As the match between Millwall and Sunderland in League One entered the fortieth minute of the second half, almost everyone believed that the two teams would settle for a draw.
Even Aldrich felt that a handshake would be a fair conclusion, considering Millwall was still not capable of delivering an outstandingly fluid attack.
But surprises often arrive quietly when you least expect them.
Schneider received the ball on the right side. Throughout the previous eighty minutes, he would typically cross from the wing at a 45-degree angle or make a through pass to exploit gaps between the opponent's full-backs and center-backs. However, this time, after a feint that deceived the opposing defender, he dribbled the ball sideways, moving closer to the center, where he found an opening to pass and directed the ball toward the right side of the penalty arc.
A Sunderland midfielder saw a Millwall player retreating from the penalty area toward Schneider's passing line.
Solskjær!
Since replacing Trezeguet, he hadn't ventured deep into the box but had been moving around the area, annoying the Sunderland defenders without creating a substantial threat.
Yet at this moment, he suddenly appeared at the edge of the penalty area, unmarked by any defenders.
With his body half-turned toward the goal, Solskjær felt a calmness as he faced Schneider's pass. Since he had been observing the dynamics of the game from the bench, finding himself in this position to receive the ball wasn't accidental!
If it weren't for the still-undeveloped chemistry with his teammates, he believed he wouldn't have to wait for over ten minutes after coming on to receive such a good opportunity.
The penalty area was crowded, and Solskjær knew he had no space to dribble, not even enough time to control the ball and turn. Thus, he had already decided what to do the moment before receiving the ball.
Shoot!
And it had to be a difficult shot!
He met the rolling ball with the inside of his right foot and delicately curved it toward the top right corner of Sunderland's goal!
After striking the ball, Solskjær lifted his head, his gaze intensely following the ball as it soared like a rainbow.
But the next second, he was dumbfounded.
The ball bounced out of the penalty area!
Solskjær immediately raised his right hand, striking his right arm with his left hand, and turned to shout at the referee, "Handball! Handball!"
His shot had struck the arm of a leaping Sunderland defender, which then caused the ball to bounce out; otherwise, Solskjær was sure it would have been a spectacular goal!
The other Millwall players also raised their arms, pleading with the referee.
Almost simultaneously, the referee blew his whistle and, with a stern expression, pointed decisively to the penalty spot in the Sunderland area.
Penalty!
Upon seeing the referee's prompt penalty decision, Sunderland players quickly gathered around...
Aldrich, standing on the sidelines, was momentarily taken aback. He was too far away to determine if it was indeed a handball or whether the opposing player's arm had been extended to enlarge the defensive area. He instinctively shouted, "That was a handball!" Once he saw the penalty was awarded, he stopped protesting and began to applaud.
The home fans jeered at the referee, while Sunderland players protested to no avail.
Millwall's designated penalty taker, Larsen, stood at the penalty spot. Under the pressure of the crowd's boos, Larsen confidently sent the ball into the corner.
Millwall led 1-0 away!
After the penalty was scored, Aldrich sighed with relief.
No matter what, securing a win is always more pleasing than settling for a draw.
He clapped for the players on the sidelines, then collected himself and urged them to focus on solidifying their defense.
There were three minutes left in the match, with around five minutes of stoppage time.
Sunderland, trailing at home, was naturally unwilling to accept defeat, and during the final five minutes, they launched a fierce counterattack but failed to breach Millwall's defense.
Yet, in the final minute of stoppage time, Stam's header clearance sent the ball to the right, and Thuram's clearance turned into a counterattack. Larsen headed the ball backward from the center circle. Not far away, Solskjær sprinted forward into Sunderland's half. With Sunderland pushing forward, Solskjær successfully stayed onside and was clear on goal!
Facing the advancing goalkeeper, Solskjær confidently slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the net from outside the penalty area.
2-0.
In less than twenty minutes on the field, Solskjær performed brilliantly in his first professional match.
After earning a penalty and scoring a goal, he helped Millwall secure all three points away, boosting the team's confidence and cohesion.
After the match, Aldrich hurriedly shook hands with Sunderland's head coach and then entered the players' tunnel. In the mixed zone, he gave only a few brief remarks during the interview.
"Sunderland played quite steadily; we won not just because of our stable performance but also due to a bit of luck. I hope fortune continues to smile upon us."
With back-to-back victories, Millwall remained at the top of the rankings, but Aldrich was less concerned about that.
