Chapter 410: Team clearance
Compared with Brazil, Belgium is undoubtedly an easier team to deal with, but their overall strength still surpasses that of the Chinese team. Due to their connection with the Genk club, Wang Feng has more or less heard of the names of these Belgian golden generations.
Standard Liège's Sebastien Pocognoli came from Genk's youth training. He made his debut in the first team at the age of 16. Marten Martens from Alkmaar represented Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup at the age of 19, not to mention Tom De Mul, who played for Sevilla, and Kevin Mirallas from Saint-étienne in Ligue 1.
On August 10th, this highly anticipated match kicked off at the Wulihe Stadium.
After the match started, Belgian defenders Delouw and Pocognoli closely marked Wang Feng throughout the game. They knew about the free kick skills of the Chinese superstar, so they tried to disrupt the passing of the ball without fouling.
Without Dong Fangzhuo to share the offensive burden, Wang Feng's support in the front court was greatly reduced. Depending entirely on his Olympic teammates to accurately pass the ball seemed a bit difficult, so the Chinese superstar kept retreating and even actively participated in defense in the backcourt, disrupting the opponent's attacking plan for a while.
In the first half, both sides contributed only four shots, with Belgium having three and China having one, but neither team scored. In the 34th minute, Wang Feng quickly counterattacked with the ball, shaking off three defending players in succession, but his shot slightly missed the post under Vermaelen's interference.
This attack sent chills down the spine of the entire Belgian team, and the head coach even rushed to the sidelines to shout at the players, urging them to treat the Chinese superstar with utmost seriousness.
In the 61st minute of the second half, Belgium's attack finally paid off. Halong passed the ball to the wing, and Martens immediately lobbed the ball into the goal area, where Dembele successfully shook off the defense and headed the ball into the Chinese team's goal.
After conceding a goal, the Chinese team decisively accelerated the pace of the game. Wang Feng frequently organized attacks from midfield, allowing these young Belgians to witness his energy at its peak.
Just 7 minutes later, Wang Feng intercepted the ball near the center line from Verthongen's feet. The Chinese superstar then rushed into the frontcourt, first dodging Halong with a fried meatball move, then seized the opportunity to pass to the wing, Chen Tao. The ball passed through two defending players.
Chen Tao, with Wang Feng's cover, reached the vicinity of the penalty area and immediately passed it back to him. Wang Feng faced the block, dribbled with his right foot, and suddenly changed the rhythm, catching Delouw off guard.
The Chinese superstar caught up with the ball and blasted it directly. With a loud bang, the ball pierced through the hands of the goalkeeper Bailey and into the net, 1-1!
In the 79th minute, Wang Feng started near the center line again, twisting past two players with a Marseille spin. James didn't hesitate to foul him, but the prepared Chinese superstar easily avoided it.
As he approached the frontcourt, he first passed to Gao Lin nearby, then immediately rushed into the penalty area while raising his right hand to signal a pass behind the defensive line. Gao Lin decisively lobbed the ball over, but unfortunately, the force was too strong, and the ball flew towards the bottom line.
This didn't deter Wang Feng. He used his speed to stop the ball before it went out of bounds, faced Vermaelen's block, and with a crotch dribble, successfully cut inside under the Belgian's legs, caught up with the ball, and took a direct shot from a narrow angle.
The crescent moon scimitar reappeared on the green field! The ball drilled into the net from the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper Bailey helpless, 2-1! The Chinese team completed the reversal!
Once again scoring twice to save the team, Wang Feng was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the fans at the scene, while the Belgian players were very frustrated, realizing that they seemed unable to contain the Chinese superstar.
What's going on? We didn't make any mistakes, everyone showed a bewildered look, only the coach on the sidelines seemed pensive. Wang Feng seemed to be restricted in the first half, but in fact, he wasn't at all. He actively reduced the threat and confrontation.
As a result, defensive players would form inertia in their thinking and actions. When he suddenly accelerated, he could naturally outmaneuver everyone. These young players couldn't compete with Wang Feng, who had rich experience in major competitions. It was simply a mismatch!
There wasn't much time left for Belgium. Everything was within Wang Feng's expectations, except for the uncontrollable teammates.
In the 81st minute, Belgium launched a quick counterattack. Dembele had already passed the ball, but Chinese full-back Tan Wangsong still made a flying kick.
This was a move he often used during training and matches, and he naturally didn't think it was a big deal. But referees on the international stage wouldn't let it slide. Red card! Tan Wangsong stared at the player with an innocent face. What do you mean innocent? This kind of action would warrant a red card in any match outside of China.
Fortunately, there wasn't much time left in the game. In the final moments, Belgium launched a fierce attack against the Chinese team with numerical superiority. Wang Feng's defense was as good as any world-class defender, finally helping the team preserve the victory.
The score remained 2-1 until the final whistle. With two wins in two matches, the Chinese team advanced from the group stage ahead of schedule. In another match, Brazil defeated New Zealand 5-0, and in the final round, they were likely to compete with China for the top spot in the group.
In the mixed interview area after the match, Wang Feng expressed his thoughts on the improper actions of domestic players, "In fact, many of our players' actions are not professional, which requires the clubs to pay enough attention and correct them from the beginning."
"The league is also very important. Sometimes I pay attention to it, but I often find that the judgment standards are inconsistent, sometimes too strict and sometimes too lenient, completely failing to regulate the players."
"Only under the influence of a subtle environment can the technical abilities of domestic players gradually improve."
After winning the crucial battle to advance, fans, in addition to rejoicing, began to consider Wang Feng's suggestions. Many people believed that referees should also undergo strict training to regulate the actions of young players on the field.
On August 13th, in the final round of the group stage, the Chinese team faced Brazil, a team with a galaxy of stars and one of the favorites to win the tournament.
They included familiar faces for Wang Feng like Marcelo and Ronaldinho, as well as players from the top five leagues such as Rafinha, Alex Silva, Anderson, Lucas Leiva, Diego, Pato, and Breno, among others.
The match unfolded with one-sided dominance. Brazil had an absolute advantage, with Ronaldinho and Diego each scoring a goal for the team. However, Wang Feng pulled one back in the 77th minute of the second half.
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