Chapter 40: Fate (Long Chapter)

The match between China and Portugal was over, and the two sides fought fiercely for 90 minutes to end the game 1:1.

Due to the fact that there were not many fouls on both sides in the Sino-Portuguese match, the stoppage time was only one minute, and in the game, there was no extension due to the injury of the players.

But the match between the United States and Poland is not over yet, and there are still two minutes left on the clock.

Now the Chinese and Portuguese players are on the pitch, and everyone is waiting for the fans to hear from the stadium next door.

Ling Feng, who was with Figo and Rui Costa, was grinning and enduring at the moment, so he stood in the middle of the two, one Figo on the left and one Costa on the right, both of them were biting their lips nervously, and at the same time they kept pinching Ling Feng's arm with their hands.

Ling Feng grinned in pain, but he didn't dare to let go of a fart, looking at the other teammates next to him, one by one kindly comforted the Portuguese players, and none of them suffered as much as himself.

Ling Feng really wanted to cry, who did he recruit and provoke whom?

The last two minutes seemed so long, the United States and Poland did not know how the battle went, and the United States team could recover the score in the last two minutes?

"The ball is in! The ball is in! The Chinese crowd erupted in a chorus of shouts, all of which were using various communication tools to learn about the game at the other venue.

They shouted in unison, which immediately startled the Portuguese players!

Rui Costa grabbed Ling Feng's neck tightly and shouted, "Did the ball go in?" Who got in? Who got in? Speak! You're talking! ”

Ling Feng couldn't breathe when he was pinched by him, he couldn't have imagined that Rui Costa, who usually looked like a thief, had such a rough side, God testified, he had a thought in his heart at this time: "You pinched Lao Tzu's neck, let Lao Tzu say what?!" ”

Fortunately, Rui Costa's hand strength was much worse than Ling Feng's, and he was quickly subdued by Ling Feng, and Ling Feng, who originally wanted to scold or play tricks on the Portuguese player, saw the painful pleading in Rui Costa's eyes, and his heart softened for no reason.

He looked into Rui Costa's eyes and said word by word: "Listen, Poland scored again, and now they are 2-0 ahead!" ”

"That means ......," Figo muttered as he said, a little unconvinced.

"That is, there is still one minute left in the game, and Poland has won." Ling Feng smiled and helped him add: "It also means that our two teams will work together to qualify!" ”

“VIDALONGA!” Long live the Portuguese language sounded on the field, and the Portuguese players were excited to see what to hug and what to hold, and poor Ling Feng was once again pressed to the grass by Figo and Costa.

Looking at the tears in the eyes of the two, Ling Feng had to sigh in his heart, as long as they are players, their biggest dream is to be able to perform themselves in the World Cup, even if it is the World Footballer.

The match ended happily for the players and fans of China and Portugal, with Ling Feng breaking the World Cup record of 14 goals and Portugal joining China in qualifying.

The most thankful thing is the Polish team.

In the final moments, the discouraged Americans conceded another goal as Poland beat their opponents 3-0, giving Portugal a chance and setting an upset.

After conceding 10 goals in the first two games, the Poles proved themselves in the last game, saving face and making the world respect the team that was beaten in the first two games!

All in all, it was a happy ending for everyone except for the U.S. team.

Now, let's wait for the end of Group G to see if China and Italy will top the group together.

The final round of Group E.

There was not much suspense in these two matches, with Germany beating Cameroon 2-0 and Ireland beating Saudi Arabia 3-0 to advance to the round of 16.

Group F.

The most suspenseful Group F match of the Group of Death.

Argentina beat Sweden 3-0 in the final game, with Rabbit Saviola scoring two goals and substitute Crespo also netting a goal.

England beat Nigeria 2-1, so the two rivals joined hands to qualify, while Sweden and Nigeria went home with hatred.

