and Oksana had walked onto the beach without me knowing. It was decided.
View attachment 188056 “I like everything I’ve heard from you Alexei. This isn’t something the FA does often but they want you and asked me to talk to you and I like what I hear so, you’re hired,” said Marcelo Gellardo. And just like that, I was in charge of the Argentina U-23’s for the Olympic period.
Shortly after my appointment, I selected my squad. I was a bit overawed by the talent at my disposal. Most notably that I was about to manage Lionel Messi. One of, if not the best player of this generation. Next to him was a host of young talent who could go on to be great and for a just a short time, I was about to lead them. It was an honor.
We played our friendlies first where I mostly experimented with tactics and the squad. I was overall pleased as the game against South Korea was the only one I took seriously. My first game I went through three different systems and my final game against Portugal I tinkered with a counterattacking style before switching to more attacking nature in the final 10 minutes that could have produced something on another day. I lost some players to injuries with Mammana being the unfortunate casualty that needed to be replaced. Vietto suffered a twisted ankle but if we made it to the later stages of the tournament, he could play so I wasn’t allowed to make a change.
Our first game of the competition came around fast after the friendlies. Our group matches would be:
View attachment 187735 It was a decent group and one I felt we really should be getting out of. If we didn’t get out, I was staring at a damaged reputation at the end of this. I felt the pressure here. U-23 China should be a good win for us though to begin with. I started a strong squad in one of my new systems I had been working on. I still wasn’t sure about it but China was the perfect team to try it against. I told my dressing room full of young stars(and 3 older stars) that I needed nothing less than a win.
Still being in some amount of awe that I was managing a national team at an event like this, most of the first half was a blur though I did see the goals. The first goal came through a lovely effort from Lucas Romero. The midfielder collected the ball at the edge of the box from a pass from the right. He looked up and took a chance at goal and the ball floated into the goal. Great start. Just 10 minutes later Messi doubled our lead when Juan Iturbe went on a surging run, dancing past his defender to get to the byline. He sent a low-cross in that Dybala got a leg to but the keeper got in the way. The rebound fell in the six-yard box and Messi was quickest to get on to it. 2-0. At half-time I praised the youngsters and sent them back out. This time determined to focus. Iturbe and Romero continued to look lively with pace and trickery. Thinking ahead knowing we had many games in few days to come, I started to make changes. Messi being one of such to come off. For the remainder of the game, I was content with how things were going and was eager to keep the players fresh so I asked them to slow things down and take their times. China had a player sent off a minute before full-time for a second bookable offense and that pretty much confirmed our win. 2-0. 3 points and a good start from my charges who responded well to my tactics.
Our next game up was against stronger opponents in the form of Germany. They had won their first game in dominating fashion with a 4-0 win. With the players somewhat tired, I made some rotations. De Paul would get his first start in this one.
Germany started out in strong fashion as expected, testing us from range and winning two corners that we dealt with comfortably. We got the first blow though when we worked our way up the field brilliantly. Romero found Dybala who then played through Cartabia quickly. Kimmich got on to the end of it initially but Cartabia wrestled him off the ball and took a shot at goal from an angle. It was a fine effort. 1-0.
View attachment 187352 It didn’t take long for them to level though. Muller got through on goal but was tackled well by Tripichio. Unfortunately the ball rolled to the back post and Avdijaj was alone and quickest to it to tap it in. 1-1. There was a lot of attack on display in this game and it was almost end to end. Unlike my first game, I was very much aware of what was going on today and stayed on the touchline encouraging the players. We fell behind in the 38th minute to a Thomas Muller header. Avdijaj turned provider this time and got free on the wing sending a great ball in that allowed Muller to get on to it with a glancing header. Well worked goal from the Germans.
View attachment 187351 At halftime I told the players I needed an improvement. This was a game we could get something out of and I needed to see them work for it. I also chose to throw Messi in a more central role. My switch for Messi almost worked perfectly when the mercurial forward ran into the box and smashed a shot against the crossbar. We continued to launch attacks at Germany and seemed to have them pegged back in their half but so far we had no goals to show for it. I made a double change with Messi now occupying the striker’s role and Dybala coming off for Iturbe who had a terrific first game in the tournament. Gaston Romero also came on for Kranevitter. We finally drew level when Messi linked up with Iturbe, playing him through on goal. The pacy winger didn’t make any mistake with his shot. Slotting it beyond the keeper.
View attachment 187350 Celebrations were very short lived though because before I could turn around from applauding the fans, Germany had put themselves ahead again. Meyer got the ball quickly near our box and lofted a lovely pass over the top of our defense. Sane rose highest and nodded it past Rulli. Moments later we were level again. I demanded more from the players and they gave it to me. Messi got the ball on the left and sprinted to the byline, beating his man. He then sent a cross towards the box that looked like it was aimed at no one. But De Paul got to the end of it somehow and lashed a volley in. 3-3! We could have fell behind again when Avdijaj raced away from our defense after a ball over the top. Rulli was quick off his line to deny him though. By this time I was content with a point and told the players to keep the ball and preserve their energies. This allowed Germany to come out of their half somewhat and test us but we held on. 3-3 and I was proud of the spirit on display.
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