Two days later, news of another match came. Iran beat Qatar 2-0 to move 12 points ahead of China and Saudi Arabia at the top of the table.

When the news came, the hearts of the fans still did not let go.

At present, Iran is the only team that has completed 8 games in the top 10, with 12 points and 4 goal difference. In second place is the Chinese team, with 11 points and 2 goal difference from 7 rounds, and Saudi Arabia with 11 points and 1 goal difference from 7 rounds.

In fourth place is Kuwait, with 8 points and 1 goal difference from 7 rounds. If the last game defeats China by more than one goal and Saudi Arabia loses to Qatar, then they can still get a chance to survive as the second place in the group.

Kuwait still has a theoretical chance of qualifying, but Qatar, which has 7 points, has already been completely eliminated in the first round.

"So we have to win the next game! Only by winning the game can you take the right to qualify into your own hands! Xiao Rong waved his little fist and analyzed the score table in the newspaper to Lao Rong.

After returning to Fuzhou from Jinzhou, Xiaorong became much more sensible.

Not only do I do my homework as soon as I get out of school, but I also help my mother with some housework in her spare time.

Lao Rong also did not restrict the children, and every time there was a game, he would beckon Xiao Rong to watch the game first.

A family of three sat happily on the sofa, recording the bits and pieces of the Chinese team in the top 10 matches.

Rong's mother praised her son for being sensible whenever she met people, and linked her son's sensibility with going to Golden State to watch football. The neighbors are also thinking about whether to take their children to Jinzhou to watch the last "life and death battle" of the Chinese team.

Xiao Rong's analysis is correct, and he is even more professional than some adults.

If the Chinese team draws in the next game, although there is also a possibility of qualifying, the probability is too low.

Qatar is a recognized weak team, but Saudi Arabia is a strong enemy. With Saudi Arabia's strength, it is not a problem to get a big victory.

Therefore, a loss in the last game cannot be a draw, and sometimes, a draw is worse than a defeat.

During this time, the most anxious should be the Iranian team.

They have completed eight games and handed in early, which means handing over the initiative.

Because although they are in first place for the time being, as long as the Chinese team and Saudi Arabia both win, it will be the Iranians who will be out. On the contrary, as long as either team on either side does not win, then Iran at least has a chance.

The Group A of the Top 10 was played so anxiously that the result would not be available until the end of the final game of the final round, which was never expected before the game.

Such a fierce game is exactly what FIFA is happy to see, and the fierce competition will naturally expand the influence of football by attracting the attention of fans.

Coupled with the expansion of the World Cup for the first time this year, it is the perfect time to gather fans around the world.

......

In the early morning of November 12, the downtown area of Dalian was unusually quiet, and the pedestrians on the usual streets disappeared, as if it had suddenly become an empty city. A few sparrows that were not ready for the winter flew down the branches, looking for some food that humans had discarded.

After breakfast, the whole team management of the Chinese team held a preparatory meeting.

Ladd laid out the tactics of the afternoon and the delegate game, and the players sat in their accustomed positions, taking notes attentively. The team leader also presided over the meeting and kicked out the requirements according to the management, everything was so orderly and quiet...

In the afternoon, after a nap, the players woke up early, brought the competition equipment, and sat in the car early to wait.

No one spoke, everyone was trying to figure out the preparation before each game. There are even some team members who communicate with each other very quietly, for fear of disturbing the people around them.

The team doctors carried mineral water, medicines and necessary equipment, the students on duty carried two large nets for practice balls, the interpreters carried the athletes' passports and ID cards, and the coaches carried notebooks and stopwatches...

Wang Junsheng was the last to walk out of the hotel, and there were still ten minutes before departure.

The bus started slowly, and everyone was stunned by the sight of the street corner that had just opened the cordon.

Those Dalian fans who "disappeared" had already driven to the Jinzhou Development Zone at some point, but they were afraid that their arrival would disturb the rest of the national football players. So they lined up one by one and stood outside the cordon in an orderly manner, waiting for the recuperated Chinese team to set off.

Now when I saw the bus ready to go, everyone stood up from the ground and saluted the slowly approaching bus.

Still no one squeaked.

There are thousands of pairs of eyes and so many nostrils breathing, but there is still no movement on the streets of Golden State.

Standing in front of the front row were hundreds of shirtless fans, who waited shirtless for a morning in the weather of only 2 degrees Celsius.

These fans wore red belts on their heads, banners or flags in their hands, with words such as "I am not convinced, we will not admit defeat", "swear to rush out of Asia", "die for football", "the Chinese team will win" and so on.