In Group F, Argentina won two wins, one draw and seven points to top the group, England won one win, two draws and five points, Sweden won one win, one draw and one loss and lost three points, while Nigeria lost all three games and ended up hateful.

Group G, undoubtedly one match in Group G is the most important place for the Chinese team, that is, the match between Italy and Mexico.

Both teams won their first two games, which means that the final game will be the one that decides the group position.

Since the dust has settled in Group D where the Chinese team is located, the Chinese team has determined the first place in the group, so that is to say, the result of this game is directly related to who will play the eighths final with the Chinese team!

Neither China nor Portugal wants to meet Italy.

In the same way, Mexico and Italy do not want to meet China - although Portugal is also a strong team, compared to China and China's home advantage, it is undoubtedly much easier to choose Portugal.

With Italy dominating on goal difference, as long as they don't lose this game, they will finish top of the group.

To put it mildly, there is no simpler team in the world than the Italian Baoping.

If Italy wants to defend to the death, it is really that Brazil may not be able to attack the ground.

Although Mexico's strength is not bad in the world, there is still a gap compared to the top level, and it is expected that Italy will not have any problems in this game, and the result will not fluctuate too much.

But Italy is in a bad situation!

No one thought of it, no one thought of it, not even the Mexicans themselves!

Just five minutes into the game, they scored from a corner where centre-forward Boggetty stabbed home in the midst of the chaos.

Just five minutes into the game, Italy trailed by one goal.

This ball is indeed a little depressed, but depressed to depressed, as a traditional strong him, he will soon be able to stabilize the morale of the army and relaunch a counterattack.

However, the Italian team's counter-attack is not very effective now.

The Mexican must have done a lot of research on Italian tactics before the game, and knew Totti and Piero quite thoroughly, and Trapattoni still put Baggio on the bench, I don't know if he intends to use Baggio as a surprise soldier, or if he still doesn't like Baggio so much.

But now the situation on the field is obvious, and the Mexicans are fighting with them!

Piero's shot flew wide, Totti's brilliant breakthrough was saved by the goalkeeper, and Vieri's heavy tank was unable to form a dangerous attack without fire support.

What disappointed the Italian fans was Totti's performance.

As the leader of the new generation of Azzurri, Totti bears the hope of the whole of Italy, the aging Baggio, despite his bravery, is only the brilliant sunset, and Piero's form is good and bad, but the bad times are in major games, which is difficult to reuse.

And Totti, his performance in the Roma team has overshadowed the limelight of Baggio back then, known as the golden boy after Rossi and Piero, he played 26 games for Roma last season, scored 11 goals, and his assist ability is also very strong, helping opponents to score many times.

This point made people see the shadow of Baggio back then, and even more, people compared him with Ling Feng in the same position.

In this World Cup, Trapattoni completely replaced Piero and Baggio with Totti, in the first game against Ecuador, Piero and Baggio were placed on the bench, and in the second game against Croatia, Totti and Piero were arranged to play at the same time, but Baggio was placed on the bench.

When Baggio proved to people that he was not old, Totti felt even more uncomfortable, as the prince of Rome, he didn't want to be in the shadow of anyone, but when it came to this generation of young players, the first thing that came to people's minds was Ling Feng, as well as Ronaldo, etc.; When it comes to the Italian national team, people think more of Baggio.

Living in the shadow of another player is the biggest pain in the heart of a top player, no one wants to be so-and-so second, even Maradona said that the person who will succeed me is himself, not Maradona second.

But the more impatient he became, the more he couldn't play to his level, and people could only see Totti holding his long hair with his hands, but he couldn't create a good chance to score.

Compared with Baggio's power at the last moment of the last game, people can't help but sigh that Totti is really not as good as Baggio.

Many Italian fans have begun to chant Baggio's name, and the melancholy prince glanced at Trapattoni, did not see that he had the idea of letting himself do warm-up exercises, buried his face in his hands, and only left a pair of blue eyes for the camera.

Baggio was really envious of Ling Feng.

