Chapter 766 Historic Breakthrough
The reason why the national team chose to train in Kunming is that South Africa, the host country of the South African Confederations Cup, is also located in a high-altitude area. It is also a preparation strategy for the national team to go to Kunming for training in advance to adapt to the high altitude.
After completing the final closed training camp in Kunming, the national team took a special plane to Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa, on the 11th. The first game of the Chinese team, the opening game of the Confederations Cup, was scheduled for the 14th Beijing time. It will be held at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg at 20:00 p.m.
Alihan's training team recruited 31 people, but in fact only 23 people were able to get air tickets to South Africa. Eight players missed the trip to the Confederations Cup, and they basically played in China. young player.
When the Chinese team arrived at Johannesburg International Airport, in addition to the sponsors of the Confederations Cup, there were enthusiastic South African fans, as well as Chinese and Chinese working in South Africa.
Especially when they saw Yang Yang appearing with a single shoulder bag and smiling faces, the atmosphere at the scene was extremely warm.
There were more than 100 pick-up fans shouting his name at the scene, as well as media reporters from all over the world, all of them were chasing Yang Yang. full of anticipation.
After seeing the enthusiastic fans and media reporters at the scene, the international players of the national team once again deeply felt Yang Yang's influence in international football. Even South Africa has so many fans who came to pick up the plane specially, it can be seen that he is here. popularity.
It's a pity that Yang Yang himself was in good spirits when he first arrived in South Africa after a long flight, but the other teammates were very tired, so Yang Yang couldn't stay at the scene much, he could only interact with the fans on the scene and left in a hurry.
But Yang Yang's arrival will undoubtedly add a bit of color to the upcoming Confederations Cup.
However, despite the fact that South African fans are very fond of Yang Yang outside the stadium, they will not be polite when they are inside the stadium.
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Beijing time on the evening of the 14th, Johannesburg Ellis Park Stadium.
Both sides in the opening game played more actively, and both teams were eager to grab the first victory of the group from each other.
The game entered a fast pace from the beginning, but both sides made more mistakes in passing and receiving the ball.
The South African team has obviously strengthened the defense of Yang Yang, and at the same time arranged the high school defender Bout, who is 1.98 meters tall, to freeze Gao Lin, which makes it difficult for the Chinese team to open the frontcourt.
And from the beginning of the game, the South African team used its excellent physical fitness and abundant physical strength to launch a turn of the impact on the Chinese team, led by the midfielder Pinar who played for Everton, and put pressure on the Chinese team in turn.
However, although the South African team seems to take the initiative, it is difficult to create a threat.
The Chinese team has always struggled to find their rhythm after a bad start.
In the end, the two sides were tied at zero to zero in the first half.
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After changing sides in the second half, the South African fans in the stands cheered and cheered when they heard Yang Yang's name before the game, played the African drum full of local characteristics, stood up and sang the national anthem to encourage their national team. fans.
The fans in the stands behind the South African team's goal are doing everything they can to interfere with the players on the court, especially Yang Yang. Every time he gets the ball, he will think of the overwhelming scene. boo.
The turf at the scene was also very bad, with uneven potholes. Yang Yang accidentally stepped on the pothole when he tried to break through with the ball. Not only did he fail to break through, but he almost fell and lost the ball. The South African fans were very excited and cheered wildly, as if they were eager to see Yang Yang embarrassed.
This made Yang Yang feel speechless and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
After the start of the second half, South Africa began to press heavily, but unfortunately, the Chinese team today discharged the midfielder pair of Zhao Junzhe and Zheng Zhi, plus Feng Xiaoting and Li Weifeng in the central defender, with Sun Xiang and Zhang Linpeng playing two games. Wing, just did not leave the slightest chance to the South African team.
The South African team still relies more on Pinar's organization and passing, and Yang Yang is also very familiar with this former teammate. He gave Zheng Zhi and Zhao Junzhe a lot of advice before the game, so Pinar's performance today is not ideal.
Similarly, Pinar must have given the South African defenders a lot of tricks.
South Africa's most threatening attack of the entire game occurred in the 73rd minute of the second half. Pinar sent a corner kick and the center Fantney, who played for Israel's Maccabi Haifa, headed the goal from close range, but it was slightly higher. out.
Although this attack failed to be completed, it still caused people to break out in a cold sweat.
Subsequently, the Chinese team did not adopt conservative tactics, but decisively replaced Zhao Junzhe with Hao Junmin, strengthening the team's midfield creativity, and Zhou Haibin and Hao Junmin jointly created opportunities for the frontcourt.
