Lin Hai Ting Tao
Chapter 1109 Being Off the Field is Also Core
He Ying's goal helped the Chinese team pull one back. Although they were still behind, their performance was no longer as clumsy as before.
This goal gave the Chinese team more confidence.
When the game restarted, the Chinese team played with more organization. Their strategy was clear: to counterattack when possible while maintaining a solid defense.
Because their confidence had increased, the Chinese team's performance also improved, which in turn gave them more opportunities.
Just two minutes after their goal, Yan Min passed the ball into the penalty area, where Gao Lin received it and made a clever pass to He Ying. He Ying shot from a narrow angle on the right, but the ball was saved by Bravo.
"Bravo! He made a brilliant save, stopping the Chinese team's attack!" the Chilean commentator shouted. "The Chinese team's attack has been fierce during this period, which is a test for Bravo..."
In the forty-second minute, the Chinese team launched another attack, reaching the frontcourt. Yan Min charged left and right on the wing, making the Chilean defense look flustered. In the end, Vidal couldn't bear it any longer and kicked Yan Min to the ground.
"Vidal's action... is obviously fueled by anger. Yan Min's flexible breakthrough has caused some mental imbalance in the Chilean players... But this action should be a card, but the referee, Doue, showed no reaction, which is not right..." Duan Xin was not satisfied with the referee's decision.
If Vidal could be booked with a yellow card in the first half, it would affect his performance in the second half as a key midfielder, indirectly affecting Chile's performance.
As a result, no yellow card was given, and Vidal escaped.
"...There is no doubt that Vidal should have been given a yellow card for that action. The referee was lenient..." Zhang Lu also indirectly criticized the referee's inconsistent standards.
Although no yellow card was given, the Chinese team got a free kick on the edge of the field.
Zheng Zhi took the free kick.
He sent a high ball into the penalty area.
Although Guo Nu was not tall, his judgment of the ball's landing point was very accurate. Coupled with his amazing explosiveness and jumping ability, he managed to snatch the ball in front of the goal amidst a forest of taller players!
"Guo Nu - Lion Shakes its Head!"
The ball flew straight at the goal from such a close distance. Goalkeeper Bravo didn't have time to save it. He made a move, but he was clearly too slow...
Just when everyone thought the ball was going into the goal, it slammed hard against the crossbar and bounced out of the baseline!
"Oh!" Duan Xin slapped his thigh in regret. "The crossbar! The crossbar blocked Guo Nu's header! So close, so close, the Chinese team could have tied the score before the end of the first half!"
"Wow!! The crossbar blocked the Chinese team's header! Guo Nu is only 1.77 meters tall, but he was able to get to the ball among so many people in the penalty area! What were our people doing? The Chinese team's attack has been too fierce during this period. Our players' performance after losing the ball is completely different from before... Fortunately, the crossbar saved our lives! Now the first half is about to end, and Sampaoli must make adjustments during the halftime break!" The Chilean TV commentator rejoiced.
Sampaoli on the sidelines was indeed dissatisfied with the team's performance during this period. Seeing Guo Nu hit the ball on the crossbar, almost scoring, he was furious and kept ranting.
Lippi regretted that Guo Nu's goal didn't go in.
Guo Nu himself was also shocked that the ball didn't go in. He held his head in his hands, looking incredulous. Even when he turned to run back, his hands didn't come down from his head...
After running back to the penalty area, Sun Pan couldn't help but "mock" him: "Embarrassing! Old Guo. With your ability, how could you not score that goal?"
Guo Nu retorted: "If you can do it, you, you... you go up there!"
Sun Pan was speechless – he really couldn't go up, or the goal would be empty.
He didn't expect to be silenced by the stuttering Guo Nu...
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Guo Nu's header hitting the post was the last threatening attack by either side in the first half.
In the next few minutes, neither side organized any decent attacks.
Doue, the referee from Côte d'Ivoire, blew the whistle for the end of the first half.
"...The first half is over, and the Chinese team is temporarily behind Chile with a score of 1:2. But after conceding two goals in three minutes, people are already very satisfied that the Chinese team was able to pull one back, especially since Guo Nu almost tied the score for the Chinese team before the end of the first half. The Chinese team's performance in the second half of the first half has given everyone hope, and I believe they will definitely achieve something in the second half!" Duan Xin said.
"The most important thing is that they have calmed down their minds. They were too nervous before, which led to some mistakes. In fact, we can see that the Chinese team's strength on paper is not weaker than the Chilean team. As long as their minds are right and they perform normally, we can still compete with Chile." Zhang Lu added.
"Yes, hopefully Coach Lippi can come up with some solutions during the halftime break, and hopefully our lads can maintain this state and bring us hope in the second half. Okay, that's all for the first half's commentary. We'll see you in the second half!"
