Chapter 48: A Long-Lost Faith

Although there are people who are closely marked, but the football field is changing rapidly, and there are many actions such as sudden start, emergency stop and change of direction, switchback and running, etc., and no one can really keep an eye on others, unless the opponent is directly held.

But that's a foul, you can't really do that.

Therefore, in the 82nd minute, after more than half an hour after Cheng Hai played, he and his teammates finally played a wonderful pass and cut cooperation.

Of course, there must be an element of accidental luck in it, but this cooperation allowed fans on the scene and in front of the TV to see Cheng Hai's true running level.

Cheng Hai did not participate in the beginning of this attack, because although he had excellent stopping skills, his passing skills were terrible.

As a result, he just kept jogging and moving inside and outside the penalty area, not fast and not very wide, and the two defenders who were closely marking him were not thrown away.

With the contraction of the Japanese team's defense, the Huaguo team is not only the central midfielder, but also the midfielder and full-back are pressed very high, constantly mobilizing the Japanese team's defense with passes.

This time, the Chinese team rarely made any mistakes, and sent the ball to the front of the big penalty area through everyone's continuous passing and running positions, and let the Japanese team's defense appear a little loose.

Park Sung, a Korean player wearing the No. 10 jersey, is one of the two ethnic minorities in the national Olympic team, with good physical fitness, good technique, good at breaking through, and a good hand at assisting.

This time, it was he who won the ball on the right flank and made a gesture to a team-mate in the middle, only to smash the ball towards the baseline and then break through the opposition full-back.

When the opposing full-back was desperately chasing back and trying to block Park Sung's cross, Park Cheng made a cross about four or five meters close to the baseline, causing the Japanese full-back to fly out to block the gun's eye.

As a result, Park Cheng faked the fax buckle and dunked the ball back.

The Japanese full-back couldn't hold his body anymore and slid past him.

Park Sung smoothly dribbled the ball to the penalty area.

Originally, everyone was in the transfer and receiving schedule, but Park Cheng broke through the inside cut this time, which disrupted the defense of the Japanese team.

The defender in the middle had to pull the side to block Park Sung's in-cut, but Park Cheng did not try to break through again this time, and a timely inverted triangle pass close to the line of the big penalty area passed the ball to the feet of fullback Zhang Linpeng in the back row.

If the short man pulls out the general, Zhang Linpeng is a little famous in the National Olympic team and a little more familiar to the fans.

Therefore, Zhang Linpeng is still a little strong.

After receiving Pu Cheng's pass, although he didn't dare to break through with his skills like Pu Cheng, he came to a small two-by-one cooperation with Wu Xi at the top of the arc of the big penalty area in a small space, successfully passed the defender who stopped in front of him, entered the penalty area, and raised his leg to shoot at the right side of the penalty spot in the big penalty area.

Park Cheng's side breakthrough, Zhang Linpeng and Wu Xi's one-two cooperation into the penalty area, completely disrupted the Japanese team's defense.

After all, it's only an Asian-level U23 team, not an Italian national team.

Therefore, in the face of the continuous breakthrough and passing and cutting of the Chinese team, and Zhang Linpeng also entered the penalty area and made a shooting posture, the defenders and goalkeepers of the Japanese team panicked.

At least three defenders in the penalty area rushed towards Zhang Linpeng, some tried to tackle the ball, and some tried to fly to block the gun's hole.

Other players also involuntarily focused on Zhang Linpeng, who was about to shoot.

Goalkeeper Junsuke Ando also stood on the right side of the goal as early as Park Sung broke through on the right side, and kept preventing Hwakook's shot.

After Zhang Linpeng and Wu Xi burst into the penalty area, he was even more half-squatting and ready to save.

However, just when everyone in the audience thought that Zhang Linpeng, who had entered the penalty area, was really going to shoot, Cheng Hai in the big penalty area on the left first took two steps in the direction of the small penalty area, which attracted the defender Tomoki Baoteng who followed him to think that Cheng Hai was going to make up for the shot, and then pasted it.

As a result, Cheng Hai suddenly stunned, immediately retreated, and briefly shook off the treasure vine Yuki beside him.

At the moment when Cheng Hai retreated, Zhang Linpeng, who was shooting on the right, fell with his feet, but did not shoot, but shook his ankle and passed the ball to the left.

