Chapter 240: Déjà vu
In the pleasant morning temperature and humidity, Wang Feng had just finished his morning run and returned to the hotel when he encountered a group of relatives and friends who came to visit. His mother, with a worried expression, approached Wang Feng and looked him over: "Ah Feng, I saw you fell several times on the field during yesterday's match. Are you injured? Let me see."
Wang Feng could only helplessly turn his body while saying, "Mom, I'm fine. Didn't I tell you over the phone last night that those little collisions couldn't even break my skin?"
After checking on her son's condition, Wang Feng's mother finally relaxed, and Lu Xuexing came forward, patting Wang Feng's shoulder and saying, "Xiao Feng, your goals from the free kicks were really satisfying, making those West Asian guys regret their actions."
"Now, news about you and the national team is all over the domestic newspapers, magazines, and television. According to my nephew, there's also a lot of discussion online. You can really be considered famous nationwide."
Back when Wang Feng played football abroad, he was already a target of pursuit for many fans. This time, representing the country in the tournament, he had gained visibility even among non-football fans, becoming a well-known figure nationwide.
Afterwards, Lu Xuexing chatted with Wang Feng about football anecdotes. Wang Feng always knew some inside stories, which was very attractive to an old fan like him.
The Chinese team secured a spot in the semifinals. Japan and Jordan drew 1-1 in regular time and eventually secured the second qualification spot through a penalty shootout.
In the other match, Uzbekistan faced Bahrain and also went into a penalty shootout. Eventually, Bahrain, playing the role of the dark horse, remained calmer under pressure and eliminated Uzbekistan in an upset.
The last quarter-final match was a showdown between South Korea and Iran. After a goal-laden battle, South Korea eventually lost 3-4 to Iran, stopping at the quarter-finals. Therefore, China would face Iran in the semi-finals.
Although China didn't have to face their nemesis South Korea, which relieved many fans, Iran was still a formidable opponent. Previous encounters had mostly ended in defeat, and now with Wang Feng's addition, could they change this situation?
The semi-final began amidst great anticipation. Both China and Iran played cautiously in the opening stages of the match. Compared to previous opponents, Wang Feng clearly felt that Iran's defense was much stronger.
Not only did they possess strong physicality, but their technical skills and overall coordination were also excellent. In this situation, Wang Feng dared not say he could break through their defense alone.
Iran got the first chance. Nekounam orchestrated an attack from the flank, bypassing Sun Xiang and crossing into the penalty area. Forward Madavikia's header was blocked by Liu Yunhui, and Li Weifeng quickly cleared the ball.
This threatening attack made everyone, including the team and the fans, sweat nervously. It was too close!
The Chinese team refused to be outdone. Wang Feng orchestrated an attack, breaking through two defensive players on the flank and crossing to the middle.
The ball reached Shao Jia's feet near the edge of the penalty area, and he calmly took a shot, but unfortunately, it grazed the crossbar and flew out of bounds.
Iran clearly studied the characteristics of the Chinese team. They adopted a strategy of heavily marking Wang Feng, leaving some space for other players. Whether they could capitalize on these opportunities remained to be seen.
This feeling made Wang Feng somewhat reminiscent of the past, just like when he faced Liverpool with Genk. Although the national team's overall strength couldn't compare to Genk's, Iran wasn't as strong as Liverpool.
Running was the most effective way to break through the blockade! So Wang Feng, like in the past, tirelessly ran on the field, leading Iran's entire defense. At the same time, he actively retreated to participate in defense.
The Iranian defenders marking Wang Feng could only follow him tirelessly, inevitably feeling tired and slack at times, and this was his opportunity.
In the 33rd minute, the Chinese team launched an attack. Zhao Junzhe dribbled into the left flank area, and Wang Feng suddenly moved from the right to the left to support him. His well-timed run perfectly shook off one of Iran's central defenders, Kaveh Ansarifard.
Seeing the situation, Zhao Junzhe cleverly passed the ball to Wang Feng's feet. With his back to Gholamreza Mazraeh, Wang Feng controlled the ball, quickly turned around, and evaded.
After catching up with the ball, Wang Feng took a powerful shot from the top of the penalty area. The ball flew straight towards the upper right corner of the goal. Iran's goalkeeper Mirzapour dived and touched the ball with his fingertips, but couldn't prevent it from entering the net.
1-0! China took the lead!
The entire Workers Stadium immediately turned into a sea of joy, with red flags fluttering up and down. The atmosphere was no less intense than in major international matches.
After scoring, Wang Feng interacted warmly with the fans in the stands. Hearing them calling his name in a familiar tone, he felt proud in his heart.
At the end of the first half, China still maintained their lead. In the final stages, Iran launched a fierce counterattack, but fortunately, everyone resisted the pressure and didn't let the opponent score.
In the halftime locker room, head coach Alihan praised everyone's performance in the first half and hoped they would continue to persist in the second half. "You must focus more on defense, but of course, don't just passively defend. Wang, it's up to you to create pressure on the Iranian team in the frontcourt, so they can't fully commit to the attack."
Wang Feng nodded. This was a job he was very familiar with—consuming the opponent's energy. A one-goal lead wasn't secure.
After the break, Iran, already in a disadvantageous situation, intensified their pressure on the Chinese team. But they were also very afraid of Wang Feng's rapid counterattacks because his speed was well-known.
What they feared came true. In the 67th minute, China intercepted the ball in the backcourt. Sun Jihai sent a long pass to the midfield, and Wang Feng successfully anticipated the first touch, outrunning Iran's central defenders Nekounam and Ansarifard who were pressuring him.
Facing the ball, Wang Feng quickly moved forward, almost shaking off Nekounam, who was hanging on him like a shadow. Ansarifard, trying to grab his shirt, was too late.
Wang Feng reached the ball and charged into the frontcourt! At this moment, there was only one defender left in Iran's defense, Amirabbadi. He turned sideways to defend, trying to slow down Wang Feng's pace and push him to the right, so that other players could have time to defend.
If facing a right-footed player, this defensive strategy would be fine, but Wang Feng could shoot with both feet. So as he sprinted forward, he deftly used his left foot to control the ball, swiftly changed direction, and passed Amirabbadi on the left.
Entering the penalty area, Wang Feng was one-on-one with the goalkeeper! Facing the goalkeeper, Wang Feng calmly pushed the ball with his left foot, changing the score to 2-0!
This goal once again struck a blow to Iran's confidence. In a decisive knockout match, if the opponent scored consecutively, the pressure would multiply.
The momentum-driven Chinese team succeeded in another counterattack in the final moments, with Wang Feng assisting Li Jin in scoring the final goal.
3-0! China defeated Iran and entered the final of the Asian Cup!
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