Lin Hai Ting Tao
Chapter 442 As Good as His Word
Sun Pan stood in front of the Chinese team's goal, wearing the Chinese team's jersey. Although it was the Olympic team, it was the same as the national team. At first glance, it would give people the illusion that this was a national team match.
He Ying had just completed a shot in front, but the ball didn't go in, and it was the Korean team's turn to counterattack.
After enduring the initial offensive of the Chinese team, the Korean team began to gradually press forward to attack. You must know that with the pride of the Korean Olympic team and their history of victories over Chinese football, how could they accept being suppressed by the Chinese team? Even if this was on the Chinese team's home field.
The Koreans were just that proud, and they had reason to be proud.
The two sides attacked each other like this, playing a very open game. Both sides had opportunities, it just depended on who could seize them.
He Ying didn't seize it this time, and Sun Pan cursed in the backfield: "What Best Scorer in the Segunda División, you can't even shoot the ball into the goal of some棒子 (Bàngzi)!"
Sun Pan was indeed a little different today than usual, and everyone knew the reason. He was anxious. If He Ying could score as soon as possible, he could suppress the arrogance of the Korean team, which would also reduce his defensive pressure…
Subsequently, the Korean team's attack came to the front of the Chinese team's goal. After a cross from the wing, Guo Nu jumped up and headed the ball out, but the second landing point was controlled by the Korean team, and they directly took a long shot outside the penalty area.
This shot was quite cunning. The football窜 (cuàn) forward along the grass, turning from under the feet of a large number of players in the penalty area. Touching anyone's foot would cause a change of direction, which could deviate from the goal, but it could also deviate into the goal.
Such a shot was the most annoying for goalkeepers—they would rather the opponent take a world-class shot straight into the upper corner of the goal.
The football窜 (cuàn) through the penalty area without touching any part of anyone, and then like a missile suddenly fired from the sea, it broke through the waves and appeared in front of the goal!
But someone was already waiting there…
Sun Pan, diving sideways, used one hand to forcefully push the football away, and the football spun and flew out of the baseline. The missile that had just burst out of the waves was pressed back into the sea by the Tathagata Palm!
"Sun Pan! Another beautiful save! His reaction is fast and his judgment is very accurate!"
"Incredible!" The Korean commentator exclaimed repeatedly.
Next, the Korean team's corner kick was directly picked off by Sun Pan from the air.
After getting the ball, Sun Pan rarely put on a pose or anything, but found a gap in the crowd, took a run-up, and threw the football out with all his strength!
Just like participating in the Olympic javelin competition, the football was accurately thrown by Sun Pan to the front field!
There, He Ying was sprinting forward at high speed!
"This is the Olympic team's counterattack!" Liu Hong roared.
The Chinese team fans in the stands also let out huge cheers.
After receiving the ball from Sun Pan, He Ying accelerated forward, and then he brought his speed to its peak and charged towards the Korean team's goal!
Around him, the closest Korean player was still ten meters away!
He was rushing in a diagonal line, but it seemed difficult to catch up with He Ying before he entered the penalty area…
"He Ying! He has speed! And he has technique!" The Korean commentator exclaimed, seemingly reminding the Korean fans in front of the TV of this person's power.
"If you can't get in again, you can only stay in the Segunda División!!" Sun Pan roared on the edge of the penalty area.
Beside him, the Korean players retreated frantically, like a receding tide.
In the very front, He Ying had already reached the edge of the penalty area.
The goalkeeper of the Korean Olympic team abandoned the goal and attacked. He Ying kicked and shot!
Not a powerful shot, but a spoon penalty!
The football crossed over the heads of the Korean Olympic team and fell into the goal behind him!
"Goal—! Goal, goal, goal, goal!!!" Liu Hong raised his arms and shouted, extremely excited.
The Chinese fans in the stands erupted like a volcano, jumping up from their seats, the red jerseys like red magma flowing down the slope of the stands.
The entire stadium was plunged into a heated and crazy atmosphere.
This was not only because the Chinese team had finally taken the lead, but also because the leading opponent was the Korean team!
※※※
After scoring, He Ying ran to the corner flag to celebrate, waving his right index finger while running. He was not imitating the celebration of the "alien" Ronaldo, because Ronaldo's finger-waving action was up and down, while He Ying was shaking it left and right. This action was very similar to that of NBA star Dikembe Mutombo. As for what that action meant… I'm afraid everyone on earth understands.
This was a slightly humiliating action, meaning "you're not good enough."
When Mutombo was playing basketball, he would make this move every time he blocked the opponent's ball, in order to mock his opponent. Later, because the meaning of this action was too blatant, he was even punished…
Everyone celebrated what He Ying was doing after scoring the goal.
This was for those Korean media outlets who clamored that the Korean team could beat the Chinese team 3-0 on the road.
Didn't you shout something about 3-0?
Now we've already scored a goal, and the score of 3-0 is destined to be impossible!
※※※
He Ying was celebrating the goal, and his teammates also rushed up to celebrate with him. The Chinese fans in the stands cheered.
