Chapter 813: Fighting with All One's Might
On the evening of July 3rd, at the Spartak Stadium on the outskirts of Moscow, the World Cup round of sixteen match between the Chinese team and the English team unfolded here.
Eight years later, the two teams met again at the same place, attracting the attention of media and fans from around the world.
Just like back then, the starting lineup of the English team was shining brightly, with Pickford as the goalkeeper.
The four defenders were Walker, Stones, Maguire, and Henderson.
The midfield consisted of Trippier, Alli, Lingard, and Ashley Young.
The two forwards were Sterling and Harry Kane.
Standing near the center circle, Wang Feng clearly felt several beams of attention focused on him, from his Manchester City teammates and Premier League opponents. They were certainly vigilant about him.
Compared to the constant changes in tactics during the group stage, England appeared more cautious in the knockout stage, deploying their strongest 4-4-2 balanced formation.
On the sidelines, coach Southgate seemed relatively relaxed. He only took over the Three Lions in 2016 and did not experience the miracle night eight years ago, so his emotions weren't very deep.
In the eyes of the British, Wang Feng was already past his prime, and the other players in the Chinese team didn't have any outstanding qualities. It shouldn't be a problem for the team to advance beyond them.
After all, this England team was the strongest in recent years and had a real chance to compete for the World Cup!
And indeed, after the game started, England quickly took control of the game, unabashedly utilizing high pressing to create numerous attacking opportunities, causing chaos for the Chinese team.
In the first thirty minutes, the Chinese team only had two counterattack opportunities, one of which was sent into the stands by Wu Lei, and the other was stopped by a foul from the opponent.
Fortunately, the Chinese team showed relatively firm defensive will tonight, with several players throwing themselves to block shots and goalkeeper Wang Xianghe making brave saves, combined with the woodwork coming to their aid, preventing Kane's certain goals.
When everyone was sweating nervously, Wang Feng clapped his hands loudly and shouted to everyone, "Guys, if they can't score like this, it means the wind of victory is on our side. Let's continue to persevere, there will definitely be a turnaround!"
This was how the Chinese superstar always found a unique angle to comfort and inspire his teammates.
Therefore, despite England's possession rate approaching eighty percent and having seven or eight shots, the Chinese team still didn't collapse and concede a goal.
As the number of attacks increased, it could be clearly felt that the opponents were becoming increasingly anxious, unconsciously increasing the number of long shots from the frontcourt, and the nerves of the defenders were also somewhat relieved.
This couldn't be blamed on them. The most crucial Wang Feng was diligently performing his defensive duties as a shield, seemingly having no intention of participating in the attack. They couldn't always follow him to the frontcourt for close marking.
The Chinese superstar was very familiar with his teammates like Walker and Stones, especially Stones, who lacked agility and sometimes lacked concentration and easily made mistakes, so he needed to patiently wait for the opportunity for a fatal blow.
As the first half was coming to an end, England's attack slowed down a bit, seemingly preparing to grind out the time and regroup in the second half.
Just at this moment, Feng Miao suddenly rushed out to intercept the pass intended for Alli and Lingard, then quickly lobbed the ball forward.
Huang Hu made a forward run to catch the ball, and the English defense seemed to hesitate for a moment. By the time Walker came up to press, the Chinese winger had already sent a diagonal pass straight into the arc at the top of the penalty area.
Wang Feng rushed into position at this moment, getting ahead of Stones to flick the ball to his right side, while simultaneously making a sharp stop and change of direction to evade the opponent's press.
As expected, Stones couldn't react in time to adjust his body in such a short time. Wang Feng simply bypassed him like this, leaving a large space behind him.
So Wang Feng smoothly entered the penalty area, and before Maguire could catch up to defend, he quickly and powerfully shot with his right foot near the near post. Goalkeeper Pickford couldn't make a save in time and could only watch as the ball went into the net.
"Wow!" The fans at the scene reacted at this moment, exclaiming and screaming. After being suppressed for almost 45 minutes, they were even more surprised by suddenly scoring a goal.
But soon it turned into wild joy, with waving red flags and more enthusiastic drumming.
The English players looked stunned, looking at each other in disbelief. How could they have fallen behind? Wasn't the team always in control of the game, relentlessly pressuring like a hunter playing with its prey?
Little did they know that a true hunter wouldn't choose to jump around but would quietly wait, striking with sharp fangs when the enemy showed a slight opening.
Pickford knelt on the ground and pounded the turf with force, his eyes full of unwillingness. The first real threat throughout the game, and he couldn't save it. Who could have expected Wang Feng to shoot from so far away, and still aim for the near post with such confidence!
He wasn't the first world-class goalkeeper to fall at the feet of the Chinese superstar. Neuer, Ter Stegen, De Gea, and others, none of the goalkeepers who had dealings with him didn't feel a headache.
The reason was that Wang Feng's technique at critical moments was too exquisite, and he always seemed to find the most suitable way. Like this time, if he had shot a moment later, he would have been interfered with by the defending player.
If he had chosen to push or aim for the far corner, the ball speed might not have been enough, and perhaps it would have been caught by the goalkeeper. A chip shot would have been the same. He and Pickford were too far apart for it to be possible.
Only by aiming for the near post with a powerful shot could miracles happen, by gambling on Pickford's reaction speed. As it turned out, he bet right; a normal person wouldn't have time to make a save.
Compared to Pickford's frustration, Stones was more deeply affected. In this defensive play, not only was he ineffective, but he also rashly pressed forward and lost his position, directly leading to conceding the goal.
The English had a feeling that Wang Feng was even more terrifying in the national team than at Manchester City. Although he was professional, his countless experiences had already turned club honors into embellishments for him.
But now it was different. When the Chinese superstar donned the red jersey with the national flag embroidered on his chest, he was truly fighting with all his might!
They were not facing a 35-year-old veteran gradually losing his dominance but the football god who once dominated the world!
After a 15-minute halftime break, English coach Southgate made a substitution, sending on Rashford to further strengthen the attack. He didn't believe they couldn't break through the opponent's defense.
This 21-year-old youngster, who was gradually establishing himself as a regular starter at Manchester United, was daring and flexible. For a while, he indeed caused quite a bit of trouble for the Chinese team, especially with his close-range shot in the 64th minute, which almost scored, but fortunately, He Yun successfully blocked it on the goal line.
When the time came to the 88th minute, after relentless attacks throughout the game and nearly 20 shots, England finally scored the goal they had been dreaming of.
Sterling's shot hit a defensive player, and Rashford quickly followed up with a second pass to the front of the goal, where Harry Kane followed up and shot to break the net.
But this goal came too late. Ten minutes earlier, the Chinese team had widened their lead through a counterattack opportunity.
Zhang Fanlin made a sliding tackle in the backcourt, controlled the ball, and quickly passed it to Wang Feng, who dribbled forward while drawing three defenders towards him.
Even under heavy pressure, the Chinese superstar still found a way out, sending a diagonal pass into the penalty area, where Huang Hu poked the ball into the net.
2-1! The Chinese team once again crossed England and advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals!
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