Chapter 136 Will There Be a Decisive Blow?

The Chinese team got a dream start in less than a minute of the game, and Croatia equalized in two minutes. All neutral fans thought that the Chinese team and Croatia would play a big score, but the results went in the opposite direction. There was no third goal until the end of the first half. To score a goal is frustrating.

But considering that the match between the Chinese team and the Croatian team is the 1/8 finals, no one is willing to take the initiative to break the balance when the game returns to balance, because if they don't want to break the balance, they will definitely break the balance as they wish.

It may even happen that you try to break the balance but fail to break it, and the other party takes advantage of the opportunity to break the balance.

There are countless classic cases of this kind of Japanese people being defeated by Japan. The four-year World Cup banquet does not want to be such a case.

Be careful and you won't go wrong.

"Beep~"

Since the Chinese team and the Croatian team had a lot of net time in the first half, when the game time came to the 45th minute, the referee Pitana decisively blew the whistle in his mouth to end the first half of the game.

"The first half is over! The tie is 1:1 above." At the end of the first half, the on-site director gave Tang Zheng a close-up shot of his face, and CC5 commentator He Wei changed his voice: "Let's talk about the first half. Who performed the most astonishingly, undoubtedly Tang Zheng. In addition to scoring the opening goal at the beginning of the game, he also played a vital role in defense in the subsequent games. He was one of the top contributors to the Chinese team's defense of the tie..."

The facial expressions of other Chinese players who appeared on the broadcast screen were quite relaxed and happy. It is not difficult to see that they were actually very satisfied with their performance in the first half.

However, Li Kui frowned. He believed that the Chinese team's loss of the ball had a lot to do with him. If he hadn't chosen his position incorrectly, how could Zhang Linpeng's clearance kick hit his face?

If the football is not kicked in the face, the goal will no longer exist, then... the first half of the game may end with the Chinese team leading 1:0.

As assistant coach Madaloni closed the door to the visiting team's locker room, the noise from the stadium suddenly stopped. The players simply cleaned up the sweat stains and put on new jerseys, and then focused their attention on coach Lippi.

At the same time, Shao Shengyi, the Beijing studio commentator of CC5, was reviewing the first half that had just ended with guest commentator Gong Lei, analyzing the exciting process of the first half between the Chinese team and Croatia.

Whether it's offense or defense, the name mentioned most by Shao Shengyi and Gong Lei is undoubtedly the Chinese team's number one star Tang Zheng.

As the recognized number one player in today's football, Tang Zheng has done extremely well on both offense and defense.

The Chinese team's ability to play on par with Croatia in the first half is inseparable from Tang Zheng's outstanding performance. It is even believed that the key factor in whether the Chinese team can overcome Croatia is Tang Zheng.

The analysis of commentators on other TV stations is different from Shao Shengyi's, but it is only a subtle difference. After all, Tang Zheng's performance in the first half is recognized, and the objective will not be changed by the subjective consciousness of some emotional commentators. fact.

The fifteen-minute intermission passed quickly, and players from both sides returned to the Nizhny Novgorod Arena one after another. The originally relatively empty stands slowly filled up as the players stood in their respective half-courts.

Croatia, which had a kick-off advantage, did not organize the attack immediately, but organized the attack through complex midfield transitions.

Obviously, Croatia hopes to tear apart the Chinese team's defense in this way, and then use Modric and Rakitic's very accurate long passes to quickly send the football to the weak side of the Chinese team's defense, with Perisic or Ray Beach singled out the Chinese team's defensive players on the wing.

Breaking through intensive defense is a worldwide problem.

In the first half, Croatia tried long shots and set pieces, but the results were very different from what they imagined, so they tried more transfers at the beginning of the second half.

It’s a pity that the effect is still not obvious. Perisic and Rebic’s one-on-one ability is certainly excellent, but the two full-backs of the Chinese team, Lu Liang and Wu Sanshi, are very good at assisting in defense. In addition, Tang Zheng and Li Kui timely of supplementary defense and interference,

As a result, Croatia's attacks failed again and again.

On the contrary, the Chinese team, which put on a defensive posture in the second half, got two good opportunities. Once Hao Junmin's long-range shot missed the goal post, and the other time Wu Sanshi's low shot on the right rib of the penalty area was blocked by goalkeeper Subasic.

At the fifty-sixth minute of the game, Croatia took the lead in making substitution adjustments. Kovacic replaced Brozovic, and the formation changed to 433.