Behind them, there was a five-star red flag about 100 square meters in size, and many of them painted red on their chests, with the words "Ten years as a day, just wait for this dynasty", "I will not die, I will defend Chinese football to the death", "All reactionaries are paper tigers", "Enter France".

Seeing the bus slowly coming, the first group of people began to get out of the way, and the bus slowly drove into the crowd.

When the bus was completely overwhelmed by the crowd, I don't know who shouted: "Chinese team, come on!" ”

"Chinese team, come on, !!"

"The Chinese team will win!"

"The Chinese team must win !!"

The roaring fans poured their blood on the flag, shouting and roaring. Use all the strength you can to cheer for the Chinese team.

Wang Junsheng in the car couldn't hold himself back anymore, and two lines of hot tears slowly flowed from the corners of his eyes.

He opened the window, poked his head out, and shouted, "No win, no return!" ”

"No win, no return!"

"No win!!"

"No win, no return!!"

All the players couldn't hold back their feelings, and their eyes were soaked with tears. The stability and order that had been maintained for a morning were instantly shattered, and even bursts of sobbing sounded in the bus.

"If I don't win this game, I don't have the face to go home to see my relatives!" Ma Mingyu sighed, closed his eyes, leaned his head on the back chair, and wept silently.

The veterans who participated in the 94 World Preliminaries also remembered the past, and they were all gearing up, looking at death as home.

It is 6.5 kilometers from the national football station to the Golden State Stadium, and the fans follow wherever the bus goes. In the end, even the driver has the illusion that the road is lined with fans.

Twenty minutes away, almost an hour away.

Looking out the window at the buildings, shops, streets and trees of the Dalian Development Zone, and at the bay of Dalian, the motherland's policy of reform and opening up has achieved so great results!

Dalian is developing rapidly, and people's lives are changing with each passing day.

So can Chinese football take advantage of this upward momentum and break out of Asia in one fell swoop?

After the team arrived at the stadium, Wang Junsheng and the officials of the Dalian Municipal Party Committee, who had been waiting for a long time, took the rostrum.

"Military student, sit here with me."

Wang Junsheng raised his eyes and saw that he was the deputy director of the Department of Laws and Regulations of the State Sports Commission.

"You're coming to see the ball too?" Wang Junsheng sat down as he spoke.

"We have a total of four directors, and they are all here today." Master Luan laughed.

"Thank you for your interest in football." Wang Junsheng thanked from the bottom of his heart.

"Don't say that." Director Luan waved his hand, "When Comrade Xiaoping was still here, he liked to watch football games. And you see, which of all the sports is so loved and supported by the masses as football? To put it mildly, with the current popularity of football, if it develops like this for another two years, maybe this project will be put in the basic national policy! ”

As he spoke, the stands at Golden State Stadium were filled with fans at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Alas! Our venue is still too small! Director Luan sighed, "I've heard that the home stadium of Iran can accommodate 100,000 fans. When I played with us, I squeezed in more than 110,000. I saw it when I came, and many of our fans couldn't buy tickets and were waiting outside the stadium for news. If our stadium is big enough, our home stadium will definitely be no worse than that Iran! ”

"That's right, that's right." Wang Junsheng nodded, "With the wind of the top ten competition, the approval of Liaozu has almost been greenlit all the way, and the provincial and municipal party committees have raised their hands in agreement. It is said that Liaozu has planned the site in the Hunnan New Area in Shengjing, and the construction will start immediately. If this stadium is built, it can accommodate at least 100,000 yuan. ”

"yes, I'm waiting for the stadium to be built! And maybe one day in the future, this stadium can also host a World Cup! Director Luan laughed.

After laughing, Director Luan looked at the warm-up players in the field, and suddenly asked, "Junsheng, you told me, will Ou Chuliang play today?" ”

At this time, in the Golden State Stadium, Ou Chuliang also appeared in the warm-up team with the players. This is the first time that Ou Chuliang has appeared in the public eye since the last match against Iran. In the 18-man squad submitted by the Chinese team today, Ou Chuliang's name is also prominent.

"This..."Wang Junsheng hesitated.

"It's okay, you just talk to me as usual." Director Luan said softly, "Anyway, the game is about to start, I just want to let myself know the bottom of my heart." ”

"Alas! To tell you the truth, Ou Chuliang is not a starter today. Wang Junsheng sighed.

Hearing Wang Junsheng's answer, Director Luan understood.

In such an important game, if it weren't for the accident of the starting goalkeeper who couldn't continue the game, it would not be the turn of the substitute goalkeeper to come on at all. So Ou Chuliang's appearance today is completely to reassure the fans that it has expired.

At this moment, sharp-eyed fans also discovered Ou Chuliang.

