Chapter 270: Tragedy will not repeat itself
Back on the plane to Milan, the Inter Milan players remained silent. Facing Premier League teams once again, they lost 1-2 to their opponents. Would tragedy repeat itself, and would they once again be stopped in the Champions League semi-finals?
Before the decisive battle with Arsenal, Inter Milan had to face Reggina in the 35th round of Serie A at home. Initially, coach Mancini planned to field an entirely different lineup, but Wang Feng volunteered, "Mr. Mancini, I want to play!"
"Only by constantly fighting on the field can I adjust myself to the best condition." After thinking for a while, Mancini finally agreed to his request but with an additional condition: "You must not get injured. If there are any problems, I will substitute you immediately."
After the game started, Wang Feng threw himself into the attack with full force. Reggina's defense was no match for Arsenal's, and they soon couldn't hold on. In the 7th minute, he dribbled past two defenders and scored the opening goal for the home team.
Just four minutes later, it was Wang Feng again with consecutive dribbles in the forward area, breaking into the penalty area and shooting suddenly, piercing Reggina's goal once again.
In the following time, Inter Milan's offensive end became Wang Feng's solo show. He kept dribbling through double teams, eliciting bursts of amazement from the audience in the stands. It turned out that Wang Feng, who didn't pass the ball, could play so beautifully.
To avoid a massacre, Wang Feng even aimed at the crossbar or posts when he got the chance to shoot. People outside the field could only feel regret, while Reggina's defenders in the midst of it all felt something was off.
With continuous humiliation, their defensive actions became increasingly rough, often sending Wang Feng sprawling. The referee's whistle sounded frequently, and Mancini on the sidelines also felt fluctuating emotions. Many times, he almost wanted to make substitutions.
In the 43rd minute, when Wang Feng once again dribbled into the penalty area, Reggina defender Del Rosario viciously went for his ankle with a tackle. Wang Feng leaped high to avoid it, but the defender's studs still grazed his skin.
In that moment of losing balance, he could have gone down to earn a penalty, but Wang Feng still adjusted his body shape in the air and shot with his right foot, piercing the away team's goal again.
"Gooooooooooooooal! The ball is in! A beautiful aerial shot! Wang Feng has scored a hat-trick in the first half!"
"Faced with the rough foul from Reggina defender Del Rosario, he didn't go down to fight for a penalty but tried to shoot while stumbling, ending the opponent with a wonderful goal in play."
"This is Wang Feng's 40th league goal of the season! He has scored over 40 league goals for four consecutive years, such terrifying performance is also unparalleled in Serie A history! It seems that this year's Serie A Golden Boot and European Golden Boot will have no competitors."
After scoring, Wang Feng sat on the ground, holding his bleeding ankle. The team doctor hurried onto the field to treat him. After judging that he had avoided the tackle in time, it was just a simple abrasion, but Mancini still couldn't bear it and substituted him.
"Go to the hospital immediately for a detailed examination!" the Italian said angrily. He understood Wang Feng's feelings, wanting to break through Arsenal's defense, but using this method was too extreme.
Wang Feng nodded. He had indeed been a bit irrational. He underwent a comprehensive and detailed examination in Inter Milan's cooperative medical institution, and the result showed that everything was normal except for some skin abrasions.
The game itself didn't change much. After Wang Feng was substituted, both sides returned to a lukewarm state, and the score remained unchanged until the end of the game.
At the post-match press conference, the focus of many media outlets was on Wang Feng's injury. Could he play in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals?
"According to the examination report, Wang Feng is in very good health," Mancini replied. "He only has minor abrasions, which will not affect the upcoming matches."
The coach's assurance relieved all Inter Milan fans. As the only representative of Serie A in the Champions League, many fans in Italy also hoped that Inter Milan could go further, and Wang Feng was the key figure in that.
On the evening of April 27th, after a week of rest, Inter Milan welcomed Arsenal led by Henry at the San Siro.
At the beginning of the game, Arsenal adopted a conservative approach, focusing on defense while maximizing possession. Inter Milan, on the other hand, was more cautious and didn't choose to press forward rashly, after all, Arsenal's attacking strength was not to be underestimated.
Time passed second by second in the confrontation. Before the end of the first half, the Nerazzurri had only managed two shots, while the Gunners had only one shot, and the score remained 0-0.
After the break, the trailing Inter Milan finally couldn't help but accelerate the pace of the game. Ribery first crossed from the bottom, and Adriano's header was saved by Lehmann, followed by Wang Feng's shot that grazed the post.
Arsenal, however, was equally unyielding. Fàbregas sent a through ball to Henry, who found himself in a one-on-one situation inside the penalty area. The Frenchman's shot had already passed the goalkeeper, but fortunately, Marklelay in front of the goal cleared the ball off the line.
The mood of Inter Milan fans in the stands was as thrilling as a roller coaster. The players on the field were the same. When they saw Henry's one-on-one opportunity, Wang Feng's mood sank to the bottom. After Marklelay successfully resolved the crisis, all his teammates surrounded him to praise him. This rescue was too important!
Perhaps as a punishment for the away team's missed opportunities, a chance appeared for the home team. In the 86th minute, midfielder Zanetti sent a long pass to the front of the penalty area, where Wang Feng pressured Campbell and pushed the ball to the wing before turning and rushing into the penalty area.
Ribery, who received the ball, cleverly sent a straight pass, but unfortunately, it didn't pierce Arsenal's defense and was deflected towards the goal line by Touré.
Wang Feng immediately chased after the ball, while Ribery very cleverly cut inside and lurked behind the defense at the far post. The two completed a crossover, with Campbell tightly marking Wang Feng. However, one person obviously couldn't stop the Chinese superstar, and Eboué also came over to help defend.
Wang Feng forcefully pushed his body backward, shaking off Campbell's momentary balance and pushing the ball forward before turning and sending a cross. The ball passed through Campbell's legs, who was unsteady on his feet, and reached Ribery at the far post.
At this moment, most of the defenders and the goalkeeper's attention in the penalty area were on Wang Feng, and they didn't expect him to suddenly break free, turn, and pass the ball, leaving Ribery facing almost half of the empty goal.
No matter how weak the Frenchman's shooting skills were, he wouldn't miss such an opportunity. With a gentle push, the ball rolled into the net.
"Goooooooooooooooooooal! The ball is in! Ribery's tap-in in front of the goal helps Inter Milan reverse the score!"
"This goal is mainly attributed to Wang Feng. Not only did he attract the attention of Arsenal's defense, but he also successfully delivered the ball amidst heavy marking. Ribery only needed to easily push the ball into the net!"
"Now Inter Milan has regained the lead. They hold an away goal advantage, and time is running out for Arsenal!"
When the referee blew the final whistle, San Siro turned into a sea of joy. 1-0! Inter Milan won at home against the Gunners, with an aggregate score of 2-2, advancing to the Champions League final with an away goal advantage. Last year's tragedy did not repeat itself!
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