Lin Hai Ting Tao
Chapter 272
Five-star red flag, I am proud of you!
Cheer for you, bless you,
Your name is more important than my life!
Red flag fluttering, red flag fluttering, the soaring ambition flies higher and higher like white clouds.
Red flag fluttering, red flag fluttering, the young heart will never grow old!
--Many years later, Sun Nan's "Red Flag Fluttering" is still the favorite of the older generation of Chinese fans.
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The atmosphere in the Brazilian team's locker room was not relaxed, because the Chinese team was more difficult to deal with than they had imagined.
Pereira reminded his men, "Everyone felt it personally in the first half. The Chinese team is not as weak as some people said before the game. We can say that the two teams were evenly matched in the first half, but they just lacked some luck. In the second half, we must seize the opportunity and score a goal at the beginning. 2:0 is safer than 1:0."
Kaka listened to the head coach's arrangements for the second half tactics, but his mind was wandering. He really wanted to know what the Chinese team's locker room was like at this time, and what Zhang Jun was like.
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"If that ball had gone in, it would still be a tie! What a pity! Tsk tsk!"
"Yeah, yeah! We played so well in the first fifteen minutes!"
In the Chinese team's locker room, some players were not satisfied with the score. They felt that they had more opportunities, but they led to the current backward situation because they did not seize them.
Zhang Jun did not participate. He sat on the bench, head down and silent, definitely still regretting that goalpost.
Qiu Suhui knocked on the tactical board to silence everyone.
"I know you are very dissatisfied with the result of the first half, very unwilling, and feel that at least it should be a draw. It is good to have this kind of momentum, but don't be blindly confident, so as to be conceited. You have to see who our opponent is. The Brazilian team is not an opponent that can be defeated by momentum alone. We still need to pay attention to strategy."
Some players nodded, because Qiu Suhui was right.
"In the second half, we will switch to defensive counterattack. We can't let Brazil play defensive counterattack, that is the most dangerous thing. Also, seize any set-piece opportunity. We have practiced set pieces for so long, it's not a waste of effort. The opening game is very special. No matter how strong a team is, they can't show their full strength in this kind of occasion. On the contrary, we are more motivated as challengers. This is a global live broadcast. Whether we win or draw, we are heroes. The pressure is always on the other side. We have nothing to worry about, anyway, we have 'rotten lives'." Qiu Suhui spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. The last sentence made everyone laugh, and the serious and oppressive atmosphere just now disappeared all of a sudden.
"From now on, you must firmly remember, not only this game, but all the remaining games in this World Cup, we must think like this: We are only participating in the World Cup for the second time, we have nothing to begin with, so we don't have to worry about losing anything timidly. We can afford to lose more than any other team, but once we win, we qualify for the group, we are heroes! Great heroes! Momentum is not omnipotent, but without momentum, nothing is possible. I hope everyone can maintain this momentum in the remaining games. At the same time," Qiu Suhui emphasized, "Don't underestimate any opponent. With our current reputation, strength and status, we are not qualified to underestimate any team."
Some people lowered their heads, probably blushing for the contempt in their hearts in the first half. Qiu Suhui was right. Now anyone can look down on them, but they are not qualified to look down on others. When will they win glory for Chinese football in the international football world, have achievements, and then they can hold their heads high.
Historically, the status of the Chinese men's football team in Asia and in the hearts of many people has been very low. Many people use scolding them to show their football expertise and to show that they are true fans. Although this approach is not right, the result is also caused by these players themselves. Who told them to be so disappointing for so many years? Now this World Cup, this opening game has given them a chance. Qiu Suhui wanted to make them clear:
Respect must be earned by oneself, not waiting for others to give it away.
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The fifteen-minute half-time break was too long for the anxiously waiting fans, but too short for the players. When Qiu Suhui finished explaining what should be explained, the time was almost up. He waved his hand to let the players go out and prepare to play.
Just as he walked out of the locker room door, Zhang Jun suddenly grabbed Yang Pan and Li Yongle: "I think we should equalize the score as soon as possible, otherwise it will be bad if the Brazilian team widens the score again."
"I think so too, but it's not easy to score a goal." Li Yongle shrugged, "Brazil's defense is not strong, but their attack is strong enough, always suppressing our midfield, and can't give you support in the front." He is the Chinese team's midfield engine, and he has a deep feeling for the situation in the first half. The Chinese team's midfield, which seems to be the strongest of the three lines, has been suppressed by the Brazilian team's frontcourt since the middle of the first half, and has not done much.
Yang Pan nodded in agreement with Li Yongle's view. For a while in the first half, his attacking midfielder became a full-back.
Zhang Jun didn't think so. He said to the two, "I know that we have absolute control of the ball at least once—when we kick off in the second half." He held out a finger, "Yang Pan, do you remember the first goal we scored in the first game of the high school league?"
