Chapter 624: Making History
John Stones, seeing that Ronaldo couldn't easily shake off Harry Maguire, decided to move in to double-team the Portuguese captain and dispossess him.
But just as Stones left Bernardo Silva unattended, Ronaldo passed the ball to the left, finding Bruno Fernandes.
Bruno faced the goal directly. Adjusting his stride as he received Ronaldo's pass, he made it look as though he was preparing for a long-range shot.
Stones, noticing this, quickly turned to sprint toward Bruno, while Kyle Walker positioned himself to block the shot.
But Bruno didn't shoot. Instead, he tapped the ball lightly to his right, evading Stones' lunge, and continued his run into the box.
As Bruno entered the penalty area, he suddenly struck the ball low and hard. It hugged the grass and rolled just inside the far post, finding the back of the net!
England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, caught off guard by Bruno's feint and the speed of the second shot, was rooted to the spot as the ball slipped past him.
"Bruno Fernandes! He's equalized for Portugal! What a brilliant goal!"
"He completely fooled two English defenders. At that moment, both Stones and Pickford were mere spectators!"
After scoring, Bruno ran to embrace Ronaldo, who had assisted him. The rest of the Portuguese players quickly followed, surrounding the two in a jubilant celebration.
With the score tied at 1-1, Portugal didn't let up. They kept pushing for a second goal, while England, sensing the urgency, increased their offensive efforts as well.
The match turned into a thrilling back-and-forth contest.
Gareth Southgate made three substitutions in quick succession, bringing on Marcus Rashford, Eric Dier, and Jamie Vardy to bolster England's attack.
Portugal, however, made no immediate changes. Santos trusted the players on the field, knowing they were his strongest lineup.
England's fresh legs gave them a temporary advantage as they pressed forward relentlessly. Rashford and Ashley Young frequently advanced down the wings, but their familiarity with Bruno's playing style worked against them. Bruno expertly exploited the gaps they left behind, delivering precise passes to his teammates in advanced positions.
Minute 79: England had spent the last five minutes bombarding Portugal's goal. Two of their shots came agonizingly close to scoring but were heroically blocked by Portuguese defenders.
Then, Portugal launched a lightning-fast counterattack. João Mário intercepted a pass and sent the ball to Bruno, who took a few strides forward before passing it to João Cancelo, who was sprinting down the wing.
Cancelo's speed was unmatched, and Bruno's perfectly weighted pass landed ahead of him, allowing Cancelo to maximize his pace.
Cancelo dashed forward, leaving the English defenders in his wake. Upon reaching the ball, he wasted no time and whipped it into the middle.
There, Bruno was waiting once again.
Bruno charged straight into the heart of England's defense. Only Harry Maguire and Jordan Pickford stood between him and the goal.
Bruno accelerated, tricking Maguire into thinking he was going to sprint past him. When Maguire moved prematurely, Bruno abruptly stopped, pulled the ball back, and struck it with his right foot.
The ball curled elegantly around Pickford and into the net!
"GOAL! A SECOND GOAL! GOOOOOOOAL!!!"
The Portuguese commentator's ecstatic screams filled the air. "Bruno has done it again! His second goal of the match and his fifth in this World Cup! Simply outstanding!"
"2-1! England is in serious trouble now!"
After Bruno's second goal, Santos substituted Bernardo Silva, who was visibly exhausted, with Ricardo Quaresma to maintain the offensive pressure.
"It looks like Santos isn't planning to park the bus just yet!" commented the Portuguese announcer. "With Quaresma's speed and dribbling, he'll help Portugal retain possession and continue pressing forward."
England, expecting Portugal to retreat defensively, was caught off guard by their continued aggression. For the next ten minutes, England struggled to organize any meaningful attacks, as Bruno persistently shadowed Dele Alli, disrupting their midfield creativity.
Dele Alli, already shaken after blocking Bernardo Silva's powerful shot earlier in the game, was visibly off his rhythm.
Henderson considered stepping up but hesitated, fearing that leaving Bruno unmarked would create even bigger problems. This left England resorting to simple wing play, repeatedly trying to break through Portugal's defense down the flanks.
Rashford, despite his energy and enthusiasm, couldn't capitalize on these opportunities, as Portugal's defenders quickly adapted to his movements.
When the referee blew the final whistle, the Portuguese players embraced each other in celebration. They had defeated England and secured a place in the World Cup final.
"Congratulations to Portugal! Bruno Fernandes is the Man of the Match and the key hero in their incredible comeback victory!"
Santos, though confident in his team's abilities, couldn't hide his joy at the unexpected success. The victory at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium was a historic moment for Portugal.
After the match, the excitement spilled into the streets. Portuguese fans followed the team bus all the way back to their hotel, celebrating outside until 3 a.m., despite police attempts to disperse them. The atmosphere was akin to a World Cup victory celebration.
Their joy was understandable. Reaching the World Cup final was a historic achievement for Portugal. Until now, their best finishes had been third place in the 1966 World Cup in England and fourth place in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Regardless of the outcome in the final, this Portuguese team had already surpassed all previous accomplishments, cementing their place in history.
(END CHAPTER)
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