Chapter 85 - 83 - The Space Behind

Chapter 85: Chapter 83 - The Space Behind

Rafael was finishing his last sprint when one of Metz’s assistants called the players back toward the touchline.

He slowed near the corner flag and jogged over to join Renaud and Caron, who were collecting their training tops. Perrin was still farther up the pitch, trying to get one final cross into the area despite the assistant calling for everyone to finish.

The delivery sailed over Renaud’s head and bounced behind the goal.

"That’s enough, Perrin!" the assistant called again.

Perrin raised a hand and finally headed back, drawing a few smiles from the others as they made their way toward the tunnel.

Rafael followed with his training top over one shoulder, glancing up at the stands as they walked. Stade Gaston-Gérard was filling steadily, and the Dijon supporters behind the nearest goal were already singing. He could hear them even after the players reached the entrance leading beneath the stands.

It had been more than two weeks since his last league appearance for Metz. The international tournament in Switzerland had given him four matches and a trophy, but he was back among the senior players now, preparing for a league match where the result mattered far more to the club’s supporters than anything he’d achieved with England.

Inside the dressing room, Rafael finished preparing alongside his teammates before following the starting eleven toward the tunnel.

Renaud was leading the attack, with Caron behind him and Perrin occupying the opposite wing. Rafael had spent the previous week working with all three, although it would be their first competitive start together in this arrangement.

Dijon emerged in red, with Adel Lembezat positioned behind Júlio Tavares and Emmanuel Lago. Their midfield was packed through the centre, leaving Rafael and Perrin with room near the touchlines whenever Metz had possession.

As the referee completed the final checks, Rafael glanced toward Dijon’s right-back, who was standing several yards inside the touchline and keeping him in sight.

Renaud had already taken his place between the centre-backs, while Caron was speaking briefly with one of Metz’s deeper midfielders.

The referee checked his watch and blew his whistle.

Metz kicked off.

Metz looked to move possession wide from the opening minutes.

Caron received near the centre circle and drew a Dijon midfielder toward him before switching play to Rafael, who had stayed close to the left touchline.

The right-back approached as Rafael controlled the pass, but rather than attempting to beat him, Rafael pushed the ball forward just far enough to bring the defender closer before laying it into the path of his overlapping full-back.

The defender carried beyond him and delivered toward Renaud, only for Dijon’s nearest centre-back to step across and intercept before the striker could reach it.

Rafael had already begun moving inside when possession changed hands, and by the time he turned, Dijon were playing through midfield.

Vargas-Ríos collected the clearance and found Lembezat between Caron and Metz’s two deeper midfielders. The attacking midfielder received on the turn, escaped the first challenge and slipped a pass into the space behind Metz’s defensive line.

Tavares was already running between the centre-backs.

Rafael crossed halfway at a sprint as the striker entered the penalty area, with the nearest Metz defender chasing from his right.

The goalkeeper came forward to narrow the angle, forcing Tavares to take another touch before attempting to finish low across goal. He got down quickly and pushed the effort away, allowing Metz’s left-back to reach the rebound and clear.

Rafael slowed outside his own area while the defenders pushed forward.

One of the central midfielders was already calling toward Caron and pointing at Lembezat, who had moved back into the space behind him. Caron acknowledged the warning before closing the distance as Dijon prepared a throw.

Metz eventually recovered possession and worked the ball toward Perrin on the right, where the winger had room to advance outside Dijon’s narrow midfield. His first delivery came slightly behind Renaud and was cleared, but Caron collected the loose ball and quickly moved possession toward the opposite side.

Rafael received near the corner of the penalty area and carried inside, drawing the right-back with him before passing into Renaud’s feet.

The striker had a defender leaning against his back, but he held the challenge long enough to lay the ball toward Caron, who was arriving outside the box.

Caron struck with his right foot.

A Dijon midfielder stepped across and blocked the shot, sending it behind for a corner.

Rafael joined the players gathering near the penalty spot while Perrin prepared the delivery. Renaud moved across his marker, trying to make room for a header, but the cross travelled too close to the goalkeeper and was gathered comfortably.

Dijon moved forward again.

Lembezat continued appearing between Metz’s midfield and defence whenever the home side recovered possession. Sometimes he came short to return a pass before turning into space, while on other occasions he stayed behind Caron and waited for one of the deeper midfielders to step out.

During another attack, he received with his back to goal and returned the ball before the nearest Metz midfielder could reach him. Dijon switched toward their right-back, who had begun advancing into the space Rafael had left behind.

Rafael sprinted down the touchline and got close enough to prevent an immediate cross, forcing the defender to pass inside. Metz eventually closed the next receiver and made Dijon work the ball backwards.

By the time possession returned to the centre-backs, Rafael was moving out with his full-back.

His next opportunity came when Caron collected a pass facing forward and released him into the channel behind Dijon’s right-back.

Rafael accelerated toward the ball, but the defender turned quickly enough to get alongside him before he could enter the penalty area. Rafael attempted to bring it under control while holding off the challenge, only for the right-back to stretch across and poke it away.

The ball went out for a Dijon throw.

Rafael pressed his lips together as he returned toward his position, then followed the defender when play restarted.

For several minutes, both teams continued exchanging attacks without creating another clear opening.

Metz were finding space outside, but Dijon’s midfielders remained close enough together to disrupt most attempts through the middle. Whenever Metz pushed Caron forward to support Renaud, Lembezat moved into the area he’d left behind.

The next time Dijon recovered possession near halfway, Vargas-Ríos drew a challenge before passing into Lembezat’s feet.

The midfielder took his first touch away from the approaching Metz player and turned toward goal.

Tavares had positioned himself between the centre-backs, keeping them close until Lembezat began carrying forward.

As the nearest midfielder attempted to recover, Tavares moved across one defender’s shoulder and accelerated into the gap.

Lembezat released the pass before the challenge reached him.

Rafael was already turning when he saw the ball travel between Metz’s defenders.

The second centre-back moved across to cover, but Tavares reached it first and carried into the penalty area.

Metz’s goalkeeper came off his line.

Tavares took one more touch before striking low across him, sending the shot beyond his outstretched hand and into the far corner.

The home supporters erupted as the striker turned toward the corner flag, where several teammates caught up with him.

DIJON 1–0 FC METZ