Chapter 113: Honor and First Place
Former world champions France said goodbye to the World Cup in a scandalous run after three rounds of Group A, but South Africa, who won the tournament, were the only ones to comfort themselves with this victory, after all, they were the hosts of the first group stage exit in the history of the World Cup.
Uruguay and Mexico appeared hand in hand, and the early exit of former world champions France and host South Africa was indeed somewhat unexpected, but the result has already appeared, even if it is surprise, sighing, and chaotic feelings are all vented, but it cannot change the result.
But fortunately, there was no bigger scandal, at least France did not choose to strike on their own initiative, but they chose passive resistance, and finally lost 1:2, the former pride of the sky, the Gallic rooster, in the eyes of the people to go home, they will face a painful and long period of reconstruction.
Of course, the rebuilding has nothing to do with Domenech, from the pre-match warm-up training, Domenech is like an outsider, when the French team players get together to motivate each other, the old coach Domenech walks around the field with his hands behind his back like no one.
At this time, the live DJ began to broadcast the French team's roster, and the French fans in the stands cheered them thunderously every time the name of a player was read, but when the DJ read Domenech's name, the audience booed.
After the preparations, the French team began to practice passing and receiving the ball, and it was only then that Domenech came to the middle of them, and exchanged a few words with the assistant coach next to him as he watched, and it was clear that he had not completely lost control of the team, at least in the eyes of the outside world.
Domenech chose to return to the dugout when he saw that South Africa had the upper hand after the game began, and then a goalkeeper mistake and a stupid red card for Gourcuff made Domenech bow his head, and the hapless manager, who has been pointed at and scolded since taking office, became the biggest laughing stock in the history of French football.
There is no point in saying anything now, French football is destined to be overturned, the former World Cup champions, European Championship champions, have no face to be mentioned here, all that remains is to struggle during the labor pains, and then look forward to the bright future.
Maybe there can be a ~~~~~~~~ this!
Then came the Group B match, with two matches being played at the same time, one for the top of the group and the other for honour.
In addition to Belgium in this World Cup, the most closely related to Degan in addition to Brazil, where the old brother Kaka is located, is the motherland of his girlfriend Park Ji-yeon, South Korea's record in the first five World Cups can be said to be quite dismal, until the end of the 1998 World Cup in France, the South Korean team has not won a World Cup, let alone advanced to the group.
Until the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, the South Korean team successfully advanced to the round of 16 with two wins and one draw in the group stage with the advantage of the hosts, but the promotion of the Koreans was not convincing that time.
In the following 2006 World Cup in Germany, South Korea defeated Togo in the group stage but was still eliminated, and many media at that time also brought up the old story, using the farce of 2002 to satirize South Korean football "You can't play without your homeland".
This time the troops sent to South Africa, the signs of South Korean football adaptation are still continuing, the first 1:4 defeat to Argentina, the second stop is under the gaze of the people, Belgium led by South Korea's son-in-law Digan was beaten to death and humiliated, singing a naked version of "Little Apple".
"You're my little apple, I can't love you too much!"
However, in the last game against South Africa, the South Koreans still had some gains, at least Xu Dingmao's most relied on scorer finally scored, Lao Xu's ironclad expression finally relaxed, and the biggest problem of the South Korean team that had plagued him for many days was finally released in today's game against Nigeria.
As Monaco's top scorer last season, Park Joo-yong's task is, of course, to rely on his own goals to help the South Korean team get a victory, but in the first two games, Park Joo-yong only scored an own goal, how can Park Joo-yong stand it?
And the free kick that I felt quite in the league was either a little off, or it popped up on the head, and all the unhappiness and bad luck disappeared after today's game, Park Joo-young scored the first direct free kick in the real sense of this World Cup, and he also became the 19th player in the history of South Korea to score in the World Cup.
Park Joo-young's free kick reminds people of Shunsuke Nakamura to some extent, but as soon as Nakamura-kun arrives at the World Cup, the free kick footwork can't be recovered.
Park Joo-yong can score, first of all, I have to thank the captain, the self-esteem of South Korean football Park Ji-sung, of course, this self-esteem has almost been broken by Digan in the last game, but Park Ji-sung's performance in this game is still very good, he made a very valuable tactical cover, the Nigerian wall he chose to squeeze in on the right, so that the Nigerian players hurried to him, in fact, just to give Park Joo-young a valuable free kick channel.
