Since the second group game in Italy, Chen Zishan has been very embarrassed to see Zhang Lexing every time, and she has said less than before, but she did not refuse Zhang Lexing's invitation to continue watching the Italian team's game, and even Chen Zishan did not object to Zhang Lexing's money to help her book a hotel room later, which made Zhang Lexing a little difficult to grasp her thoughts.

In the third game, Italy moved to the Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., against Mexico, and the pressure on Italy was not as great as in the previous game, as long as they did not lose, they could qualify. However, after the start of the game, Italy looked extremely impatient, three passes and two downs wanted to tear through Mexico's defense, but in the face of the opponent's careful defense repeatedly to no avail, their own back line occasionally had to accept the test of Mexico's counterattack, to the end of the first half of the two sides exchanged blanks, the score was always fixed at 0:0.

Just after the second half, Italy coach Sacchi replaced underperforming striker Casiracki and another striker, Massaro, came off the bench. Just two minutes later, Massaro had his first touch of the ball in the back of the net for Mexico, and Sacchi's substitution worked wonders. As the ball flew into Mexico's net, Chen Zishan jumped for joy again, screaming and laughing in the box several times, but Italy's subsequent performance quickly made her look solemn again. It was a good time to boost morale and chase after the victory, but Italy suddenly retreated to the back, and basically only Robert Baggio stayed in the front field alone, so not only did the attack disappear, but even the midfield almost gave up. Soon the field was a situation in which Mexico frantically besieged the door of Italy, the Italian players were tired of defending, and occasionally Italy passed a few balls, but they were quickly lost because Roberto Baggio was alone. Chen Zishan watched the field nervously, her mood continued to fluctuate with the ball flying in the air, and several times when the ball whistled towards the Italian goal, she involuntarily grabbed Zhang Lexing's arm.

Just nine minutes after Massaro's goal, the Mexicans finally seized their chance and pulled a goal back through their left-back Bernal to put Italy in danger. Chen Zishan's mood became even more nervous, and while she watched the situation in the field, she muttered: "Can't enter...... can't enter the ......", hoping that with his blessing, Italy can survive. Fortunately, Italy's backline did not disappoint Chen Zishan again, and by the time the 1:1 draw was held to the end, Italy finally survived. Chen Zishan's mood was also much better, and she also discussed with Zhang Lexing with great interest the prospects of Italy after qualifying.

"Lexing, do you think Italy will do better in the future? ”

"I think so, Italy has always had a tradition of slow heat, and it's not once or twice that the group stage has been played badly. Although the process of the group stage this time was not ideal, at least the result was okay. In fact, there are many players who did not show their true strength in the group stage, such as Robert Baggio, who did not perform well in the last edition, but by the time the knockout stage comes, the form should be better. ”

Chen Zishan nodded: "I think so too, Italy will definitely perform better than the last edition, maybe it can win the championship." ”

Italy did perform better than the last one, rising from third to second, but Zhang Lexing wouldn't do such a stupid thing as spoilers, so he could only nod his head according to Chen Zishan's statement.

……

Italy's opponent in the quarter-finals is Group D winners Nigeria at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. It's a pity that Chen Zishan's expected good state did not appear in Italy, the offense repeatedly failed in the face of Nigeria's well-layered defense, and his own defense was frequently anxious under Nigeria's counterattack, Chen Zishan couldn't help but worry about it, and Zhang Lexing's poor arm became a victim again.

In the 24th minute of the first half, Nigeria failed to attack and won a corner. When the corner kick was quickly issued, the crowded box was overturned, but no one could touch the ball. Left-back Maldini, who was waiting at the back post, rushed out to try to clear the ball, but he miraculously touched the ball at the feet of Nigeria's Amunik, and by the time he wanted to reach out and destroy it again, the ball was already whistling straight towards the Italian goal, and goalkeeper Pagliuca could not do anything but watch the ball guard the goal.

