Chapter 801: Dreams in Progress
After the start of the match, Bayern took the lead in kicking off the ball, launching continuous attacks against Manchester City according to the pre-match arrangements made by their coach, Ancelotti.
By transferring the ball widely and making long passes to the front, Robben and Lewandowski cooperated to deliver a cross from the bottom, and Thiago, lurking in front of the goal, headed the ball straight into Bravo's arms.
Immediately after, King of the South intercepted De Bruyne by double-teaming in the backcourt, sending another lob pass to the front, where Lewandowski received the ball with his chest and passed it to Vidal.
The Chilean midfielder took a powerful shot after dribbling, but the ball went too far and flew out of bounds.
In less than three minutes, Bayern had completed two shots on goal. Although Manchester City was surprised, such attacks did not pose a real threat to their goal.
On the sidelines, Guardiola glanced sideways at Ancelotti not far away, with a slight smile on his lips. Trying to disrupt Manchester City's rhythm like this, in order to gain control of the game, seemed too simple.
He knows most of the Bayern players very well. They may have excellent technical skills and ball control, but they lack explosiveness and finishing ability.
This is also why, during his three years coaching Bayern, despite dominating the Bundesliga, he has always failed to make a breakthrough in the Champions League.
He used to envy Ancelotti very much because the best finishing ability in the world was in his hands. The Italian relied on Wang Feng to win one Champions League after another, thus achieving the name of a legendary coach.
But what about him? Despite being ranked in the top three in the world, he hasn't even won a single Champions League trophy.
Now, this deadly weapon is in his hands, and he is eager to win his first major trophy as a coach!
To curb Bayern's momentum, Guardiola instructed Delph and Fernandinho to press tightly, increasing off-the-ball movements and marking.
The reason for doing this is to cut off the opponent's attacking routes, preventing the ball from easily transitioning from the midfield to the front, with both defensive midfielders being reliable veterans in this regard.
At the same time, the Sky Blues did not immediately push forward after winning the ball. They patiently circulated the ball in the middle of the field, waiting for the right moment to penetrate.
As a result, Bayern's passing success rate dropped significantly, and their defensive end had to remain focused, reducing the threat of their attack.
Unconsciously, Bayern relinquished possession of the ball, and Manchester City's midfield and front gradually gained the upper hand, driven by David Silva and Wang Feng.
In the 21st minute, Boateng attempted another long ball to find Robben near the edge of the penalty area. Unexpectedly, Otamendi rushed forward from behind and intercepted the ball with a stretched leg, then immediately passed it sideways to Kompany before Robben could react.
Lewandowski rushed to the landing point to make a tackle, but the experienced Manchester City captain shielded the ball with his body, keeping it firmly at his feet, then seized the opportunity to send a through pass to Silva.
Silva passed to De Bruyne, who dribbled the ball past the halfway line, sprinting forward despite tight defensive pressure.
Although he wasn't very fast, Wang Feng followed up ahead, allowing him to pass the ball and continue his advance.
Entering the sensitive area within thirty meters, Alonso and Alaba came to block, but the Chinese superstar suddenly stopped and cut inside.
The two defenders had to follow him towards the center, giving Wang Feng the opportunity to suddenly turn and send a diagonal pass, finding De Bruyne's run into the space.
Bayern obviously had a similar plan before the game. Ancelotti understood Wang Feng's offensive threat too well. Although he took away two defenders, Müller quickly filled the gap in front of the Belgian midfielder.
Seeing the central passing lane blocked, De Bruyne did not give up. He dribbled the ball back to Silva, who then curled a cross into the penalty area at a forty-five-degree angle.
Aguero, lurking, tried to head the ball against Lahm, but the latter, being no pushover, seized a favorable position with his rich experience, preventing the Argentine striker from having any chance to connect, completing the clearance.
Of course, under Aguero's interference, Lahm also couldn't exert all his strength. The ball flew high but not far, still within the danger zone.
Wang Feng, who had just dribbled the ball sideways, was still hovering near the edge of the penalty area, waiting for the right moment. He anticipated the landing position and rushed over, lifting his left foot to prepare for a volley as the ball descended.
Seeing this, Hummels was taken aback. If the Chinese superstar managed to put some power behind the shot, it would be disastrous!
So the German defender lunged forward, jumping to block the shooting route with his entire back. However, Wang Feng feigned a shot, then dropped his raised left foot, causing the ball to bounce off the ground before he volleyed it with his right foot.
In doing so, Hummels left a gap that was thoroughly exposed. To some extent, the defender also disturbed Neuer's line of sight, causing the goalkeeper to make a wrong judgment.
"Bang!" The ball flew rapidly into the top right corner of the goal, fiercely piercing into the net!
"Wang's volley shot! Goooooooooooooooooal!"
"A stunning world-class goal that pierces through Bayern Munich's goal directly, Neuer didn't even have time to react!"
"So unexpected, so brilliant! Wang even made a feint to shake off Hummels before the shot, causing the entire Bayern defense to misjudge."
The Cardiff Millennium Stadium erupted with cheers. The Manchester City fans who had come from afar were ecstatic, orderly raising and lowering their hands, forming waves of blue on the stands.
The team is getting closer and closer to making history!
"Wang Feng once again breaks the deadlock on the Champions League final stage, this seems to have become his signature performance."
"An achievement that many superstars can't achieve in their lifetime is just a matter of course for him."
"I wonder what Ancelotti will come up with to change the situation and deal with his former disciple?"
When Wang Feng scored against Bayern, in the top-tier box, Mansour also stood up excitedly, waving his arms continuously to express his inner excitement.
It's been almost ten years. Since he took over this team, his biggest wish has been to step onto the highest stage, score here, and finally win the cup, hasn't it?
So much has happened during this time, so much money and manpower invested, so many detours taken, but they've finally fought their way to this point.
In his mind, Mansour couldn't help but recall the scene of his first encounter with the Chinese superstar. At that time, he was just a young man who loved football and wanted to make a splash with Manchester City.
Now, Mansour's status in the UAE is soaring, and even this time, he is accompanied by the Prince of Wales to watch the game.
The time left for him to deal with football affairs is getting less and less. In recent years, apart from personally planning to bring in Wang Feng, he has rarely been involved in club affairs.
Perhaps one day in the future, he will completely retire as an investor. But before that, if he can fulfill the football dream of his youth, it will be an extremely joyful thing.
The celebrations of Manchester City lasted for a long time, until the referee urged them repeatedly, before everyone returned to the field. However, their inner excitement and excitement were difficult to dissipate for a while.
Bayern, trailing by a goal, would undoubtedly need to launch a wave of attacks. However, similar to the opening situation, they found it difficult to pose a real and effective threat because the Manchester City players, amidst their joy, became even more cautious, determined not to let the victory slip away easily!
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