Chapter 148: Match Point

The frenetic atmosphere at the Fisht Olympic Stadium was reduced to a minimum, and apart from the neutral fans, the mood of the fans on both sides was already very worried, especially the Portuguese fans.

Of course, Chinese fans are also a little apprehensive, but they believe that hard work pays off, and captain Tang Zheng has turned the tide many times, so ...... The penalty shoot-out is still the same!

After a while, the live director gave Tang Zheng and Patricio a mirror.

Andy Gray, a British Sky commentator, said: "Although Don has not been trained as a professional goalkeeper, he did a miracle in the late stages of extra time, denying Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma a number of shots that he was aiming for...... At this time, the test is more psychological, I think...... The Chinese team is more dominant!"

Commentator Martin Taylor nodded: "It's not that we don't have confidence in Portugal, it's that Don is so good that we ignore other conditions. ”

The fans sitting in front of the TV also knew that Tang Zheng was invincible when he was in excellent condition, so he basically guessed the outcome of the penalty shootout.

But it's one thing to guess, it's another thing to turn out to be.

After all, nothing in this world is absolute, and everything has accidents.

After referee Sandro Ricci pulled Tang Zheng and Patricio to talk a bunch of useless words, Tang Zheng and Patricio, who were about to take on the responsibility of winning or losing their respective teams, shook hands with each other.

Tang Zheng and Patricio in front of the TV had different expressions, Tang Zheng was smiling and looking relaxed.

Patricio smiled, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell that he was smiling reluctantly.

It is clear that the disbelief of the whole team has affected goalkeeper Patricio.

Tang Zheng, who won Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty guess coin, did not choose the usual winning side to play first, but chose to play later.

Maybe many people don't understand why Tang Zheng, who won the right to choose, didn't give priority to the penalty, but Tang Zheng's thinking was absolutely correct, because behind the goal of the penalty kick was the fan gathering area of the Chinese 'Dragon Team' fan club, and it was not a good thing to take the penalty first.

Tang Zheng and Patricio parted ways at the top of the arc of the penalty area, Tang Zheng went straight to the goal, and Patricio turned to the right front and waited outside the right sideline and bottom line of the penalty area.

At the same time, players from both sides stand on one side with each other centered on the center circle arc, and their teammates are shoulder-to-shoulder.

Portugal's first penalty was the fit-bodied Andre Silva, who pursed his lips and walked towards the box with a heavy face.

"Woooooooo

The Chinese fans behind the goal began to create a deafening boo for Andre Silva, who was about to take the penalty.

Although Andre Silva seems to be unaffected by the fans in the stands, he is actually in a wave.

He was thinking that captain Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't knock on Tang Zheng's door, so ...... Is it possible for yourself?

No way!

This is the result of André Silva's brain.

But soon he shook his head in quick succession, putting his negative thoughts behind him and rethinking the issues that manager Santos had highlighted.

Tang Zheng is not a professional goalkeeper, and the first few saves have a lot of luck.

The penalty kick is not far from the goal, the goal is 7.32 meters wide, even if Tang Zheng is in excellent physical condition, as long as he kicks the penalty into an absolute dead corner, Tang Zheng is impossible to pounce!

Thinking of this, Andrea Silva gradually regained his self-confidence, and a faint smile appeared on his face without much emotion.

Tang Zheng saw the change in Andre Silva's facial expression, but he did not interfere with Andre Silva like most goalkeepers, but prepared to make a save and waited for Andre Silva to kick a penalty.

"This scene has not been seen in the past 20 World Cups! Tang Zheng was the goalkeeper of the penalty shootout as a temporary goalkeeper, but Tang Zheng saved the Chinese team a few minutes ago, and I think it will be the same ......in a few minutes."

"Beep~"

Before Howe could finish speaking, the referee on duty, Sandro Ricci, blew the whistle, and Andre Silva picked up his right foot after running.

Left!

Tang Zheng was like a tiger descending from the mountain, his body was like a spring squeezed to the extreme, pounced on the left side.

※※※

"It's a pity!" Yang 5 commentator He Wei said regretfully: "Tang Zheng judged the right direction, but Andre Silva's shooting angle was too tricky. ”

Andre Silva, who scored the goal, raised his arms and shouted, venting the huge psychological pressure he had been carrying.

The Portuguese players standing in line in the center circle celebrated with excited high-fives, and in their opinion, it was a good start.

