"We're almost there!"

  In the coag booth, Lucas' attention was fully oop s in front of him. After firming his analysis, he shouted loudly to Gao Shen.

  Gao Shen had been standing ieical area throughout the match. This was his usual habit while anding.

  Upon hearing Lucas' shout, he turned around and walked back.

  "The data shows that Inter Min's performance has dropped signifitly, and the pyers' activity has decreased a lot. It's time," Lucas said eagerly, his voice trembling with excitement.

  Gao Shen carefully reviewed Lucas' analysis and materials, then firmed his judgment. He immediately looked over at Carlo and nodded solemnly.

  Carlo responded with an OK gesture and quickly headed toward the Napoli bench.

  Soon, Pastore and Antonio Valencia were called to start warming up.

  By the time they were ready, the match clock had just hit the 60th minute.

  Gao Shen called both pyers over, speaking seriously, "Do you remember the tactical pn we covered in our targeted training?"

  Both nodded.

  "Antonio, focus on your marker and use your speed to get past him!"

  "Got it!" Valencia replied fidently.

  "Javier." Gao Shen looked at Pastore. "Your task is the same as before. Once you win the ball, move it forward and pass it to Antonio at the right moment so he make the most of his speed. Uood?"

  "I uand, boss!" Pastore nodded firmly.

  After the first match of the league, Pastore had been deployed several times and was greatly valued by Gao Shen. He had already made a name for himself in one key matd had grown to admire and trust Gao Shen deeply.

  At this point, as long as Gao Shen gave him an order, Pastore would give his all to carry it out.

  "When you get och, just follow what we've practiced and pnned. Don't worry about the pressure. Got it?"

  "Got it!" the two pyers responded in unison.

  …

  Watg them head to the toue for the substitution, Gao She a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

  Long before the match, he had already devised the overall strategy.

  In truth, Gao Shen didn't have many choices. Whether in terms of strength or experienapoli was at a disadvantage against Inter Min. This forced him to make a decision. He had to shift the battle to an area where Napoli excelled.

  When fag Inter, Napoli's greatest asset was their fitness.

  Uhe careful guidance of fitness coach Bueura over the past two seasons, Napoli had bee one of the most physically capable teams in Italy and even all of European football.

  bined with precise tactiapoli's younger squad, aiculous preparation during the week leading up to the match, this gave them a clear advantage in physical ditioning.

  The clusion was obvious: Gao Shen was setting up a war of attrition against Inter Min.

  From the kickoff, Napoli pressed Inter hard, f them into a fight they couldn't escape. Even Mani had no choice but to engage.

  After all, how could they refuse an oppo seemingly asking to be beaten?

  But Napoli wasn't to be uimated.

  Back when Gao Shen managed Real Madrid, his defeup was solid enough to frustrate even Capello.

  Now, against Inter Min, Gao Shen employed high-press tactics alongside a highly structured defense, ralizing Inter's offense. Ibrahimovic had been out of sorts all game.

  Although they had ceded a goal early on, the match soon turned into a stalemate, an attritional battle.

  Napoli was relentlessly wearing down their oppos, waiting for the right moment.

  Finally, shortly after the sed half started, Inter Min's pyers began to show signifit signs of fatigue.

  All the data and indicators och poio ohing: their energy reserves were running low.

  Now, it was time for Napoli to shine!

  With that thought, Gao Shen's focus returo the game.

  …

  Valencia came on for Sanchez.

  It was a like-for-like substitution, ohat had been pnned before the match.

  As the Chilean winger left the field, he patted Valencia on the shoulder in encement, hoping he would make an impact.

  While it wasn't obvious to outsiders, Napoli's pyers knew very well how talented Valencia was.

  Especially when it came to his speed.

  "Zai's a bit slow, just get past him!" Sanchez whispered as he embraced Valencia.

  Valenodded his thanks.

  Before the match, he had received detailed analysis on Zai, whicluded information about the veteran's ret return from injury.

  Valencia had watched plenty of footage of Zai's games. He was fident that he could beat him for pace.

  Of course, Valencia also khat speed alone wasn't enough.

