Chapter 409: If You Are Willing to Believe Me, I Think It's Possible

Check Dongqiu Di pinned post: China vs. Sweden, Group Stage Round 3 in progress, current score 0:0.

Check Dongqiu Di pinned post: Germany vs. Senegal, Group Stage Round 3 in progress, current score 0:0.

In both matches happening simultaneously, no goals have been scored yet; the gap between China and Germany remains zero points and two goal differences.

"..."

The match reaches the 20th minute of the first half, with Sweden directly pushing their possession rate to 75%.

However, China's defense is still performing quite well; Sweden's successive attacks have not resulted in an actual goal.

Additionally, Chinese national team goalkeeper Zeng Cheng has performed exceptionally well in this World Cup, which is one of the decisive factors for the final score of this match!

Slap!

Olsen launches a long pass, directly finding Toivonen at the very front!

"Sweden seems to be playing somewhat anxiously..."

"Yes, right from the start of the match, the Swedish players have shown an extremely strong desire to attack..."

Sweden is playing very anxiously, and their head coach Andersson is also shouting loudly from the sidelines.

This is unavoidable; currently, Sweden's group stage points are still zero. If they want to advance to the knockout stage, they must win this match against China by at least five goals, because they still have a goal difference deficit compared to Germany.

Only then can their goal difference surpass both China and Germany simultaneously, allowing them to advance to the knockout stage as the group's second-place team!

Sweden wants to win 5:0, but the problem is that it is already the 22nd minute of the match, and the on-field score is still 0:0; no wonder the Swedish players are under such immense pressure.

"Be decisive!"

"Right side, look for an opportunity on the right!"

Under Andersson's command, Sweden launches an attack through the center.

Larsson and Berg execute a one-two combination, with Larsson finally carrying the ball to the right flank near the baseline.

The Chinese players are retreating!

"I got him, I got him!"

Zhang Zhang Xizhe marks Larsson's position, while Wang Wang Shenchao goes directly to mark Berg.

Man-to-man marking is a defensive tactic that the Chinese team very much likes to use.

Let's see the situation...

Slap!

Larsson suddenly cuts inside, and Zhang Zhang Xizhe quickly follows to block his position.

Both players are very fast.

Larsson passes back to find a teammate!

He passes to Ekdal, who is making a run from the left!

Tang Ye has already returned, signaling Mei Fang to mark Toivonen, while he himself blocks Granqvist's position.

Bang!

Ekdal pushes a through ball into the penalty area.

It's for Toivonen!

"Oh!"

A feint stepping on the ball!

Bang!

Toivonen takes a shot, but it is blocked out by Mei Fang.

A corner kick for Sweden!

Slap slap slap!

"Good, good, just stay steady, stay steady!"

Feng Feng Xiaoting encourages his teammates, while Zeng Cheng directs the players' positioning in front of the goal line.

A corner kick for Sweden!

Slap!

At the first point, Granqvist leaps high, heading the ball into the six-yard box.

Lustig arrives just in time, immediately unleashing a shot.

"Goal!"

"Oh my god, a goal for Sweden!"

"Wow!!!"

After the goal is scored, the Swedish players in the stands let out a furious roar, almost simultaneously running onto the field to celebrate.

Wu Lei and Hao Hao Junmin both lower their heads.

"Hey!"

Tang Ye quickly finds the referee: "Offside, it's offside!"

"Mr., I guarantee you, that ball was offside, that ball was absolutely offside!"

The situation changes, and players from both sides quickly surround the referee.

"Mr., you need to check!"

Tang Ye presses step by step, but is then pushed away by the Swedish players.

However, the referee did indeed hear Tang Ye's words; he places one hand on the communication device on his ear, then raises both hands to draw a rectangle in the air.

"Phew..."

Tang Ye breathes a sigh of relief: "Thank you."

"Oh, here it comes!"

"This is the VAR introduced in this World Cup, also known as semi-automated offside technology."

"The referee needs to go to the sideline to review the goal just scored."

Beep beep beep!!!

The stands behind the VAR video equipment are the section for the Chinese team's fans.

The fans are geniuses too; clutching a large handful of rubles, they shouted at the referee: "Here's money, here's money! Do you want rubles, or US dollars? I have US dollars too!"

The referee ignored him, so those few fans holding banknotes directly flung the cash out.

