The time hit eleven o'clock.
On the pitch, both teams had completed the coin toss and taken their positions.
The referee stood near the center circle, glanced at his watch, and brought the whistle to his mouth.
BEEP!!
A sharp whistle echoed through the stadium as Lincoln City kicked off the first half, passing the ball to midfield.
"Press!"
On the sideline, Juninho D'Alessandro raised his hand, signaling the team to push up immediately.
In an instant, Morecambe's players—clad in red—moved up in a coordinated wave, pressing into the opponent's half with confidence.
Lincoln City had clearly anticipated this. Without hesitation, their defenders launched the ball long into the front line, hoping to bypass the pressure.
A simple and direct response.
"I've got it!!"
Morecambe's center-back Nemanja Vidić rushed forward, leaping high to head the ball clear—sending it straight to Ronaldinho in midfield.
With flair and calm, Ronaldinho took a quick look around, turned, and sent a low-driven pass to the feet of right midfielder Beach.
Beach advanced down the right wing at pace, but two Lincoln City players quickly converged to double-team him.
Boom!
Under pressure, Beach smartly passed back to the right central midfielder who had come up in support.
After taking a few steps, the midfielder spotted an opening and whipped in a high cross toward the center.
But the ball was slightly off-target, and Zlatan Ibrahimović—positioned in the center—couldn't reach it in time.
The ball was recovered by Lincoln City.
Wasting no time, they launched a counterattack with a fast, direct pass into the front line!
Morecambe responded quickly. Several players pressed in to rob the ball, forcing it out for a throw-in. Possession stayed with Lincoln.
On the sideline, Juninho D'Alessandro stood with his arms crossed, pinching his chin.
From the start, the pace of this game was clearly faster than anything they'd faced in the Isthmian Premier League.
Transitions were rapid. The ball moved from defense to attack in the blink of an eye.
Still, aside from the quicker tempo, Lincoln City didn't pose too much threat. After their initial push, they dropped into a defensive posture, giving Morecambe plenty of room to attack.
By the 7th minute, Morecambe had already found a golden opportunity.
Full-back Beach made a run behind the opposing left-back, and Ronaldinho immediately delivered a beautiful through ball.
Beach, without hesitation, cut the ball back into the box in an inverted triangle.
Philip, the left midfielder, stepped up and struck it first time with the inside of his foot!
BOOM!!
A deep thud echoed through the stadium.
The Lincoln City goalkeeper turned pale and dived with all his might toward his right side.
But the shot was too angled—just grazing the outside of the post before going out for a goal kick.
"Ahhh..."
A groan of disappointment echoed from the Morecambe fans. But it wasn't anger—just frustration.
Despite the miss, they were thrilled with the team's intensity and performance.
Morecambe, a newly promoted side, was creating clear-cut chances against a League Two opponent.
"Philip, looks like it's time for more shooting drills!"
Juninho laughed from the sideline, shouting in a lighthearted tone.
He wasn't worried. Misses happen. Even top players misfire. The important thing was the confidence and energy the team was showing.
Philip, who had been visibly frustrated a moment earlier, cracked a smile and nodded toward Juninho.
Back when he was at a League One club, he barely got chances to play.
If he had missed a chance like this, the coaches and even teammates would have screamed at him. These kinds of opportunities were rare.
But here, at Morecambe, it felt different.
Because of the team's overall strength and style, everyone got chances. One miss didn't lead to finger-pointing—it was part of the game.
That contrast struck Philip hard—and made him feel a kind of happiness he hadn't experienced in years.
He wanted to stay here. He wanted to grow with this team.
And in that moment, he silently vowed to run harder, create more, and repay the trust placed in him.
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A few moments later, Lincoln's goalkeeper sent the goal kick long.
In Morecambe's backline, Vidić once again rose above everyone, heading the ball down confidently to Philip, who had dropped back into midfield.
Philip stopped the ball, quickly spun around, and scanned the pitch with urgency and focus.
He saw it—Ibrahimović was making a diagonal run toward the box.
Boom!
Philip unleashed a pinpoint long pass, curving beautifully into space near the top of the box.
Lincoln's defenders were caught flat-footed.
Ibrahimović didn't hesitate—he met the ball in stride and launched into a full volley!
BOOM!!!
Another thunderous strike!
The ball tore through the air, leaving a white blur in its wake, and screamed toward the top right corner of the net.
The Lincoln goalkeeper reacted instinctively, leaping left and stretching to the max—but he couldn't reach it.
THUD!!
The ball smashed into the net, spinning rapidly and shaking the mesh with its leftover force.
"OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
The Morecambe crowd erupted in celebration. The entire stadium stood, roaring in approval.
Some fans even tossed popcorn and beer into the air in excitement!
This was a League Two match—and Morecambe was leading!
"Ibra! Ibra! Ibra!!"
The crowd chanted in unison, cheering the club's top scorer of the season.
Ibrahimović, expression calm, raised his arms slowly and looked up toward the sky.
In midfield, Philip—who had provided the assist—jumped with joy and pumped his fist.
The feeling of redemption, of contributing to the team, was intoxicating.
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