Chapter 356: Unstoppable
In the final round of the group stage, head coach Ali Han once again made changes to the lineup. It was Wang Feng's turn to lead the substitute lineup, while Uzbekistan had no choice but to win this match to have a chance of advancing.
Therefore, they started the game with the fierce determination typical of West Asian teams. High pressing and aggressive attacking immediately threw the Chinese team into chaos, and in the 9th minute, they conceded the first goal.
Subsequently, under Wang Feng's leadership, the Chinese team launched a counterattack, but Uzbekistan repeatedly used foul tactics to obstruct, even leading to several yellow cards for the center-backs, but they didn't care.
Seeing this situation, Wang Feng signaled his teammates to control the situation. The opponents should be the ones in a hurry, not themselves. They couldn't get caught up in the opponent's rhythm.
After stabilizing their mentality, the Chinese team regained control of the game. They used continuous passing to consume the Uzbekistan players' energy. As time passed, their focus inevitably waned.
In the 31st minute, taking advantage of the space created by center-back Itansvayl's failed pressing, Zhao Junzhe delivered a diagonal pass to Wang Feng in midfield, who then dribbled into the penalty area.
At this moment, Zhao Xuri arrived on the flank to support. Wang Feng pretended to break through, attracting the defense before passing the ball to Zhao Xuri, who sent a lob into the penalty area.
Although Han Peng tried to intercept the ball at the far post, the angle for a shot was blocked by the opponent's defender. So, he headed the ball back into the box where Wang Feng, who had moved forward, volleyed with his left foot to score, piercing Uzbekistan's goal.
1-1! The Chinese team equalized!
After bringing both teams level, the Chinese team continued to maintain a steady attitude, focusing on defense instead of engaging in physical battles with the opponent to avoid injuries.
In the 69th minute of the second half, they once again got an opportunity. After winning the ball in midfield, they quickly launched a counterattack from the right flank. Wang Feng dribbled towards the edge of the penalty area, then suddenly cut inside and accelerated diagonally into the box.
He used his right hand to fend off the defending player, then used the tip of his left foot to lift the ball, which soared into the top left corner of the goal, making it 2-1! The Chinese team took the lead again!
This goal completely shattered Uzbekistan's fighting spirit. Until the end of the match, the score remained unchanged.
After the group stage, the Chinese team topped the group with three consecutive victories, Iran followed with two wins and one loss, Uzbekistan with one win and two losses, and Malaysia, without a win, was eliminated. China's opponent in the quarterfinals was South Korea, also from East Asia.
On the evening of July 22nd, at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, the match between China and South Korea kicked off.
In the past few years, Wang Feng had led the Chinese team to defeat South Korea several times, even forcing them to play in the World Cup qualifying play-offs, which caused great dissatisfaction within South Korea, leading to the dismissal of their head coach.
So now, they urgently wanted to regain their former glory, to regain that dominance over China, and to revive the "Koreanphobia" in China!
But the Chinese team was no longer what it used to be. Apart from Wang Feng, a group of overseas players led by Dong Fangzhuo had also made a name for themselves in European football, with abilities and reputations not inferior to South Korean players abroad.
Just 3 minutes into the game, Wang Feng was fouled by South Korean defender Kim Sang-jik in a breakthrough, and the referee decisively awarded China a free kick in the opponent's half.
Wang Feng took the free kick himself, and the ball rose rapidly in the air like an elevator, catching goalkeeper Lee Yun off guard, who could only watch as the ball went into the net.
1-0! The Chinese team made a dream start.
Following that, Wang Feng and Dong Fangzhuo frequently created scoring opportunities, putting immense pressure on the South Korean defense. Of course, they were not without resistance. In the 12th minute, South Korea took advantage of a breakthrough in the middle to attempt a shot, but Lee Chun-soo's shot went over the crossbar.
But this was just a fleeting chance. For the South Koreans, the Chinese team's attacking pressure was too strong, making it difficult for them to form a proper defense. As a result, they lost possession of the ball in midfield for most of the time, feeling extremely stifled.
In the 25th minute, relying on continuous passing in midfield, the Chinese team successfully tore apart the opponent's defense. The ball was delivered to Wang Feng's feet inside the penalty area. Seeing this, South Korean defenders hurriedly rushed to surround him.
Wang Feng kept touching the ball, seemingly playing with the South Korean players. They couldn't get close to him, couldn't take the ball away, and didn't dare to foul inside the penalty area. They were sweating profusely in desperation.
Seeing that the defense had been sufficiently attracted, Wang Feng seized the opportunity to send a horizontal pass. The ball passed through the legs of defender Kim Jin-kyu and went straight to the goal. Dong Fangzhuo, who had been waiting, timely rushed forward and shot with his right foot to break through South Korea's goal again.
"Goal! Beautiful! Amazing! Through continuous passing, the Chinese team once again opens up the South Korean defense, and Dong Fangzhuo scores his second!
"I never thought I'd see such smooth passing from the Chinese team on the international stage. Each player's pass is precise, and their ball control is steady. It's like watching art. Our opponents are not weak teams, they are Asian powerhouse South Korea! Now, this Chinese team gives me an unstoppable feeling. I believe defending the Asian Cup is definitely within reach!"
As the match neared its end, South Korean player Park Ji-sung broke into the Chinese penalty area and fell, successfully winning a penalty. Due to the big lead, the players didn't bother to argue with the referee. Lee Dong-guk took the penalty and scored, pulling one back for South Korea, somewhat salvaging their pride.
3-1! The Chinese team defeated South Korea and advanced to the Asian Cup semi-finals!
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