"I Knew It! You're the One!"

Davis definitely wasn't picking a fight like some brainless villain.

Though this Canadian midfielder was only 25, he'd already spent five years playing in Italy's leagues.

To be precise, he'd spent two years in Serie B and three in Serie A.

It was hard to say how good his skills were, but he wasn't even a starter for Bologna, a mid-to-lower-table team.

Still, after years immersed in Italian football, he'd picked up plenty of dirty tricks and had a whole bellyful of mischief.

Davis had worked his way up through the youth ranks, too. He still remembered how, when he was young, the old hands had used mind games to get under his skin!

"Davis, Inter's number 99, Tang, is only 18 and starting for the first time. Get out there and mess with his head!"

"No problem, coach. I know how to handle hotheaded rookies."

Davis had received his manager's instructions before the match. He'd come with a mission.

A lot of the time, young players like Tang Long, making their first start, arrived on the pitch full of passion and energy, eager to prove themselves to the whole world.

The more impatient you were, the easier it was to lose your head.

On August 17, 2005, 18-year-old Lionel Messi made his debut for Argentina's national team. In a friendly against Hungary, he was sent off just 48 seconds after coming on.

Davis hoped Tang Long would make the same mistake.

That was why, after getting lucky and scoring a spectacular goal, Davis had deliberately come over to provoke Tang Long. "Hey, are you so scared you've gone numb?"

There was no telling whether Tang Long had been scared numb.

But Inter Milan manager Mancini was a little stunned!

It wasn't the early goal against them that had stunned him—he'd seen that kind of thing countless times in his career as a manager. It was nothing new.

What stunned him was how poorly his players were performing!

They clearly hadn't shaken off their winter-break sluggishness.

Assistant coach Herrera said dejectedly, "If Guarin could've gone up against Borrelli in midfield, we never would've let him turn so easily, and the goal wouldn't have happened."

Mancini frowned and shook his head. "That's not the key issue. Ranocchia and Andreolli are clearly losing focus at the back. The two of them were marking one man and left Destro completely unmarked at the far post. The others can afford to let their minds wander, but not the defense!"

Mancini acted at once, sweeping his hand through the air—

Ranocchia was to cover more ground!

At 195 centimeters, he was the tallest player on the pitch. Instead of staying back on the defensive line, he would stick tight to Bologna's towering center-forward, Borrelli.

So, Borrelli liked dropping deep and using his height to bully their midfielders?

Fine. Mancini would push Ranocchia up. Wherever Borrelli went, Ranocchia would follow. He'd give him a full-match training session!

Mancini was a renowned manager, and the adjustment worked immediately.

Over the next ten minutes or so, Ranocchia contested seven aerial balls with Borrelli in midfield, winning the first touch on six of them.

Mancini had neutralized the opposing striker's tactic of dropping deep.

Borrelli stopped dropping back and stayed up front like a good center-forward.

The match settled back into a conventional tug-of-war.

Bologna, in the lead, focused on defending, while Inter Milan dominated possession and attacked.

In Serie A, no matter what level a team was at, once they decided to sit back and form a defensive wall, breaking through their goal was no easy task.

But this kind of battle against a stubborn defense was the perfect chance for Tang Long to shine!

In the 36th minute of the first half, Brozovic, Kovacic, and Medel, the three holding midfielders, passed the ball around in triangular formations at the back.

Their patience finally drew two Bologna players out to press.

Brozovic and the others had been waiting for exactly that!

Thwack! The ball went to Tang Long, who'd moved into open space!

The pass cut through like a sharp blade, instantly advancing Inter's attack by 20 meters.

Tang Long spun around in a flash and drove forward with the ball.

Bologna's defensive midfielder, Davis, charged toward him, watching him like a hawk. "Come on, if you've got the guts! Try to get past me! Dare to take me on one-on-one!"

Tang Long wouldn't fall for it—not because he was afraid to take Davis on, but because Podolski had already made a run behind the defense, right up to the offside line!

A low, straight pass met the German striker perfectly at the end of his run!

"Here's our chance!"

Icardi first took a step back to shake off the defender, then immediately charged forward again!

At the near post, just get it to him and he'd score!

Near the byline, Podolski swept the ball across, sending it between a defender's legs!

No one got a touch on it. The ball struck a Bologna defender's leg and was cleared out of the penalty area.

Mancini shook his head in disappointment from the touchline.

It seemed the new arrivals still weren't in sync with the veteran players!

Icardi's trademark move was to shake off his marker and charge toward the near post.

Podolski's cross was beautifully struck, but he'd sent it toward the penalty spot.

He and Icardi hadn't been on the same wavelength.

If he'd aimed for the near post, Icardi had already found space. He'd have scored eight times out of ten.

"If Tang had been in Podolski's position, maybe he would've made a better pass..."

Just as Mancini was lamenting the missed chance.

Just as Podolski was raising a hand to apologize to Icardi for the poor pass.

Just as Bologna's defenders were breathing a sigh of relief after Inter had botched their combination play.

The AI System in Tang Long's mind had already produced a sharp analysis:

"Bologna's back line has failed to step up in time. Icardi is just onside. Pass within 1.5 seconds for an 88.56% chance of creating a shot!"

The 1.5-second window came from the Green Field Intelligence Engine System's model of Bologna's back line and its movements.

After those 1.5 seconds, the defense would step up, and Icardi would definitely be offside!

He had to be quick!

There was no time to think. Tang Long didn't even have time to check Icardi's exact position—

He rushed toward the ball's landing point and, before it could hit the ground, struck it with the inside of his foot!

The ball flew toward Bologna's penalty area again!

The sudden change of pace caught Bologna's defenders off guard. They didn't react in time.

Icardi didn't react in time either. Everyone had assumed Tang Long would bring the ball under control; no one had even considered that he might pass it first-time without letting it bounce!

But Icardi was Icardi.

As a rising top-flight striker in Serie A, he had faster reflexes than most.

He lowered his center of gravity, pivoted into a long stride, and turned on the burst of speed, fighting to reach the ball!

His eyes stayed glued to its path through the air. By the time he managed to bring it under control at his feet, the Bologna defenders were at least three meters away. He was through on goal!

A delicate chipped shot, as light as a dragonfly skimming the water!

The Bologna goalkeeper rushed out and went to ground, watching helplessly as the ball sailed beyond his reach. There was nothing he could do!

"I knew it! You're the one!"

Icardi clenched his fist and roared, then turned and charged toward Tang Long!