MY MATCH GAMPLAY AND PLAYERS SETTINGS IN THE FIELD
This was the Division 6 match that decided everything, the promotion game to Division 5 and I was so nervous before kickoff I could barely focus. I started with double strikers, Diouf and Aguero up top because I wanted pace and power together. The plan was to stretch them and get in behind. First half was just frustrating. Barcelona’s defense was packed, like 5 at the back and they weren’t giving any space at all. Diouf kept trying to run in behind but he was getting bullied off the ball, and Aguero couldn’t turn with two defenders on him every time. Midfield was tight too with Gerrard and Rooney trying to spray passes but everything was getting cut out. 0-0 at halftime and I was thinking if I don’t change something I’m going to bottle this promotion. The AI was defending deep and just waiting for me to get impatient and make a mistake.
Second half started the same way and it was getting worse. 50 minutes, 55, 60 and still 0-0. I was passing it around the box but there was no room. Every through ball to Diouf was offside or intercepted, and Aguero was isolated. By the 63rd minute I had to do something drastic so I took Diouf off and brought on Yamal. I pushed him straight to right wing and told myself just give me something different, any kind of spark. Literally 2 minutes after he came on he scored. I played it out wide to him, he took one touch, cut inside past the fullback and curled it into the far corner. The game popped up 1-0 and the replay showed it perfectly. Yamal ran to the corner and I was screaming because that sub changed the whole game. The defense that was so tough for Diouf suddenly couldn’t handle Yamal’s dribbling and quick feet. One change and the whole AI backline looked confused.
After that goal I knew I had to kill the game off so I took Aguero off and brought on Drogba. Needed someone to hold the ball up and win headers because Barcelona were starting to push. That move paid off almost immediately. Yamal picked up the ball on the right again, drove to the byline and cut it back to Drogba. 2-0. Drogba just smashed it first time with his left. The AI defense was completely opened up now because they had to respect Yamal on the wing and they couldn’t double up in the middle anymore. You could see in the gameplay how much space opened once Yamal came on. From 63 minutes on it felt like I was playing a different game. My midfield of Gerrard and Rooney had way more room to play and Barcelona couldn’t press anymore. Every attack was going through Yamal and he was cooking.
Yamal wasn’t done though. He got his second later on and this time it was Drogba who turned provider. Drogba held off a defender with his back to goal, laid it back to the edge of the box and Yamal just smashed it first time. Keeper didn’t even move. That made it 3-0 but in the clip the scoreboard shows 2-0 at 66 minutes so that third came right after. Yamal ended the game with 2 goals and an assist in like 20 minutes of play. That’s why I brought him on. Diouf and Aguero tried but the defense was too compact for them, but once I switched to width with Yamal everything clicked. The replay in the video shows exactly how he cut in and scored that first one, and you can see the defenders just backing off him after that.
Ended the match 2-0 and that’s promotion to Division 5 secured. That win felt bigger than any other game because it was do or die. Diouf and Aguero started but couldn’t break them down, then Yamal and Drogba came on and changed everything in 10 minutes. Yamal with a goal and an assist, Drogba with a goal and an assist, and the midfield finally had space to work. Clean sheet too which helped the goal difference. I watched the replay twice because I couldn’t believe how fast it turned around. From Division 6 to Division 5 now and I’m buzzing. If I keep making subs like that and not being stubborn I think I can push even higher. Promotion secured, 2-0 win, and Yamal is officially my clutch sub for big games 💪
MATCH CHANGING SUB…THIS WAS THE SUPER SUB I MADE THAT PROMOTED ME TO DIVISION 5
THANKS FOR VISITING