Andre Silva scored a penalty to help the national team take the lead, and more importantly, it proved that Tang Zheng was not invincible!

Tang Zheng, who was given to the broadcast screen, shook his head, he guessed the direction of Andre Silva's penalty, but the opponent's angle was tricky......

It seems that the only way to do this is to wait for the opposing player to make a mistake in the remaining four rounds.

The first penalty kick of the Chinese team was Lu Liang, the big heart of the front court, and the first Chinese player to appear in the Champions League final in addition to Tang Zheng!

"Whoa—"

Lu Liang walked to the penalty area, and the Chinese fans in the stands erupted into huge cheers, but they did not keep shouting, but waited until Lu Liang put the ball in place and stopped, giving Lu Liang a good thinking environment.

Patricio on the goal line opened his teeth and claws, and from time to time made exaggerated movements trying to influence Lu Liang, who took the penalty.

As it turned out, Lu Liang, as the first player of the Chinese team to take a penalty, was well thought out.

Because the first, third and fifth penalty shootouts are very important, Lu Liang, the most stable in the front court of the Chinese team, is in charge, Zhang Linpeng, who is quite successful in Liuyang, is ranked third, and Tang Zheng, who has excellent psychological quality and strong ability to resist pressure, ranks last.

Lu Liang was unmoved, and his heart was even more unfazed, he used the change of pace to trick Patricio into falling to the ground early, and then hit the ball into the other side.

"Beautiful! Lu Liang is very relaxed, the ball is in!"

He Wei shouted.

1:1

The aggregate score is 2:2!

Portugal's second player to take the penalty was Quaresma, and the Chinese fans at the Fisht Olympic Stadium once again erupted in huge boos.

Previously, Quaresma had a chance to kill the Chinese team, but unfortunately he was denied his one-shot shot by guest goalkeeper Tang Zheng, and Chinese fans believed that Tang Zheng had an absolute psychological advantage in the face of Quaresma.

In fact, it does.

Tang Zheng walked to the goal, his face determined, while Quaresma's brows were furrowed, and he seemed unaffected by Andre Silva's penalty and looked preoccupied.

"In the first round of the penalty shootout, Andre Silva and Lu Liang both hit, and the second round became particularly important, Quaresma withstood the pressure, or ......" Yang 5 commentator He Wei changed his voice: "...... Or will Tang Zheng turn it away? Let's wait and see!"

Quaresma walked to the penalty spot with his head down, took the ball and put it down, put it down and picked it up, three times in a row.

Tang Zheng lowered his raised arms and bent his knees slightly, while lowering the center of gravity of his body, like a spring squeezed to the extreme, opened his arms and stared at Quaresma.

The 34-year-old is a real Portugal veteran, but he has a lot of experience in the game, and it was his excellent running in the second half of extra-time that gave his side the advantage.

Unfortunately, Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty and his one-on-one shot were denied by Tang Zheng, so Quaresma wondered if Tang Zheng would play well again and save the penalty, even if Andre Silva had already taken the lead.

Because...... Every penalty is a new beginning.

Quaresma, who was broadcasting the picture, put the football away, stepped on the place where the supporting foot was to be stepped on with his left foot, and only retreated enough distance after making sure that it was correct.

"Beep~"

The boos created by the Chinese fans were deafening, and the referee's whistle sounded.

Quaresma, who retreated to the line of the big penalty area, began to run, and Tang Zheng tiptoed back and forth with his feet, staring at Quaresma's right foot.

Right!

According to Quares's pre-shot preparations, Tang Zheng quickly came to a conclusion in his mind.

Tang Zheng did not hesitate to pounce on the right side of his body, that is, to the left of Quaresma's shot.

At the same time, Quaresma's eyes widened with an incredulous look on his face.

Compared to Andre Silva's 10-corner shot, Quaresma's shot was also close to the turf, but it was not from a tricky angle, and it was eight points at most.

Tang Zheng made a very decisive save, coupled with his height and long arms, his fingertips rubbed slightly against the football.

Just a slight rub, enough is enough!

"Quaresma shoots—"

Yang 5 commentator He Wei stood up suddenly: "Whoa~ Tang Zheng pounced! Pounced! He turned away Quaresma's penalty!"

The soccer ball changed its trajectory and brushed the outside edge of the goal post on the left side of the broadcast screen.