The referee looked at the video equipment ahead, and after repeated confirmation, returned to the pitch.

He drew another box.

"Beep!!!"

"Goal disallowed!"

"Sweden's goal is invalid!"

Andersson was already frantic, yelling at the fourth official.

The Chinese team fans in the stands had already begun their celebration.

"Sweden!"

"Booooo!!!!"

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: Sweden scored but the goal was blown off for offside; the score remains 0:0.

【Guanyin is stepping up, brothers!】

【Tang Ye's eyes are truly sharp; from the replay, it looks like he was offside by only half a foot?】

【You guys stay here and don't move; I'm going next door to CCTV5+ to cheer for Senegal. If Senegal wins, we only need a draw to advance.】

【Suggestion here: Senegal beats Germany, then we draw 0:0 with Sweden, and we directly advance to the knockout stage!】

Because of their trust in Senegal's form, Chinese fans now only hope the defense holds firm.

With a 0:0 scoreline, the Chinese team has a great chance to advance to the knockout stage.

The fans' intention was defense, but the Chinese players on the field seemed not to think so.

After several Swedish attacks failed to yield results, the Chinese team immediately launched a counterattack.

"Move forward!"

Tang Ye shouted loudly, picked up the ball in the center, and directly kicked it toward the byline.

【De Bruyne Standard Long Pass Lv5: Replication (Transcendent State)】

Proficiency: 799/5000

The long pass found Yu Yu Hanchao near the left byline.

Yu Yu Hanchao turned and headed the ball back to Wang Wang Shenchao behind him.

Wang Wang Shenchao prepared to go down the line, but at that moment, Tang Ye's voice came from the center.

"Pass, pass, pass!"

!

Without hesitation, Wang Wang Shenchao directly made a horizontal pass to Tang Ye, who actively ran toward the ball.

Ahead stood Sweden's defensive midfielder.

Hmm...

Quickly calculating a few steps, Tang Ye soon thought of a solution.

Feinting with a step forward, waiting for the defender to spread his legs, Tang Ye gently pushed with his left foot, directly completing a nutmeg on the defender.

"Beautiful!"

"Tang Ye!"

"He's going to do it himself!"

A great opportunity; Tang Ye was fully focused.

Before him was Sweden's penalty area; in his mind was the positioning of both teams' players on the field.

With a simple calculation, Tang Ye quickly found the most suitable way to handle the situation.

Pointing to the penalty area, Wu Lei made a direct run inward, while Zhang Zhang Yuning moved further forward.

Pulling the ball back to Zhang Zhang Xizhe supporting from behind, Zhang Zhang Xizhe played a grounded pass to Zhang Zhang Yuning.

"Wu Lei, Wu Lei!"

Tang Ye shouted again.

Zhang Zhang Yuning passed to Wu Lei!

While controlling the ball, Wu Lei looked in Tang Ye's direction; the national team's number 10 pointed to the small empty space in front of himself.

A horizontal pass pushed out!

The live camera focused; Tang Ye charged forward.

!!!

Granqvist realized something was wrong and directly reached out to grab Tang Ye's shirt.

He was grabbed, but it didn't matter.

Pa!

The toe of his left foot directly poked the ball.

It looked like a shot, but in reality, Tang Ye delivered a through ball to Wu Lei precise to the centimeter.

After completing the pass, Tang Ye fell to the ground, his eyes fixed tightly on Wu Lei ahead.

Wu Lei!

Stop the ball and adjust.

Boom!

The net behind the goal ripples upward; this is a volley from Wu Lei.

"GOOO——AAAA——LLLL!!!"

"Goal!"

"Goal!"

"Wu Lei!"

"A goal from Wu Lei!"

"1:0!"

"China 1:0 Sweden! China takes the lead!"

The two directors in the broadcast studio were flushed red, expressing their excitement at this moment, while Tang Ye also scrambled up quickly from the ground.

"Wowwww!!!"

The Chinese team players ran out amidst the cheers.

Tang Ye followed behind Wu Lei, and in his excitement, he sprinted at his absolute fastest speed.

Then he leaped onto Wu Lei's back!

"Brother Lei, haha!"

"Awesome, Tang Ye!"

Wu Lei carried Tang Ye to the area below the stands, and the two of them roared wildly at the spectators.

"Come on, come on!"

Hao Hao Junmin lay on the ground; Wu Lei realized what was happening and performed a fishing rod-casting celebration gesture.