Yang Pan was stunned for a moment, and then recalled carefully. He and Zhang Jun had cooperated for so many years, and they had played countless games and scored countless goals in those three years of high school. How could he still remember how the first goal was scored? In the end, Li Yongle reminded him: "The first opponent was CITIC Heavy Machinery, a strong team at the time..." As Zhang Jun's biggest opponent in his student days, he naturally knew everything about Zhang Jun, and this first goal would not be so easy to forget.
Yang Pan patted his forehead: "I remember! That ball, right? Don't tell me you were thinking about this during the half-time break without saying a word?"
Zhang Jun smiled and said, "Yes, that's what I plan to do."
Li Yongle was a little surprised: "Our success rate is too low if we do that, right?" He knew how difficult it was for them to cooperate with that ball, which they had never practiced deliberately.
Zhang Jun patted Li Yongle: "With you, a long pass freak, we are already half successful."
Yang Pan thought for a while, then nodded: "Okay, I think this is worth a try. Even if it doesn't succeed, it can scare them."
Both of them agreed, and Li Yongle naturally had no objection.
The three of them knew how the ball was scored, so naturally they didn't need to get together to discuss how to do it. They went straight to the field, they had wasted a lot of time.
They were indeed the last three to appear on the field. The atmosphere was as warm as before, making people's blood boil. The moment Zhang Jun stepped onto the field, he thought of his father. He had been forcing himself not to think about it, for fear of being distracted. But somehow he thought of it at this critical moment.
His father was his enlightenment teacher on the road to football, but after he brought himself into the palace of football, he failed to see the day when he truly succeeded. Dad, I am on the World Cup field now, can you see it?
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Mom was sitting in the empty Luoyang home. She rejected all the media who came to interview and film the Yao Dao's home, and wanted to watch her son's game quietly with her husband. She sat on the sofa, with her husband's photo on the seat next to her. Watching Zhang Jun and Yang Pan running out of the tunnel, she turned her head and said to the photo next to her: "The second half is about to start, Weiguo."
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"I really want to know what countermeasures the Chinese team will take in the second half. After fifteen minutes in the first half, the Brazilian team took a clear advantage. Now the Brazilian team is leading, and they can play whatever they want. What will the Chinese team do?" During the fifteen-minute half-time break, Wang Jianxiang was making various guesses about the second half like an ordinary fan, and then said it out when he started working.
He is a football commentator on the one hand, but also a die-hard Chinese fan on the other. Now, it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to distinguish between these two identities.
The players from both sides stood on the field, preparing to kick off. Wang Jianxiang turned off the microphone, took a sip of water, cleared his throat, and then turned on the microphone again, preparing to start working.
"Good evening, audience friends! We are now broadcasting live from the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, for the opening game of the 2006 World Cup in Germany! The two sides in the battle are the defending champion Brazil and China. Now the second half of the game between the two sides is about to begin! China is 0:1 behind in the first half. Neither side made any personnel adjustments in the second half. The second half will be kicked off by China. What kind of start will they bring us?" Wang Jianxiang really felt that the Chinese team played well in the first fifteen minutes of the first half. It would be great if they could maintain this in the second half.
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Zhang Jun stepped on the ball with one foot, turned his head to look at Li Yongle and Yang Pan. The two winked at him, both knowing what to do. Yang Pan is an attacking midfielder, but he stands on the right sideline like a right midfielder, ready to sprint at any time.
"When the kick-off starts, I will pass the ball to you, and you will pass it directly to Li Yongle in the back." Zhang Jun instructed Wu Shangshan again. If he didn't make it clear, it would be all in vain if he passed the ball to someone else.
Wu Shangshan nodded without objection.
Merk stood outside the center circle, and then, under the gaze of everyone, blew the whistle to kick off.
Zhang Jun took a deep breath, kicked the ball to Wu Shangshan, and then rushed forward directly. At the same time, Yang Pan on the sideline also ran wildly along the sideline to the baseline at the speed of a 100-meter sprint.
Wu Shangshan really passed the ball directly back to Li Yongle, Li Yongle stopped the ball again, and then looked up to find someone.
Qiu Suhui saw the kick-off before returning to his seat and sitting down. He was still thinking about what adjustments to make when he was 0:1 behind, and his eyes were a little wandering and absent-minded as he looked at the field.
Li Yongle clearly judged Yang Pan's route and Zhang Jun's follow-up speed. He knew it was time to act.
Swing the right leg, long pass!
The football flew from the Chinese team's backcourt to the right baseline of the field.
Due to the problem of the TV broadcast angle, many people think that there are no Chinese players in that place.
"The Chinese team's long pass launches an attack, but it seems to be a bit too forceful. Maybe no one can catch this ball."
Even many Chinese fans thought it was over after seeing Li Yongle kick the ball. Who can catch such a shot? Even if you barely catch the ball, how can you control it? How to cross? The Chinese players are too impatient! They wasted a ball control opportunity in vain!
But as the camera quickly switched—or rather, as the football switched, because the camera was moving with the football—they saw a red figure as fast as lightning, a number 7.
