Chapter 819: Intense Battle
Compared to the cautious Chinese team, the French team is more daring. Despite being ahead and then equalized, they continue to adopt an aggressive strategy.
Mbappe is active on the wings. Unable to break through after receiving a pass from Matuidi, he passes horizontally to Giroud at the edge of the penalty area.
The French striker protects the ball with his back to the attacking defensive line, resisting Zhang Fanlin's interference. It's clear that the Chinese defenders are at a disadvantage in one-on-one situations, but their teammates are rushing to provide support.
At this moment, Mbappe makes a diagonal run into the penalty area. Giroud then exerts force to push Zhang Fanlin away and sends a lob pass.
Mbappe stretches out his right foot to control the ball, smoothly pulling it to the left foot area, and then directly shoots.
"Kylian shoots!"
The ball flies straight towards the far post, and goalkeeper Wang Xianghe, concentrating intensely, leaps to save it, using his fingertips to push it out for a corner.
"A world-class save, just a little bit short!" The French TV commentator couldn't help but express regret. "Kylian's performance in this game is truly outstanding. Several threatening attacks from the team were created by him."
"If he can continue like this, I believe we will be the ones lifting the World Cup in the end!"
Seeing Mbappe's shot saved, Zheng Zhi's tense heart relaxes slightly. He shouts loudly to his defensive teammates, "Mark him closely, don't let him easily enter the penalty area for shooting opportunities!"
As an experienced veteran of the national team, Zheng Zhi's authority within the team is second only to Wang Feng. He often takes the time to guide and care for young players, so everyone trusts him.
The French team wins a corner kick. Fernandes delivers it into the penalty area. Wang Feng returns to defend, positioning himself well, and heads the ball clear in the chaos, sending it to the edge of the arc where Huang Hu is waiting.
Originally facing his own goal, Huang Hu extends his right foot to control the incoming ball, stopping it while completing a turn to face the attacking direction.
He's thinking about what to do next, whether to pass horizontally to Feng Miao to organize or wait for the formation to spread out. But then he hears a shout from behind, "Go!"
It's the captain's voice! Without hesitation, Huang Hu dribbles the ball towards the French half, launching a quick counterattack for China!
At this moment, the French team's overall pressing is quite deep, with two defenders even rushing into the penalty area to contest. Therefore, when Huang Hu picks up speed, only two or three opponents can follow closely to stop him.
Driving straight through the midfield line, Umtiti steps forward to intercept, forcing the Chinese forward to slow down. Kanté and Matuidi also rush back to support.
Huang Hu knows he doesn't have the ability to dribble through multiple opponents, but his footwork remains steady. After a slight adjustment, he slants the ball towards the sideline, where there's a large empty space.
His force is just right, and the ball travels a distance along the ground before landing. With the resistance of the grass, it gradually slows down. Wu Lei, who's sprinting forward, picks it up immediately to continue the attack.
Approaching the edge of the penalty area, Wu Lei crosses it into the goal area. By this time, Huang Hu has reached the edge of the small penalty area, becoming the primary target. Therefore, both Umtiti and Varane focus on marking him.
To shake off the defenders, Huang Hu accelerates quickly, but he runs a bit too fast, necessitating a quick stop and turn to grab the ball. However, this means he'll lose the fleeting opportunity for a shot.
Seeing his opponent's reaction, Umtiti is pleased and moves closer. Unexpectedly, at the moment when Huang Hu touches the ball, instead of stopping it, he pushes it backward with momentum.
"No!" With a shout, Wang Feng, who's sprinting across the field, arrives just in time. He doesn't have time to hesitate either, with defenders behind him and goalkeeper Lloris rushing to tackle the ball.
At the critical moment, the Chinese superstar slides forward and dives, stretching out his foot with his back straight, using the tip of his toe to make contact with the ball first, sending it straight towards the near corner of the goal.
Inch by inch, stronger and stronger! Fully utilizing his advantage in body extension, Wang Feng shoots before anyone else, just ahead of Lloris's save attempt. The ball hits the net before he can block its path.
"Ah!!! Beautiful!!! It's a goal!"
"The Chinese team takes the lead again! 2-1! And it's Wang Feng, another rapid counterattack!"
"They seized the opportunity when the opponent had a corner kick and launched a rapid assault. Huang Hu, Wu Lei, and Wang Feng, just three players, pierced through the French defense with speed and skill."
"Huang Hu, who orchestrated it from the center, is the biggest contributor. Whether it's the diagonal pass to the open space or the header to set up, each move demonstrates his understanding and wisdom of football."
"Wang Feng's final shot is truly ingenious, don't think that a volley is simple. The force and placement directly determine the quality of the shot."
"I dare say that if you put most of the current attacking players from the football world in Wang Feng's position, they wouldn't be able to score such a beautiful goal. Most likely, it would be either a high shot or a miss."
Watching the enthusiastic celebration of the Chinese players, Deschamps rubs his sore eyebrows, urgently calling his players over for a brief reminder, especially Mbappe.
"Kylian, I know you're in good shape, but I want you to do more, pulling the defense and helping your teammates. Victory is more important than anything else!"
Mbappe nods vigorously. Sometimes he does indeed desire to score, but forcing a shot would only waste excellent opportunities.
More importantly, the Chinese team is more difficult to deal with than they imagined. Their defense is tight, and on the offensive end, it's not just Wang Feng who's making an impact.
As time gradually approaches the end of the first half, the French team's attacks come in waves. After conceding a goal, their immediate counter-pressing and interception are extremely resolute. For over ten minutes, the Chinese team hasn't been able to launch another attack.
The atmosphere in the stadium is so tense that even the local fans almost forget to make noise. They clutch their chests, unable to calm their pounding hearts. The tension is at its peak.
The players also grit their teeth and persevere, as long as they can maintain their lead going into halftime, they'll have a more relaxed mentality for the second half.
However, things often don't go as planned. Under high-intensity confrontation, the physical stamina of the Chinese team is somewhat lacking. They can't match the French team's relentless pressure.
"Mbappe quickly starts, successfully avoiding the offside trap and getting the ball inside the penalty area. Is he going to shoot?"
"No, he passes it to the front, Giroud! Giroud shoots! It's a goal!"
"Giroud helps the French team equalize! Both Chinese defenders were marking Mbappe, so if he had shot directly like before, his chances would've been slim."
"Unexpectedly, the Frenchman sends a triangle pass back, the player marking the center failed to keep up, allowing Giroud to get a shooting opportunity. What a pity."
"All right, after a period of intense struggle, the main referee blows the whistle for the end of the first half. The situation can be described as fluctuating."
"The current score is 2-2, with the French team breaking the deadlock first. Then, the Chinese team quickly turned the tide with two counterattack opportunities, led by Wang Feng. Just before halftime, France used their physical advantage to equalize."
"Overall, the performance of the Chinese team in the first half is surprising, but their physical condition is indeed a major disadvantage. Hopefully, during halftime, coach Lippi can provide some guidance and adjustments to the team, allowing them to make up for it in the second half."
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