In the following period, Millwall would begin a week of consecutive matches.
After three days of rest, Millwall welcomed their first-round opponent in the League Cup at home: Plymouth, a team from the fourth tier.
In this match, Aldrich rotated the entire squad, fielding a team of substitutes.
Goalkeeper Butland; defenders Phil Neville, Dean Richards, Marco Materazzi, and Zambrotta.
Midfielders Beckham, Vieira, Ballack, and Glenn J les.
Forwards Kevin Phillips and Solskjær.
The average age of this lineup was nineteen.
While Aldrich had no particular expectations for the cup, it didn't mean he would easily abandon the match; even in defeat, it had to be a valuable one.
Throughout the game, he continuously directed from the sidelines, loudly urging the players to move into position.
The attacking focal points of this lineup were through the center and right side, contrasting with the main lineup; Aldrich restricted Nedvěd's offensive creativity, granting Ballack more freedom to advance, while on the right, Beckhams' pinpoint long passes were like precision-guided missiles. Even if Beckham's curved delivery hadn't yet become legendary, his long balls could create several threats through ten or twenty attempts, achieving what Aldrich envisioned.
On the left, Glenn J les was incredibly fast, comparable to an athlete in a hundred-meter dash. Aldrich encouraged him to make runs and create threats down that flank.
The first-round League Cup match against Plymouth was far from sensational; the ball seemed to just fly back and forth above. Nonetheless, Millwall players showcased the qualities Aldrich wanted to see.
Ultimately, the standout players were Kevin Phillips, who netted a hat-trick, and Beckham, who impressed with his precise long passes.
The final score was 4-3.
After Ballack's rampant offensive forays, the defensive barrier was left to Vieira. Although he didn't perform poorly, he revealed several flaws, allowing Plymouth's attacking combinations to face Millwall's young and inexperienced defense comfortably.
Plymouth had far more clear-cut scoring opportunities than Millwall throughout the match. If it weren't for Butland's remarkable saves, Millwall's Cup journey might have ended in this opening game.
After the match, Aldrich praised the entire team, noting that for many players without professional experience, winning in their debut was a significant achievement.
In four days, Aldrich would welcome an opponent that left Millwall fans unhappy: Derby County.
The memory of the promotion playoff three months ago was still fresh, where Derby County had triumphed over Millwall with an aggregate score of 5-1, blocking their path to the Premier League.
After the match, a small-scale conflict had erupted between the fans of both teams.
For the tactical setup for this match, Aldrich still followed the plan from the previous two games, but he needed to galvanize the entire team's emotions during the preparation meeting.
With three consecutive wins to start the new season, the team's morale was high, and confidence was abundant.
The players were increasingly convinced by Aldrich.
During the team meeting, after analyzing the opponent Derby County, Aldrich paused and did not announce the end of the meeting but instead fell into a period of silence.
The players exchanged glances, unsure why their boss had suddenly stopped speaking.
Aldrich pursed his lips in a dissatisfied expression, surveying the team and raising an eyebrow, "Do you know what the relationship between Derby County and us is?"
Most of the players, who had only been in England for less than three months, looked confused and truly had no interest in the team's history.
Even Beckham and Neville appeared perplexed.
Derby County was a team from Derby, having no direct ties to Millwall; historically, there was no insurmountable grudge.
Only Southgate, present in London, seemed to ponder this.
"It seems Gareth knows. You tell everyone," Aldrich prompted.
Pointed out by Aldrich, Southgate shrugged and said, "Derby County is our enemy from last season; tomorrow is a match of revenge for us."
Upon hearing Southgate's words, there were still players who expressed confusion.
Aldrich maintained a serious face and said, "Exactly, tomorrow is about revenge. To be honest, if Millwall had beaten Derby County last season, we could very well be playing in the top league now. But because we lost to that damned, disappointing Derby County, we remained in the second tier. Look at how bad Derby County has performed in the past two weeks. They lost to Barnsley and drew with Luton. Damn, it's just laughable. How did last season's Millwall lose to this trash? It's precisely because of the one point Derby County earned in the first two matches that they are coming to the Den tomorrow, desperate to take three points from us. After all, just three months ago, they stepped over Millwall's corpse to reach Wembley, and although they ultimately lost to Leicester City, to them, we're nothing but pushovers who can help them regain confidence and relive the taste of victory. What should we do? Should we walk over and politely tell them that last season's Millwall is not our business? Who the hell would listen to that? All I want is to see them crying as they head back home after the match."