138 The Winter Transfer Part 1 (1/2)

Chapter 138: The Winter Transfer Part 1

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Even though they were lagging behind, Sunderland was unwilling to accept defeat on their home ground. They mounted a large-scale counterattack in the final ten minutes of the game, hoping to even out the score. Tang En called off Rebrov, who was clearly exhausted, and brought on the Australian midfielder, Jacob Burns. This substitution was not intended to defend the midfield, but rather to launch a targeted offense on the midfield to replace an all-out attack on the opponent's entire field. Instead, after their lead, Tang En changed from being passively pressured by the home team, as they had in the first seventy-seven minutes, to using offense such that Sunderland dared not press on them too heavily. Jacob Burns' passing coordination was better than Rebrov's, and with him on the field, the Forest team had more control in the midfield.

As time passed, Sunderland was getting more and more impatient, and the empty spaces in their backfield were fast becoming as barren as moon craters. Tang En knew that, as soon as they scored another goal, he would win.

Very soon, his wish was fulfilled.

Taking advantage of their opponents' desperate counterattack, the Forest team successfully intercepted the ball just in front of the penalty area and quickly counterattacked. Burns send out a clever pass in the midfield, and Eastwood came up from the wing. After receiving the ball, he faced the opposing goalkeeper one-on-one. Then, in a calm, collected manner, he shot the football into the lower right corner.

At this point, the time shown on the big screen was fixed at ninety minutes. The Stadium of Light was extremely still, and completely silent.

Tang En turned to Walker with a smile. ”Des, we've won again.”

Walker pumped his fists at the field and said, ”Yes! I can't wait to see what the media are going to say tomorrow!”

”Freddy Eastwood! He's the star of this match!” Motson was shouting excitedly in the press box. It was truly amazing to see such an ordinary, mediocre player become triumphant and successful with one's own eyes.

This goal completely destroyed Sunderland's confidence to counterattack. They were defeated by an amateur player who was playing professionally for the first time and had once broken a leg.

The final score for the match was 2:0. Thanks to the outstanding performance of Eastwood, Nottingham Forest defeated the fourth-ranked Sunderland, and gained the valuable three points.

That night, when the last match was over, the league's newest rankings were released.

Because they lost to Nottingham Forest, Sunderland only managed to accumulate forty-four points. But ”The Black Cats” fans were worried that the gap between themselves and the teams behind them was getting narrower. As Preston North End had won a match, their points increased from forty to forty-three and their ranking also rose to the fifth in the league.

Because both teams which were ranked sixth and seventh in the league had matches, the score difference between the teams ranked from fourth to seventh in the league was only one point. Three teams had forty-three points and one team had forty-four points.

Such close scores were the kinds of results that Tang En liked to see the most, in addition to his team winning.

Due to their game victory, Nottingham Forest's score changed from thirty-one to thirty-four, and their ranking rose from eighteenth place to fifteenth. They were only one point behind Walsall, who was ranked fourteenth. In ascending order, the teams above the Forest team had thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, and thirty-eight points.

Of course, the Forest team's own position was far from secure. After all, below their thirty-four points, there were three other teams with thirty-three points and another team with thirty-two.

With such a close rankings, tremendous change could come out of only a single round of matches.

Seven days later, in the 28th round of the League Championship on their home ground, Tang En's team would be playing Reading F.C., who was ranked tenth with thirty-nine points—another team in the ”must win” category.