Chapter 824 Another Comeback! Wang Shuo Figures It Out! Last-Second Winner! Wang Shuo, You’re Too Fast! Arsenal’s Iron-Blooded Script!

The Gunners defeated AC Milan 1-0 away in the first leg. Wang Shuo’s goal gave them the advantage. Going into the second leg, however, Wenger’s team was plagued by injuries, leaving Arteta sidelined.

Goalkeeper: Szczeny;

Defense: Vermaelen, Verthongen, Subotic, and Lichsteiner;

Midfield: Alexandre Song dropping deep, with Matuidi and De Bruyne in the center;

Forwards: Hazard, Wang Shuo, and Walcott.

Pairing Matuidi with Arteta in the first leg had left the Gunners’ midfield lacking vitality. With Arteta out for this match, Wenger opted to start De Bruyne, who possessed stronger Passing abilities and had performed well in the league recently. He highly valued the chemistry between the Belgium Midfielder and Wang Shuo.

AC Milan had also made adjustments on their end.

Goalkeeper: Abbiati;

Defense: Antonini, Nesta, Thiago Silva, and Alaba;

Midfield: Emmanuelson, Van Bommel, and Nocerino playing deep, with Robinho ahead of them;

Forwards: Ibrahimovic partnering with Shaarawy.

Among the three defensive midfielders, Emmanuelson replaced Ambrosini because the latter was suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Allegri’s adoption of a three-forward formation clearly signaled a desire to bolster their offense.

Their 1-0 home defeat in the first leg meant AC Milan desperately needed an away goal. Playing on their home turf, Arsenal knew perfectly well that their defense wasn’t particularly solid, so Wenger’s strategy was also offensive. This prompted both teams to take the initiative right from the kickoff. Arsenal smoothly dragged the match into the fast-paced tempo the Gunners excelled at, while AC Milan organized targeted attacks.

The Red-Black Legion’s first real threat to the Gunners’ goal occurred in the 4th minute. Robinho pulled out to the left flank to receive the ball. Facing Lichsteiner, he dribbled continuously, attempting a Breakthrough, but failed. The Brazilian suddenly came to a screeching halt, pulled the ball back with his right foot, and launched a diagonal pass, executing a massive switch of play to the right side of the penalty area.

This instantly caused the Gunners’ fans at the Emirates Stadium to break into a cold sweat! As expected, they still intended to attack the left flank!

Nocerino made a rapid forward run, trapping Robinho’s pass just inside the right edge of the penalty box. Facing Vermaelen, he aggressively drove toward the baseline and delivered a low, driven cross to the front of the goal. Ibrahimovic surged forward quickly, firmly blocking Subotic behind him. The Sweden center-forward’s physical strength was exceptional, only overshadowed by the brilliance of his exquisite footwork. The trajectory of the ball also made it difficult for Szczeny to rush out.

The entire stadium erupted in screams. But at this critical juncture, a figure sprinted over rapidly, lunging into a sliding tackle at the near post and clearing the cross with his left foot. The entire sequence was identical to Koscielny’s own goal against Liverpool earlier in the season. But this time, it was a success!

A wave of cheers instantly echoed throughout the stadium.

Down on the pitch, Matuidi was the first to reach the loose ball. He delivered a through pass straight to Alexandre Song. AC Milan’s Midfielders swiftly began to counter-press, but after trapping the ball and turning, Song passed it to De Bruyne. De Bruyne didn’t even bother taking a touch; he booted the ball forward with a single fluid motion.

"Wang Shuo is accelerating!"

The entire stadium cheered in tandem with Wang Shuo’s explosive sprint. As Wang Shuo crossed the midfield line and caught up to De Bruyne’s pass, he moved faster and faster. AC Milan’s defensive line hastily retreated.

"Wang Shuo’s speed is completely unleashed!"

When Nesta dropped back to the edge of the Arc Top District, he stopped retreating and opted for tight, man-to-man marking instead. But Wang Shuo was already at full throttle. Even with Nesta standing in his way, he showed no fear whatsoever. Fixing his eyes intently on the veteran defender while catching the surrounding situation out of the corner of his eye, Wang Shuo instantly made a decision.

The moment he charged into Nesta’s defensive zone, he planted his right foot, slightly dipped his right shoulder, and leaned his entire body to the right. Nesta was startled, knowing that if he didn’t commit to defending, Wang Shuo would undoubtedly blow right past him with the ball. Yet, just as Nesta shifted his center of gravity, Wang Shuo planted his right foot firmly and came to a sudden halt. Using the outside of his left boot, he flicked the ball horizontally, swiftly cutting inside and leaving Nesta in the dust in an instant.

"What a beautiful dribble!

"Wang Shuo used his speed and a sudden change of direction to forcefully achieve a Breakthrough past Nesta!"

Nesta’s reaction was quick enough as he immediately closed in, but he was already trailing by a full body length. Thiago Silva had just retreated back inside the penalty box. How could he have anticipated that Nesta—a World-level center-back—would be breached by Wang Shuo in a single encounter? Paling in shock, Thiago Silva chose to step up and challenge him, rushing out of the penalty area.

However, Wang Shuo’s reaction was even faster. Having just shaken off Nesta, he nudged the ball laterally with his left foot once again and launched into a catapult-like start, instantly slipping past the onrushing Thiago Silva. Having cleared half a body length of space, Wang Shuo planted his right foot firmly, channeled his entire body’s strength into his left leg, and unleashed a ferocious curling shot in the blink of an eye.

The entire sequence of movements was executed with blistering speed! By the time Thiago Silva realized his challenge couldn’t stop Wang Shuo and attempted a desperate block, Wang Shuo had already fired the shot. Abbiati dove swiftly to the side, but ultimately failed to keep the ball out.

The football brushed against the left post and flew straight into the top-left corner of the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

"Less than 5 minutes into the match, Arsenal has drawn first blood against AC Milan.

"A long-distance solo run from Wang Shuo! He single-handedly challenged two of AC Milan’s World-level center-backs!"