[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-28":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1388712,1840,"Chapter 28 - 28","start-with-r9-template-chapter-28",28,"\u003Cp>On the lush turf of the King Power Stadium, Ling was just picking himself up off the grass, the sting of the foul already fading, replaced by a buzzing anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd won the penalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw his teammates converging and, for one naive, exhilarating second, thought they might let him, the new kid, take the spot-kick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trotted over with a hopeful smile on his face, but as he got closer, he tuned into the quiet, professional conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't an argument; it was a negotiation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Romelu Lukaku, his eyes fixed on the Golden Boot race, was politely making his case to Juan Mata, the team's designated taker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in this Manchester United squad, fostered by Mourinho, was one of warm professionalism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There would be no public spat over a penalty, not like in other teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mata, a man who seemed genetically incapable of selfishness, simply nodded, gave Lukaku a pat on the chest, and handed him the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple, generous act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling felt a small prick of deflation, followed immediately by a wave of self-awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd been naive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't a pre-season friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was 0-0 in a hostile away stadium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer, crushing importance of this single kick—a kick that could define the entire match—was astronomical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if José Mourinho was the most carefree manager in the world (which he emphatically was not), he would never hand that burden to a teenager making his first-ever start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fallout from a miss wouldn't just be the lost points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The media storm, the social media crucifixion, the dent in his own fragile confidence... it could be career-derailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No', Ling thought, clapping his hands in encouragement as he backed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'it doesn't matter. My time will come. There will be other chances.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just hadn't earned that level of trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>🎙️ In the Sky Sports Commentary Box\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, that's electric!\" cried the veteran voice of Martin Tyler, his excitement palpable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just eight minutes in, and the young debutant, Jeremy Ling, has set the game alight! A lightning-fast shoulder drop, he's inside, and Maguire... oh, he's just chopped him down! Clumsy! That is a stonewall penalty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maguire is absolutely sick,\" added Gary Neville, his tone analytical. \"He gets drawn in by the quick feet, and he's caught flat-footed. Ling wanted the foul, he engineered it, and he got it. Brilliant, aggressive wing play. That's what United have been missing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now, there's a discussion,\" Martin noted, as the camera zoomed in on the United players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mata is the usual taker... but he's handed the ball over to Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian wants this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And that's the right call,\" Neville said firmly. \"You want your number nine, your main goalscorer, brimming with confidence. This isn't a moment for sentiment; it's a moment for a goal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>📱 On the Twitter Timeline\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@UnitedWay (RedDevilsFan99): LIIIIIIING!! SKIIIILLLS! 🔥🔥🔥 Gets the pen! What a start for the kid! Give him the ball!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@LFCKopite (Jamie_LFC): lol Maguire is supposedly worth 50m for that? Embarrassing. #LEIMUN\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@OliverKay_TheTimes (Oliver Kay): Smart play from Ling. Identifies Maguire as the slower man, attacks him directly, and forces the error. Mourinho will be delighted with that. Lukaku steps up... big moment early on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@BlueFox(Mark_LCFC): Here we go again. Always a pen against us. Come on Kasper, you know what to do!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back on the pitch, Lukaku placed the ball on the spot with meticulous care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took five steps back, puffed out his cheeks, and stared down Kasper Schmeichel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whistle blew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The run-up was powerful, deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lukaku didn't try to be clever; he simply smashed it, hard and low to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schmeichel, guessing right, dove full-stretch, but the ball was struck with too much venom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It ripped past his fingertips and bulged the back of the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1-0 to Manchester United.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lukaku exploded, sprinting towards the ecstatic away end, his face a mask of ferocious joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wheeled away, miming a gun-shooting gesture with both hands, a signature celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling was one of the first to join the huddle, following his teammates as they piled on, hugging and high-fiving the goalscorer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Maybe one day,' Ling thought with a private grin, 'we'll get a chance to do a classic 'musketeer' pose together.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought was immediately followed by a random pang of sympathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Why do I suddenly feel a bit sorry for Lautaro Martínez?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the pitch, the mood was bleak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry Maguire stood with his hands on his hips, his head bowed, the picture of remorse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry about it,\" Wes Morgan, the colossal captain, said, clapping him firmly on the shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was a profound, sincere rumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I used to make mistakes all the time, too. It's just a penalty. You'll face plenty more situations like this. Got to learn to face 'em.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maguire just grimaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, that didn't make him feel any better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside them, the right-back Danny Simpson was silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he felt he was the one who should be apologizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maguire had only been forced to make the desperate challenge because Ling had already ghosted past him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still couldn't fathom how every feint, every shimmy the black-haired kid made, seemed to perfectly exploit his own weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is Manchester United's youth training really this advanced?' he wondered miserably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, lift your spirits! Get your heads up!\" Jamie Vardy was already clapping, his voice a gravelly roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Plenty of time left! We can bloody well equalize!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schmeichel, seeing his teammates' deflated state, said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just walked back to his goal and hammered a frustrated fist against the post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sidelines, José Mourinho's face was covered in a rare, unguarded smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung a clenched fist through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Increase efficiency on the wings. Create threats. Take the lead. Control the game.