Modric, Rakitic and Kovacic partnered in the central midfielder, Perisic and Rebic were separated on the wings, and Mandzukic was at the forefront of the striker, posing a direct threat to the Chinese team's back line.

It's just, it's just a threat.

※※※

Croatia, whose tactics have changed, is becoming more and more threatening to attack. The Chinese team is surrounded by dangers in front of the goal, giving people a feeling that they may lose the ball at any time.

The on-site director took advantage of a dead ball opportunity to give Chinese team coach Lippi a close-up shot of his face. The meaning of this picture is very obvious, that is, he hopes to solve the current predicament through substitutions when the Chinese team is very passive. .

Lippi naturally sees the problems encountered by the Chinese team, but he does not want to make premature substitution adjustments.

Although the Chinese team's defense seems to be in a tight spot, it is actually not that dangerous.

Tang Zheng and Li Kui's position selection and replacement were very good. They often appeared in key positions and plugged the gaps when holes in the defense appeared.

Opportunities in football matches often come in a blink of an eye. As long as you don't seize them, you may have to wait for a long time.

Kovacic's appearance as a substitute only strengthened Croatia's midfield control ability and did not actually solve the problems exposed in the offense.

Modric performed very well in the three group stage games, but with Tang Zheng sitting in the midfield, he was greatly suppressed and did not show the peak state at all that he had won four Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

It's not that Modric is in poor condition or is wary of Tang Zheng, but that Tang Zheng's performance is really good.

If Modric's performance is world-class, then Tang Zheng's performance is universe-class.

If you go on offense, you can get back on defense.

Let me ask, who can do this in the World Cup?

In addition to increasing the proportion of ball possession in the second half, Croatia did not actually pose a very big threat. The game once again reached a stalemate. Central 5 commentator He Wei saw that Tang Zheng once again prejudged Modric's through ball to Mandzukic. Ball, with a high tone: "Tang Zheng's performance is world-class! We often say that there are no obstacles in the world that cannot be overcome, only Kanter that cannot be overcome, but here I want to say one thing, it is possible for Kanter to pass, but Tang Zheng is It’s totally unbearable!”

Commentator Xu Yang nodded lightly and said with a smile: "That's right! From the beginning of the first half to now, Tang Zheng's frontal defense, active attack, including headers, if I remember correctly, he has not made a single mistake. Maintaining a 100% success rate, let me ask...who can perform better than Tang Zheng?"

He Wei and Xu Yang spared no effort in praising Tang Zheng. Fortunately, most of the people sitting in front of the TV watching the live broadcast of the game through CC5 were Chinese. Even some Croatians studying and working in China had to admit that Tang Zheng's performance was indeed like this, and no flaws could be found.

Faced with Tang Zheng like this, can we expect the national team to do better?

Besides, this is a Chinese TV station. It is understandable that the Chinese commentator praised Tang Zheng for his outstanding performance. Is it possible that the Chinese commentator in turn praised Croatia?

If this is really done, let alone what the Chinese fans think, it sounds more like satire to them.

In the blink of an eye, another ten minutes passed in the second half and came to the sixty-fifth minute.

As Zhang Linpeng blocked Perisic's cross with his right foot, the referee Pitana blew his whistle.

Of course, it was not a foul committed by Zhang Linpeng or Perisic, but the Chinese team made the first substitution adjustment of the game.

Hao Junmin, who was carrying a yellow card and whose physical fitness had declined, was taken off the field. The substitute was 19-year-old Ye Erfan.

The Chinese team's formation has not changed, except for slight changes in the midfield and frontcourt positions.

Ye Erfan replaced Sun Jingbo as the center, Sun Jingbo returned to his familiar right wing, Wu Sanshi played the left midfielder, and Lu Liang played the attacking midfielder.

Lippi's adjustment looks like a simple alignment adjustment, but it is actually a signal to strengthen the offense.

Lu Liang's skill at his feet is not comparable to that of Hao Junmin. He is completely worthy of facing Rakitic, Modric or Kovacic.

You must know that a breakthrough in the center is a greater threat than a winger. Croatia head coach Dalic knows this very well.

Modric, Rakitic and Kovacic are all strong in attack but weak in attack. Once they are broken through by Lu Liang, who is fast and skilled at his feet, it will be absolutely fatal.

Although Ye Erfan is only nineteen years old, his awareness of grabbing points in front of the goal was fully demonstrated in the last game. Coupled with Sun Jingbo, who has excellent grasping ability, it is very likely to open a gap...

