Chapter 47: Against Espanyol
Wang Feng had no idea about these things, but his agent, Balmond was very eager to get Wang Feng into the national team because it could greatly enhance his influence and commercial value. But undoubtedly, he failed again.
"I can't comment on the football situation in your country. I'm really speechless. They actually think you're not good enough for the national team. Your current value is already more than half of the entire national team," an infuriated Francisco Balmond said.
"This is the first time I've heard that football is not just about playing but also about politics," Balmond said. "This was revealed to me by that journalist Zhao Haiyang. He seems to understand a lot of insider information. It's not about ability but about interests why you can't enter the national team."
Wang Feng comforted him, saying, "Balmond, you should be more patient. I'm still young. If I can play in the top five leagues in the future and achieve higher honors, I don't believe they will continue to ignore me. The domestic fans won't agree either."
Balmond murmured on the phone, "I just think this notion of politics is so stupid. No wonder the country's football development is stagnant."
In early November 2000, the lights at the Mozu Xio Olympic Stadium in Spain were as bright as day. The stadium, which can accommodate 45,000 people, was almost full, with the home team, Espanyol, and the visiting team, Genk players, entering the field one after another.
Espanyol is currently ranked ninth in La Liga, with undeniable strength, boasting excellent strikers such as Sergio Gonzalez and Roger Garcia.
According to pre-match media reports, the value of all Espanyol players is more than five times that of all Genk players, so everyone is more optimistic about the home team winning. But the performance of Genk's young talent, Wang Feng, is also a focus of attention for many scouts.
Wang Feng looked around at the Mozu Xio Olympic Stadium, which was twice as large as Genk's home stadium, and couldn't help but be filled with longing. This is the stage of the top five leagues, and he can't wait to show his skills here.
From the Iván Joerge Stadium with around 5,000 people to Genk's 25,000-capacity Luminus Arena, and now the 45,000-capacity Mozu Xio Olympic Stadium, in just a year, Wang Feng's stage has become increasingly larger, and he firmly believes that this is not the end.
With the referee's whistle, the match officially began. Wang Feng frequently interchanged between the midfield and the frontcourt, being very active. In the 4th minute, after receiving the ball on the right flank, he quickly started, and Espanyol center-back Héctor Bragun came forward to press.
Facing the defense, Wang Feng dribbled the ball quickly, showcasing a fancy move like a bicycle kick followed by a toe flick. Bragun felt dazzled and instinctively moved to block Wang Feng's feint, but ended up missing, allowing Wang Feng to easily pass by him with the ball.
Bragun was surprised, not expecting Wang Feng's dribbling skills to be so excellent. He quickly turned around and reached out to try to foul Wang Feng, preventing him from breaking through easily. However, Wang Feng's speed was too fast, and he had already run past him. Bragun could only chase after him, signaling other defending players to come back and cover.
Wang Feng dribbled the ball to the edge of the penalty area. At this moment, Espanyol's defensive players swarmed around, attempting to close him down. In a split second, he decisively took a shot, and the ball flew like a cannonball.
With a loud "bang," the ball hit the goalpost and bounced back into the penalty area. The defending players quickly kicked the ball out of bounds, and Genk won a corner.
Wang Feng rubbed his head in frustration. If he had adjusted the shot a little more, aiming slightly to the left, it would have definitely gone in. The goalkeeper would have had no chance. It was a pity!
Later, Wang Feng created another excellent opportunity. When he broke through on the right side, he used a Cruyff turn to evade the defending players and crossed the ball into the penalty area. However, Jason Aldridge, who was unmarked in the penalty area, missed the goal frame when he shot.
Aldridge, who missed a good chance, covered his face, feeling regretful. He wanted to perform well on the European stage, so missing such a good opportunity left him feeling uneasy.
Espanyol's attacks were threatening. In the 23rd minute, Roger Garcia threatened Genk's goal with a quick counter-attack, but fortunately, Genk's goalkeeper Delbert Grison showed bravery and caught his shot.
Both sides showed good performances in attack and defense, making the atmosphere lively. The fans in the stands were crazy, waving flags and shouting for their respective teams. However, the majority of Espanyol's fans knew Wang Feng was the core of the team, so they booed loudly whenever he touched the ball.
In the 41st minute, Genk launched a quick counter-attack. Christian Civu dribbled the ball rapidly on the right side, with Wang Feng closely following him. At this moment, a defending player attempted a sliding tackle to stop the ball from going out of bounds.
Civu suddenly made a quick stop to avoid the tackle, then sent a curved pass directly to Wang Feng in the penalty area. When Wang Feng received the ball, he was already near the goal line of the penalty area. Bragun, who was marking him, tried to block his shooting route.
"Wang Feng receives the ball in the penalty area. Let's see how he handles it. He dribbles past him, beautiful! He shoots, gooooooooooal! Wang Feng has once again come forward near the end of the first half, breaking the deadlock for Genk."
"His ball control skills in the penalty area are excellent. Let's take another look. He uses the inside of his right foot to pull the ball to the left, easily evading Bragun's press. At this moment, Espanyol's goalkeeper also had his vision partially blocked by Bragun."
"Wang Feng seized this opportunity, decisively taking the shot. By the time the goalkeeper reacted, it was too late."
After scoring, Wang Feng crossed the advertising boards and went to the south stand of the stands. In a sea of ??blue, there was a small yellow area, which was the group of Genk fans who had come from afar. Wang Feng waved his fist to them and then made his iconic gesture of pointing to the sky to celebrate.
The Genk fans in the stands didn't care about the surrounding Espanyol fans' hostile looks, cheering and shouting Wang Feng's name wildly. His teammates followed him and piled on top of him, celebrating the goal.
After the referee reminded them of the time, everyone dispersed and stood ready to defend. No one expected to concede a goal near the end of the first half. The Espanyol players looked very dejected in the dressing room, not speaking to each other, each tidying up their own belongings.
Head coach Dominique Nino clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention. "Guys, it's not time to be discouraged yet. We're just one goal behind, and it's easy to equalize in the second half."
"Besides, we won one game and drew one game in the first two rounds. Even if we can't win this game, in the last round against Moscow Lokomotiv, as long as we don't lose by a big score, we can still advance to the top three. So we don't need to feel any pressure. Just give it your all and don't disappoint the home fans."
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