Chapter 911: Malick Thiaw’s Brilliant Defense!

Yeah, somehow, Nassim Boujellab’s biggest success after coming into the pitch was that he managed to draw all the attention to himself. The sequence of dribbles he had done so many times in his short time here was enough to make him the biggest threat on the pitch, drawing the opponent’s attention completely to his side.

Then, once Nassim felt like he couldn’t advance further, he still had one more weapon that would be deadly if he pulled it at the right time. It was none other than a switch play, putting the ball to the opposite flank where everyone forgot about that side completely.

Still, he had to time the moment right; if the opponent’s attention wasn’t on him completely, putting the ball there would only remind the opponent that Filip Kostic existed, and all the scheme that he built would crumble instantly.

That was why, even though the game started to get closer to its end, Nassim was still so patient, breaking through his side of the flank and destroying Sead Kolasinac completely, not allowing the Bosnian defender to breathe even just for a second.

This waiting moment finally bore a result, though, as Schalke’s defensive system somehow shifted to his side unconsciously. Omar Mascarell and Nabil Bentaleb didn’t realize that they got dragged from the middle, probably thinking that their support defense had to be faster to kill Nassim’s momentum.

However, that was the timing that the Moroccan winger was waiting for, as he grinned the moment the ball was on his foot.

’Well, you have been waiting for so long, right? Go for it, Filip! The show is yours!’

BAM!

Before anyone could get closer to Nassim, the boy whipped a quick diagonal cross without hesitation, and the ball flew so low and fast like a bullet, crossing in front of the defensive line before it finally reached Filip Kostic, who was standing quite open slightly outside of the penalty box.

"FUCK! Rudy, block him!" Higo shouted, shifting his position immediately.

Sebastian Rudy also turned around quickly, moving frantically. Just a few seconds ago, he didn’t realize that he was moving to the middle, as if anticipating a cut movement from Nassim, and the man had never thought that the ball would be switched so decisively to his side.

However, Rudy’s action here only left a wider space behind him, and Kostic saw it. Before he got shut down completely, the Serbian wingback just pushed the ball lightly, and from the middle, Andre Silva cut toward that side without hesitation, pouncing on the ball like a cheetah.

"Fuck! Move, Malick! Cover the middle!" Higo shouted again, his head spinning so quickly to figure out what would happen next.

This scenario somehow reminded him too much of the disallowed goal from Djibril Sow earlier, and the boy hated how similar this was. The situation where the flank side was breached, and two players rushing to receive a cutback pass, was probably one where Higo found it most dangerous since the threat came from so many people.

In fact, it wasn’t just him who didn’t like this situation. No, everyone on Schalke’s side loathed this scenario, knowing that most of the goals that they conceded in the season so far came from a similar scenario.

Everyone moved quickly, trying to coordinate with each other right now. However, Andre Silva was more decisive here, finding that Higo’s attention was completely on him.

Remembering how Daichi Kamada pulled the stun earlier, the Portuguese striker couldn’t help but grin, his eyes landing on Luca Jovic for a second.

’Well, let’s see if we can replicate that. Come on, Luca! Move!’

Thud!

A chip was sent, not straight to the goal, but slightly closer to the far post!

The aim was never to score the goal here. No, Andre Silva knew how quickly Higo would react, so instead of forcing a shot, it was better to send a pass to someone who was in a more open position.

That person was, of course, none other than Luca Jovic, who was staring directly at the open goal where Higo had left to focus on Andre Silva earlier.

’Fuck! The exact same scenario again?!’ He scowled, trying to recover quickly.

Fortunately, this time, the team’s defense wasn’t as bad as earlier. No, Malick Thiaw was there to keep an eye on Luca Jovic, and even though the goal in front of them was empty, the former didn’t let the latter get an easier time here, fighting the aerial duel without hesitation.

BAM!

The ball bounced off Luca Jovic’s head and hit Malick Thiaw before ricocheting away from the six-yard box. However, before anyone could celebrate it, Higo widened his eyes at that moment, finding the threat wasn’t over yet.

"FUCK! MALICK! MOVE!"

While shouting that, the boy also dived at that moment. For a second, everyone was so confused about what was going on, before Filip Kostic suddenly came out of nowhere, being the closest one to get the second ball here as he launched a half-volley shot with no hesitation.

BAM!

’DAMN! I cannot reach it!’ Higo cursed as he realized that even with his fast reaction, his hand wasn’t long enough to reach the ball.

However, that was when a miracle happened.

Somehow, Malick Thiaw, who was trying to get back on his two feet, found himself on the route of where the ball was flying. The boy himself didn’t know what was going on here. He just recovered, and in the next moment, it was as if someone hammered his head with the hardest possible object in the world.

BAM!

"ARGH!" The boy went down once again in that exact same second, feeling like his soul just left his body.

Little did he know, though, that at that moment, he became the team’s biggest hero, what with him clearing away the shot that Higo could never be able to save, sacrificing his head—and probably his consciousness—to deflect the ball.

When Higo saw the ball fly far from his goal, he couldn’t help but sigh in relief before turning his attention to the main protagonist here.

"Damn, that’s a good save, Malick! You really saved our ass today!"