After putting out such a valiant performance already for 70 minutes, to concede in such a manner, all the Fulham players felt deflated.
All their efforts through 70 minutes was for naught.
All of them felt distraught but even in the distraughtness of this situation was when a certain Fulham player's ntality reared its head again.
When Cole Palr scored the goal, Sam tracked back, pursuing the English midfielder so he had VIP view of the amazing goal.
Having VIP view of the goal did not crack his spirit though.
Instead, it only provoked his competitive spirit even more.
Sam's eyes were wide again, burning with a fiery zeal to win, a determination to give his all, and an acknowledgent that he could not do it alone.
"Co on!" Sam clapped, roaring at his teammates.
"It's not over yet, we can still do it!"
He pointed at his head. "Keep your head in the ga, it's just 1 goal difference, trust , we'll make a coback and win today!"
Sam was a youngster, just an 18-year-old, the senior players in this Fulham team were not obliged to listen him at all but at this mont, seeing this player talk, the other Fulham players felt his confidence.
It was crazy how even in the worst of situations on the pitch this boy still managed to regain his confidence, it was almost delusional like a mad man.
But who cares? If that was what it took to complete a coback this ga, the Fulham players decided to believe in a mad man.
And when the referee's whistle sounded again, the Fulham players showed that they were not dead. They were far from dead; they were still alive and kicking!
FWEEEE!
Just before the ga started though, after successfully getting into the head of his teammates, making them believe in his confidence, Sam did sothing.
He made use of one of his trump cards.
~----~
[You have accessed ability card: Thread it like KDB!]
[Card Effects:]
>Once used, for 30 minutes, you gain the incredible playmaking skills of the Belgian midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne. You get the vision and the skill to play penetrative defense splitting through passes just like KDB<
…
[You have made use of an ability card: Thread it like KDB!]
~----~
In recent years in football, in trics for attacking midfielders, there were attacking midfielders with great vision and who had the technique to play defense-splitting passes, and then there was the Belgian maestro, Kevin De Bruyne.
For the past 5 to 6 years, KDB was by far the best assist-giving midfielder in all of Europe, dazzling ga after ga with his vision and passing technique.
And at this mont, in this ga with his team down 1-0, when the stakes were highest, Sam made use of a trump card that no other footballer other than him could make use of.
He channeled KDB!
Cole Palr scored in the 73rd minute, and as soon as Fulham restarted play, determined to maintain their lead, the Chelsea players did not let Fulham maintain possession as they returned to pound to pound football.
Led by their destroyer, Moises Caicedo, the Chelsea team went physical, fighting for every ball and disrupting any aningful Fulham play.
For a few minutes, they succeeded, until the 80th minute of this ga.
By then, the atmosphere in this stadium already heated up to a crescendo like a burning fire and in that hell, Sam finally thrived.
For the past few minutes, he took advantage of his incredible stamina, pursuing the ball since and then in the 80th minute, he finally won the pound for pound battle, stealing the ball from Moises Caicedo.
Sam had only 2 football skills that were at the interdiate level, his elastico dribble and Cruyff turn.
And at this mont, imdiately after he stole the ball, as Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez pressed, determined to get the ball, Sam executed the Cruyff turn, effortlessly evading the challenge from both players.
He won the ball back in midfield, and now, he charged forward with it.
Conor Gallagher quickly charged him down but with a la croqueta, Sam left the English midfielder for dead and that was when his senses tingled.
Since utilizing the ability card and channeling KDB, Sam developed sothing like a sixth sense to spot passing lanes and at this mont, viewing all his options, he played a pass that would be impossible to 99% of midfielders in the world.
From midfield, he played a raking pass that cut through the Chelsea defense like a hot knife through butter, through all its defenders, before slowing down in a platter of gold for the onrushing Alex Iwobi.
Alex Iwobi simply decided to run blindly, he never expected such a pass but seeing it, the Nigerian International did not miss his mont.
It was literally served on a platter of gold for him.
As Petrovic rushed out, Alex simply stuck out his leg, tapping the ball into the net in the 81st minute of the ga.
"GOALLLLL…!" The Fulham fans erupted like evolved Chihuahuas, roaring at the top of their lungs!
Alex Iwobi scrambled back to his feet, pumped a fist to the fans before rushing into the Chelsea net, picking up the ball and running back to the middle of the pitch to quickly restart play.
In the 81st minute, the ga was tied again, 1-1.
Ga on.
Bam!
Chelsea restarted play and still, they could not reassert their authority as every authority on this pitch was already taken by a mad man, mad Sam.
Dropping deeper than before to stay more on the ball, Sam beca an orchestrator, playing passes that split Chelsea open ti and ti again.
The Chelsea players tried to wrestle for control but once he was gone, he was gone, he was never looking back.
The final 10 minutes of this ga was total madness, madness orchestrated by the mad man, mad Sam.
The tension increased, the stakes dangled, alluring the players on both teams and finally, in the 88th minute, the ga was decided by the mad man, again.
At so point, Jinez already entered this ga, replacing Muniz.
Receiving the ball just outside the Chelsea 18-yard box, Sam took 2 touches, 1 to control the ball and the other to chip a delicate cross into the box.
Watching the ball float in the air, Petrovic, the Chelsea goalkeeper hesitated.
Should he stand his ground and wait or should he rush out to punch the ball?
That mont of hesitation was all it took as jumping, Raul Jinez unleashed a diving header reminiscing of Robin Van Persie's iconic goal in the FIFA World Cup many years ago.
The ball went straight into the roof of the net, leaving Petrovic scrambling.
1-2 to Fulham in the 88th minute of this ga.
"MAD MAN!" The comntator scread.
"The Nigerian Zidane has struck again!"
"What a cross! What a touch! What a goal! What a mont!"
"As soon as the ball touched his leg, you knew that sothing special was about to happen and oh boy did it happen!"
"2 assists to Samuel Moses!"
"Back in January, he drowned Liverpool with his powers and tonight, we're witnessing him drown Chelsea with the sa powers!"
Charging toward the corner flag, Raul Jinez slid on his knees in celebration even as the Fulham fans roared in ecstasy.
10 minutes of madness turned this ga around.
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