Chapter 198: Stamina, Pitch, and Strains

When Eto'o broke past Silvestre's defense, dribbled around Barthez, and slotted the ball into the empty net, Old Trafford fell silent for a brief moment.

Just before the end of the first half, Mallorca equalized with a lightning-fast counterattack. This goal was a massive boost for the team. Even though it was only a draw, a draw with an away goal was almost as good as a win!

For Manchester United, however, Eto'o's goal was a major blow. Conceding at home meant that they would need at least two more goals to regain an advantage heading into the second leg. But could United afford to push forward recklessly against Eto'o's blistering pace? Mallorca's defense was not something that could be broken down by a half-hearted attack.

As the halftime whistle blew, worry crept onto the faces of United's supporters.

Yet, in the away dressing room, José was even more anxious than them.

For the last twenty minutes of the first half, Mallorca had pressed United aggressively, not only controlling the game but also using that pressure to create and score the equalizer. This was exactly the game plan José had devised, and it had worked perfectly so far. But…

This was the best-case scenario José had envisioned—a crucial away goal and a chance to sit back and defend in the second half before deciding the tie at home. What he hadn't anticipated, however, was the level of exhaustion etched onto his players' faces as they returned to the dressing room.

The unfamiliar weather, the slippery pitch, and the relentless pressure from United had all taken a heavier toll than expected. At this stage of the season, players were already running on the last reserves of their preseason fitness. Normally, they could still push through on sheer willpower, but with the added strain of adapting to the conditions, even that was proving difficult.

With another half to go, the outlook was grim.

José didn't speak right away. Instead, he allowed his players to catch their breath, urging them to take deep breaths and recover as much energy as possible.

After about five minutes, he finally asked, "Who's struggling with stamina? Speak up now."

The players exchanged glances. The ones suffering the most were the two forwards and center-back Van Buyten. As the sweeper, Van Buyten had been constantly on the move, and he had also made several runs forward for set pieces. The forwards, meanwhile, had to push up in attack and track back in defense, increasing their workload. Then there was Motta. Even though he hadn't played in the last league match, the pressure he was under today was immense. Despite the support of Kaladze and García, facing off directly against Scholes and Keane had been exhausting.

"Hold on as best as you can in the second half," José instructed. "If you can't continue, signal me, and I'll sub you out. I know this is a tough game, and you're all pushing yourselves to the limit, but I don't need to remind you how important this match is.

"In the second half, we'll focus on defense. We have an away goal—that's our advantage. Protect the edge of the box, watch out for Keane's runs and Scholes' long shots. On the left, block Giggs' inside cuts; just pressing his crosses will be enough. On the right, as soon as Beckham gets the ball, don't give him time to deliver a free cross. Hold your positions.

"In attack, move the ball forward quickly and let Samuel and the others lead the counters. If there's a chance, go for it; if not, waste time. Even if we fall behind again, don't panic—this is a two-legged tie."

José had decided to sit back and defend. With everything going against them, engaging in an open battle with United at Old Trafford would be foolish. A defensive approach was the only option.

It was a long series; no team could expect to finish off the other in one go.

However, José's inexperience showed.

Within a few minutes of the second half, Ferguson noticed Mallorca's deep defensive shape and the decreased intensity of their pressing. He quickly realized this was something he could exploit.

Still, he didn't act immediately. He had to consider whether José was setting a trap for him. After all, the young coach had proven to be quite cunning with tactical adjustments and baiting opponents into mistakes. Ferguson didn't know José well, but his growing reputation across Europe, along with a few impressive performances against English teams, had put him on the radar.

A few more minutes passed, and Ferguson was convinced—Mallorca wasn't bluffing. Their movement had clearly slowed, a telltale sign of fatigue. The wet pitch had drained their energy, and they weren't in their best form to begin with.

Seeing this, Ferguson made his move.

He subbed in Solskjær for Butt, adding a clinical poacher to partner with Van Nistelrooy. At the same time, he kept a tight defensive structure, instructing Keane to make fewer forward runs and instead focus on shutting down Ronaldinho—who, with Motta dropping deeper and tiring, was Mallorca's only real outlet for counterattacks.

The change worked instantly.

In classic Solskjær fashion, the "super-sub" delivered within three minutes of coming on.

Giggs was fouled by Campano on the left wing, earning United a free kick. Beckham whipped the ball into the box, and Solskjær met it with a perfectly timed volley while in motion.

From point-blank range, Franco had no chance.

Van Buyten had made a critical mistake. He failed to track Solskjær's run, and his last-ditch attempt to clear the ball was mistimed, allowing the United striker to finish easily at the back post.

It was a clear sign of fatigue. Slower reactions led to bad positioning, which led to a costly goal.

José had no choice but to send Gamarra to warm up. Luckily, Nadal hadn't needed to do much running, as his sole task was marking Van Nistelrooy. Otherwise, José would have had an even bigger problem—despite having four center-backs, Niño wasn't reliable at this level. Gamarra was the only viable replacement.

But as the saying goes, misfortunes never come alone.

Just as José was about to make the substitution, another problem arose.

In a routine challenge, Motta collided with Scholes. The Englishman got up quickly, but Motta stayed down.

The diagnosis? A pulled thigh muscle.

José was numb at this point.

Motta had managed to stay injury-free for over a year, far from his former fragile self. José had even been careful to manage his fitness to prevent him from turning into the injury-prone player he was once known as. But now, of all times…

After a few words of reassurance, José subbed in Marcos. Fortunately, the squad had enough depth in midfield. If not for their wealth of defensive midfielders, he would have been forced to turn to the aging Engonga.

José had even signed Pablo García as insurance against a potential Motta injury. Yet now, he wished that contingency plan had never been needed.

But the injury had already happened. There was no changing it now.

With Marcos on the field, José abandoned the idea of subbing out Van Buyten. With Mallorca sitting deep, his defensive mistakes were less of a concern. Instead, he used the second substitution on Drogba, bringing him on for Luque to keep the counterattack more direct.

Ferguson, however, had an answer for that too.

Now leading, he instructed United to slow the game down and focus on keeping their defensive shape. He also brought on Wes Brown for Johnsen, reinforcing the defense with a quicker, stronger player.

With United refusing to push forward, Mallorca found themselves in a dilemma. They couldn't counterattack, but pushing forward risked conceding again.

Thankfully, José kept his composure. He ordered his players to stay patient. A 1-3 defeat was still a manageable result. On the other hand, United wasn't entirely satisfied.

José's guess was right—United wanted another goal. But in situations like these, greed could be dangerous.

Ferguson glanced at the Mallorca bench, surprised. Not many young coaches could stay this calm under pressure.

But in the end, luck favored United.

A quick passing move ended with Silvestre whipping in a low cross. Nadal slipped at the worst possible moment, and Van Nistelrooy—silent all game—pounced with a first-time finish.

3-1.

That was the final score.

Mallorca had their away goal, but they had a lot of work to do in the second leg.