Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

107 – This Is the Whole Story

107

While Joo Ji-tae and Paolo Pellegrini starred in the intense sitcom-like match, with the referee as the supporting actor, the other players couldn’t just sit back and relax.

The two of them were going head-to-head, testing each other’s physical endurance, and the game was still progressing, with Korea dominating the overall flow.

However, despite having a high possession rate of 7:3, Korea’s offense wasn’t going so well.

On the contrary, Italy’s counterattacks, which they occasionally showed, looked more threatening.

[This is indeed Italy’s defense, led by Catenaccio. They control the space so tightly that there’s no room to breathe.]

The commentators were amazed by Italy’s defense.

Their solid backline, consisting of three center-backs and two wing-backs, had Korea’s players stuck in their own half, futilely passing the ball around.

[Italy is indeed Italy. Even Cho Jae-sin is being tightly marked.]

While Joo Ji-tae was trying to outplay Paolo Pellegrini, Italy was achieving a crushing victory against South Korea.

Up until now, Korea’s main attacking pattern had been to trust Joo Ji-tae and have most players push forward to create numerical superiority.

It was a simple yet effective method, as Joo Ji-tae’s overwhelming individual skills couldn’t be stopped.

However, this match was different.

First of all, Joo Ji-tae’s opponent was Paolo Pellegrini, a world-class defensive midfielder and Italy’s captain.

Joo Ji-tae’s performances had been too dazzling.

As a center-back, he was exceptional in defense, leadership, playmaking, and even had the audacity to dribble the ball into the opponent’s half.

Any team analyzing Korea would know… or rather, any viewer watching Korea’s games would know about his impressive performances.

Naturally, there were many attempts to stop Joo Ji-tae, and among them, the most common was man-marking.

However, unlike typical playmakers, Joo Ji-tae was a center-back, so usually, a forward or a second-line player would be assigned to mark him.

But even if a forward was assigned to mark him, it was difficult for them to keep up with Joo Ji-tae’s exceptional technique, which allowed him to shake off his marker with ease.

But Italy was different.

This was a country that took defense seriously, and their captain, Paolo Pellegrini, was the best example.

Italy had taken a bold approach by assigning Paolo Pellegrini to mark Joo Ji-tae from the start, and this made a huge difference.

Usually, when a forward or second-line player is assigned to mark someone, it’s assumed that they’ll only do so during defense.

In other words, they’ll mark their opponent during defense and focus on their own role during the rest of the game.

That’s natural. They’re forwards, after all.

But Italy was different.

Paolo Pellegrini followed Joo Ji-tae everywhere, from the start of the game, without any regard for offense or defense.

Even Park Ji-sung, who had amazed Italy and AC Milan, hadn’t done something like this.

During defense, Park Ji-sung had made Pirlo’s teeth chatter, but during offense, he had moved according to his role and even scored goals.

But Paolo Pellegrini didn’t do that.

It’s only Joo Jitae.

The situation was such that even Joo Jitae couldn’t play like usual with Paolo.

Paolo Pellegrini, with his exceptional skills and roughness, is a world-class defensive midfielder at 31 years old, still in his prime.

Even Joo Jitae couldn’t play like usual with such a player, so he had to get rid of Paolo first. And that happened in the 17th minute of the first half, when Paolo received a yellow card.

[Even if Joo Jitae is doing well against Paolo’s intense pressure… it’s actually impossible to play like usual against a player of this level, isn’t it? Just holding on is impressive.]

[If you look closely, our players are stuck between Italy’s three-back and four midfielders. So, they can’t receive the ball comfortably, and even when they do, they can’t turn around. That’s why our attacks aren’t connecting.]

But Korea’s attack couldn’t help but weaken.

After all, Joo Jitae was the center of Korea’s attack.

[Even if Joo Jitae is doing well, other players need to step up since he’s being marked by Paolo – Joo Jitae! This time, too, he’s competing against Paolo Pellegrini… what’s going on? Paolo Pellegrini is being pushed back powerless!]

However, the change was sudden.

[Ah! The yellow card is binding Paolo’s feet!]

19th minute of the first half.

The moment Paolo received the yellow card and his name was added to the referee’s blacklist, it was as if Korea’s engine had finally warmed up.

[Paolo Pellegrini is marking him tightly, but Joo Jitae is fast! He keeps running, and Joo Jitae, Joo Jitae is the one!]

Like the commentator’s rising voice, Joo Jitae’s explosive speed suddenly crossed the Korean midfield and even surpassed the half-line.

