CHAPTER 634: CHAPTER 634 HAYMAKER

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[70]

The Belgian goalkeeper stretched every sinew, fingertips reaching desperately, but the ball was struck with too much power. It sneaked underneath his waist and smashed into the back of the net, sending it rattling behind him.

"GOOOAAAAL!" Wolff’s voice exploded with emotion. "RAKIM REX! What a finish! Leverkusen restore their two-goal advantage!"

"That is absolutely sensational!" Kai added, his voice carrying genuine awe. "How he managed to get that volley off while Steffen is pulling him down, that’s elite-level finishing from the seventeen-year-old sensation!"

[Wolfsburg 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen — Rakim 70’]

Rakim jumped up from the ground pushing Steffen off him before exploding to the corner flag. Hitting his gridddy he streched his arms out before the camera man at the side before being mobbed by his teammates. The Leverkusen bench erupted, substitutes jumping up and down, celebrate the goal.

Glasner stood on the touchline, hands on his hips, shaking his head. He knew the game was effectively over now. At 3-1 down with twenty minutes remaining, the mountain had become too steep to climb.

[74’]

Wolfsburg tried to respond immediately, throwing caution to the wind. Glasner made a double substitution, bringing on Daniel Ginczek and Yannick Gerhardt for Mehmedi and Schlager, shifting to a more attacking 4-2-4 formation in a desperate attempt to salvage something from the match.

"Glasner has nothing to lose now," Wolff observed. "They’re going all-in for the final fifteen minutes."

The changes did create one immediate chance. In the seventy-sixth minute, Arnold played a long ball over the top for Ginczek, who had timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap. The German striker fought past Benders marking storming into the box.

Ginczek took a touch held of the german, and teh struck it with his right foot toward the bottom corner. But Hrádecký was equal to it, kicking his left foot out pushing it wide. The save drew animated applause from Bosz in the coaching box before giving a tounge lashing to his defenders.

"Hrádecký again!" Kai exclaimed. "This goalkeeper came too play and he’s doing a good job at keeping Wolfsburg out."

[80’]

Leverkusen were now playing with complete control, keeping possession, slowing the tempo, managing the game expertly. The ball was calmly passed around with Aránguiz orchestrating from deep, dictating when to speed up and when to slow down. In the eightie third minute, Bosz made his final changes, bringing on Jonathan Tah for Tapsoba and Julian Baumgartlinger for Wirtz.

Wolfsburg continued to push forward desperately, but their attack lacked sting now that the visitors were determend to slow things down. The fact that Players were starting to feel tired, played to their advantage.

[85]

In the eighty-fifth minute, Wolfsburg won a corner after Brooks’s header during a setpiece situation was deflected behind by Sven Bender. Since it was likely one of their last real chance to make the scoreline more respectable they tusseld for positionts. Arnold’s delivery was dangerous, curling toward the penalty spot where Weghorst rose above everyone.

The Dutch striker’s header was powerful but he couldnt drop it fast enough before it sailed over the bar. "Weghorst with the header!" Wolff called out. "But it’s over the bar!"

"They’ve fought hard in the second half," Kai added, "but Leverkusen have been clinical when it mattered. Three goals from two seventeen-year-olds—that tells you everything about where this club is heading this season."

The match was winding down now, with Leverkusen content to keep the ball and run down the clock. Aránguiz and Baumgartlinger formed a protective shield in front of the defense, intercepting any loose balls and recycling possession back to the defenders.

In the eighty-eighth minute, Wolfsburg won possession high up the pitch one final time. Gerhardt drove forward with urgency, playing a quick one-two with Ginczek before releasing Brekalo down the right. The Croatian cut inside onto his left foot, the same move that had brought him his goal earlier, and struck it from twenty yards.

This time, Hrádecký was positioned perfectly, diving to his left to gather it cleanly. The Finnish goalkeeper immediately launched himself up and rolled the ball out quickly to Wendell, looking to catch Wolfsburg on the counter.

The Brazilian left-back drove forward, finding Rakim with a pass down the left channel. The seventeen-year-old took one touch to control before being immediately closed down by two defenders. Rather than trying to force the issue, he simply turned and played it back to Baumgartlinger, who kept possession ticking over.

"Smart play from Leverkusen side," Wolff observed. "No need to take risks now. Just see the game out professionally."

[90’]

The fourth official raised his board: two minutes of added time. The final minutes of the match were played out calmly with Leverkusn hoarding most of the posession. Wolfs burg got a free kick just past teh halfway line in the second minute but faild to really threaten the German champions.

Last action of the match was that of Arnold attempting a pop from thirty yards but Hradecky calmly caught the ball throwing himself to the ground. As he prepared to throw the ball out, the referee raised his whistle to his lips and blew three sharp blasts.

[FWEEEEET]

[Full Time: Wolfsburg 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen]

The match was over, and Leverkusen had started their Bundesliga campaign with a convincing victory on the road. The players embraced on the pitch, either congratulating teammates or wishing the best for their opponent’s. Rakim exchanged handshakes with several Wolfsburg players, before making his way toward the tunnel.

"Full time at the Volkswagen Arena," Wolff announced, his voice carrying satisfaction. "Bayer Leverkusen begin their 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg. A dominant first half put them in control, and despite Wolfsburg’s spirited second-half comeback attempt, the visitors never looked in serious danger of letting this slip."

"Two goals and an assist from Rakim Rex, the leverkusen exsecs will be happy about that extension right about now." Kai added, reviewing the key statistics. "Florian Wirtz also got on the score sheet. Two seventeen-year-olds combining for all three Leverkusen goals. That’s an incredible statement of intent for this young squad. People wondered how they’d cope without Havertz and Volland, but on this evidence, they’ll be just fine."

"Lukas Hrádecký was excellent when called upon," Wolff continued. "Made several crucial saves, particularly in the second half when Wolfsburg were pushing for an equalizer. The Bender brothers were solid at the back, Aránguiz controlled the midfield, and the attacking players allowing the attacking players to caus problems all night."

"For Wolfsburg, this will be disappointing," Kai reflected. "They had their moments, particularly after Brekalo’s goal, but they couldn’t sustain the pressure. Casteels made some good saves to keep the scoreline from being worse, and they’ll need to regroup quickly before their next match."

The Sky Sports reporter caught Rakim as he was walking toward the tunnel, sweat still dripping from his face, his jersey clinging to his frame. Despite the exhaustion, his smile was bright as he approached the microphone.

"Rakim, congratulations on the victory and a fantastic performance—two goals and an assist. How are you feeling?"

Rakim took a moment to catch his breath before responding. "Yeah, it feels good. First match of the season, we all felt thoes pre battle jitters, no ammount of preparation compares to actually executing on teh given day and we did just that. And we got the three points for our effeorts that’s what matters most. The individual stats are nice, but it’s all about the team."

"Your free-kick goal in the first half was absolutely stunning. Can you talk us through that moment?"

"Honestly, I still have a chip on my shoulder from the one I missed against Bayern last season so Ive been practicing doing everything humanly posible to cut out the human erro," Rakim explained, his slight American accent still present despite his years in Europe. "Demirbay could have well taken it I’m just glad he trusted me and let me try."

"I imagine every Leverkusen fan is happy about that fact." the reporter joked bringing a light smile to Rakim’s face. "Last Question you signed a contract extension just days ago that some are saying gurantees you stay the entire season. What I’d like to ask what do you hope to achive come May?"

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To be Continued...