Chapter 66: Shocking reversal
"Genk also got a direct free kick opportunity in front of the penalty area, which is much closer to the goal compared to where Carragher stopped Wang Feng!
Wang Feng confidently took the free kick this time, ran up, and shot! The ball flew like a bullet through the wall and into Liverpool's goal. Giovanni Schuppe, the young goalkeeper who had just come on, hadn't even reacted, let alone made any save.
2-3, Genk pulled one back again! After scoring, Wang Feng quickly ran into the goal to retrieve the ball, then dashed to the midfield, signaling his teammates to quickly get into position.
Strike while the iron is hot! After the restart, with one less player, Liverpool indeed seemed a bit unaccustomed, their fluid coordination disrupted, while Genk launched a series of exquisite attacks. Just 4 minutes later, in the 81st minute, midfielder Carl Bess passed to Wang Feng on the right, who used a series of feints to confuse the defending players as he dribbled towards the front.
Upon reaching the front, he passed the ball to Christian Civu in the center, who shielded the ball with his back and passed it behind the right defensive line. Wang Feng, making a run, was the first to reach the ball.
Facing the defenders, Wang Feng dribbled past them with successive stepovers from the baseline towards the penalty area. At this moment, Schuppe's positioning was problematic, too close to the near post, allowing Wang Feng to slot the ball with a slight angle using his left foot.
The ball curved in the air, straight into the far corner of the goal.
"Goal! Goooooooooooooal! It's Wang Feng again! He completes a hat-trick, helping the team equalize the score."
"This is an epic offensive battle. In the first half, Liverpool scored three consecutive goals, seemingly securing victory and advancing to the Europa League final prematurely. However, in the second half, Wang Feng staged an astonishing comeback, single-handedly scoring three goals for Genk, resiliently leveling the score."
"Genk leaves Anfield with their heads held high, and Wang Feng's contribution cannot be overstated."
But Wang Feng's ambition didn't stop there. In the 87th minute, Genk launched a rapid counterattack. Wang Feng sprinted along the sideline, kicked the ball forward to evade Carragher, then took a wide turn from outside the field to overtake Carragher and reach the ball before him, entering the penalty area.
Schuppe was extremely nervous at this point, lacking experience in such high-pressure situations, unsure whether to come out or stay in goal. By the time Wang Feng approached him, it was too late.
Wang Feng gently pushed the ball into the far corner, leaving Schuppe helpless.
"Gooooooooooooooal! For the fourth time, Wang Feng breaches Liverpool's goal. His performance today has been outstanding, showing versatility and skill beyond his age. At just seventeen years old, he achieves a quadruple in the Europa League semifinal!"
Celebrating the goal, Wang Feng slid on his knees in the corner flag area, pointing to the sky with both hands, then was engulfed by his teammates who rushed over. The Liverpool fans in the stands were completely silent, their faces filled with disbelief and shock.
Is this the same Liverpool aiming for the treble, being beaten like this by a second-tier team?
They grew increasingly angry, cursing the players on the field, while some fans sadly sang the team's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone". Gradually, more and more fans joined in, and the entire stadium echoed with this melody.
The Genk players, still celebrating their goal, were surprised to see the resilience of the Liverpool fans.
But they didn't have much time left. Five minutes later, when the referee Leo Scholter blew the final whistle, the score remained unchanged.
4-3, Genk completes a comeback at Anfield! This is surely a historic match, with fans singing in the stands, Liverpool players covering their faces in tears, and Genk players rejoicing, ending the game with an artistic climax.
After the match, Gerard Houllier expressed dissatisfaction with Sander Westerveld in an interview, saying, "That was a mistake that should never have happened. It put us in a difficult situation and cost us the victory."
Some journalists wanted to ask Houllier about Wang Feng, to which he replied, "What more can I say? He's definitely a world-class forward. Don't be fooled by his age; Liverpool's defense couldn't handle him."
"I just want to say damn work permit. When will the English Football Association do something practical and quickly pass the special talent import regulations so that we can buy Wang Feng? With him, we have a chance at not just the treble but maybe even the quintuple."
Genk coach Aimee Antonis praised Wang Feng after the game, saying, "He always repays the trust of the coaching staff. I told him to go out there and play freely, and he gave us a super surprise."
Many journalists were curious about Wang Feng's future transfer plans, but Antonis refused to answer, saying, "Our main goal now is to compete for the league title and the Europa League championship. We won't consider other matters for the time being. I believe Wang Feng thinks the same way."
Surrounded by reporters after scoring four goals, Wang Feng expressed his feelings, saying, "I'm very happy to help the team win this game. It was a tough match, and everyone gave their all. I was lucky to score, but it couldn't have happened without the support of my teammates."
Asked about his national team absence despite China's victory against Maldives in the World Cup qualifiers, Wang Feng said, "I think winning the game is the ultimate goal. As for the shortcomings exposed, they can be addressed through training."
Regarding his non-selection, he said, "As always, I'm ready."
The next day, major European media outlets reported on the match, with many attributing Liverpool's downfall to Sander Westerveld's blunder and Wang Feng's heroic performance, tipping the balance of victory towards Genk.
In China, the broadcast of the match had a tremendous impact, with many fans astonished to discover that a Chinese player could disrupt a world-class defense. Especially after China's national team won 1-0 against Maldives, the calls for Wang Feng's national team inclusion grew louder.
This prompted officials to step in and explain that Wang Feng was crucially involved in the title race, and his national team call-up wasn't appropriate at this time. They urged everyone to trust the current players, believing they can successfully advance.
After reading this explanation, most people stopped making a fuss. They hoped Wang Feng could lift the Europa League trophy and create a historical record for Chinese players.
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