Many fans were so excited that they grabbed the railing and shouted: "Ou Chuliang, Ou Chuliang, Ou Chuliang!! ”

Gradually, the cries of the fans became one after another, and Ou Chuliang couldn't pretend not to hear it.

He stopped, turned around, and waved at the fans.

"Mom, why doesn't Ou Chuliang warm up with a jersey!" In the stands, a young fan under the age of 10 asked.

The child and the mother looked at the man together, and the man was full of bitterness.

The starters all warmed up in their jerseys, and the substitutes were casual, and they didn't change their equipment except for their shoes. After all, the weather is so cold, and no one wants to wear short sleeves in the cold wind, even as a goalkeeper.

Ou Chuliang didn't even wear gloves, and warmed up with continuous boccia and half-high balls to help Fu Bing try to help him reach his best before the game.

Seeing such Ou Chuliang, the last glimmer of hope in the hearts of all male fans was also shattered.

In front of the TV, the white squad leader stared closely at Ou Chuliang's side face, watching him accurately kick the ball into Fu Bing's arms again and again.

"Fu Bing, if you dare to lose the ball and let my Xiaoliang's efforts go to waste, I won't spare you in my life!"

At 16:15 in the afternoon, the Chinese team played the last match of the final round of the World Cup qualifiers in Dalian Golden State Stadium and Kuwait. On the other hand, although there were some small errors in the time difference, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also started at the same time less than ten minutes late.

The temperature almost plummeted to 0 degrees, but the fans who packed the stadium did not feel the cold at all.

Kuwait, who are desperate to fight to the death, have changed to the strongest team, even if there is only a glimmer of hope left, they will fight for it.

For the last chance to qualify, the Kuwaiti contributed two shots in the opening stage, and Fu Bing resisted to defuse the crisis, but the fans still broke out in a cold sweat.

After the Chinese team reacted, they began to gradually control the rhythm in their own hands.

In the 23rd minute, the Kuwait team cleared not far away, and the ball fell at the feet of Ma Mingyu outside the penalty area. He pushed with his right foot, and then shot with his left foot to hang the net, opening the scoring for the Chinese team.

Seeing Ma Mingyu's goal, Wang Junsheng breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good to score goals, and no matter how much you win, winning the game is the key.

After falling behind 1-0, the Kuwaiti players launched another series of counter-attacks.

But Sun Jihai and General Fan "fought to the death" and paid the price of two yellow cards, and finally blocked the Kuwaiti onslaught.

In this way, the Chinese team entered the halftime with a one-goal lead.

In the second half, in order to strengthen the offensive, Ladd once again discharged a lineup of "two Li and one piece" to seek a greater victory.

You must know that the first place in the group will qualify directly, and the second place in the group will play the play-offs.

For a while, the Chinese team was on the offensive, but whether it was Li Jinyu, Zhang Xiaorui, or Gao Feng, Ma Mingyu and General Fan, they were always missing that kick when shooting.

By the 74th minute of the game, the Chinese team had 20 shots on goal, but under the excellent performance of the Kuwaiti goalkeeper, it was impossible to expand the score advantage.

In the 77th minute, Kuwait took advantage of a large pressure of the Chinese team and suddenly launched a long pass from the backfield to form a quick counterattack.

Jasem, who had scored a goal in the last game against the Chinese team, rode through the hurdle alone, passed Zhang Jihua and Fu Bing in a row, and easily pushed the empty goal.

1 to 1 draw!

With more than 10 minutes left in the game about to end, everyone was stunned to see such a result.

What's going on?

How did you score a goal in an instant?

Could it be that after four years, another effort will fall in the last three minutes?

Some of the old fans recalled some unbearable memories, and a sad atmosphere spread through the stands.

Every four years, is the Chinese team really cursed?

Watching the time pass minute by minute, everyone didn't dare to continue thinking about it.

The fans, who were still enthusiastic just now, felt the bitter cold of late autumn in just a moment.

The Chinese team did not want to waste time, and neither did the Kuwaitis.

With the tacit understanding of both sides, there was hardly any celebration, and the ball was quickly pressed into the midfield and restarted.

After kick-off this time, the unwilling fans once again cheered for the Chinese team in the stands.

At this time, the Saudi Arabian side has a 1-0 lead over Qatar, that is to say, if the Chinese team and Kuwait draw in this game, and the score of the two sides remains until the end, then the elimination will be the Chinese team.

The Chinese team once again stepped up its attack, and the players also learned the results on the other side of the court one after another, and the whole team was almost crazy, forcing Kuwait all over the field.

"Run, run!"

"There's no time!"

"Quick!"

"Shoot fast!"

The fans shouted loudly, and they were even more anxious than the players.

In the 85th minute, the Chinese team won a corner kick on the right side.