  He he right circumstances, and more importantly, support from his teammates!

  And with Gao Shen's double substitution, the entire Napoli team uood the signal.

  The targeted tactics were in py!

  …

  Following the substitutions, Napoli tinued with their signature high press.

  However, with Valencia and Pastore on the field, the pressure on the right fnk noticeably increased.

  Valencia was relentless, often trag back to help defend Inter's attacks, even chasing pyers all the way into Napoli's own 30-yard zoo assist right-back Lichtsteiner.

  This allowed the Swiss full-back to push forward mgressively and challeer's left winger, Cesar.

  Although Inter's right fured the pairing of Mai and Figo, Figo's age was showing, and his energy was fading. Mai, while active, was kept in check by Napoli's fast winger Di Maria, meaning he couldn't push too far forward without risk.

  In the first half, Maiade several overpping runs but was quickly exposed by Napoli's pa the ter.

  So, Mai remained cautious around pyers like Di Maria.

  With their right side stifled, Iarted to favor the left, hoping to exploit Napoli's right side as they had st season, especially by using Ibrahimovid Cruz to bully Napoli's ter-backs.

  This tactic had been key in their 3-0 victory st season, and Inter's pyers were familiar with it.

  But just six minutes after the substitution, Lichtsteiner mao intercept an Inter pass intended for Cesar, diverting the ball straight to Pastore, who had tracked back to help defend.

  Once Pastore collected the ball, he surged forward, quickly drawing the attention of Stankovic.

  The young Argentine showed his intelligence. After his impressive first-round performance, he had gained more pying time and a better uanding of his role. He didn't wait for Stankovic to get close but instead passed the ball swiftly up to Valencia.

  Zai's positioni Pastore with no diregle to pass behind him, but this pass allowed Valencia to face the Argentine directly. As soon as the Ecuadorian winger collected the ball, he darted into Zai's defensive zone.

  Both pyers acted without hesitation. Zai lunged for the ball while Valencia deftly pushed it forward, sidestepped his marker, and accelerated past him.

  "The mas the ball!"

  "Oh my god, Napoli's winger Valencia, just on as a sub, has outpaced his man!"

  "He's blisteringly fast!"

  Valencia sprinted forward with all his might, while Zai gave chase, but he couldn't catch up with the ball at Valencia's feet.

  The Ecuadorian closed in on the right side of the penalty area.

  Napoli's striker i had already charged into the box, positioning himself in front of the six-yard area, ready for the cross from Valencia.

  This was the primary threat!

  Materazzi was still sidelined with injury, so Inter's ter-back pairing in this game was Cordoba and Samuel. Both were retively short, which left them at a disadvantage against a ter forward like i.

  Cordoba positioned himself between i and the goal, while Samuel stayed on i's right, trying to block off the cross.

  But i was no fool. As soon as he saw Valencia breaking down the right, he quickly shook off Cordoba, cut diagonally toward the near post, and cimed the best position ihe box.

  Samuel, being experienced, khat if Cordoba didn't have the irack, he had to block the cross, because if Valencia got the ball to i, there would be no stopping him from such cle.

  So, Samuel moved to follow Valencia's run to the baseline.

  Valencia, well aware of Samuel's movement, khat crossing the ball would likely result in a block.

  But Samuel's choice came with a trade-off. By c the baseline so tightly, he left space behind him exposed.

  Without hesitation, Valencia cut the ball ba a reverse triangle pass, aiming for the penalty spot.

  Inter's defenders quickly realized the new danger.

  Vieira and Stankovic rushed toward the penalty spot, but someone had already beateo it.

  Napoli's attacks always came in yers.

  Di Maria had iionally hung back as i darted forward, setting himself up for a sedary strike.

  When Valencia delivered the cut-back pass, Di Maria met it with no one marking him. The Argentine surged into the left side of the penalty area and struck the ball first-time with his left foot.

  The ball flew straight and low into the bottom-left er of Inter Min's goal.

  The Argentine wiurned and sprinted off the field, f a heart shape with his hands and smiling as he celebrated the critical goal.

  He had just scored against Inter Min!

  The Meazza Stadium erupted with astonished cries!