His youth, his excellence, and his power to speak for himself in the national team!

No top player is willing to sit on the bench, especially when he's still fit enough and he's got enough quality.

However, Baggio did not like the coach, so he accepted Ling Feng's invitation to go to Florence and enjoy unrestrained football.

He succeeded, winning the treble for two consecutive years, and Baggio's club career was at its peak!

However, he owes himself a World Cup.

The scene eight years ago often comes back to my mind.

Baresi approached him before the World Cup, and the two superstars who missed penalties at the '94 World Cup had a good conversation together, and no one could understand the content of that night's conversation, but a week later, Trapattoni announced the decision to recruit Baggio into the team, and Baggio also said that he would announce his retirement after the World Cup.

In fact, what the two said that day was very simple, that is...... Put it down.

Let go of the incomparable obsession in your heart, end the player's life with the last struggle of your career, no matter what the outcome is, but you have worked hard.

Baggio, Piero, Totti......

A reincarnation......

In the first half of the game, Mexico led by one goal, and in the second half, when Italy had not launched a counterattack, Mexican midfielder Morales's free kick ghostly drilled into the door guarded by Buffon, 2:0, Italy was completely at a disadvantage!

In this world, there are countless players who can score with free kicks, and it depends on the individual performance in the game.

Morales is a free-kick player in Mexico's own league, but he really can't believe his goal.

2:0! Things are not going well in Italy!

In the stands, both Italian and Chinese fans are chanting a name at this time - "Baggio"!

Trapattoni looked at the situation on the field, turned to the veteran on the bench and said, "Go warm up." ”

Baggio began to jog on the sidelines, this move made the atmosphere on the field lively, the fans chanted Baggio's name, and countless little girls screamed loudly, Piero is handsome, Totti is not bad, but compared to Baggio, how to see how to lack that melancholic temperament......

According to statistics, there were about 15,000 Chinese fans who attended the game, and one-third of them were absolutely embraced by Baggio, that is, these people supported Baggio, not the Italian national team, and more than 60% of the fans fell in love with the Italian national team because of Baggio.

Piero and Totti on the field are worried, during this time the two have run more intensely, if Baggio plays, the substitution must be one of the two, no one wants to be replaced, especially at this time to be replaced, if Baggio plays well in the next game, then he will never be able to shake off this shadow!

The fourth official held up a sign...... Number ten, Totti!

It seems that Trapattoni still gave Piero a chance, and it seems that Yutotti, the successor to the number ten, still cannot take over the class of the king Baggio.

Although relieved, Piero is still very depressed, Baggio, Baggio, in the hearts of the fans, he will never be as good as Baggio!

Why is there a gap? When he first debuted, he was also in the limelight, at that time people called him the second-generation Prince Zebra, Baggio's successor, he did not have the slightest unhappiness, in his heart, Baggio, who had already become famous, was his idol, his goal, and he also had the confidence to surpass Baggio and surpass his predecessors.

In the end, Baggio left Juventus, and the fans of the Prince of Melancholy pointed arrows at him, Piero was very wronged, he did nothing, but the fans said that they had robbed Baggio of his place.

Baggio didn't say anything himself, because he knew that it wasn't a player who could steal his position, whether it was the national team or the club, it was the manager and the ruling class who really didn't like him.

But Piero himself doesn't think so, people talk too much, and he thinks that if he grabs Baggio's position, then he must surpass Baggio!

He trained desperately, played desperately, but the extreme must be reversed, his pressure was getting bigger and bigger, he was originally spiritual, he was crushed by his own pressure, finally, he was injured, injured in the last game before the World Cup, and Baggio's Florent Chen Yi in the European Champions Cup final!

He missed the World Cup because of that injury, but he didn't know that that regret actually saved his career, and he never knew it for the rest of his life, and the fall of the Earth Double Star after 98 years did not happen.