There was an uproar inside and outside the arena, Italy actually fell behind 0:1, Chen Zishan only felt that his heart sank, the strength of his body disappeared all at once, and his body fell backwards involuntarily, fortunately, I don't know when there was an extra soft chair behind him, otherwise he would probably sit directly on the ground. Chen Zishan sat on the chair blankly, her mind was in chaos, and she muttered over and over: "Italy is over, Baggio is going home......"

Zhang Lexing gently patted Chen Zishan's shoulder and comforted: "Don't worry, there are still more than sixty minutes, and it's still too late." ”

Chen Zishan raised her head with a grateful expression, and she said with great certainty: "Yes, there is still time, Italy still has a chance." ”

After speaking, the expression on Chen Zishan's face returned to normal, and she stood up and continued to watch the battle, but the slight tremor coming from her hand made Zhang Lexing feel that she was not as calm as she seemed on the surface. For the remainder of the first half, Italy continued to work in vain until the referee blew the whistle at the end of the first half, and the score remained fixed at 0:1.

After the start of the second half, there was still no miracle on the field, Italy's attack was more active than in the first half, but in front of Nigeria, which was fully retreating, it was like a wave of the reef, wave after wave, but it was never able to shake the reef for half a point. Time passed minute by minute, Italy was never able to get the equalizing goal, coach Sacchi continued to roar in the command area, but could not bring inspiration to the players, Italy's hope is getting slimmer and slimmer, Chen Zishan's expression is getting worse and worse, and the trembling amplitude of her body has also increased, Zhang Lexing can feel her disappointment.

The TV camera was once again focused on Robert Baggio, who was staggering and running on the field with his injured leg, with a bitter smile on the corner of his mouth, accompanied by the narrator's words: "Baggio, European Footballer of the Year in 93, World Footballer, but he did not ......score a goal in this World Cup", Chen Zishan's nose was sour, and tears flashed in his eyes.

In the twentieth minute of the second half, Gianfranco Zola came on for Signori, but just a few minutes later, he was sent off as if he had come to visit, and Italy could only respond with ten men, and the situation became even worse.

In the forty-third minute of the second half, the time from the end was getting closer and closer, Italy was still 0:1 behind Nigeria, Italy seemed to be doomed to the fate of the game, Chen Zishan had completely lost hope at this time, the whole person leaned softly on the chair, his eyes were wandering and not bright.

At this point, Italy defender Moussi stepped up and dribbled the ball into the ribs of the Nigerian penalty area, and then passed to the follow-up Roberto Baggio, who scrambled to shoot before the Nigerian defender could kick in, and the ball got into the net between the goalkeeper's fingers and the post, and the ball went in.

'Baggio scored, Italy drawn. Zhang Lexing shouted happily at Chen Zishan.

"What?" asked Chen Zishan with a look of disbelief.

'Baggio scored a goal and it's going to be extra time. Zhang Lexing repeated again.

"Baggio scored! Italy equalized!" Chen Zishan reacted at this time, happily bounced up from the chair, and paid close attention to the situation in the field again.

In the tenth minute of extra time, Robert Baggio passed the ball to Benarivo, who assisted forward the defender, Benarivo dribbled into the penalty area and was tripped down, Italy won a penalty, Baggio took the knife and hit it easily, Italy finally overtook the score. In the ensuing period, Nigeria launched a frantic counterattack, but it was always to no avail in the face of the Italians' united defence. After a long time, the referee's whistle finally blew, and Italy narrowly escaped death to qualify for the next round. The Italian players on the field hugged each other tightly, and you can imagine how excited they are right now. In the box, Chen Zishan hugged Zhang Lexing, tears of joy flowed down her face, wetting the clothes on Zhang Lexing's chest for a long time. Zhang Lexing's hand was gently placed on Chen Zishan's back, looking forward to the next game coming as soon as possible.