[Rafael Darmian is marking him, but it’s no use! Joo Jitae is pushing him away without slowing down!]

[But Italy’s defense is solid! It’s too dense!]

Although Joo Jitae had overcome the mediocre defense, it was difficult to penetrate the gap between Italy’s solid players.

Joo Jitae cleverly overcame this.

No, he created a clever team movement that was full of harmony.

[There’s no gap to enter – Kim Seong-ho and Na Si-hyun’s great screen play!]

Kim Seong-ho and Na Si-hyun’s movement drew the Italian players, and their bodies blocked them from returning to their positions.

[Juventus’ guardian, Giovanni De Lorenzo, blocks it! It’s dangerous! Jo Jae-sin! When did he get here!? Jo Jae-sin’s 2:1 pass suddenly takes the ball away from Joo Jitae!]

[Whoa, it’s dangerous!]

Just as Joo Jitae was about to take the ball, Dominic Toloi’s rough tackle came flying in from the side.

The ball that was kicked by Dominic’s tackle flew away, and Joo Jitae’s body, which couldn’t overcome the inertia, let the ball pass by.

[Ugh! Dominic Toloi’s super tackle! Joo Jitae’s great play was -]

But the situation didn’t end there.

[Wow, Joo Jitae! He’s doing an incredible trapping… what, what is this?!]

Joo Jitae’s heel, which had gone ahead of the ball, kicked it up, and then his back, chest, and knees trapped the ball in succession, pushing away the Italian players who were rushing in from all directions.

[Joo Jitae shoots! Goal!! It’s an incredible goal by Joo Jitae!]

[Unbelievable, did everyone see that? This is really, really a historic goal in the World Cup!]

He scored the opening goal just like that.

The ball, which was spinning behind the net, was left behind, and Joo Jitae, with the Taegeuk mark on his chest, ran backwards, brushing past Paolo Pellegrini’s stunned expression.

It was an unbelievable sight.

* * *

[In the penalty box, Jo Jae-sin, Cha Jun-sang, and Kim Seong-ho are showing great teamwork! Italy is shaking!]

[Ah, trapping miss! The ball has slipped away! Italy’s counterattack is coming! Andrea Scamacca passes to Salvatore Lorenzo! Straight to the other side. Nicolò Tonali! Jung Chae-geun is following closely. Ah, Jung Chae-geun fell! It’s dangerous – Joo Jitae! Joo Jitae is lightly taking the ball away!]

[Joo Jitae goes far – Na Si-hyun receives it with his chest! Korea’s quick counterattack!! Na Si-hyun, who received Joo Jitae’s long pass, quickly pushes forward! Dominic Toloi tries to block, but Kim Seong-ho receives it!]

[I saw Jo Jae-sin’s clever pass! He’s passing through the Italian players! Jo Jae-sin throws his body, but… it’s a bit short. Good try, though.]

After Joo Ji-tae’s opening goal, Italy began to waver.

The fact that they had conceded a goal that would go down in World Cup history was one factor, but a bigger reason was the sluggishness of their captain, Paolo Pellegrini.

[It’s Joo Ji-tae again. He receives the pass in the center, waits for Paolo to approach, and then gives a short pass. Paolo Pellegrini looks very tired.]

[It’s already the 30th minute of the second half… and yet, his footsteps seem unusually heavy?]

Paolo Pellegrini, the Italian captain who was supposed to mark Joo Ji-tae, had lost his game at some point.

Even his desperate attempts to hold on were now at their limit.

With his footsteps slowed down due to overexertion, Paolo Pellegrini was no longer able to stop Joo Ji-tae, and the freed Joo Ji-tae began to tear Italy apart.

[Joo Ji-tae makes a long pass to the right. Jo Jae-sin receives it. It’s a 1-on-1 situation! Joo Ji-tae, when did you get here? He gives a pass to the side!]

[Joo Ji-tae shoots!! Brian Polliano barely blocks it!! Korea’s 9th corner kick!!]

[Wow… is it already their 9th corner kick? At this rate, they’ll score a goal with a corner kick too…!!! Jung Chae-geun!!! Jung Chae-geun scores a header!!! 4:0!! Korea completely dominates Italy!!]

[Italy makes a substitution. Ah, Paolo Pellegrini is being replaced… what’s going on? Joo Ji-tae is whispering something to Paolo Pellegrini, and he’s crying…?]

Game over.

Korea 5 : 0 Italy