Everyone looked in the direction of the ball rolling, only to find that under the continuous passing and cutting scheduling and breaking of the map of the Chinese team, the left side of the Japanese team's big penalty area was empty.

Although there was also a treasure vine Yuki just now to keep an eye on Cheng Hai, he was thrown away by Cheng Hai's back and forth change of direction and running position, and was in an unguarded gap.

And Zhang Linpeng's pass was just right in front of Cheng Hai.

Tomoki Baoteng, who had just been thrown away by Cheng Hai, was closest to Cheng Hai, and a flying shovel wanted to block the route of Cheng Hai's shot.

But Cheng Hai did not shoot directly this time, but used his stop-the-ball technique of up to 20 points to avoid the fallen tackle Takato Yuki, slightly dodged a shot gap, and then grabbed a volley before other defenders rushed over to block the shooting route, and pumped the ball into the lower left corner of the Japanese team's goal.

Goalkeeper Shunsuke Ando, although he had pounced from the right, could not catch up after all, and finally could only watch the ball fly into the net.

In the 82nd minute, the Huaguo Olympic team played a series of pleasing team passes and cuts in the front court, and finally Zhang Linpeng faked a real pass to send the ball to the feet of Cheng Hai, and Cheng Hai finally hit the goal.

Cheng Hai scored a brace to make the score 2-3 from 0-3.

At this moment, only one goal behind, the hope of the Huaguo team to equalize suddenly increased.

Suddenly, deafening applause and shouts sounded in the stands, and countless Chinese fans roared excitedly, venting their excitement in their hearts:

"Oh my God, Cheng Hai has scored again!"

"I came off the bench at half-time and it was a brace!"

"Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! ”

"Cheng Hai really didn't disappoint us!"

"It's only been a few days since I returned to China, and I basically didn't have any cooperation with the national Olympic team, and I was able to score a brace in the first game! Cheng Hai deserves to be the top striker in Europe! ”

"It's so cool!"

"I can't say that I didn't cooperate at all, I think this ball is playing very well!"

"It's just a blind cat touching a dead mouse! If it weren't for Cheng Hai, the others who stood in that position and received Zhang Linpeng's ball and shot directly, they must have been blocked by the opponent's defender's gun, where would Cheng Hai stop the ball first to avoid the opponent's defender's tackle and then hit the goal? Even if you hit the goal, the accuracy will not be so high, and there are too many examples of the national football team not scoring in front of the goal. ”

"Not bad!"

Amid the excited applause and discussion of Chinese players and fans, the situation of the Japanese team is indeed more serious.

Although there are two direct qualifiers in a group, it is not a big deal if this goal is equalized by the Chinese team.

However, the historical feud between the two countries, and the competition between national teams at all levels in Asia, made it absolutely impossible for the Japanese players to accept being equalized with a three-goal lead.

The head coach of Japan's Under-23s pondered for a moment on the pitch before calling the nearest player to his side and giving the latest tactical instructions.

After the players of the Chinese Olympic team finished celebrating and the game restarted, everyone found that the Japanese team had contracted even more, and it seemed that they were planning to hold on to the one-goal advantage until the end of the game.

The Huaguo team, which had just pulled the score to 2-3 and was boosting morale, wanted to make persistent efforts and equalize the score, naturally pressed all the players unceremoniously and bombarded the Japanese team.

Even two centre-backs stood near the centre circle and occasionally crossed the halfway line to attack.

The two teams reversed the situation in the first half, completely reversed.

The Chinese fans in the stands also watched with enthusiasm, and the national anthem and songs singing the motherland were sung in turn, cheering for the national Olympic team, and no one scolded the national Olympic players anymore.

Everyone is united and wants the national Olympic team to continue to work hard and equalize.

However, just when the whole team of the Chinese team pressed and bombed the Japanese team indiscriminately, the Japanese team followed the instructions of the head coach to make the formation more contracted and attract the Chinese team to press forward in a more formation, while paying attention to the back line and the position of the goalkeeper of the Chinese team at any time, and then prepared to give the Chinese team a fatal blow.

After all, it was already the 82nd minute when Cheng Hai scored, and even if stoppage time was added, it would be a little more than 10 minutes before the end of the game.

If Japan score one more goal, it will definitely kill the game.

