Chapter 8 Not Playing Is Also the Core
He Ying's goal helped the Chinese team pull a goal back. Although the Chinese team was still lagging behind in the score, their performance was no longer as helpless as before.
This goal gave the Chinese team more confidence.
When the game restarted, the Chinese team played more methodically. Their thinking is very clear now. On the basis of solid defense, they will counterattack when there is an opportunity.
Because their confidence has increased, the Chinese team's performance has also been better than before, so in turn they have more opportunities.
Just two minutes after they scored, Yan Min passed the football into the penalty area. After Gao Lin received the ball in the penalty area, he passed the ball to He Ying. He Ying shot from a small angle on the right, but Bravo saved the ball.
"Bravo! He made a wonderful save to stop the Chinese team's attack!" the Chilean commentator shouted. "The Chinese team's offensive has been very fierce during this period, which is a test for Bravo..."
In the 42nd minute, the Chinese team launched another attack and hit the frontcourt. Yan Min rushed left and right on the wing, confusing Chile's defense. In the end, Vidal couldn't bear it anymore and kicked Yan Min to the ground.
"Vidal's action... was obviously angry. Yan Min's flexible breakthrough made the Chilean players a little unbalanced... But this action should have been given a card, but the referee Douai didn't say anything. This shouldn't be... ..." Duan Xin was not very satisfied with the result of the penalty.
If Vidal can be given a yellow card in the first half, as the main midfielder, it will definitely affect Vidal's performance in the second half and indirectly affect Chile's performance.
As a result, no yellow card was given and Vidal escaped.
"...for that action just now, there is no objection to giving Vidal a yellow card. The referee was merciful..." Zhang Lu also indirectly criticized the referee's penalty scale.
Although no yellow card was given, the Chinese team received a free kick from the frontcourt.
Zheng Zhilai took the free kick.
He sent a high ball and passed the football into the penalty area.
Although Guo Nu is not tall, his judgment of where the football will land is very accurate. Coupled with his amazing explosive power and jumping, he was able to grab the football in front of a goal full of experts!
"Guo Nu - the lion shakes his head!"
The football flew straight towards the goal at such a close distance, and goalkeeper Bravo had no time to save it.
He made a move, but it was obviously slow...
Just when everyone thought the ball was going to go in, the football hit the top of the crossbar hard and then bounced off the baseline!
"Oops!" Duan Xin slapped her thigh with regret. "The crossbar! The crossbar blocked Guo Nu's header! It was almost, just almost, and the Chinese team could equalize the score before the end of the first half!"
"Oh!! The crossbar blocked the Chinese team's header! Guo Nu is only 1.77 meters tall, but he was able to grab points among so many people in the penalty area! What are our people doing? During this time, China The team's attack was too fierce. Our players' performance after losing the ball was completely different from before... Fortunately, the crossbar saved our lives! Now the first half is about to end, during the halftime break Sampaoli must make a good adjustment!" The commentator on Chilean TV was overjoyed.
Sampaoli on the sidelines was indeed dissatisfied with the team's performance during this period. When he saw Guo Nu putting the ball on the crossbar and almost scoring, he was furious and kept yelling.
Lippi felt sorry that Guo Nu didn't score the goal.
Guo Nu himself was the same. When he saw that the football didn't go in, he put his head in his hands with a look of disbelief. Even when I turned around and ran back, I didn't put my hands down from my head...
After running back to the penalty area, Sun Pan refused to "taunt" him: "Shame on you! Lao Guo. With your ability, how could you not score this ball?"
Guo Nu choked back: "You can do it, you can... go ahead!"
Sun Pan was speechless - he really couldn't play, and if he did, he would be left empty-handed.
He didn't expect that he would be killed by the stuttering Guo Nu with just one sentence...
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Guo Nu's header to the center post was the last threatening attack by both sides in the first half.
In the next few minutes, neither side organized any decent offensive.
The referee from Cote d'Ivoire, Douai, blew the whistle at the end of the first half.
"...At the end of the first half, the Chinese team was temporarily behind Chile with a score of 1:2, but after conceding two goals in three minutes, people were very satisfied that the Chinese team was able to get a goal back. , especially before the end of the first half, Guo Nu almost equalized the score for the Chinese team. The performance of the Chinese team in the second half of the first half gave everyone hope, and I believe they will definitely make a difference in the second half. !" Duan Xin said.
"The most important thing is to calm down the mentality. I was too nervous before and made some mistakes. In fact, we can see that the Chinese team's paper strength is not weaker than that of the Chilean team. As long as the mentality is right and the performance is normal, we and Chile can win." There is still a fighting chance." Zhang Lu added.