Ronaldo and Piero, the pair of hopeful stars who were once favored by people, all fell after the 98 World Cup, both spiritually and technically.

But Ronaldo is luckier than Piero, because Ling Feng, the key figure who changed history, is close friends with him, but the relationship between Ling Feng and Piero is not very good.

Ling Feng bought aliens from Inter Milan at a high price and cured the root of his disease, so that the aliens could continue to gallop on the field, while Piero was still suffering from self-pity and suffering from the inability to participate in the 98 World Cup, and continued to live in the shadow of his predecessor Baggio, as well as his peers Ling Feng, Ronaldo and others.

Although he was not reduced to a penalty striker as he was in history, he could not reach the heights of the 97-98 season, and in the 2000 European Championship final, he missed two one-on-one chances at the last moment, making him the sinner of Qianfu!

Now that Baggio is back, fighting with him on the field, he feels that he should do something instead of doing nothing, and he wants to show Italy and the world that Baggio is not the only one.

Baggio's presence was a huge morale boost for the Italians, especially on the counter-attack, as the pivotal Baggio and the two centre-backs in the backline, Nesta and Cannavaro, worked together so well that they were able to sharpen the ball to the feet of Baggio near midfield with little to no need for Tomasi's thread.

Five years of cooperation, it's not just talking!

In the seventeenth minute of the second half, Nesta made a long pass in front of the penalty area, and Vieri jumped high and headed the ball to Baggio who met him, and the Italian team got an excellent counterattack!

At this time, Mexico had four defensive players. And Baggio, Piero and Vieri rushed forward at the same time, and after breaking through Luna's defense, they immediately formed a three-dozen situation!

At this time, the only way is to defend with man-to-man.

Vieri in the middle, Piero on the right and Baggio on the left, all three can form a threatening attack at any time!

Baggio quickly broke forward, keeping an eye on his teammates running in the middle, Marcos, who was close to him and defending, couldn't intercept his ball at all, but Baggio was waiting, he knew that it was very difficult to break into the penalty area, and he waited for his teammates to create a gap for him.

Soon, the positions of the three have crossed into the penalty area, Vieri in the middle, Piero at the back point!

Based on Baggio's experience, it was immediately judged that the two had almost equal chances, and as long as the ball was passed in front of them, they could score it with their strength.

To whom?

Vieri's location is a bit easier, but ......

Baggio saw Piero squeeze his body against his rival while Vieri had already raised his hand for the ball.

With a ruthless heart, Baggio knocked the ball, flashed past Marcos, and rubbed his right foot against the ground!

The ball is given to Piero at the back point!

The blue figure rushed up behind the Mexican player and sent the ball in the air into the door with a beautiful header!

Prince Piero of Zebras!

In the seventeenth minute of the second half, Piero scored with a header after receiving a pass from Baggio, helping Italy narrow the gap to one goal, and also scored his first goal in World Cup history!

Shocked, still shocked.

Perhaps Piero's goal was nothing, and his first goal in World Cup history was exciting news for Piero fans, but for Baggio fans, they were even more surprised as to why Baggio chose to pass to Piero.

Because it was obvious that if Vieri was given the ball, Baggio would have been less difficult to pass the ball, and he could even pass the ball directly with his left foot to the heavy tank Vieri without having to do that difficult stopping.

But he gave it to Piero, and he should know that in such a rare opportunity, if he makes a mistake, it will be fatal, for Italy, for himself, fatal.

Baggio smiled lightly and walked lonely to the backfield.

He and Piero, that is a fateful rival, he doesn't blame him, but the relationship between the two can only be said to be average.

Suddenly hearing the wind behind him, Baggio turned back in amazement, and saw Piero rushing up quickly, hugging himself tightly.

"Thank you, thank you!" Perhaps at this time, the excited Piero could only replace the excitement in his heart with this sentence, and the melancholy prince smiled happily and reached out to hug Piero.

