Chapter 38: Life Is Unpredictable — Big Sausage Wraps Little Sausage
After Ramires slid by, he finally realized Captain John Terry was right — coming up to pinch was nothing to be ashamed of!
But it was too late.
Xia Qi took the man and drove at full speed.
Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel stepped up to double-team.
Xia Qi didn't wait for the two to close in; the ball was already at Mikel Arteta's feet.
Arteta received it and returned it to Xia Qi.
They completed a textbook "two-on-two" combination.
Xia Qi reached the edge of the penalty area in just three seconds; in front of Terry he feinted a shot, but instead dragged the ball and, like a startled dragon, cut into the box.
Unexpectedly, David Luiz had anticipated this; he stepped in ahead to cover and blocked Xia Qi's path.
This recovery was crucial — like plugging a breach in a levee just in time, preventing a collapse.
Xia Qi didn't force a confrontation to get past him.
Even though every Arsenal fan in the stadium was calling for him to break Chelsea apart,
the AI-controlled Xia Qi remained very calm, not rattled at all.
His body tilted slightly to the right,
the arch of his foot rolled the ball,
the ball flew past David Luiz's left foot, rounded Ashley Cole, and landed in front of Olivier Giroud.
Between Giroud and the goal stood only goalkeeper Petr Čech.
This was
a lethal pass!
Giroud drew a deep breath, met the ball with a driven shot, sending every ounce of his power howling toward goal.
This was
a fatal strike!
"Boom!"
A thunderous crack!
In a flash, Ashley Cole threw himself out recklessly, ignoring his own safety, and got his body in front of Giroud to block the shot.
Although that man was a scoundrel off the pitch, a married man who flirted around, on the field he was an unqualified genuine man.
The ball bounced back into the middle; Xia Qi, quick as lightning, slapped a driven shot!
The ball returned the way it had come.
Chelsea fans gasped in startled joy then closed their eyes in despair.
"Boom!"
Another heavy sound!
The ball struck the crossbar!
Damn!
AI isn't invincible after all!
No wonder Lee Sedol could beat AlphaGo!
The ball rebounded to the right flank of the box,
and a red-and-white streak darted out of the crowd to meet it with another driven strike!
It was the little tiger Theo Walcott!
Arsenal fans erupted early in celebration.
Two shots, two misses — it was maddening. This time they firmly believed "third time's the charm!"
But their cheers had not consulted Petr Čech in advance.
Čech leapt powerfully and, flinging both fists, struck the ball away!
The ball fled out of the penalty area as if running for its life.
Frank Lampard followed the ball out of the box, with Xia Qi hot on his heels.
Seeing Xia Qi about to overtake, Lampard suddenly took a huge step forward then braked!
At high speed, even the AI-governed Xia Qi's face couldn't escape the laws of physics — he collided with Lampard's back!
An old hand, an old pitch thug,
defense full of experience and guile.
A human brain can sometimes hold its own against AI!
On the pitch, Ramires flicked the ball without stopping and picked out Eden Hazard, who had not been involved in the defense.
Chelsea, lifted by their fans' shouts, counterattacked.
Arsenal fell back like a tide.
Hazard broke down the left; one wrong rhythm and he shook off Carl Jenkinson, cut inside, nudged the ball forward, took a run and raised his right foot…
An inside-cut shot!
Arsenal's two central defenders reacted and decided in an instant:
Blue team, iron-blooded!
Our Gunners are no cowards either!
Per Mertesacker shielded little Mertesacker with his body,
Laurent Koscielny guarded his own face,
both selflessly throwing themselves in the shot's path.
Yet their iron-blooded sacrifice was misplaced.
It was actually a feint!
Hazard's right foot rose and lightly came down, then flicked backwards and forward; his toe nudged the ball.
He chipped it past the defender!
After the take-over, Hazard didn't rush toward the ball; instead he surged past Fernando Torres, ran behind Torres and sprinted toward goal.
A crossing run!
The chipped ball hadn't even landed when Torres used a flick to guide it on, creating a small aerial arc that dropped right in front of Hazard.
In the cramped penalty area, two world-class forwards toyed with Arsenal's defenders!
They moved the play from the left side of the box to the right, toying with their opponents all the way.
Wenger's face instantly turned stern.
Arsenal fans let out angry, piercing boos.
At the far post Hazard again shaped as if to shoot.
In front of him, André Santos glanced at "the other ghost in the double ghost attack" — Torres — and cursed inwardly with a Brazilian expletive.
He charged at Hazard without hesitation, but his peripheral vision kept tracking Torres.
He secretly hoped Hazard would pass.
Life is unpredictable!
Santos had no intention of being a hero, yet the ball smashed against his face.
There was no way to duck!
Cold fear filled him; he shut his eyes in panic.
Relief!
Hazard's technique was accurate enough not to be jealous of his soft-faced looks.
A chill breeze swept; fans' shocked cries rang in his ears.
Santos sighed with relief.
In front of goal, Vito Mannone sprang to his left and fully extended his body.
He felt the ball brush his fingertips,
but it wasn't enough!
Then, with a "Boom"!
The sound of the ball kissing the post,
an almost heavenly note!
But the next second his smile froze!
He felt a thump against his back.
"Oh no!" was Mannone's first thought!
The home fans' cries and the visiting fans' roars confirmed his suspicion.
The ball had merely been touched by his fingertips and slightly deflected, struck the inside of the post, bounced onto his back and finally ricocheted into the net.
"Goal!"
"2–2!"
"Life is unpredictable — big sausage wraps little sausage! Arsenal missed three shots and instead Chelsea seized the chance; Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres worked magic inside a snail-shell of space to level the score."
"Football is like a box of chocolates — you never know what you're gonna get.
A moment ago Arsenal had found their rhythm, and under Xia Qi's threading they were clawing back. Just when they were about to extend the lead, Chelsea struck first to equalize."
"What drama! On the pitch: 'Those who squander chances will be punished' — truly a timeless truth! Arsenal's conceded goal traces back to those three missed shots."
"Now both sides are back on even footing. I don't think Arsenal should abandon their tactics just because they conceded — the strategy did work, it just lacked a bit of luck."
After the ball hit the net, Hazard raised his arms and ran toward Torres, who charged to meet him.
They collided in midair and ignited the passion of every Chelsea player.
The Great London derby has no cowards!
This was Hazard's victory, Ashley Cole's victory, and above all a great victory for Chelsea.
The referee's whistle blew and both teams' doctors rushed onto the field.
Ashley Cole and Xia Qi both needed treatment.
Ashley Cole had been struck and, though he rose to his feet, stayed in the box and did not take part in the ensuing counter.
Xia Qi's injury was minor — his nose had collided with Lampard's back, he had a nosebleed and needed it stopped and a shirt change before he could continue.
(END CHAPTER)
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