The Huaguo team was unaware of this from top to bottom, and everyone was still immersed in the expectation and action of scoring the second goal, boosting morale, preparing to make persistent efforts, bombing indiscriminately, and scoring the third goal to completely equalize the score.

Soon the time came to the 88th minute, in the Chinese team's soaring attack, the excited goalkeeper Wang Dalei stood at the top of the arc of the big penalty area, and it seemed that he couldn't wait to rush up to participate in the team's attack.

However, at this moment, Wu Xi made a mistake in the ball that Wu Xi was about to pass to Cheng Hai, and Wu Xi's passing intention was recognized by the Japanese team's defender Toyama Takamitsu, and he shoveled the ball down with a flying tackle in time.

Takamitsu Toyama's tackle fell to the feet of Hirota Mizunuma, the heart of the midfield.

At the moment when Takamitsu Toyama was about to tackle the ball, Hotaru Yamaguchi, the left-wing-back who was the most advanced of the Japanese team at this time, immediately turned around and ran.

Instead of rushing to the half of the Chinese team, he consciously avoided the players of the Chinese team and ran out of a gap about four or five meters from the center line.

Japan's counter-attack in defense was premeditated.

Striker Kenyu Nagai retreated to the vicinity of the penalty area to participate in the defense, just to paralyze the Chinese national team's defense and make them think that the Japanese team had completely given up on counterattacking.

In fact, Japan put their hopes of a counter-attack on both flanks.

Now, the opportunity that the Japanese team has been waiting for for has finally appeared.

Wu Xi's pass was broken, Hotaru Yamaguchi also ran out of space, and Wang Dalei, the goalkeeper of the Huaguo team, stood outside the penalty area, still far from the goal.

So, Wu Xi was intercepted by Toyama Takamitsu and landed at the feet of Mizunuma Kota, Mizunuma Kota did not stop the ball to adjust, and directly passed the ball to the feet of Hotaru Yamaguchi.

Even until this time, Wang Dalei, the goalkeeper of the Chinese team, did not realize the danger.

He thought that Hotaru Yamaguchi was still in the half of the Japanese team, and even if he wanted to counterattack, he still had to break through with the ball, form a single knife, and shoot near the penalty area.

Therefore, Wang Dalei was still facing the front court, and did not immediately turn around and retreat in the direction of the goal, but only slowly took two steps back and retreated to the line of the big penalty area.

But this distance is simply not enough.

In the face of Kota Mizunuma's pass, Hotaru Yamaguchi, who had already premeditated and had already observed Wang Dalei's position, did not stop the ball at all, and directly ran in two steps, picked up his big legs, and then rushed over to the side to try to break the ball.

Hotaru Yamaguchi shot directly from the halfway point four or five meters from the half.

The ball instantly rose off the ground, swept past Yang Boyu's outstretched toes, flew quickly into the sky, and then after crossing a parabola, it fell towards the goal of the Huaguo team.

And Wang Dalei woke up like a dream when Hotaru Yamaguchi had already completed his shot, and the ball had already avoided Yang Boyu's foot that he was trying to destroy, and flew towards the goal behind him, and turned around in a panic to pounce back in the direction of the goal.

However, where can the footsteps of a person keep up with the speed of the ball?

When Wang Dalei just ran to the line of the small penalty area, the ball had already fallen.

Although Wang Dalei reluctantly jumped to try to pull the ball off the crossbar, but he retreated too late, and the place where he jumped was too far from the goal line to reach the ball at all.

The ball flew into the net through the huge gap between Wang Dalei's barely outstretched palm and the crossbar.

In the 88th minute, in the indiscriminate bombardment of the Chinese team, the Japanese team took advantage of a counterattack opportunity by Hotaru Yamaguchi to complete an ultra-long-range hanging shot more than 50 meters away, and hoisted the ball directly into the goal of the Chinese team.

This shocking ultra-long-range lob not only silenced the more than 50,000 home fans who were still cheering for the Chinese team just now, but also stunned many reporters, commentators, and even the Japanese team's own fans.

It's unheard of to have a goal of its kind in an Asian Under-23 level.

Hotaru Yamaguchi scored a classic goal that is expected to be forever remembered in the history of the Asian Games, while the Huaguo team and goalkeeper Wang Dalei have become permanent background emperors.