But not all Olympic team players would go to celebrate the goal. Those who were too far away did not run up…
Sun Pan stood outside the penalty area, looked at He Ying enjoying the cheers, and哼 (hēng)ed: "What! I assisted him with this goal! He didn't even say a word and come back to celebrate with me!"
"You, you still... care about this?" Guo Nu was a little surprised. He didn't think Sun Pan and He Ying were on particularly close terms.
Sun Pan rolled his eyes at Guo Nu and didn't bother to pay attention to him.
※※※
When the game restarted, there was not much difference from before. The two sides were still playing very openly.
Of course, the Korean team could not be willing to lose to the Chinese team on the road like this. This was not just a matter of face and dignity. If they lost this game on the road, they would become second in the group, and they would not be able to directly qualify for the Olympic finals from the group.
The Chinese team also believed that a one-goal lead was not enough. Of course, they should win as much as they could, so that it would be safer.
So He Ying's goal was equal to pushing this game to the white-hot stage.
The overall strength of the Korean Olympic team was actually slightly higher than that of the Chinese Olympic team. After all, they were far ahead of Chinese football in youth football training.
It was also because the Chinese team had the Four Little Dragons that the Korean team was not too far ahead in overall strength. Otherwise, without the Four Little Dragons, this Olympic team would be crushed by Korea…
The key was that the Chinese team had the Four Little Dragons, and these Four Little Dragons were all in key positions.
From the center forward to the midfielder to the center back, and finally the goalkeeper, it formed a central axis.
Relying on this line alone was enough to support half of the Chinese Olympic team's strength, or even most of it.
It was also because of the existence of this central axis that the Chinese Olympic team would have hope of going to London…
They were an important force for the Chinese team to compete with the Korean team.
After He Ying scored, both Yang Muge and Guo Nu performed well, helping the final Sun Pan to block many of the Korean team's attacks. At the same time, Yang Muge in the midfield was not only defending, but he also needed to organize the attack, constantly sending passes to He Ying, allowing him to threaten the Korean team's goal.
Finally, there was Sun Pan.
He made high and low blocks in front of the goal, giving full play to his agility, height and arm length advantages.
Therefore, although the Korean team strengthened their offensive, they failed to break through the Chinese Olympic team's goal.
During the live broadcast of the game, a shot was also cut to a seat on the podium, and Liu Hong was immediately excited when he saw it: "The national team's head coach Gao Hongbo also appeared at the game. Obviously, he is here to inspect the Olympic team's players. As for who he is specifically inspecting, I believe everyone can guess…"
Yes, everyone knew which players Gao Hongbo was here to see. Of course, it was the Four Little Dragons!
Without the Four Little Dragons, there might not have been this game today.
If the Chinese team could beat the Korean Olympic team tonight, their Olympic qualifying campaign would only have one game left.
When the Olympics were over this summer, the Olympic team could be disbanded. Their age made it impossible for them to participate in any youth team competitions. Next, the adult national team was naturally the place for them to upgrade.
But not all the players who played as the main force in the Olympic team could gain a foothold in the national team. That was a completely different world from the Olympic team, and it was not as simple as going straight from elementary school to junior high school in the same school.
Now, if you want to say who in this Olympic team has the ability to gain a foothold in the national team, the Four Little Dragons are definitely the most likely.
And after the Olympic team ended its mission, the national team's mission had just begun—in early June 2012, the Top Ten Tournament would open, which was a key event to determine whether the Chinese team could enter the World Cup finals for the second time in history.
At that time, maybe the national team would need fresh blood from the Olympic team.
※※※
In the end, with He Ying's goal, and the outstanding performance of the Chinese team's defense line and Sun Pan, the Chinese team beat the Korean Olympic team 1-0 at home.
This was not a hearty victory, but it still made the fans feel very happy.
Because it狠狠 (hěn hěn)ly slapped the faces of the Korean media and fans.
They were clamoring before the game that they would win against the Chinese team, but what was the result? Instead, they were won by the Chinese team.
Of course, Sun Pan also provoked Korea before the game, saying that he would prevent the Korean team from scoring a goal in this game. But the difference was that the Korean team's boast of winning against China was not fulfilled, but Sun Pan did it. He really did not let the Korean team score!
You must know that the Chinese team finally won this game with a one-goal advantage. In fact, the game process was very tense. With a little carelessness, the Chinese team could lose the ball.
But Sun Pan managed to hold on.
Everyone knew that a one-goal lead was a very dangerous score in the game. But Sun Pan turned this very dangerous score into a victory…
With a victory, the Chinese Olympic team surpassed the Korean Olympic team after the game and ranked first in the group.
As long as they beat Saudi Arabia on the road in the last game, they could directly get tickets to the London Olympics as the first in the group.
This was a result that many Chinese fans did not dare to think about at all before the Olympic qualifying began!
After the game, Sun Pan proudly said to the camera in the mixed zone when he was interviewed: "A real man's words are hard to get back! What is said must be fulfilled! If it can't be fulfilled, then it's not a man! For example, what 3-0, you said, right?"
The Chinese reporters present let out happy laughter, and in the laughter, the faces of the Korean reporters gradually turned red—as reporters running in China, they could also understand Chinese…