……

Italy's next quarter-final opponent was Spain, again Roberto Baggio, and again near the end, Italy defeated Spain 2-1 thanks to two Baggio goals. In the semi-finals, Italy faced the magical dark horse Bulgaria of this World Cup, or Roberto Baggio, with his two goals in the first half, Italy defeated the dark horse team 2:1 and advanced to the final. Baggio's performance is getting better and better, Italy is constantly breaking through the blockade, Chen Zishan's mood is getting better and better, and her attitude towards Zhang Lexing is also much better, not only agreeing to Zhang Lexing's request for a date between games, but even sometimes she no longer resists when she takes the opportunity to kiss Xiangze.

……

On July 17, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles, players from Italy and Brazil stood on the pitch for the final. In the box, Chen Zishan looked at the stadium nervously as always, while Zhang Lexing behaved lightly, after all, there was no suspense for him, and it looked like the event was a replay, so he could simply look at it for the purpose of appreciation, of course, the protagonist was not which team, but Robert Baggio.

The process of this final is not exciting, both sides put more energy into defense, reflecting the lack of attack in the attack, and the few attacks have been strangled by the backlines of both sides, and the process of extra time has not changed much, and the two sides have very tacitly dragged the game into a penalty shootout.

In the first round, Baresi and Santos both missed penalties, and neither side missed in the next two rounds. In the fourth round, Massaro's penalty kick was saved by Brazilian goalkeeper Tafarel, and Brazilian captain Dunga scored, at this time the score between the two sides was 2:3, and Italy temporarily fell behind. The last Italian to take the penalty was Roberto Baggio, who had the only hope for Italy at this time, and the Brazilian team had to miss the penalty, so that Italy could have hope of continuing, and the pressure was all on Baggio at once.

Baggio picked up the ball, put it to his lips and kissed it gently, then put it on the penalty spot, and in order to make the ball more stable, he also gently rubbed the ground next to the penalty spot with his foot. Baggio glanced at the goal, looked solemn and slowly stepped back, until he withdrew from the penalty area before standing.

Chen Zishan covered her mouth with both hands, staring nervously at the figure of Baggio on the TV screen in the box, the moment Baggio retreated outside the penalty area, she was so nervous that she even held her breath, as if she was worried that the breath she exhaled would affect Baggio's free throws, and even Zhang Lexing, who knew the result, was inexplicably nervous in this atmosphere. The whole arena fell silent all at once, and everyone's attention was on Baggio at this moment.

Baggio started, ran quickly to the ball and shot with his feet. Brazil goalkeeper Tafarel leaped forward and pounced on his own left, but the ball flew to the right and he misjudged it. Tafarel turned desperately to look to his right, and under his gaze, the ball whizzed past the goal. The Brazilian team is boiling, the fans of Brazil are boiling. Tafarel leapt from the ground, rushed out of the restricted area, and then fell to his knees, clenched his fists, and pointed his index fingers to the sky and roared at the sky, venting the joy in his heart. Next to Tafarel was the lonely figure of Baggio, standing quietly in front of the goal with his head down, looking extremely desolate and lonely against the backdrop of Taffarel's madness......

At the moment when the ball flew over the beam of the gate, Chen Zishan felt that there seemed to be a sound of crystal breaking from his body, but the whole person seemed to have lost his senses, and after a long time, he felt a burst of heartache. Tears welled up, and as her cheeks remained, her vision soon blurred, but in the hazy eyes of tears, she felt that Baggio's lonely figure was so clear.

Zhang Lexing also had some inexplicable emotions in his heart, but seeing Chen Zishan so sad, he hurriedly hugged her into his arms, carefully wiped away her tears, and comforted: "Zishan, don't be sad, although I lost this time, Italy still has a chance, and I will definitely be able to win the Hercules Cup in the future." ”

That's right, Zhang Lexing knows that Italy still has a chance to win the cup, but Baggio never has a chance, this World Cup has become the closest he has to the championship, but it is a world away, maybe only one meter away.

Welcome to the majority of book friends to come and read, the latest, fastest, and hottest serialized works are all here!