"Oh, Ladd has changed!"

"Ladd played his last substitution."

"Replaced by left-back Wu Chengying, replaced by... Replaced by deliberation? ”

"Negotiation is also one of Jianlibao's young players, but in this top 10 competition, I didn't get the opportunity to play in the first 7 games."

Wu Chengying was jogging towards the side, and Ladd was still standing beside him, explaining what to him.

"What's the trick for Ladd? At this juncture, is there any trick for Ladd to change the discussion and play? Will the discussion bring about a turnaround in the game? ”

In Huang Jianxiang's questioning, the discussion ran onto the court with the questions of millions of fans across the country.

"I've seen this kid at the World Junior Championships, he's skinny and fast."

"But sending him on the field at this time, can it help?"

"He's not very tall, do you want to send him on the field to fight for headers?"

"This kid is too young, what is this going on? It's better to change Li Bing. ”

In the confusion of the fans, Zhang Xiaorui's corner kick did not find the discussion that had just come on the field, but was cleared by the Kuwaiti players halfway through the search for General Fan.

Seeing the Kuwaiti's immediate counterattack, the fans in the stands sighed.

At the very least, the deliberations are not for headers.

After two consecutive foot passes, the ball came to the Chinese team's half again.

Zhang Jihua desperately chased back, and finally intercepted the Kuwaiti striker on the line of the penalty area. Coupled with Li Tie's filling and pressing, the two broke off the ball with the cooperation.

After winning the ball, Li Tie did not hesitate, and directly passed the ball to Ma Mingyu. Ma Mingyu, who retreated to pick up, was just a stopover, and with a push of his foot, he sent the ball to the side, and there, a young man in a red shirt ran wildly.

"Counsel!"

"It's the young general's discussion!"

The moment they saw the discussion running with the ball, all the Chinese fans stood up.

Good guy, it turns out that this kid is so fast!

Raad is waiting for Kuwait to take the bait!

Seeing the sudden speed of the discussion, even Ou Chuliang on the bench stood up and shouted loudly like the rest of his teammates: "Discussion, run, run!" ”

At this moment, the discussion with sufficient physical strength is like a supercar with a full gas pedal. I saw that he used the inertia of rushing to gently push the ball forward under his feet, and the ball rolled out of a distance of four or five meters in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, he easily caught up.

The Kuwaiti defender closest to the negotiation subconsciously stretched out his hand, but was tilted by the negotiation's head and dodged from the outside.

The second defender also came up from the inside, and instead of reaching for the discussion, he just put the tackle.

The clinker negotiated faster, and at such a moment, he even picked up speed again, not only kicking the ball away again before the opponent tackled, but also jumping hard and jumping over the opponent.

Then came the third defender. He took advantage of the moment when the discussion landed and accelerated again, and successfully grabbed the corner of the discussion with his hand.

The jersey was pulled so that the boss's deliberation staggered, and he barely got rid of the other party by inertia.

"Didn't pull him down like that?"

Under the doubts of the Kuwaiti defenders, a fourth defender also arrived. After catching up with the ball and regaining control of the ball, the fourth defender finally grabbed the shirt of the negotiation, as he had done before.

This time, his purpose was not to take the Counsel down, but to pull him away and take possession of the ball from his feet.

In the midst of the pulling, the discussion looked hideous, and no one thought that such a thin body could burst out with such a huge power.

Almost with the opposing player, he ran two steps forward.

At this moment, the fifth defender who rushed up wanted a heavy tank and slammed into the side of the discussion.

For a moment, the discussion only felt like he was flying to the side. The ball in front of him seemed to be getting farther and farther away from him.

In the air, the eyes of deliberation flashed. As a speedy winger, his pupils replay the game when he was treated so roughly by the opposing power defenders.

In a trance, the discussion suddenly remembered that when he first arrived in Brazil with the team, he faced São Paulo's kick.

The ball bounces off the ground and bounces off the goalkeeper's shoulder into the goal.

That kick was really lucky!

Can I still bet on such an important game on that illusory luck as I did when I was a teenager?

Discussion remembered what Ou Chuliang said to him before the top ten match: "Xiao Yi, since you put on the national team jersey, you are no longer a child. Remember, you are now a professional footballer, a professional footballer who plays for the country! ”

For a moment, the deliberation opened his eyes.

Instead of exerting all his power to chase the soccer ball that had become out of reach, he bent his legs in the air and fell heavily on the turf as he kicked the legs of the opposing defenders.

"Beep !!"

The referee blew the whistle, ignored the discussion of falling to the ground and covering his legs and rolling, and pointed directly to the penalty spot.

At this moment, the entire Golden State Stadium fell into jubilation.