Tang Zheng took advantage of the situation to complete a roll, climbed up from the grass, and raised his arms and shouted in front of the passionate Chinese fans.

"Tang Zheng!Tang Zheng!!Tang Zheng!!"

The Chinese fans in the stands were completely ignited by Tang Zheng's save and incitement, and they couldn't help but yell.

The entire Fisht Olympic Stadium was cheered for by Chinese fans to Tang Zheng, and Portuguese fans were silent.

What else can a guest goalkeeper say about saving penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and Quaresma?

However, the excitement of the Chinese fans did not last long, and the young Zhang Yuzhan could not withstand the pressure in a frenzied atmosphere, and his penalty was so tricky that it grazed the outside of the right post and went off the line.

"The soccer ball is off the post! The score is still 1:1!"

Fernandez, the commentator of Portugal's national sports television, shouted.

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Portugal's third player to make the game was William Carvalho, the most consistent midfielder in the Portuguese squad, who possessed very practical technique at his feet, ability to read the game and a calm heart.

Placing him on the third penalty to stabilize the morale of the army is enough to see that head coach Santos has a fancy for him.

William Carvalho was unfazed by Quaresma's missed penalty and kept his face straight until he smashed the ball into the top left corner.

Tang Zheng, who guessed the direction of the penalty again, shook his head helplessly, William Carvalho's penalty was really impeccable and could not do anything.

However, Tang Zheng did not feel confused, Portugal's three penalty kicks he guessed the right direction of the shot according to the opponent's shooting preparation, and saved one of them, he believed...... As long as one more penalty is saved in the last two rounds, the team has a very high chance of winning!

The third penalty on behalf of the Chinese team was Zhang Linpeng.

Although the footwork is not very delicate, the psychological quality is outstanding enough.

After all, penalty shootouts are more about the psychological quality of the players.

Zhang Linpeng was not affected by Zhang Yuxuan's missed penalty, and like William Carvalho, he did not pay attention to Patricio's actions and shot directly.

Even though Patricio guessed the right direction, he was half a beat slower in the face of Zhang Linpeng's powerful shot, and the football hung straight on the net.

"The ball is in! China equalizes!2:2!!"

The stands resounded with a huge chant from Chinese fans, and He Wei, the commentator of the Central 5 Stage, breathed a sigh of relief.

With three rounds of penalties conceded by each side, the fourth penalty became particularly important and the frenetic atmosphere at the Fisht Olympic Stadium added a little more tension.

Portugal's fourth player to take the penalty was left-back Guerrero, who walked into the box with all the Portuguese blessings.

Guerrero, who was calm on the surface, was actually apprehensive in his heart, Tang Zheng made only one of his three saves, but he guessed the right direction for all three saves, so Guerrero kept hinting that he must kick the penalty to the absolute corner as much as possible.

However, in many cases, too much nervousness will lead to abnormal play, and in the face of overwhelming boos and pressure, Guerrero's penalty kick was weak and weak, and Tang Zheng, who guessed the right direction, grasped the ball firmly in his hand.

"Wow~ Tang Zheng directly grabbed Guerrero's penalty!" He Wei shouted almost frantically: "If the fourth player of the Chinese team to take a penalty can score a penalty, we will overtake the score for the first time!"

"Whoa—"

The frenetic atmosphere of the game put Patricio under tremendous pressure as he walked towards goal, and he did not know if he would be able to save China's fourth penalty.

Commentator Xu Yang continued: "The fourth penalty kick of the Chinese team is Li Kui, who has played quite steadily in this World Cup, and his psychological quality is super strong, not at all like an U23 player, I think...... He's definitely going to be able to help China score a penalty!"

Patricio repeated his old tricks, standing on the goal line, he turned into an octopus, dancing and trying to interfere with Li Kui.

Facts have proved that Li Kui's psychological quality is outstanding, and he was given the title of 'A Ghost' by the fans, in addition to his defense, his footwork is also very good.

Under the boos of the Portuguese fans, Li Kui played normally, and like Lu Liang, he used the change of rhythm to force Patricio to make the first save, and then kicked the ball in the opposite direction of Patricio's save.

3:2!!

The Chinese team won the match point!

Immediately, the broadcast was shown to Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

If nothing else, Cristiano Ronaldo will take Portugal's fifth penalty.

If a penalty is not scored, the penalty shoot-out will end early......