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most crucial step was complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Solving the rest of the puzzle would be much simpler now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly hadn't misjudged the person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Craig Shakespeare, Leicester's manager, looked somewhat dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Promoted from assistant after the controversial sacking of the title-winning Ranieri, he was a man out of his depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sudden goal had shredded all his pre-match arrangements, and he stood motionless, staring blankly at the pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the fans processed their joy and sorrow, the match resumed at a breakneck pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leicester City, stung into action, immediately launched a fierce assault down their right flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riyad Mahrez began to weave his magic, cutting and surging, making life miserable for Daley Blind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dutchman was clearly uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blind frantically waved for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling dropped back, and with Nemanja Matic also shifting over to plug the gap, they just about managed to weather the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Mourinho made an unexpected adjustment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>United didn't retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire formation pushed forward, pressing high, relying on dense, suffocating positioning in the middle of the park to monopolize possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became a half-court siege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leicester, after their initial flurry, reverted to the conservative 4-4-2 that had left them vulnerable in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The game now flowed through Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frequently broke down the wing or cut inside to combine with Mkhitaryan in the half-spaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danny Simpson, however, had learned his lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was now on high alert, refusing to dive in, backing off, giving Ling space but never a clear path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he soon made a despairing realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-haired youngster marking him was unnervingly calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a breakthrough wasn't on, he didn't force it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't try a hopeless trick or a low-percentage cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he'd calmly shield the ball, pivot, and lay it off securely to a teammate, recycling possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simpson couldn't win the ball. He couldn't foul him. He couldn't even get close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time the ball went to Ling, it was like a magnet, drawing in Simpson and often a central midfielder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tactical gravity was crippling Leicester, weakening their defensive core and opening up vast, green spaces for Paul Pogba to drift into and attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the minutes ticked by, United's possession stat climbed: 62%, 65%, a staggering 67%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period of dominance, Pogba, playing with a swagger, unleashed three powerful shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it seemed United had used up all their luck on the penalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two of his efforts were met by spectacular, sprawling saves from the in-form Schmeichel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third, a thunderbolt from 25 yards, beat the keeper completely but smashed against the post with a thwack that echoed around the stadium, before bouncing clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The game drifted towards the 42nd minute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leicester, realizing they were being slowly suffocated, finally woke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spread their formation wide and launched an intense, desperate press.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what Manchester United had been waiting for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The midfielders and forwards exploded into motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pogba, seeing the gap, didn't hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He disguised a no-look through-pass, a perfect, weighted ball that split James and Ndidi, rolling invitingly into the path of Mkhitaryan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Armenian met it on the run, and with a single, fluid touch, curled the ball wide with the outside of his boot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here it comes!\" Martin Tyler shouted in the gantry. \"Manchester United's left-wing again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On screen, Ling trapped the ball instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of him was Simpson, who had wisely given up pressing and was now just trying to hold his position, to show Ling the outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the away stands, thousands of United fans roared, a wave of sound willing the young player on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling, observing Simpson's defensive posture, began the dance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blur of step-overs, left foot over right, right over left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Giving me the outside lane?' Ling thought. 'Trying to force me onto my weaker left foot?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the smart defensive play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simpson knew Ling was right-footed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he beat him down the flank, a left-footed cross would surely be low-quality, and Simpson would have time to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inside channel—the path to a right-footed shot—was the real danger zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the slightest hesitation, Ling took the bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exploded with a burst of pace outside, down the byline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jeremy Ling! A brilliant breakthrough!\" Tyler yelled. \"He's past him! A low cross near the byline!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn't low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling, at full sprint, whipped his left foot at the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a stunning delivery, arcing like a rainbow, high-quality and viciously spinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It soared over the heads of Leicester's leaping centre-backs, dropping perfectly toward the far post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the King Power Stadium, tens of thousands of spectators held their breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paul Pogba, having ghosted in from deep, launched himself at the ball in a full-stretch, sliding volley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"POGBAAAA!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He connected, but it was just too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball skimmed the top of the crossbar and nestled into the netting behind the goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A collective groan, followed by applause for the effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling, whose momentum had carried him tumbling off the pitch, quickly hopped up, patting the turf from his shorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Pogba give him a massive thumbs-up and a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling smiled and returned the gesture, but a familiar, critical voice was already speaking in his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'My left foot... still not good enough. If I'd aimed that just a fraction wider, given him more space from the keeper... that was a goal.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Danny Simpson was just trying to catch his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already drenched in a cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee checked his watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With little time left, the score remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A whistle blew, signaling the end of a breathless first half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United headed for the tunnel, a hard-earned one-goal lead in their pocket, courtesy of a debutant's brilliance and a striker's confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well what do you think? i edit a lot of shit on this chap.\u003C\u002Fp>",1943,"2026-06-05T22:48:22.783Z",1,"novelbin.me","ed15ebee904f9de7293cd379273f9d9376454d9e17b20521b6728062091afa68","start-with-r9-template-chapter-120","start-with-r9-template-chapter-27",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]