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In the locker room, Lippi, through a translator, praised the team's performance after falling behind by two goals in the first half.
"...The key is not whether we concede a goal or not, but what we do after conceding a goal. You guys did a good job in that regard." Lippi said with a lollipop in his mouth. Since FIFA imposed a comprehensive smoking ban on the World Cup, people have never seen the classic image of Lippi puffing on a big cigar in 2006 again.
"Guo Nu's header at the end of the first half was good. Although it didn't go in, it sounded the alarm for Chile, making them realize that leading by only one goal is not safe. So if Chile invests more troops in attack in the second half, then we will have a chance to counterattack. But what if they are satisfied with a one-goal lead? It doesn't matter, we have the ability to tear through their defense and send the ball into their goal. Because we have excellent raiders."
Speaking of this, Lippi pointed to Yan Min.
This was considered a praise for Yan Min's performance in the first half.
Yan Min's performance in the first half was indeed worthy of praise. Except for the beginning when they conceded two goals in a row, he didn't have much to show, but after that, he was very active in the attack, and all of the Chinese team's threatening attacks came from him.
After losing Zhou Yi, the organizer, Lippi made the Chinese team's attack simpler, more direct, and more violent.
Although this was a bit less technical, it was the most efficient alternative.
Since the Chinese team lacked a high-level organizer, and Zheng Zhi's level couldn't reach Zhou Yi's level, why not simply give up the idea of organizing?
So Yan Min's role in this tactic was very important. Because he could now be said to be the Chinese team's most capable player, with his fast speed, good technique, flexibility, and agility, he could cross and shoot. Who else could it be but him?
Yan Min was very happy with Lippi's praise, and he straightened his chest while sitting in his seat.
"Remember, we are a whole. Everyone is very important, even those who are sitting on the bench and haven't played. We must fight as a whole, and everyone in the team will fight side by side with you." Lippi opened his arms as if he wanted to embrace everyone in the locker room.
As a world-class coach who had led teams to win the World Cup, Lippi's words naturally had a kind of magic that made people easily believe him. This was the personal charm of the coach, and it was also a manifestation of authority.
And he also knew how to use Zhou Yi, even if Zhou Yi couldn't play...
"There's still some time." He raised his hand and looked at his watch, then said to Zhou Yi, "Zhou Yi, why don't you say a few words?"
He knew that Zhou Yi was a smart man and would definitely not refuse him out of modesty or shyness.
Sure enough, Zhou Yi was not surprised or declined, and just stood up from his seat and said to his teammates: "Thank you, everyone. I can't play in the game, so I can only watch from the sidelines. Whether I can play in the World Cup depends entirely on you. I know there are some comments about me from the outside world, but I want to say that those comments are exaggerated. I know very well that I am a team player, and I must rely on the team – you."
He pointed at everyone and said.
"It's like this in the club, and it's the same in the national team. Without you, I would achieve nothing alone. So I'm very happy, I'm especially happy that I have a great team, whether in the club or in the national team. Everyone of you is very powerful, very great."
"After my injury was confirmed, some people said that I would miss at least two World Cup games, or even three – that way I would miss the entire World Cup. This sentence means that we can't enter the knockout stage, and we have to go home after the group stage. But I don't agree with this statement. From the beginning, I believed that I could definitely play in the World Cup. After discussing it with Coach Lippi, we still decided to come to the World Cup with the team, not as an outsider, but as one of the twenty-three. Because I believe in you, my teammates, you are the best teammates in the world. Just like Coach Lippi said, we are strong, we are very strong, we are far stronger than everyone else thinks!"
Zhou Yi's words finally fell on the trust in the team, making everyone in the locker room feel excited.
Zhou Yi was the best among them, the most top-level player in the Chinese team, and he trusted them so much, which made these national team players feel a sense of satisfaction and responsibility that they were needed by such a powerful person.
They must not let Zhou Yi down!
Zhou Yi pointed to the number on his jersey and said to them: "I am number twenty-three, the last number in the team, so of course I have to come out after you. So please work a little harder and pave the way for me."
"Damn! These words are too polite!" Sun Pan shouted. "Isn't this what we should be doing?"
"Yes, Zhou Yi, you are too polite, this is what we should do! It's our duty!"
"We used to rely on you, Zhou Yi, it's been like this since the Asian Cup... It's our turn to help you this time, we can't always take advantage of you, right?"
"Yes, yes, this time you can rest assured and recuperate, don't rush to come back. We promise not to let you down!"
"How can we let you come to Brazil for nothing?"
Everyone echoed and expressed their views.
Lippi saw this scene in the locker room and turned to wink at his assistant.
The assistant returned him with a smile.