Park Joo-young also knew that the opportunity was rare, and the outside of his right foot rubbed the far corner, and the full moon scimitar drawn from the left side was quite wonderful and drilled directly into the Nigerian goal.
After the game, people didn't quite understand why FIFA gave Park Ji-sung the best on the spot, did the relevant personnel know this South Korean player?
Mo said that compared with Park Joo-yong, Ji Chengyong's feeling is also better than Park Ji-sung, there is no doubt that in terms of offensive enthusiasm, Park Joo-yong is the best in the team, three games are like this, and today is in great shape, with five shots on goal, all of which are banging, three of which pose a major threat, and also scored a goal.
In the game, Park Zhouyong entered the penalty area many times, singled out the opponent's double central defenders, it was simple to say, but it was really sweaty for Park Zhouyong when he actually thought about it.
Yabo, the old qualified defender of Everton, he was in the team when the Chinese Shuangli joined the team, and now he is the absolute main force that has stood for many years in the Toffees, and the 182CM Park Zhouyong is placed in East Asia, and he is not tall, nor is he a strong center, compared with the Nigerian double central defender, the whole body is even smaller.
But the stubbornness of the Koreans is very happy in today's Park Joo-yong, who has a solid confrontation with the opposing defenders again and again, not to simply knock them down, but to constantly look for opportunities to share the ball with teammates in the confrontation, and try to tear apart the opponent's defense.
I must sigh that if you put the shamelessness aside, the bloodiness of Korean football and the wisdom hidden under the bravery are indeed worthy of admiration.
It's a pity that the scores of Park Joo-young and Lee Jung-so failed to help the South Korean team win a victory for honor in the end, and it was a tie with Nigeria, and this honor and self-esteem may only be half of the family.
The other match to be played at the same time is between Belgium and Argentina, which have won both of their previous games and will have a direct bearing on who will win the group.
Judging from the pre-game, Belgium obviously have a better chance, as long as they draw to top the group, although this first place does not mean much, Uruguay and Mexico, basically the same.
But for the core players of both sides, Messi and Degan, it is different, the two have played against each other many times before, whether it is the Champions League or the Olympic Games, Messi has not even won once, this is the first competition in the World Cup, both of them are holding back their strength, Messi wants to overturn the mountain called Degan that is pressing on his head, and Degan is ready to continue to defend his advantage over Messi and win the game.
Although Maradona once said that Digan is the world's No. 1, but in the World Cup, as the head coach of Argentina, he has no reason not to help his own people, although this game has nothing to do with the right to qualify, but he still lined up all the elite soldiers, just to help Messi reach the top smoothly.
The goalkeeper is Romero, Gutiérrez, Samuel, Demichelis, Heinze in the backline, Mascherano, Veron, Di Maria in the midfield, Tevez, Higuain, Messi in the forward line.
Belgium were a little more relaxed, with Mignolet in goal, Van Bitten, Vertonghen, Kompany and Pokognoli at the back, Fellaini, Simons and De Bruyne in midfield, Dembele up front, and Digan partnering Milaras up front.
It can be said that Belgium basically used this game as a training force, but after the announcement of this starting lineup, it caused the ball king Maradona to jump like thunder.
"The Belgians clearly don't have enough respect for the World Cup, and if you look at their starting line-up, it's unforgivable that they use the World Cup as a training ground!"
Mr. Maradona's reaction was a little over-the-top and a little inexplicable, who people are willing to send to the game is their own business, you old man is excited!
Is it possible that you have to let all the main forces in the family fight with you to the death, and you are happy?
Moreover, the game has not started yet, even if it is this lineup, Belgium is not lost, you are making such a good fuss now, once the game is lost, won't these words be used by those unscrupulous reporters as important evidence of their own slap in the face?
All right!
In any case, coach Antienes did not change his starting line-up in response to Mr. Maradona's anger, and the battle for the top spot in the group between Belgium and Argentina began at the same time that South Korea and Nigeria were playing another game for glory.
When the players of the two teams entered, played the national anthem, and the players on both sides shook hands, people found an interesting scene, when Digan walked in front of Messi, he was obviously stunned for a moment, and then he stretched out his hand and took the initiative to shake Messi's hand together, and the screen clearly showed that when the two people shook hands, Digan was indeed laughing.
This picture will also be used as a decisive evidence in the future, when the dust settles on something, and it has been repeatedly hyped by the media for a long time.