In the second half, neither side’s offense showed any improvement.
Venice’s attack wasn’t strong, and after Lu Yang’s backtracking, they rarely launched threatening offensives.
Similarly, with even Lu Yang retreating for defense, San Remo’s attack was even less promising.
Around the seventieth minute, Venice made three substitutions, clearly preparing for a final effort.
For them, staying in the league was a top priority, but the Italian Cup was also tempting; each additional round meant more money, each amount relieving their thirst.
And Sotu began to contemplate.
What if substitutions were made now and the match went into overtime?
Belletti’s stamina wouldn’t support a wild performance for more than half a match.
His skills were excellent, but his physical condition declined rapidly; otherwise, he wouldn’t only be a substitute in Serie B.
So Sotu only replaced the fatigued Rondo with Camihong.
Facts proved Sotu’s considerations were thorough.
Both sides achieved little in the second half, and the match entered overtime.
This was also the second consecutive overtime for San Remo in the Italian Cup.
Sotu then brought on the new veteran signing, Belletti.
Lu Yang noticed that when Fernandez came off, he was somewhat limping.
People, when extremely fatigued, tend to subconsciously exhibit some true states.
One of Fernandez’s legs was probably not in good shape.
Sure enough, after coming off, Fernandez sought the team doctor to request ice packs for his thigh, etc.
On the field, Belletti’s speed wasn’t actually faster than Fernandez’s, but his skills were very good. His dribbling rhythm had a unique flair, often able to erase defenders using technical moves and bursts of speed.
In his prime, he might have been a player with a core playing style.
Perhaps similarly, his physique and explosiveness limited his performance in Serie A, which is why he couldn’t establish a foothold there.
Sometimes, it’s the subtle differences that determine whether you are an unnoticed player or a star in the spotlight.
If this difference can be compensated through training, then it must be compensated.
If it is insurmountable, then one can only resign to fate.
And those talented players who squander their potential are truly disappointing.
In the ninety-eighth minute of the full match, Belletti once again maneuvered past an opposing player, successfully reaching the bottom line. He then used a fake cross move to deceive the opponent before making another cross.
At this time, Sogel’s position was no longer surprising; he was grappling with the opponent’s central defender.
But this pause and burst not only provided Belletti better crossing space but also cleared his sight from the defenders’ block.
He saw a better position than Sogel!
Bam!
A cross from the wing!
The soccer ball soared high.
Neither Sogel nor Venice’s left center-back got their heads to the ball.
Then, the soccer ball quickly descended beyond them.
This ball wasn’t intended for Sogel.
Both Sogel and the left center-back realized this simultaneously.
The right center-back, who maintained some distance from Venice’s left center-back, was ready to head the ball away.
This height was a bit awkward.
If he jumped, the ball would be too low for him.
If he moved forward without jumping, the ball might be a bit too high, possibly missing it.
He could only wait in place to head the ball away.
His judgment on the ball’s landing point was accurate.
But what he didn’t know was that a figure suddenly darted in front of him.
Bam!
The ball’s trajectory changed instantly, sinking into the net.
"GOAL! Well done!"
"Taking the lead again! San Remo has once more taken the lead!"
"Belletti’s pass was beautiful! Both the timing and trajectory were top-notch choices! He is a super addition to San Remo! He got an assist in his first appearance for San Remo!"
"Though it may seem offensive to San Remo’s other forwards, Belletti indeed seems to be here to offer technical aid. Hope the forwards can seize the opportunity to learn from Belletti."
"It’s Lu Yang! He sprinted from outside the penalty box to the penalty area. When Belletti passed, Lu Yang was at least two meters away from Sogel and the two central defenders. But when the ball reached the middle, he pounced in, preemptively striking, and nudged the ball into the goal!"
"Oh! Lu Yang flew so high, and after hitting the ball he landed heavily, taking quite a fall."
"It’s a high-difficulty attempt with possibility of injury. We all know that a Fish Leaping Header can indeed widen the header reach, but the leap height usually falls below the chest or even lower waist of the player."
"But this time, Lu Yang leapt high enough to fly over many shorter players!"
Bam!
At home, Morici angrily smashed the remote, demanding who the commentator was mocking?
Why is it so hard to state an exact number?
"Perhaps this metaphor is hard for everyone to understand; let’s put it like this, Lu Yang’s leap height has exceeded 1.74 meters!"
Morici bursts.
In the remaining time of the first half of overtime, San Remo mainly focused on defense. Plus, with Belletti’s threat on the right flank, they didn’t lose their aggression.
Unlike Bai Zhami who could only launch counterattacks on the left flank, Belletti would take the ball himself if counterattack opportunities arose in the front field and could make wide transfers to Bai Zhami who had shaken off defenders, or choose to hold the ball and wait for the likes of Lu Yang and Versachi to join, then launch an attack that was neither too fast nor too slow, somewhere between counterattack and positional warfare.