Chapter 1 A Spark of Hope

Carrow Road had been shrouded in anger and sorrow for far too long.

This goal, like a bomb, made the entire stadium erupt.

The silent flag-wavers wiped away tears, and yellow banners fluttered in the wind once more.

Though still trailing by one goal, they saw hope.

They saw the players' soaring fighting spirit, quick counterattacks after fierce tackles.

It all started with that Dragon Country kid's earth-shattering goal.

That kid they had endlessly berated had given the players and fans infinite hope.

"That precise missile ignited the entire stadium! Look at that arc, look at that wide vision, the utter confidence!

When Norwich was in despair, this kick bathed all of Carrow Road in light!

It awakened everyone's fighting spirit and hope!" Rod roared passionately. Brooke, watching the replay, cursed incessantly, but this time not with anger, but with catharsis.

His less-than-elegant words made all the fans in front of their TVs roar and shout; they couldn't be there, but they were just as ecstatic about this beautiful goal.

"He's injected new blood into Norwich. Sheffield United Sports will find it hard to press forward with their entire team like before! Norwich's midfield will be liberated, and Wright's passes will tear through the opponent's defense, just like now, if Zhao can...

holycrap!

goal! goal! goal!!!" Rod jumped up from his chair.

Rod, a usually calm commentator who left emotional outbursts to his partner, couldn't control himself any longer; he had suppressed it for fourteen games!

Two minutes, just two minutes!

Zhao used two minutes to break Norwich's single-game scoring record this season!

"Zhao! Zhao! Zhao!" Brooke's face contorted, veins bulging on his fist as he hammered the table.

The entire broadcast booth had gone mad.

Zhao Gang stood at the edge of the opponent's penalty area, tilted his head slightly, closed his eyes, and pointed his fingers to the sky.

Go wild, shout!

The passion that had yet to dissipate exploded once again throughout the stadium!

The remaining thirty-odd thousand fans erupted in cheers and roars even more terrifying than forty-five thousand.

Yellow banners instantly covered the entire stand.

Amidst the surging waves of people, fans were moved to tears, and above the hoarse shouts came the soaring, passionate cries of the stadium DJ.

"Hou… Zhao!"

All the Norwich fans in the stands rose to their feet, forming a golden ocean.

They raised their hands high, stomping their feet in unison to the DJ's rhythmic shouts, making the entire stand tremble as if in an earthquake.

The ground even shook.

"Zhao!"

"Zhao!!"

Each stomp was accompanied by a neat shout, echoing through the sky.

Norwich's teammates, as if injected with chicken blood, rushed towards the quiet Zhao Gang.

Wright took off from the spot and pounced on Zhao Gang.

In front of them, two defenders lay on the ground, cursing.

The goalkeeper hung his head, kicking the turf in anger.

Farke waved his fists ecstatically and charged into the fan zone, with the assistant coach unable to hold him back.

Everyone had been suppressing themselves for too long; at this moment, this miraculous moment.

The miracle brought by that Dragon Country teenager ignited the emotions of the fans, players, and coaches!

The big screen replayed the goal over and over again.

Sheffield United Sports kicked off in midfield, but as if dazed, a few passes were immediately intercepted by the spirited Norwich defenders.

Phillip instantly took the ball and switched it to the left with a long pass.

The fast-charging Wright sprinted all the way, past two players, and passed to the left back.

The left back started, went straight to the baseline, and passed it back to Wright, who passed it to the top of the penalty arc without stopping the ball.

There were no defenders or attackers there.

As if a mistake, Zhao Gang, who was still five or six meters away, wandering around, jogged over there at a leisurely pace.

Two defenders pounced from inside the penalty area, but Zhao Gang didn't even bother to check the trajectory and shot directly.

Bang!

The goalkeeper reacted, but the ball was easily sent into the goal.

"This is what you call a forward, this is what you call a shot!" Brooke watched the replay, his face flushed with excitement.

Wright had created no less than ten such opportunities, but Norwich's forwards either needed to adjust, missing the best chance, or blasted the ball into the sky.

"This is the frontline Norwich needs!"

Rod laughed beside him, "Brooke, you weren't saying that before."

"Before, I was a piece of shit, I was a piece of dog shit!" Brooke waved his fist and shouted at the camera.

"Haha..."

"Steady, steady! Defend, defend! Don't give him a chance to shoot!" Sheffield United Sports' coach shouted from the sidelines.

They had to change their tactics.

They couldn't continue to attack aggressively.

As long as Zhao Gang was in their half, the defenders had to keep an eye on this Dragon Country kid at all times.

"A perfect debut! Two goals in two minutes!

Farke found this piece of the puzzle, he's not the trash the fans say he is, he's still the champion coach with precise vision!

I also saw Zhao's training photos, he's not good at dribbling, he's not good at breaking through, but his ability to seize opportunities is invincible!"

Norwich's extreme fans, listening to Rod's commentary, were now loving him as deeply as they had hated him before.

Embarrassment? Didn't exist.

Brooke had already said, we were pieces of shit before!

Zhao wouldn't bother with us.

"The Carrow Road Sports News is a bunch of pigs, what kind of crap are they reporting? They almost drove Zhao away, thankfully Zhao loves Norwich deeply!"

Sheffield United Sports had been the dominant side, but these two goals instantly changed the game.

The players, brainwashed by Farke at halftime, were like gods, terrifyingly full of energy.

