Chapter 473: Situation
The Chinese team fought hard to draw with Germany, with Wang Feng contributing one goal and one assist!
After the match, major domestic portals reported on the game, while authoritative media invited football commentators to provide detailed analysis of the game process and results.
A sports media outlet interviewed former national team player Gong Lei for his views on the game. He believed that the energy of the German team was even greater than expected before the match. The starting lineup was currently the youngest among all teams, with an average age of less than 25.
"Youth represents vitality and aggression. During the game, they brought great pressure to the Chinese defense, but we persisted until the last moment, finally welcoming the dawn of an equalizer."
"In fact, the German team has always performed very well in the opening matches of the World Cup, thanks to their rigorous style and thorough preparation."
"On the Chinese side, Wang Feng's performance did not disappoint domestic fans, especially the opening free kick directly into the net, which to some extent disrupted the opponent's rhythm and bought valuable time for the team. This is one of the main reasons we were able to hold on until the end."
At the same time, he expressed that if the Chinese team wants to go further in this World Cup, this defensive attitude needs to be further maintained, and the tactical strategy of resolutely executing defensive counterattacks needs to be implemented.
Finally, Gong Lei said: "I see a Latin American style of play in this German team, which is a very scary thing. Their playing style can become more diverse, and when they truly grow, they will become a world powerhouse."
Another sports media outlet interviewed commentator He Wei. He felt that the German team that faced the Chinese team four years ago was completely different from the current German team.
Back then, under Klinsmann's leadership, "speed" was the main rhythm, with a group of young players charging forward with enthusiasm, playing thrilling matches, just like their tradition, simple and direct, with high balls.
After taking over as coach, L?w originally inherited this approach, but in the 2008 European Championship final, he witnessed the powerful strength of Spanish-style possession football firsthand, and the sense of powerlessness deeply ingrained in his mind.
So, for the past two years, Germany has been seeking change. For this, L?w spared no controversy, refusing experienced veterans like Frings and Friedrich, and opting for young players like Khedira and Müller. Even Klose and Podolski, who were not in good form at club level, stably made the squad as long as they fit into his tactical system.
"From Germany's current performance, they are at least not inferior to four years ago, and we are also improving. Core player Wang Feng is becoming more refined, more young overseas players are joining, and better cohesion, ultimately resulting in a evenly matched draw."
In the other match of Group D, Ghana scored a penalty in injury time, and Gyan scored to defeat Serbia 1-0.
The star-studded Serbia team was completely lost, with Udinese defender Lukovi? showing lack of composure twice, resulting in a second yellow card and a red card.
And substitute Kuzmanovi? was the direct culprit for the team's defeat, unnecessarily handballing in the penalty area to give the opponent a chance to win.
Ghanaian center-back Mensah's performance in successfully neutralizing the Serbian frontline earned him the title of the best player of the match.
At the end of the first round, in Group D, Ghana topped with 3 points, while Germany and China ranked second and third with 1 point each, and Serbia was at the bottom with 0 points.
In Group C, Slovenia topped with 3 points, while England and the USA had 1 point each, and Algeria had 0 points.
Based on the schedule, if the Chinese team can successfully advance to the round of 16, they will face the Group C qualifiers.
"Do not touch England! They are highly likely to win the group, so should we aim for second place and face the USA or Slovenia?"
"It's not time for us to choose opponents yet. Our focus should be on playing well in the next two matches to ensure advancement from the group stage. The coaching staff and players must not be distracted at this time."
"England is not that strong anyway. They are called the Three Lions, but in reality, they are the Three Meows. They always perform poorly in major tournaments, so why fear them?"
The lively discussions are filling every corner of China, with the World Cup already being a hot topic, and now with their own national team, it's even more exciting. Whether or not one follows football, anyone can say a few words about it.
In Group E's first round, the Netherlands defeated Denmark 2-0, with Danish defender Simon scoring an own goal and Kuyt scoring the winning goal in the second half. Real Madrid teammate Sneijder was awarded the best player of the match.
In another match, Japan defeated Cameroon 1-0, with 24-year-old Honda scoring for the team. He was also selected as the best player of the match.
In the Japanese team, Honda has always had a solitary image, with his golden hair, quirky dressing, and aloof demeanor, all of which have led to him not having many close friends.
But on the field, everything speaks with strength. Honda's exquisite shot brought Japan their first World Cup victory outside their homeland. After scoring, senior players like Nakamura and Endo came forward to celebrate with him.
In Group F's first round, Italy drew 1-1 with Paraguay, with Paraguayan defender Alcaraz scoring his first goal for the national team, and De Rossi equalizing for the Azzurri. Alcaraz was awarded the best player of the match.
In another match, Australia drew 1-1 with Slovakia, with forward Vittek scoring a header in the first half, creating Slovakia's first-ever World Cup goal. He naturally became the best player of the match.
Australia equalized in injury time through forward Cahill, but this match also caused some controversy because some Australian media believed that Vittek was in an offside position before scoring. Slow motion replays indeed showed some suspicion, but it was too late to say anything as the match had already ended.
In Group G's first round, Portugal drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast, with Cristiano Ronaldo being warned with a yellow card for swearing during the match, and he also missed a great goal-scoring opportunity near the edge of the penalty area, hitting the goalpost. However, he was still selected as the best player of the match by FIFA.
After the match, the Portuguese newspaper "Competition" revealed that there was another conflict between veteran Sim?o and core player Ronaldo. The steady veteran still couldn't tolerate the young man's flamboyant style, so the head coach, Queiroz, put Sim?o on the bench to balance the team atmosphere.
It turned out that substitute Dani was ineffective, so just 10 minutes into the second half, the head coach made a substitution adjustment, and Sim?o returned to the field.
With a draw and internal rumors of discord, Portugal's journey in this World Cup was overshadowed.
In another match of Group G, Brazil defeated North Korea 2-1, with Asian players showing tenacious fighting spirit, almost creating a miracle. Goal scorer Ji So-yun collapsed with fatigue after the match, while Brazil's goals were scored by Maicon and Elano.
The best player of the match was eventually awarded to Maicon for his spectacular goal that equalized the score.
In Group H's first round, Chile narrowly defeated Honduras 1-0, earning their first World Cup victory outside their homeland, with goalscorer Beausejour being awarded the best player of the match.
In another match of Group H, Spain surprisingly lost 0-1 to Switzerland. As the reigning European champions, Spain's strength is unquestionable, but during the match, the Swiss players were in better form, with Fernandes scoring the winning goal and being named the best player of the match.
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