With a casual wave of their hands, O'Neill and Mourinho directed their teams clearly: attack — no more stalling.
Pirlo, acting as the orchestrator in midfield today, remained intensely focused. He scanned the field before receiving the ball and moved intelligently without it, often planning his next pass or run in advance. Mourinhi's roar in the locker room had completely energized him — he relied not just on his own confidence, but on the reassurance and energy of his teammates, which they consistently provided.
Everton tried to tightly mark Zidane, but his constant movement allowed him to slip past markers and make rapid, incisive passes, frustrating exhausted defenders who couldn't even get a hand on his shirt. Meanwhile, Pirlo maintained complete control at his feet; when not under ferocious pressure, his passes came effortlessly, slicing through Everton's midfield.