The game is approaching seventy minutes, and anything could bring disaster.

Therefore, after a brief consideration, Dalic decided to slow down the offensive rhythm. The two full-backs are not allowed to assist at the same time. The midfield and backfield defenders must maintain three or four people at all times to maintain suppression of the Chinese team's rapid counterattack.

※※※

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—"

Along with the waves of cheers that broke out at the scene, He Wei, the commentator of Central 5, always maintained a very high mood: "The game came to the seventy-fifth minute, and the score on the field was still 1:1. The strength The powerful Croatia has slowed down its offensive pace. I don't think this is a reflection of physical decline, but the effect of substitution adjustments made under Lippi's guidance! In addition to Ye Erfan's absolute speed being slightly slower, Lu Liang and Sun Jingbo He Wu Sanshi is very fast..."

At this moment, Li Kui, with the assistance of Lu Liang, intercepted the ball from Modric's feet, and then quickly handed it to Tang Zheng, who without making any adjustments directly passed the ball to Sun Jingbo, who came in at high speed from the right.

Strinic knew that he was not as fast as Sun Jingbo, so instead of competing with Sun Jingbo for speed, he tripped Sun Jingbo behind him.

Strinic, who had been warned by referee Pitana before, naturally received a yellow card, which was also the punishment he deserved for a tactical foul. However, what gave Croatia coach Dalic a headache was that Strinic committed the foul. He strained his right thigh during the foul and was unable to continue the game.

Under forced circumstances, Croatia made its second substitution adjustment of the game, with Pivaric coming on as a substitute.

Three minutes later, the Chinese team also made its second substitution adjustment. Wu Xi, who was both offensive and defensive, replaced the cramped Wu Sanshi. The formation changed accordingly, from a 4-2-3 formation to a 4-3-3 formation, further strengthening the defense in the middle. protection of.

At the same time, thanks to the defensive assistance of Lu Liang and Sun Jingbo, the open space on the wing was also well protected.

Countless neutral fans sitting in front of the TV did not expect that the game that had already scored two goals in the first five minutes of the game would have no results. They felt somewhat depressed, but it was a very good result for the fans of both sides of the game.

Time passes by second by second. Once a goal is scored, it will be an unacceptable result for the opposing fans.

A goal scored after eighty minutes was completely equal to a winning goal!

Coupled with the decline in physical fitness of the players on both sides, it will be quite difficult to come back.

However, neither side really wanted to go into overtime. In the stalemate situation, both sides had a desire to kill the other side.

Especially for the Chinese team, Wu Xi's appearance as a substitute seemed to be to replace Wu Sanshi, who had cramps and could not continue the game, but in fact it was to partially liberate Tang Zheng.

After Wu Xi came on the stage, the most important work he did was not to organize the offense, but to assist Li Kui in completing the defensive work. At the same time, he moved Tang Zheng's position a few meters forward, closer to the forward line.

Modric, Rakitic and Kovacic all worked hard, hoping to help the team solve its offensive deficiencies at the end of the game. However, the Chinese team's midfield and backcourt led by Tang Zheng were too solid and simply failed. Not even a single loophole was left for them.

Even if he was lucky enough to find it, Tang Zheng would quickly make up for it.

Fortunately, Tang Zheng's energy is limited, and he directly participates in offense very rarely while taking into account defense. Otherwise, the team's goal is likely to be broken by the Chinese team first.

As time becomes less and less, both sides focus more on defense.

It is good to end the game in regular time, but this is based on the fact that the team scores a goal.

Regular time is getting shorter and shorter, and everyone will have a conservative mentality. Instead of strengthening the offense and increasing defensive pressure, it is better to drag the game into overtime.

Both Lippi and Dalic were a little nervous, so they chose to be conservative.

After all, as the saying goes, offense wins fans, and only defense can win championships.

In the blink of an eye, the fourth official came to the sideline with an electronic card indicating four minutes of injury time and raised it high.

He told fans around the world that there were only four minutes left in the game.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—"

The passion of the fans in the stands continued, and the deafening shouts enveloped the entire stadium. Even drivers driving a few kilometers away from the stadium could hear the shouts from the Nizhny Novgorod Arena.

When the time came to stoppage time, the head coaches of both sides sought stability and chose to strengthen their defense.

But the players on the field always have the heart to kill their opponents, so they wait for opportunities while exchanging ball rights.

Central 5 commentator He Wei was full of passion: "There were multiple goals in stoppage time at this World Cup. Will there be a buzzer beater in this game?"

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