Chapter 421: The two heroes of La Liga each show off their prestige
On the first day of September, the 2008-2009 La Liga season kicked off. With all 20 teams playing 10 rounds simultaneously, Real Madrid visited Riazor Stadium to challenge Deportivo La Coru?a.
The game was completely dominated by the Galacticos. In the 21st minute, Sneijder, in midfield, played a through pass to Robben, who swiftly dribbled along the flank before cutting inside and delivering a diagonal pass into the penalty area.
Wang Feng, despite the pressure from defender Ruy, managed to volley the ball into the net, opening the scoring for the away team. Just before halftime, the Chinese superstar engaged in a series of passes with Robben on the wing and then struck from a tight angle inside the box, making it 2-0!
The second half saw no change in momentum. In the 59th minute, Robben's shot inside the box was blocked by Agüero, but Wang Feng seized the opportunity to follow up with a goal.
Hat-trick hero! The Chinese superstar's performance was outstanding; at 25, he felt an endless surge of energy in his body!
As the game approached its end, Wang Feng assisted Raúl in scoring another goal, sealing a 4-0 victory for the Galacticos away at Deportivo La Coru?a.
However, this match wasn't the biggest point difference of the round, as Barcelona thrashed newly promoted Numancia 7-0 away, with Messi scoring a hat-trick, while Eto'o and Henry each scored twice.
At this point, both the media and fans realized how formidable Barcelona's attack was, with their attacking trio in their prime and midfielders like Xavi and Iniesta providing top-tier support. Their strength had already been validated in the European Championship earlier in the summer.
"It seems this season's La Liga will once again be dominated by the sharp Real Madrid and the emerging force of Barcelona. Who will have the last laugh between them?" commented the Spanish newspaper, "The National Gazette."
After the first round of matches, Wang Feng embarked on a journey back to his home country. He was set to represent the national team in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone, with Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Australia, and Japan being the other teams in China's group.
The top two teams in the group would directly qualify for the World Cup, while the third-placed team would enter a two-legged playoff. With Wang Feng and other overseas-based players in the lineup, fans believed that China securing a spot in the finals was quite achievable.
However, on September 6th, in a home game against Uzbekistan, the continuous traveling took a toll on many overseas-based players, resulting in a lackluster performance. The visitors took advantage and scored two goals in the first half.
Coach Ali Han's forehead furrowed into a frown on the sidelines. While he understood the players' fatigue, he couldn't tolerate basic mistakes like conceding two goals.
Fortunately, they had Wang Feng. The Chinese superstar maintained a high level throughout the game. Just before halftime, he cleverly feigned past the opposition defender near the penalty area and calmly slotted home, pulling one back for China.
In the second half, under pressure from two defenders, Wang Feng received a long pass from Zheng Zhi, skillfully evaded them, and then shot into the far corner to level the score. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.
After the game, Ali Han severely criticized the players, "It's okay to have a bad form, but if the attitude is not right, I'll substitute. No one in this team is irreplaceable!"
On September 10th, in a home game against Bahrain, the teammates didn't disappoint. In the 17th minute, Wang Feng broke through on the right and crossed for Dong Fangzhuo to score the opener. In the 37th minute, Wang Feng received a pass from Chen Tao on the wing, skillfully dribbled past the opposition full-back, and scored into the near corner. It was 2-0!
In the second half, in the 66th minute, China earned a corner. Wang Feng's delivery found Li Weifeng, who headed it across for Dong Fangzhuo to volley home, completing his brace. China won 3-0.
Back to the league, on September 14th, in the second round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Numancia. In the first half, Real Madrid's front trio of Sneijder, Robben, and Wang Feng tore apart the visitors' defense, with the Chinese superstar providing the final touch inside the box.
In the second half, Wang Feng dribbled into the area near the sideline, then unexpectedly unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot. Numancia's goalkeeper made a positioning error, watching helplessly as the ball sailed over him into the net.
In the 79th minute, Robben's swift run down the wing ended with a cross, with Wang Feng cleverly allowing the ball to pass through to Raúl, who easily slotted it home. Numancia managed a consolation goal late in the game, ending with a 3-1 scoreline.
For Barcelona, their first-round opponent Sporting Lisbon had a much stronger overall strength than Real Madrid's opponent. Messi faced considerable defensive pressure and couldn't continue his streak of consecutive goals. However, stopping Messi alone couldn't halt Barcelona's momentum, as Henry scored twice, and Eto'o added another goal, securing a 3-0 victory.
The league continued, with both La Liga giants marching forward.
On September 22nd, in the third round of La Liga, Real Madrid came from behind to beat Santander 2-1 away, with Wang Feng scoring twice.
On September 25th, in the fourth round of La Liga, Real Madrid defeated Huesca 5-1 at home, with Wang Feng netting a hat-trick, and Robben and Sneijder each scoring a goal.
On September 28th, in the fifth round of La Liga, Real Madrid secured a 3-0 victory away at Real Betis, with Wang Feng contributing two goals and an assist.
Barcelona's performances in these three rounds were even more impressive, with a 6-1 win against Huesca, followed by a 5-0 thrashing of Real Betis, and a 4-1 victory over Espanyol.
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