Rise of a Football God

FWEEE!

The atmosphere in Craven Cottage was electric.

It served as the perfect foil, fueling the energy currently charging through this football pitch as 2 different football teams clashed in a must-win game.

Just as Fulham wanted to win the game to keep their title race alive, Tottenham Hotspur also wanted to win the game to keep their aspirations for securing a European spot for next season alive.

Football was just like that. Towards the end of the season, every one of the 20 clubs in the English premier league have something they're fighting for.

To those at the top of the premier league table, they fight to keep their title hopes alive, fighting to win the premier league trophy.

As for those in mid-table, they fought to secure European qualification. The prize money for playing in European competitions was worth the fight.

As for those at the bottom of the English premier league, theirs was even more crazy since they fought against relegation.

This was why the latter parts of every premier league season was always the most exciting, and this sentiment was perfectly highlighted by the London derby between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

Amid the loud noise being made by the home supporters, the players on the pitch put on a show, playing an incredible end to end game.

It was a game of extremely high-octane energy.

Despite the fact that they were the ones playing away from home, just like Coach Marco Silva expected, Tottenham Hotspur came roaring out like a Dragon as they took the game to Fulham.

This game, the Korean winger representing Tottenham was absolutely electric as he repeatedly turned Castagne inside out.

The Tottenham striker, Dominic Solanke also posed a big threat as he kept on testing Bernd Leno with his teasing shots, but the Fulham goalkeeper rose to the challenge every single time, for now.

During the first few minutes of this game, it felt like Fulham was just defending, barely holding on to life but this was Coach Marco Silva's tactic today.

Knowing the stakes attached to this game, and 100% sure that Tottenham would definitely attack, Marco Silva's strategy for this game was to first kill the attacking momentum of their opponents. This was why his players defended.

Even Sam dropped deep, defending during the first few minutes of this game and after a dozen minutes or so, the Tottenham attacking juice started dying.

Immediately, like Sharks that smelled blood, Fulham finally erupted.

Starting with explosive counterattacks, Fulham hit Tottenham hard as Antonee Robinson's pace caused a lot of problems down the left flank as the left back turned midfielder created a lot of trouble.

From counterattacks, Fulham finally settled into this game as Tottenham's intensity reduced, the home side taking the game to them.

That was when the true end to end affair started.

And in tight games like this, a certain player tended to thrive, Samuel Moses.

Sam was not the only one who thrived though. His teammates kept up with him today, playing at an elite level and finally, the S factor started ticking.

Bam! Bam!

Playing short, accurate passes in triangular patterns, Sam and Emile Smith Rowe repeatedly cut through the Tottenham defense like a hot knife through butter, occasionally using other teammates to set themselves up.

In the next 20 minutes, Sam and Smith Rowe created 5 chances between themselves, forcing the Tottenham goalkeeper, Forster into making 5 crazy saves.

The goalkeeper's gloves must be burning.
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The 2 goalkeepers were at an elite level this game but it was while Fulham dominated after the initial Tottenham intensity, pressing the North Londoners that Tottenham's captain finally created a moment of individual brilliance, adding another highlight to the H.M Son collection.

It started with another rampant Fulham attack led by Alex Iwobi this time.

From the left, the midfielder sprayed a pass across midfield to the right where Emile Smith Rowe lurked, who quickly set up Sam.

Sam feinted a shot, leaving Bentacur to slide past him to no man's land and then feinting another shot, he threaded a pass to Raul Jimenez, but then…

Bam!

Gray, Tottenham's center back slid in as soon as Sam hit the ball as the defender intelligently intercepted the ball before it could get to Raul Jimenez.

"…!" In that moment, time seemed to freeze.

Jimenez was close by, Gray was on the floor, who would get to the loose ball first?

The Fulham striker pounced but the floored defender was even faster, recklessly diving in with his head, head-butting the field in the process as the top of his left eye ruptured, bleeding and swelling but then, he managed to clear the ball to the left…, where Heung Min Son lurked.

Due to Fulham's oppressive attacking raids since, the Korean winger was forced to fall back and defend and now, he got the ball all the way in his half.

Time froze around Craven Cottage.

What would he do with the ball?

Only one thing rang in Son's mind though. 'Counterattack!'

In that moment, this winger instantly entered the zone state as time around him slowed down, the pitch suddenly contracting in his vision even as everything seemed to become 10 times clearer to him.

This winger noticed Emile Smith Rowe already charging towards him, closing the distance, and then…

Bam!

Hitting the ball long along the left-hand side of the pitch, Heung Min Son exploded in a sprint, rushing past Smith Rowe before he could react.

The counterattack already started!

And Heung Min Son was ready to do it alone because no one was up field to support him, not even Solanke, Tottenham's striker as they all fell back to defend.

Thud! Thud!

As this winger's legs ate yards of space down the pitch towards the Fulham half, he looked, noticing 2 more opposition players ahead of him.

As soon as he bolted past Emile Smith Rowe, Lukic, Fulham's defensive midfielder reacted, shadowing him from the middle of the pitch.

Lukic was calm and composed, tracking back while shadowing Heung Min Son till he saw the Korean winger take a heavy touch of the ball, then…

Whoosh!

Lukic decisively slid in to win the ball.

"…!" Son's eyes narrowed as soon as Lukic moved.

This midfielder went in for an accurate sliding challenge only for Son's leg to be faster than him, arriving first as he flicked the ball, raising it above Lukic, and then he jumped!

"…!"

Time seemed to freeze as Son jumped above the sliding Lukic.

"Son is flying!"

"He's blitzed Emile Smith Rowe already, and now Lukic, what a run! Can he go all the way?!"

Just like that, the Korean winger eliminated his 2nd obstacle, leaving only Diop who stayed as Fulham's last man in defense.

Fearlessly, the Korean winger now charging through the middle of the pitch having cut in from the left already went on a straight collision course towards Diop but once the distance between them was close enough, Son staggered.

As soon as the winger staggered, Diop also staggered with him, losing balance; it was just a rapid feint from the Korean winger.

With Diop losing balance…

Bam!

Son hit the ball long again, using Diop's momentum against him to rush past Fulham's last man in defense but due to hitting the ball long, sensing weakness, Bernd Leno aggressively charged out of his post.

But again, Heung Min Son was just that much faster.

Arriving before the ball first, the Korean winger raised the ball high, lobbing it over the goalkeeper as it nestled into the net.

"…"

"…"

"…..!"

Craven Cottage was silenced.

"GOALLLL…!" The away stands erupted.