"Let me do it, let me do it!"

As Wu Lei reeled in his imaginary line, Tang Ye, along with Zhang Zhang Yuning and Feng Feng Xiaoting, lifted Hao Hao Junmin from the ground and placed him into Wu Lei's arms.

A big fish has taken the bait!

Having scored the first goal in the World Cup finals, Wu Lei was so excited he was nearly in tears; Tang Ye quickly put an arm around his shoulder: "Haha, I told you, shooting for the top corner would work; they couldn't react in time."

Tang Ye's through-ball was designed specifically for Wu Lei to strike the top corner.

Wu Lei happened to be preparing to hit the top corner, so he felt Tang Ye's through-ball was incredibly comfortable, so comfortable that when he received it, it felt as if he had passed it to himself.

"Wu Lei! Wu Lei!"

The fans shouted loudly, and Tang Ye and Wu Lei raised their arms together.

【You have obtained 30 Counterattack Points】

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: Tang Ye's through-ball finds Wu Lei, who blasts a shot into the top corner to score; China leads Sweden 1:0.

Live match report: Germany vs. Senegal match in progress, current score 0:0.

The Chinese national team poster on the homepage of the Check Dongqiu Di APP was blazing fiercely.

The flames represented the current momentum of the Chinese team.

Team China had unleashed all the suppressed fury of the past decade!

Play resumed; some disputes arose among the Swedish players, while the commentators continued discussing Wu Lei's earlier goal.

"Oh my god."

"Haha, before the match started, who could have imagined that China would be the side to score first?"

The camera focused on Wu Lei; the number 7 for the national team was slowly moving into position on the field, occasionally glancing in Tang Ye's direction.

Hiss...

Has this guy figured out the answer to the match?

"Sweden!"

"Booooo!!!"

Sweden had been attacking for so long, only to concede the first goal to China; at this moment, the Chinese fans began rubbing it in, making Anderson's face turn completely red.

They wanted to advance from the group stage.

But under the current circumstances...

Their points were zero, and their goal difference was negative.

How could the Swedish team possibly advance?

Quickly adjusting their state, the Swedish team gradually regained control of the situation.

Coupled with China reducing their offensive pressure after taking the lead, Sweden directly pulled their possession rate up to nearly 80%, which was quite terrifying.

Although they couldn't get the ball, Tang Ye didn't care about that right now.

Just hold on until halftime!

Granqvist...

Takes a direct shot!

The Chinese team's goalkeeper was in fiery form, completing another save.

"Awesome!"

Feng Feng Xiaoting and Zeng Cheng collided chest-to-chest; meanwhile, in a spot unnoticed by the cameras, some conflict arose between Tang Ye and Ekdal.

Seeing they couldn't score, the Swedish players began trying to get into Tang Ye's head, but since Tang Ye had a good temper, he wasn't too affected.

"Calm down, brother; I don't even know you, why are you doing this to me?"

Tang Ye pushed Ekdal away.

Sweden earned a corner kick opportunity, and the Chinese players began taking their positions.

"Clear the ball as soon as you get it; if you get dispossessed, just pass it directly to me."

Tang Ye instructed his teammates.

Slap!

The corner kick is taken.

A Chinese player wins the first header, but after clearing the ball, it falls straight to a Swedish player's feet.

Damn!

Tang Ye immediately slides to block, but is dodged.

Pass it into the penalty area!

Berg!

He controls the ball, adjusts, and pulls it horizontally to create space.

Berg shoots directly!

The ball is punched away.

Chinese fans breathed a sigh of relief, but the situation seemed not as simple as imagined.

"Handball!"

A Swedish player made the handball signal, shouting loudly at the referee.

Zhang Zhang Linpeng stood inside the penalty area, his expression giving the impression he was on the verge of collapse.

"Beep!"

It's a penalty for Sweden!

Feng Feng Xiaoting and Wu Lei walked over separately to embrace Zhang Zhang Linpeng, who was still trapped in the guilt of conceding the penalty and unable to snap out of it.

The match between Germany and Senegal was also underway; it remained unclear how many points and what goal difference Germany would ultimately finish with.

He dared not imagine what kind of abuse from fans he would receive if China failed to advance past the group stage because of this penalty.

"Beep beep beep!!!"

"Sweden has a penalty opportunity; captain Granqvist steps up."

