Chapter 413: Battle of destiny
Back in the locker room, the players were all sweating profusely, breathing heavily after continuous pressing on the field, which had already depleted a lot of their energy. But everyone's face showed a relieved and relaxed expression.
Their efforts were not in vain, as they finally equalized the score just before halftime, which meant they still had the strength to fight another battle!
Since scoring the goal, Gao Lin's face had been filled with a smile that didn't stop. Other teammates looked at him with envy. This was the highly anticipated Olympic semifinal, and his name would surely be known to every household after today.
But this glory was well-deserved. Until the last moment, Gao Lin had been running at full speed. Even if he didn't know whether Wang Feng would pass the ball to him, he resolutely positioned himself in the right place.
Thinking of this, Chen Tao felt a hint of regret. He realized that he had better physical fitness and a more advanced position. During the fast break, he subconsciously thought that Wang Feng would take the shot himself, so his steps hesitated a bit, and he ended up behind Gao Lin.
"If I had been a bit more aggressive, would the goal have been mine?" he asked himself, and this regret in his heart sparked a fierce fighting spirit in the young man. Chen Tao silently vowed not to give up halfway through the second half!
Head coach Ying Tiesheng rarely showed a smile. He was pleased to see the players fighting hard on the field. "The goal just before halftime was crucial. It will be the key to opening the door to victory for us!"
"But our physical strength is limited, and trying to press high like in the first half may be beyond our capabilities. So, we must focus on defense and not allow the opponent to score again."
"We need to stay solid defensively and seize the opportunity to launch counterattacks. Wang Feng, you should feel comfortable playing in this style. In the second half, I hope your range of movement continues to expand, and you can contribute both offensively and defensively."
The Chinese superstar nodded. Playing as a free player across the field was not the first time for him, although it was tiring, the effect was outstanding.
As the second half began, the Chinese team did not press high like in the first half but actively gave up possession and compressed their defensive line, waiting in a tight formation. Nigeria, although having the attacking initiative, found it difficult to break through the defensive line resembling a parked bus.
Not to mention, there was Wang Feng occasionally sprinting forward to stimulate their defense. The speed of the Chinese superstar was too fast, taking only a dozen seconds from the backcourt to the frontcourt at full speed.
Continuous attacks without results made the Nigerian Olympic players increasingly impatient, and the more anxious they became, the worse their accuracy became. In the 77th minute, forward Odimwanki's shot from inside the penalty area flew straight to the top of the stadium, ridiculously high.
The Chinese team won a goal kick, Qiu Shenghong kicked it to the midfield, Cui Peng headed it to the flank for Gao Lin, who then passed it to Wang Feng.
At this time, most of the Nigerian players were still in the opponent's half, so the Chinese superstar quickly started a counterattack towards the frontcourt. The horn of the counterattack sounded!
Defender Adeleye stood in front of him. Wang Feng pushed the ball to the left with his left foot, pretending to break through this way, but suddenly hooked the ball back with his right foot, a skillful move.
How could the young Nigerian defender stop Wang Feng? He even tripped over his left foot due to the Chinese superstar's feint, losing his balance and falling down, only able to watch him dribble away.
The despairing Adeleye lying on the ground and the receding figure formed a sharply contrasting image. The moment was captured keenly by the photographers on the sidelines, making it one of the classic scenes in football.
Sprinting along the flank to near the penalty area, Wang Feng intended to dribble forcefully to the byline but suddenly stopped and turned with the ball midway. This left the defender Apan, who had been closely following him on the side, sliding to the ground due to inertia, and then he shook him off!
Then the Chinese superstar chipped the ball to the back post. Chen Tao, who had been charging forward, leaped to head the ball. At this moment, most of the Nigerian defenders were focused on Wang Feng, neglecting other players.
The powerful header left goalkeeper Van Zeeveld with no time to react. "Goal! Chen Tao! The Chinese team successfully overtakes the score!"
"Coming from Wang Feng's cross, the Chinese team seized this precious counterattack opportunity!"
"After the goalkeeper kicked the ball out, it was passed to Wang Feng's feet through several passes, and the Chinese superstar quickly sprinted nearly 40 meters to near the penalty area, even causing a Nigerian center-back to fall during the run."
"Then he used a quick stop to shake off the defender's entanglement. From this, we can see Wang Feng's exceptional control over his body. It's hard to imagine another player completing this difficult move while dribbling."
"Wang Feng delivered the ball into the penalty area, and Chen Tao, who surged forward from the back, jumped up, heading the ball forcefully. This diving header can be described as full of power."
After scoring, Chen Tao immediately ran towards Wang Feng, jumping onto him. "I scored! I scored too!" His voice choked as he shouted.
"Yes, you scored!" Wang Feng patted his head affectionately. "It was a wonderful header. I think it will definitely be one of the top five goals of the tournament."
Other teammates also rushed over to surround the two, with Gao Lin rubbing Chen Tao's head vigorously. "You ran so fast, I couldn't catch up with you."
Consecutive equalization and turnaround made the Nigerian players very frustrated. They had the advantage on the field but failed to get the reward. The huge gap made it difficult for them to accept, and their mentality became somewhat imbalanced.
To preserve the fruits of victory, head coach Ying Tiesheng made three consecutive substitutions. Goal scorer Gao Lin was replaced to rest, and Dong Fangzhuo was destined not to have a chance to play in this match.
Relying on all the players, including Wang Feng, retreating to defend, Nigeria failed to break through the Chinese team's goal until the end of the game. They maintained the score at 2-1, narrowly defeating the African Eagles and advancing to the Olympic final!
When the referee blew the final whistle, many players were exhausted and collapsed on the ground, while the substitutes and staff couldn't hold back their excitement and quickly rushed into the field to celebrate. The Chinese team had at least secured a medal!
The cheers resounded throughout the whole Magic City Stadium, national flags fluttered in the wind in the stands, and countless fans were in tears, spontaneously singing familiar melodies.
Wang Feng stood quietly with his hands on his hips, a huge sense of satisfaction and pride surging into his heart. This feeling was something that club achievements could never give him.
He suddenly understood why well-known Brazilian superstars like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and others continued to join the national Olympic team as overage players to participate in the Olympics. It was because they wanted to help their country win a championship that had never been touched before.
For this, Ronaldinho even clashed with AC Milan's top management. The club did not agree to his participation in such events because the timing clashed with the club's summer training, and players were likely to get injured in high-intensity matches.
Real Madrid was more understanding. They fully respected Wang Feng's choice, even if it meant missing some early matches.
Fate is often cruel. In another semifinal, relying on Aguero's brace and Messi's brilliance, the Pampas Eagles defeated the Samba Army 3-0, shattering the Brazilians' Olympic dream once again.
And the top-tier Wang Feng, challenging Messi, would have the final showdown of fate.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