"My God! Yang! His speed is so fast that even the camera can't keep up!" the German commentator exclaimed. It wasn't that he didn't see Yang Pan, he was just surprised that Yang Pan could run so fast.
Just as Yang Pan was trying his best to chase the ball, Zhang Jun in the middle was also sprinting into the penalty area. He was a little slower, but the time was absolutely just right.
Li Yongle's long pass was just right. Yang Pan managed to catch up with his full sprint speed. This speed made Carlos willingly admit defeat—they opened up a position. But what if he catches the ball? How to handle the ball in this high-speed state? Even if he stopped the ball, Carlos would force it up.
Yang Pan gritted his teeth, accelerated again, took two big steps, and then he flew out, swung his right foot, and crossed directly in the air!
"Cross directly?! Who can keep up..."
Like this German commentator, many Brazilian fans don't know what Yang Pan is doing, except to give the ball to Brazilian players, what else is the use.
Dida took a few steps back, preparing to catch the ball. The center-back Juan in front of him jumped up reflexively, but not really to head the ball, because he heard a voice behind him shouting: "I'll catch it!"
So he didn't jump with all his strength at all.
Kaka noticed a person that almost all Brazilian players hadn't noticed, and he shouted anxiously: "Be careful! There is someone in the middle..." Before he finished speaking, he saw a red figure No. 11 suddenly jumping up in a high-speed sprint, gliding in the air with his arms outstretched like a bomber. He jumped much higher than Juan, and all the Brazilian defenders were stunned by the Chinese team player who almost came out of nowhere. They all didn't expect that anyone could catch this ball.
Dida jumped up, ready to take the ball. The football in his sight suddenly disappeared, replaced by a red shadow and a somewhat blurred number: 11.
Yang Pan's cross was also just right, just at the height of his forehead. At that moment, Zhang Jun didn't feel like he was on the World Cup field. He seemed to be back in high school, Captain Su Li's long pass, Yang Pan caught up with the ball and then crossed directly, he followed up with a header, and the ball went in. Then there were cheers all around... In that small stadium, the cheers of more than two hundred people sounded like they were at the World Cup.
"Zhang Jun header! Dida...the ball...the ball is in! The ball is in!! The ball is in!! The ball is in!!! The ball is in!!! The ball is in--!!! This is the first goal in the history of the Chinese team in the World Cup! The ball, the ball is in! A beautiful header! Zhang Jun! The ball is in! Only eight seconds into the second half! The ball is in..." Wang Jianxiang was incoherent, because at this moment he was crying, with tears streaming down his face. He didn't know what he was shouting at all, but he wanted to shout, shout until his voice was hoarse and he couldn't shout anymore.
At that moment, the entire China was shouting like this at the moment when the football hit the net. If you opened the window, you would definitely hear someone yelling like Wang Jianxiang in the middle of the night: "The ball is in! The ball is in!!"
Some people even set off firecrackers. They had prepared it long ago, but they didn't know how long it would take to come in handy. They didn't expect it to be lit so quickly now.
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Zhang Jun turned his head and watched the ball hit the net. Did it really go in? He actually scored the first goal for the Chinese team?
Am I dreaming?
Although he planned this attack, he didn't expect it to go so smoothly. It was not until the deafening cheers of the Allianz Arena brought him back to reality.
Yes, I scored! !
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Qiu Suhui jumped up before warming up the leather seat. He was still thinking about how to play when he was 0:1 behind, but the Chinese team equalized the score by themselves. This is simply... a classic raid!
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His teammates swarmed up frantically, hugged him tightly, cheering, screaming, slapping hard... At this time, they were more united than ever before.
"Hey, Zhang Jun. You are the main striker. You are the most suspicious of being the first to score a goal. Tell me, how do you plan to celebrate after scoring a goal? This is an action that will be recorded in history!" An Ke asked this unrelated question one day when he was very bored.
At that time, Zhang Jun thought for a long time and didn't know how to answer An Ke's question. He rarely deliberately prepared celebration moves. Before scoring a goal, those tricks were all fake.
Some gossipy reporters also asked Zhang Jun the same question, and he refused to answer without thinking. Li Yan also asked him as a friend, and everyone seemed to be looking forward to the first goal of the Chinese team in the World Cup in this way.
Now the opportunity has come, but he is dumbfounded and doesn't know what to do.
The frantic celebration ended under the intervention of the referee, and Zhang Jun woke up. He looked at the stands full of red flags, and saw the five-star red flag logo on his chest in his peripheral vision. He thought he had found the most suitable celebration move.
He grabbed his collar with his right hand, lifted the national flag, and then lowered his head to give the national flag on his chest an application kiss in front of the Chinese fans' stands and in front of countless five-star red flags.
This later became the most classic scene in the memory of countless Chinese fans, together with that beautiful raid, Wang Jianxiang's incoherent but passionate roar, coupled with Sun Nan's "Red Flag Fluttering", which will still be talked about by the Chinese people many years later.
And his action of kissing the national flag after scoring a goal for the national team has almost become like the old soldier Shearer's celebration action of raising his hand, and has never been changed.