2-0!
Less than 15 minutes in, AC Milan were already leading 2-0!
Could there be a more perfect start than this?
Up in the stands, the Napoli home supporters had already begun to lose their nerve.
They looked somewhat stunned.
Even now, none of them could quite make out how Leon had managed to dispossess Higuaín just moments ago.
Supporters watching the broadcast had the advantage of seeing it more clearly, thanks to the slow-motion replay.
"That was an incredibly risky challenge!"
"All you can say is that Leon gambled, and it paid off!"
In the East's commentary booth, Jackson said, his voice still carrying a trace of lingering dread.
Had Leon failed to win the ball, Higuaín would have had an open goal to tap into!
That would have gone down as a basic error on Leon's part!
His match rating would have been dreadful!
There would have been no shortage of criticism after the final whistle either!
After conceding twice in quick succession, Napoli seemed unsure of how to play their own game.
By normal logic, an AC Milan side with a lead should have sat deeper and looked to hit on the counter, but AC Milan did nothing of the sort!
They pressed the attack relentlessly!
This put Napoli in an extremely uncomfortable position.
If Napoli committed to an all-out assault, their defensive line would be left desperately exposed!
With AC Milan pouring energy into attack, Napoli could very well concede again!
Yet Napoli's own attacks could barely trouble the goal Leon was guarding!
With AC Milan two goals up, Napoli found themselves completely on the back foot from the very first minute!
"They really are different now!"
Up in the stands, Su Jing gazed at Leon standing in front of his goal, her eyes shimmering.
Su Jing had known Leon since he was just starting out, and she had watched him climb step by step to where he stood today!
It was a feeling she truly treasured!
In the first half, Napoli were unable to create another clear chance!
AC Milan went into the away dressing room at the break with a flawless 2-0 scoreline.
Inside the Napoli dressing room, Benítez's expression was grim.
"We never played our own game!"
"Where was the wide play we depend on?"
"Where were all the different types of crosses we do so well?"
"None of it showed up!"
"All we did was fight a losing battle against the offside trap!"
"And then, when a one-on-one chance finally fell to you, you couldn't take it!"
Benítez's tone made his dissatisfaction plain for all to hear!
Although he had not singled anyone out, Higuaín felt his face burn.
He had been through three one-on-ones in the first half, and Leon had shut down every single one.
"Higuaín! You need to try more varied approaches in attack!"
Benítez could not resist naming him in the end.
"Understood!"
Higuaín was deeply unhappy inside, but he nodded and said nothing more.
Benítez was no ordinary man, after all!
His standing in the coaching world was considerable!
"Right! In the second half, stop chasing one-on-one situations and go back to what we know!"
"Wide crosses! Runners attacking the box!"
Benítez dragged a firm line across the tactics board and brought the half-time briefing to a close.
Over in the AC Milan dressing room, the mood could not have been more relaxed!
Players chatted casually in small groups, and Inzaghi himself had little more to add to the tactical setup.
Two goals up: what was there left to organise!
It simply meant everything they had done before had worked perfectly!
As was his habit, Leon sat apart from the others in a corner by himself to rest.
Not a single AC Milan player found anything unusual about it anymore.
Leon had long since won over the entire AC Milan dressing room!
If he preferred his own company, then they would give him his space!
While composing himself, Leon reached into his pocket, pulled out his small notebook, and began writing.
'Second half: stay alert to Napoli's crosses!'
'Higuaín's movement off the ball is exceptional. Need to control the first contact on crosses!'
'Can't do it alone. The defensive line will need to work with me!'
Leon filled the page with notes, already mentally prepared for whatever the second half would bring!
The second half kicked off.
Up in the stands, the Napoli home supporters had used the break to rebuild their resolve, and they rose again to get behind their side!
This was their home ground, after all!
The noise had to rise!
How else could they drive their players on?
That was what the Napoli supporters told themselves.
So the moment Leon walked back onto the pitch, waves of sound came crashing toward him!
Mixed into the noise were insults hurled directly at him!
Leon's brow creased for a moment, then smoothed out again, and he walked calmly to his position in front of goal.
"Why does Leon get treated this way wherever he goes?"
Up in the stands, Su Jing felt a sudden surge of anger!
She did not understand a word of Italian, but from the expressions on their faces and the shape of their mouths, she knew none of it was kind!
And the sound of Leon's name was something Su Jing could still pick out clearly enough.
"Leon! Don't let it get to you!"
"Answer them on the pitch!"
There was nothing Su Jing could do about the abuse coming from the Napoli home supporters, so she cheered for Leon quietly in her heart!
The second half began!
AC Milan kicked off.
Menez received Torres's lay-off and struck it cleanly, the ball sailing just a fraction above the crossbar!
That left Napoli's goalkeeper Reina with his heart in his mouth.
Both goals in the first half had gone in without Reina even being able to make a save!
He could already picture what was waiting for him from the Napoli supporters once the final whistle went.
Reina: 'You really can't blame me! The shots came out of nowhere and the pace was so fast there was no time to react!'
Napoli supporters: 'Then look at the goalkeeper at the other end!'
Reina: 'I have no defence. I have nothing to say.'
Napoli pushed forward.
Even though AC Milan continued to press their offside trap, Napoli were no longer falling for it.
Backed by formidable quality in the final third, Napoli managed to build their attack with real structure and push the line deep into AC Milan's half, within thirty metres of goal!
Callejón received Hamšík's pass out wide on the left and drove straight at Lami!
Lami was a centre-back by trade, and he was simply not equipped to handle the right back position!
Because AC Milan had been winning consistently and Abate was still carrying a knock, Inzaghi had never made a change in that area.
That had turned AC Milan's right flank into a gaping hole!
Callejón used his pace to blow past Lami, who had no hope of keeping up!
"Captain! Get onto Higuaín!"
"I'll cut out the cross!"
Leon saw Callejón shaping to deliver and immediately called across to Mexes!
"On it!"
Without a moment of doubt or hesitation, Mexes turned and sprinted toward Higuaín!
Leon himself charged straight toward the incoming cross!
This time Callejón sent in a high ball, bending it on a wide arc and aiming for the back post!
With [Intercept Cross] and [Aerial Ability] both reaching 15, Leon read it instantly!
If he went to the near post, he would absolutely be beaten in the air!
Back post!
Leon went straight for the back post!
But from the supporters' viewpoint, Leon appeared to be running deliberately in the wrong direction.
"What is he doing? Is he just gifting them a goal?"
An AC Milan supporter let out an alarmed cry!
Insigne charged toward the near post and went for the header!
It was a decoy run!
The ball duly floated over Insigne's head and curled toward the back post.
Higuaín was waiting at the back post!
But with Mexes pressing him tightly, Higuaín could not break free to reach the ideal position!
And in that moment, Leon leapt and gathered the ball cleanly into his arms!
A sharp intake of breath swept through the ground.
"Ha! I shouldn't have doubted Leon! That's on me!"
"Believe in Leon, and we'll win!"
The AC Milan supporters burst into laughter.
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