This scene was captured by reporters, in the photo, whether it is Piero or Baggio, the two former princes of Italy hugged each other tightly with tears in their eyes, at this moment, the seven-year grudge was over, and the two former princes stood together again.

Many fans burst into tears on the spot, many of them witnessed Baggio's bumpy years at Juventus, they witnessed the rise of Piero, and they have always been people who quarrel endlessly for Baggio's grievances and Piero's inequality.

The hug between the two rivals in this game made the fans feel a lot of emotion.

It was Baggio's last World Cup and Piero's first World Cup goal.

Perhaps, this is the fate in the legend......

Think about it, nothing can be more touching than such a pair of enemies hugging each other tightly, Ling Feng in front of the TV also had a sour nose, he thought of the 06 World Cup quarterfinals, Germany vs. Argentina, before the penalty shootout, the door god Kahn, who had been angry because of the loss of position, walked in front of Lehmann, shook hands with him tightly, and hugged him tightly.

Before the victory or defeat of the national competition, all personal grievances were insignificant, and the scene of Kahn and Lehmann hugging moved that summer, the whole of Germany and the fans around the world.

And today, the embrace of Baggio and Piero touched the whole of Italy and moved the whole world of football!

Ling Feng wiped the corners of his eyes, but suddenly saw his teammates of the Chinese team looking at him curiously one by one, and couldn't help but scold: "***, the sand is lost, what to see, give Lao Tzu a good look at the game!" ”

Everyone smiled and turned their heads, and Yang Hui, the youngest, muttered, "Where did the sand come from in the house?" Hao Haidong covered his mouth.

Yang Hui looked at the big brother in the national team strangely, but the latter smiled meaningfully: "You are still young, you don't understand, this is the real World Cup ......"

There was also a ball, and the Italian team went on the offensive.

The goal just now made Piero seem to have taken a doping, running tirelessly on the field, passing, people can see that the number of cooperation between him and Baggio has increased, and it has also directly caused a qualitative change in the Italian team's attack!

Italian fans should have fainted happily, and it is rare to see Italy play such a game.

In the thirty-third minute of the second half, the flowers that had been blooming all the time finally became fruits!

Piero and Baggio's clever combination in front of the penalty area managed to tear apart the opposition's defence, and then Vieri received Piero's cross and fired home to help Italy equalise!

The Chinese fans in front of the TV, as well as Ling Feng, were collectively relieved.

Finally caught up, this quarter-final against Mexico, how can it be easier than playing Italy!

Especially, after seeing Baggio and Piero reconcile, the ghost knows how much effect these two guys will have when combined, there is also a Totti, and Vieri, and there are two perverts behind Cannavaronesta, the pervert of Buffon!

Let's let Portugal entangle with them, and forgive Uncle Ling Feng for not accompanying him!

But Ling Feng doesn't know, the Chinese players don't know, and the Italian players don't know either, there is a strange creature in this world, whose name is the author, and its biggest hobby is to abuse the protagonist for pleasure......

Just as everyone was preparing to celebrate, China would avoid Italy and play Mexico in the quarterfinals, when the change occurred.

It's Morales again, it's a free-kick again!

In stoppage time, Morales made another free kick into the door of the Italian team!

3:2! In the final moments, the Mexicans took the lead again and held the lead until the end!

Everyone was dumbfounded, this is inevitable, and it is a little too dramatic!

It's just to say that this Morales really has two brushes, but this guy is a parallel product, poor Real Madrid President Perez, spent a lot of money after the World Cup to buy back this guy known as the "king of a new generation of free kicks", who knows that a free kick in a season did not score!

This is a later story, so I won't mention it for the time being.

Ling Feng almost smashed the TV, and said one sentence over and over again: "I'll kill a certain ice!" ”

Hao Haidong looked helpless, looked at a group of people hugging Ling Feng tightly, and only said one sentence: "Don't play, go back and prepare, think about how to get Italian ......"