Chapter 226: Coming back strong
March 24th, at the Milan Meazza Stadium, Inter Milan welcomed Deportivo La Coru?a, their opponent in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Deportivo La Coru?a's head coach Irureta stood on the sidelines with a grim face, inwardly wishing ill upon the unscrupulous media's families, wondering what it meant for Wang Feng to be in a slump, and what this current situation meant. Less than five minutes into the game, Inter Milan launched an attack from the back, with Zanetti passing the ball to Dalma in the middle. At this moment, Deportivo La Coru?a's defensive line pushed forward, leading to a midfield battle for possession.
Dalma, under Victor's interference, barely managed to control the ball and immediately passed it back to Civu, who in turn passed it to Márclelay, before returning it to Dalma's feet.
Through continuous passing and positioning in the middle and backfield, Inter Milan pulled Deportivo La Coru?a's defense, while Wang Feng in the front field kept running, always with heavy defense around him.
But Wang Feng, with seemingly endless energy, kept changing positions, running from the right flank to the left and back to the middle, constantly shifting along with the defensive line.
Dalma surged into the frontcourt and diagonally passed to the right front Ribéry. At this moment, Ribéry saw Wang Feng arriving at the front of the penalty area arc, with only Nabet, a defender, marking him.
Sure enough, he created space! Ribéry didn't hesitate, quickly sending a lob, and just as he lifted his foot, Wang Feng initiated a run, catching defender Nabet off guard.
Moroccan Nabet, a key figure in Deportivo La Coru?a's 2000 La Liga title, with rich experience, briefly panicked but quickly reacted, chasing Wang Feng and successfully blocking his attacking route by positioning himself further forward.
Truly a champion defender! Wang Feng sighed inwardly. Nabet chose not to challenge Wang Feng directly for the ball but instead opted to block the attack, hoping to delay just enough time for other defenders to come back.
Wang Feng had a countermeasure. Instead of controlling the ball as usual, he lightly pushed the falling ball with the back of his right foot, deflecting it to the right.
At first glance from the stands, it seemed like Wang Feng had made a mistake in controlling the ball, knocking it several meters away. But the players on the field knew that this move cleverly bypassed Nabet's block.
Both sides rushed towards the ball's landing spot, with Wang Feng reaching it first. He used his left hand to block Nabet, his strong physicality leaving him with no chance.
Then Wang Feng dribbled into the penalty area with his right foot and took a shot without any other interference.
"Goal! Wang Feng opens the scoring for Inter Milan!"
"Just five minutes into the game, Inter Milan takes the lead! Wang Feng, who hadn't scored in the last two matches, scores again. This goal drought was too short-lived!"
After scoring, Wang Feng excitedly ran along the edge of the Meazza Stadium, enjoying the applause and cheers from the stands. At that moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of conquest!
Teammates rushed to him, with Ribéry even jumping on his back in excitement. "Leader, you've finally found your old form!"
Others also celebrated around Wang Feng, feeling a bit lost without his sharp attacks, their hearts somewhat chaotic.
"Wang Feng's handling of this attack was very clever. Who would have thought he wouldn't control the ball but instead use the back of his foot to evade the block? A slight delay at that moment would have given Deportivo La Coru?a a chance to defend."
"This also demonstrates his exceptional football sense and unparalleled skills. Even if other players could think of this method, a slight misjudgment in force or angle would result in the ball flying randomly, turning into a real control mistake!"
After scoring the first goal, Inter Milan's momentum soared, with Wang Feng relentlessly pressuring Deportivo La Coru?a's defense.
In the 27th minute, Inter Milan midfield intercepted, Márclelay passed the ball to Ribéry. The Frenchman quickly shook off Sergio's marking, sending a lob pass to the front.
Wang Feng immediately seized the landing position, forcefully pushing aside Nabet, controlling the ball with his chest, then unleashing a powerful left-footed shot into the net past Molina's outstretched hand.
Inter Milan extended their lead! Nabet, who was outsmarted by Wang Feng twice in a row, sat frustrated on the ground. Feeling miserable, he was comforted by teammates Andrada and Pablo, who decided to defend Wang Feng together, not allowing him to wreak havoc again.
But the unstoppable Wang Feng struck again just four minutes later. Ribéry broke through on the right and lofted the ball into the penalty area. Adriano attempted an acrobatic shot from behind, but missed his target, sending the ball towards the middle of the box.
Initially positioned slightly forward, Wang Feng quickly reacted, turning to chase the ball. Near the penalty spot, he executed a backheel shot, sending the ball straight into the bottom left corner of the net.
Deportivo La Coru?a goalkeeper Molina attempted to save, but the angle of the ball was too tricky, slipping past him into the goal.
3-0! Before the end of the first half, Wang Feng completed a hat-trick!
"A beautiful goal! Silence before, but now astonishment! In less than thirty minutes, Wang Feng has scored three goals, his form is incredibly hot!"
With Inter Milan holding a commanding lead, coach Mancini began substituting key players like Wang Feng in the second half, allowing Deportivo La Coru?a some relief.
Unwilling to accept their fate of elimination, they managed to pull one back through forward Berenguer just before the final whistle, ending the match 3-1. Inter Milan's advancement looked promising, while Deportivo La Coru?a retained a glimmer of hope.
In the post-match press conference, Deportivo La Coru?a coach Irureta seemed to complain and express helplessness: "Wasn't Wang Feng in a scoring drought? Why did he play so well against us?"
"We were once one of Wang Feng's pursuers, and we almost succeeded. It's very regrettable."
This distinguished coach led Deportivo La Coru?a to their first La Liga title in the club's history, as well as a Copa del Rey and two Supercopa de Espa?a titles, shocking European football and earning the nickname "Super Depor".
However, since this season, the club has gradually reduced spending, coupled with aging players, he clearly felt somewhat powerless. The rise of Valencia and Barcelona in the league, coupled with such a defeat by Inter Milan in the Champions League, further added to their woes.
Perhaps Super Depor will not return next season. A hint of melancholy flashed through the minds of the Spanish. This is the fate of small clubs. Even if there are moments of brilliance, it is difficult to sustain them, as economic strength and heritage are insufficient.
After the game, Wang Feng also accepted interviews from the media. When asked about his return to form, he smiled and said, "Yes, I feel I have returned to my best form, and I will be even better than before!"
"What helped you adjust so quickly?"
Blushing slightly, Wang Feng recalled that wonderful night, a story he couldn't share with outsiders. So he simply said, "The support of those who believe in me has given me great strength."
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