On the one hand, the South African team was unable to support itself after the physical exhaustion was too large, and their running and speed declined. On the other hand, the sudden force of the Chinese team forced the South African team to switch from offense to defense.
In the 84th minute, Hao Junmin and Zhou Haibin cooperated in the middle, and Zhou Haibin crossed the top and passed to the right.
After Chen Tao plugged in at a high speed, he forcibly broke through the South African left back one-on-one on the right side of the penalty area, and made a pass from the bottom line to the front point.
Gao Lin finally grabbed the first spot, and at a position far from the goal, he headed the ball and pushed the ball back.
Yang Yang jumped in quickly, and with no defense, he headed the goal from close range and headed the ball into the South African team's goal.
One to zero!
When the referee's whistle sounded for a valid goal, the entire Ellis Park stadium followed in an uproar.
The South African fans at the scene were also stunned for a while, and then burst into warm applause.
And the Chinese fans who made a special trip to the scene shouted Yang Yang's name loudly, and many people were struggling to wave the five-star red flag.
This score has been maintained until the end of the game.
The Chinese team finally beat South Africa 1-0 with Yang Yang's goal in the 84th minute.
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The first battle was won, and it was passed back to China, and public opinion was naturally boiling again.
But three days later, when the Chinese team faced Spain, although the Chinese team adopted the strategy of three defensive midfielders and strict defense, only Yang Yang was left in the frontcourt to fight back, and the rest of the players retreated.
But even so, in the end, it is still unable to compete with the powerful Spanish team.
In the 55th minute, Capdevila made a cross from the left, and the Chinese team's defense made a omission. .
Yang Yang was very tenacious throughout the game. He almost assisted Chen Tao to score in the first half, but after Villa scored in the second half, Yang Yang planned two counterattacks in a row, one of which hit a 30-meter kick. The long shot from outside was thrown by Casillas and hit the goal post, missing the opportunity to score.
And Spain also played a continuous offensive, but still could not break the Chinese team's goal again.
In the end, the Chinese team lost the second game of the Confederations Cup 0-1.
Yang Yang is also very familiar with Spanish players, especially Xavi Alonso and Abeloa, who were teammates during the Liverpool era. He is still satisfied with the result of the game.
Although they lost, the strength of Spain was there. The Chinese team could only concede one goal and keep the score. More importantly, even in the final stage of the game, the Chinese team did not give up.
Overall, the team's performance is satisfactory.
Losing to Spain is also expected by the Chinese team, and the key is to play New Zealand in the last game.
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In the case of China's one win and one loss, South Africa beat New Zealand 2-0, which is also one win and one loss.
Spain wants to strive for the first place in the group, and its overall strength is far superior to South Africa. The third group game should not be released, but it may not be a draw. Therefore, the Chinese team can only win the last game by defeating New Zealand. Promotion right.
New Zealand lost 0-5 to Spain in the first game, and lost 0-2 to South Africa in the second game, and has basically been eliminated.
The last battle is more about fighting for dignity.
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Feb. 21, Ellis Park.
This time, fans in the stands chose to support New Zealand.
The reason is very simple. The two games between China and New Zealand and Spain and South Africa are played at the same time. If China loses to New Zealand, then South Africa will have a chance to advance.
So, whenever New Zealand attacked, there was always thunderous cheers.
And New Zealand also showed a very high fighting spirit in this game. In the first half an hour, it even took the advantage on the scene and suppressed the Chinese team.
But when the game reached the twenty-fifth minute, the Chinese team planned an attack. After Yang Yang took the ball in the frontcourt, he cut inward from the left rib and threw away the defenders, forming a three-on-two situation in the middle. , and assisted Gaolin to score a goal.
This score also maintained until the end of the first half.
The other game is still a zero-to-zero draw, and South Africa is also extremely tenacious.
But after changing sides and fighting again in the second half, Spain quickly got a penalty kick, and Villa made the shot himself.
The news reached Ellis Park, which immediately put the fans on the scene.
I don't know if it was influenced by the fans in the stands. Just one minute later, Yang Yang seized an opportunity, cut in from the left again, broke into the penalty area, and scored a low shot to give the Chinese team another victory.
At this moment, the game is basically won or lost.
Then Spain scored another victory in the 70th minute, while the Chinese team scored a direct free kick from Yang Yang in the 81st minute, which once again pierced New Zealand's goal.
In the end, with Yang Yang's brace and Gao Lin's goal, the Chinese team won 3-0 against New Zealand.
On the other hand, South Africa lost 0-2 to Spain, and the Chinese team finally qualified from the group with the second place in the group and reached the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.
This is also the first time for the Chinese team to participate in the Confederations Cup, entering the semi-finals ushered in a historic breakthrough!