Chapter 96: End of the First Half (Please Subscribe)

Villarreal pressed forward aggressively, while Liverpool answered with measured counterattacks. Both sides threw everything they had into offense, trading blows in an exhilarating, end-to-end contest.

There were flowing, seamless combinations, exquisite first touches and dribbles, clever bursts and slips of the ball, overlapping runs and driven crosses, sturdy and forceful headers, and breathtaking diving saves.

Sitting in the commentary booth, Huang Ping kept shouting his praise, and even his old partner Li Long admitted that not even in the Champions League could one often see such a high-level attacking duel. It was worthy of a Europa League semifinal, though of course Dai Zhiwei’s outrageous praise may have had something to do with that.

Whether in the elite Champions League or the slightly lower Europa League, this was the standard a European semifinal ought to have.

Lucas received Coutinho’s pass, shook off Bruno with difficulty, and seized the fleeting opening created by a momentary lapse in Villarreal’s defensive shape. With the elegance of his footwork, he produced a dazzling through ball.

Firmino fought to hold off Ruiz, who was lurking behind him for a sneaky challenge. After bringing the ball under control, the Brazilian striker turned and drove toward Villarreal’s penalty area with reckless purpose.

Ruiz, the anchor of the Yellow Submarine’s back line, could not simply watch Firmino burst into their box. Reacting instantly, he pulled out his last weapon: the sliding tackle. Better to bring the Liverpool man down outside the area first.

Firmino did not have Dai Zhiwei’s pace. Even though he saw the slide coming, he could only look on helplessly as he was brutally sent sprawling just a step short of the box.

Liverpool had their first free kick of the half, and Ruiz also gifted the referee a reason to produce a yellow card.

With the whistle’s sharp blast, Lallana curled a modestly bending inswinger toward Asenjo’s left. Lallana’s technique was excellent, but the free kick was too close to the edge of the area. If the ball traveled too quickly after clearing the wall, there might not be enough distance for it to dip back under the bar.

As expected, Lallana, trying to shape the shot, did not strike it with much power. It posed no real threat to Asenjo, who gathered the ball comfortably.

Though the move did not end in a goal, Liverpool’s last two attacks had both been dangerous. Their play now had far more structure, and the pace of their passing had clearly quickened. The two fullbacks and the wingers were constantly interchanging and overlapping, repeatedly testing Villarreal’s defense with speed and quick passing.

With the support of high crosses from wide areas, Firmino became far more dangerous. In less than ten minutes, he had already taken three shots.

In the 18th minute, Liverpool created another opening: after Lallana and Lucas exchanged a series of lateral passes, Firmino’s shot from 14 yards on the left side of the box was turned away by Asenjo, who rushed out in time.

In the 23rd minute, Milner burst down the left. Asenjo charged out in haste, and the Englishman lifted the ball toward the empty net, only for Bailly to block it. Firmino then instinctively attempted the rebound from the right side of the area, but Ruiz headed clear.

Two minutes later, Firmino’s cross from the right deflected off Suarez and arced toward goal, only for Asenjo to claim it again.

All three of Firmino’s attempts were on target, but each was repelled by Asenjo and the Villarreal defense, preserving the home side’s clean sheet.

After falling behind, Liverpool turned the match around and seized the initiative. They pushed their defensive line higher and higher, and every player in the attacking half obeyed the instruction to press immediately after losing the ball, from the spearhead in attack to Lucas, the midfield enforcer.

The pressure on the hosts grew heavier by the minute. Klopp’s side attacked like wave after wave of surf, and Villarreal’s defense was on the brink of collapse. But the first half was drawing to a close.

Just as the Yellow Submarine supporters were praying for time to move faster, the clock reached the 45th minute of the first half, and Liverpool struck on the counter again.

Firmino received the ball up front and laid it back. When Lallana picked it up on the left, the Yellow Submarine had left the flank wide open, and he was free to run riot down that side.

As Costa fought desperately to track back and close on Lallana’s back, the Liverpool midfielder suddenly changed the angle of his ankle and lofted the ball into the penalty area.

Ruiz had taken up the right position and was preparing to clear the sudden ball out of play with a long boot, when a flash of red suddenly appeared.

Firmino, who had been lurking behind him, timed his run perfectly and beat the offside trap, stabbing the ball away a split second before Ruiz could reach it.

Ruiz reacted quickly enough, but when he tried to accelerate again, he was already more than a step behind Firmino and could do nothing to stop him.

Firmino burst into the left channel of the box, about 15 yards out, and Asenjo, the Yellow Submarine’s guardian, abandoned his line and came out to meet him.

Firmino feinted with a lifting chip. After Asenjo shifted his weight, the Brazilian poked the ball low with the toe of his boot, sending a shot toward the near post. Asenjo was half a beat late, and the ball arrowed straight into the net.

One apiece.

Liverpool had not only equalized, but had also claimed an extremely valuable away goal.

“Gooooooooooooooal! Ha! Long live Liverpool!” roared the Sky Sports commentator in English. Their usual appetite for self-congratulation made them eager to heap praise on every Liverpool player as though lifting them to the heavens.

After scoring the equalizer, Firmino was so elated that he celebrated with Batistuta’s classic machine-gun gesture.

“Damn, is that a provocation?” Dai Zhiwei complained at once. “I was just pointing my finger like a gun, and you go and spray bullets like a machine gun? What are you showing off for?”

Right after Liverpool scored, the referee blew for halftime. The first half had flowed well, and only one minute was added.

Though annoyed that Villarreal had conceded the equalizer so late, Bruno could not help smiling when he saw Dai Zhiwei glaring furiously at Firmino. He walked over and patted Dai Zhiwei on the backside.

“Huh?”

Seeing that it was his respected captain, Dai Zhiwei gave up any thought of paying him back in kind.

As he continued to shine on the pitch, his status within the squad was no longer that of an unknown from the start of the year. Aside from a select few senior figures, no one else dared treat Dai Zhiwei so casually.

“Save your strength for the second half,” Bruno said, putting an arm around him as they walked down the tunnel. “You’re the key to our victory.”

Although the interval had brought only a draw, Villarreal, at home, felt confident they could beat any opponent.