"Yes, I hope coach Lippi can come up with some plans during the halftime break. I hope our boys can maintain this state. I hope the second half can bring us hope. Okay, that's it for the commentary on the first half. Here, see you in the second half of the game!"
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In the locker room, Lippi praised the team's performance through a translator after falling behind by two goals in the first half.
"...The point is not whether you concede the ball or not, but what you do after you concede the ball. You did a pretty good job in this regard." Lippi said with a lollipop in his mouth. Since FIFA banned smoking in the World Cup, people can no longer see the classic scene of Lippi smoking a big cigar in 2006.
"Guo Nu's header after the first half was good. Although it didn't go into the goal, it sounded a wake-up call for Chile and made them realize that it is not safe to lead by only one goal. So in the second half, if Chile invests more troops in offense, Then we have a chance to counterattack. But what if they are just satisfied with a one-goal lead? It doesn't matter, we have the ability to tear apart their defense and put the football into their goal. Because we have excellent attackers. "
Speaking of this, Lippi pointed at Yan Min.
This can be regarded as a compliment to Yan Min in the first half.
Yan Min's performance in the first half is indeed worthy of praise. Except for the moment when he conceded two goals in a row at the beginning, he didn't do much. Next, he was very active offensively. Several of the Chinese team's threatening attacks all came from him.
Without Zhou Yi as the organizer, Lippi made the Chinese team's offense simpler, more direct and rougher.
Although this technology content is a little lower, it is the most efficient alternative.
Since the Chinese team lacks a high-level organizer and Zheng Zhi's level is not up to Zhou Yi's level, why not simply give up the idea of organizing?
Therefore, Yan Min's role in this strategy is very important. Because he can now be said to be the player with the strongest offensive ability in the Chinese team. He is fast, skilled, flexible and agile. He can cross and shoot. Who else can he be?
Yan Min was very happy with Lippi's praise. He straightened his chest while sitting in his seat.
"Remember, we are a unit. Everyone is very important, even the people who are on the bench but not playing. Fight as a unit, and everyone in the team will fight shoulder to shoulder with you." Lippi opened his arms as if to hug everyone in the locker room.
As a world-class coach who has led his team to win the World Cup, Lippi's words are inherently magical and people can easily believe him. This is the personal charm of the head coach and a manifestation of authority.
And he also knows how to use Zhou Yi, even if Zhou Yi can't play...
"There's still some time." He raised his hand to look at his watch, and then said to Zhou Yi, "Zhou Yi, can you say a few more words?"
He knew that Zhou Yi was a smart man and would not reject him because of modesty or shyness.
Sure enough, Zhou Yi was not surprised or declined. He just stood up from his seat and said to his teammates: "Thank you all. I can't play, so I can only watch from the sidelines to see if I can play in the World Cup." The game is all up to 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.
"It's the same in the club and it's the same in the national team. Without you, I wouldn't be able to achieve anything by myself. So I'm very happy, I'm especially happy, I have a great team both at the club and in the national team. You guys. Everyone is great and great.”
"After my injury was confirmed, some people said that I would miss at least two World Cup games, or even three games - then I would miss all the World Cup games. What this sentence means is that we have no way to enter the knockout rounds. I have to go home. 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, I decided to join the team to participate in the World Cup, not as a supernumerary. The identity of a player is one of the twenty-three. Because I believe in you, my teammates, you are the best teammates in the world. As coach Lippi said, we are strong, we are very strong, We are stronger than everyone else gives us credit for!”
Zhou Yi's words finally came down to his trust in the team, and he talked about the heavy responsibility in the locker room.
Zhou Yi is the best among them and is currently the top player in the Chinese team. He trusts them so much that it gives these national team players a sense of satisfaction and responsibility that a powerful figure needs.
We must not let Zhou Yi down!
Zhou Yi pointed to the number on his jersey and said to them: "I am No. 23. I am the last number in the team. Of course I have to play behind you. So everyone, please be a little tired and help me clear the way." .”
"Damn! This is too outrageous!" Sun Pan shouted. "Isn't that what the fuck we're supposed to do?"
"Yes, Zhou Yi, you are too polite. This is what we should do! It's our job!"
"We have relied on you before, Zhou Yi. It has been like this since the Asian Cup... This time it is our turn to help you. You can't always let us take advantage of you, right?"
"Yes, yes, this time you can rest peacefully and recover, and don't be in a hurry to come back. We promise not to let you down!"
"How can I let you come to Brazil in vain?"
Everyone agreed and expressed their opinions.
Lippi saw this scene in the locker room and turned to his assistant and winked.
The assistant smiled back.
"You can still play a central role even if you don't play - On how to use the Zhouyi correctly"
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