Wang Dalei, who said before the game that he was going to keep a clean sheet against his opponent, was not only swollen in the face, but even rubbed hard by the opponent on the ground.

Lose face!

The key is that it was already the 88th minute at this time, and Hotaru Yamaguchi's goal made the score of the two sides 2-4, and the Huaguo team could no longer equalize.

Even if there is Cheng Hai, it can't be.

In the jubilant celebration of the players of the Japanese team, the Huaguo team, which was still in high spirits just now and vowed to equalize, looked depressed one by one, and no longer had the spirit to attack with all their might just now.

In particular, goalkeeper Wang Dalei has been lying in the goal, burying his head in the turf and not getting up.

Obviously, all of them were hit hard.

But there is one exception, and that is Cheng Hai.

Although he has never played such a long time in an official game, the intensity of the Asian Games is not as strong as that of Europe, and the Japanese U23 players do not put much pressure on Cheng Hai, and his physical strength has not been exhausted.

Looking at the dejected teammates, Cheng Hai did not sigh with everyone, but ran quickly to the backfield, rushed into the goal, slapped Wang Dalei on the shoulder, and said, "Da Lei, what are you doing?" Get up, the game isn't over yet! ”

Wang Dalei heard Cheng Hai's voice, raised his head and was about to speak, but Cheng Hai had already picked up the ball that Hotaru Yamaguchi kicked into the goal and ran towards the midfield.

The players of the Huaguo team gradually raised their heads one by one, looking at Cheng Hai, who rushed to the backcourt to pick up the ball and ran back to the middle line.

Cheng Hai ran to the center circle with the ball, put the ball on the center point, and then shouted to his teammates who were watching him: "The game is not over yet, there is still time!" Give me all back, ready for the game! ”

Wu Xi, Lu Wenjun, Pu Cheng, Lu Peng, Zhang Linpeng......

Everyone looked at Cheng Hai, who was standing in the middle circle and was ready to kick off, sniffed, took a deep breath, and then slowly walked back to their own half.

In the stands, the loss of the ball did not make the fans of the Huaguo team scold.

Because of the indiscriminate bombardment of the Huaguo team in the final stage, although there was no goal, it still made the fans enjoy watching it.

In addition, Yamaguchi Hotaru's ultra-long-distance hanging shot also shocked everyone, and they were stunned for a while, unable to scold.

Even if there were fans who wanted to scold Wang Dalei, they swallowed back the scolding words after seeing Cheng Hai's actions later.

Watching Cheng Hai rush back to the goal to pick up the ball and put the ball in the center circle, the National Olympic players slowly walked back to their own half and were ready to play again, and a fan's voice suddenly sounded in the stands:

"Team Huaguo! Win! ”

Gradually, more and more people agreed:

"Team Huaguo! Win! ”

"Team Huaguo! Win! ”

After a while, all the fans chanted in unison: "Huaguo team!" Win! ”

More than 50,000 people hissed and cheered with exhaustion, soaring into the sky!

On the commentary seat, the commentator of CCTV-5 shouted tears and explained:

"It's so impressive! When the national Olympic team was down by two goals 2-4 and the game was about to end, our fans finally did not curse, but shouted the slogan of 'Huaguo team must win'. ”

"It's a belief, a long-lost belief!"

"Don't believe in your belief that you will win in the end because of a momentary loss or falling behind!"

And this belief! It was brought by Cheng Hai! ”

"In the case of being scored by the opponent with such a shocking ultra-long-range hanging shot and falling behind by two goals, Cheng Hai did not hang his head and mourn like most of his teammates, but rushed back to the goal, picked up the ball and put it back in the center circle, ready to continue the game."

Under Cheng Hai's call, the players of the National Olympic team have recovered from the frustration of conceding the goal. Even Wang Dalei, who was poured four balls, looked high-spirited at this time, and he didn't have the feeling of burying his head in the turf and losing his family just now. ”

"It's a scrappy, positive spirit!"

"Whether it is the national Olympic team or the fans, this moment shows a long-lost belief and mental state!"

"Maybe, we're going to lose this game! However, I see a bright future! ”

"We may be able to look forward to where the national Olympic team can finally go in this Asian Games, and we can also look forward to the results of the senior national team in the Qatar Asian Cup in January next year."

"Not for anything else, just because Huaguo football now has Cheng Hai!"

"Team Huaguo! Win! ”