And Sheffield United Sports' defenders didn't dare to rush up easily because they had to be constantly wary of Zhao Gang.

The battle turned, and Norwich's midfield kept attacking Sheffield United Sports.

The fans' cheers in the stands grew louder and louder.

However, Strauss, with two defenders, completely blocked Zhao Gang's passing route, making it difficult for Zhao Gang to receive support from the midfield.

And Ospina lacked experience, missing two certain scoring chances!

"We're getting serious, you won't score again!" Strauss kept bothering Zhao Gang, trash-talking nonstop.

Zhao Gang remained unaffected.

Wright kept taking deep breaths, seeing hope; not once this season had he been so hopeful of winning the game.

But time passed, and they just couldn't score again.

And Norwich's players became a little impatient; this situation had never happened this season.

In the past, when drawing, they always thought about holding onto the score, but this time they all wanted to win!

This led to Sheffield United Sports seizing the few opportunities they had to attack the penalty area.

Beep!!

A sharp whistle sounded, and Norwich's fans instantly rioted.

"Black whistle!!!"

"Dive!!"

"Get lost!! Black whistle, go to hell!!"

Sheffield United Sports' players fell in the penalty area, and Norwich's defenders stepped forward, arguing with the referee.

The referee shook his head, firmly pointing to the penalty spot.

Strauss stood directly at the penalty spot, his eyes firm.

Bang!

The ball smashed directly into the far corner.

2:3!

Sheffield United regained the lead!

Fans held their heads and knelt in despair in the stands.

Strauss led several defenders to the sidelines, dancing and taunting wildly.

For over thirty minutes, they had been suppressed for over thirty minutes!

Now, shout, shout again!

Brooke cursed incessantly, and Rod's voice trembled slightly, "This isn't good news for us; the game is already at 89 minutes, and the previous attacks haven't won the game, the players' stamina is running out.

Now Sheffield United's players will completely give up attacking, defending with everyone, there may be 11 people in the penalty area."

As he expected, Sheffield United retreated across the board, the defenders keeping a close eye on Zhao Gang.

The game had six minutes of injury time.

And at this moment, it had completely become a half-court attack and defense drill for Norwich.

The ball was constantly lobbed into the penalty area, and constantly headed out by the defenders.

Norwich's midfield became even more impatient.

They couldn't lose!

They couldn't just waste this opportunity like this.

Zhao Gang had finally seized the opportunity to score two goals in a row, how could they just lose like this?

The fans were no longer sitting, all standing, waving their arms, some taking off their clothes and waving their jerseys, their voices already hoarse.

This time there was no abuse, only encouragement for the players!

Strauss stuck to Zhao Gang like chewing gum.

"Defend, defend! Hold on for me!!" Sheffield United's coach roared nervously from the sidelines.

Farke bent over, not daring to breathe heavily, staring intently at the surrounded Zhao Gang.

Can't lose!

They had finally persevered to this point, all the efforts couldn't just be wasted.

Zhao, run!

Run! Run into space! Wright, look for a chance to pass!

Farke clenched his fists, his teeth almost grinding to pieces.

Zhao Gang suddenly shook off Strauss and charged straight into the penalty area.

"Pass, pass..." Farke saw the gap, and Wright also saw Zhao Gang's run; he frowned, and with a lofted pass, went straight to the far post.

Farke saw the passing route and fell to his knees with a bang.

The far post, it was actually the far post!

All the support was in the center!

"This... outrageous!" Rod couldn't believe it, how could Wright's pass be so far off?

Zhao Gang, who had already charged into the penalty area, had already shifted his weight the moment Wright passed the ball, using all his strength to charge towards the far post.

He had never intended to enter the penalty area to fight for the ball from the beginning!

That's why he could shift his weight so easily.

And those defenders who were marking him were directly thrown off.

Zhao Gang faced the ball, accelerating.

"Zhao! Zhao... Zhao!" Brooke tensed his body, his voice rapid, suddenly rising.

"Defend!!" Strauss had been thrown off, roaring with a狰狞 expression.

Zhao Gang flew up, facing the ball.

When all the fans in the stands were regretting Wright's pass, they saw the figure flying up and raising his leg, instantly clenching their fists, widening their eyes.

In the entire stadium stands, everyone dug their toes into the ground, stretched their necks, held their breath, and a silence fell.

Zhao Gang hooked the ball with his leg, his body almost parallel to the ground.

His right foot exerted force perfectly, hitting the ball.

Bicycle kick!

"Zhao!!!!!!!!" Brooke roared to the sky, the entire silent Carrow Road stadium instantly erupted in a deafening roar!

"Zhao!!!!!!!!" More than thirty thousand fans raised their hands, shouting the name in unison without the DJ's lead.

The praying fans knelt on the ground, struggling to breathe, still shouting desperately.

Being there, their bodies and minds stirred, unable to control themselves.

Zhao Gang got up from the ground, not needing to see the situation behind him; listening to the fans' voices, he knew the ball had gone in!

He ran like the wind, rushed out of the sideline, opened his arms, and celebrated passionately.

Welcoming the frenzied fans in the stands worshiping him.

Farke straightened his back and ran after Zhao Gang like his life depended on it, falling head over heels, but jumping up as if nothing had happened and continuing to sprint.

The substitutes, all the players on the field, charged towards Zhao Gang like crazy.

Bicycle kick, hat-trick, tie the score!