"Run-up..."

"Shot!"

"Goal..."

The CCTV commentator said weakly as Swedish players quickly retrieved the ball from the net, preparing to launch their next counterattack.

"..."

Zhang Zhang Yuning slowly walked forward while Tang Ye reached out to high-five his teammates.

It felt quite unpleasant.

We need to figure something out.

"Stay steady for now!"

Maddaloni, accompanied by his translator, shouted from the sideline: "Just hold on for the first half!"

Sweden's momentum was fierce right now; it was better for China to focus primarily on defense.

"Judging by the current situation, Sweden holds a considerable advantage; if possible, China should try slowing down their offensive tempo for the time being."

The commentators' thoughts aligned closely with those of the coaching staff.

Boom!

Wang Wang Shenchao cleared the ball away from Augustinsson's feet!

China's defense was still performing quite well, but Sweden's attack was so dominant that continued pressure would inevitably expose some weaknesses in the Chinese side.

Beep!!!

39th minute.

A set piece for Sweden!

Slap!

Delivered into the penalty area.

"Number 6, number 6!"

Tang Ye shouted.

His teammates were already watching, but Sweden's number 6, Augustinsson, was remarkably clever, immediately demonstrating a curved run.

Jump!

Boom!

A header is struck.

The distance was simply too close; Zeng Cheng could only rely on luck to make the save.

Regrettably, the national team goalkeeper did not seem blessed by good fortune today.

"GOOOOO——AAAAA——LLLLL!!!"

Hiss—

Hands on his buttocks, Tang Ye stood on the grass and sighed.

After scoring this goal, Sweden was not done yet; Granqvist rushed straight into the goal and retrieved the ball again.

They still wanted to score more!

Pah!

Spitting a mouthful of saliva onto the ground, Tang Ye shook his head.

It was now the 40th minute of the first half...

After gaining control of the ball, Tang Ye flicked it back with his heel to Zhang Zhang Xizhe.

Ekdal was shaken off!

Following a series of short-range combinations, Tang Ye finally received the ball just outside the penalty area.

Boom!

He shot, but failed to control his center of gravity; the ball flew wide!

"Damn it..."

Watching the ball he had kicked away, Tang Ye felt somewhat distressed, while the Swedish players nearby began arguing over this defensive lapse.

"Watch your position!"

Granqvist shouted at Ekdal, "Don't get shaken off so easily; keep more distance!"

Ekdal spread his hands toward Granqvist, wanting to say something but remaining silent.

"Peep, peep-peep!!!"

Dongqiu Di Halftime Report: China trailed Sweden 1:2 after being overturned in the first half; Wu Lei scored with a powerful shot into the top corner, while Zhang Zhang Linpeng conceded a penalty.

Dongqiu Di Halftime Report: Senegal led Germany 1:0, with Mané precisely tapping the ball into the dead corner after poaching.

The situation in the neighboring match between Germany and Senegal was favorable for China.

However, the problem lay within China's own match.

Expecting Senegal to score heavily and reduce Germany's goal difference was unrealistic; China still needed to play their own game well.

Senegal was performing brilliantly; if China could draw with Sweden in the second half, they would likely advance from the group!

"Zhang Linpeng!"

In the player tunnel, Wu Lei and Feng Feng Xiaoting comforted Zhang Zhang Linpeng, while Tang Ye watched the Swedish players nearby, his mind pondering something unknown.

"Go China!"

"Go China!"

The fans' cheers were loud; Tang Ye raised his hand to acknowledge them before quickly returning to the locker room.

"We played quite well; our first-half performance was decent."

Madaloni gave a brief summary before stepping aside to join the players in comforting Zhang Zhang Linpeng.

Lippi moved to the center, slowly adjusting the magnetic flags on the tactical board.

Unable to devise a good solution himself, Tang Ye decided to listen to how Mr. Marcello was thinking.

Lippi provided a summary of the first-half situation.

China had played reasonably well but fell short in certain details.

Defending set pieces remained a major persistent problem for China, with no effective solution found so far.

Then came the plan for the second half.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but as players on the field, you should be able to see it: our opponents are playing very anxiously."

Lippi pulled over the second tactical board, which displayed the statistical analysis prepared by Madaloni.

"To advance in the World Cup, Sweden needs roughly four to five goals in goal difference, so they have been playing anxiously from the start until now, committing many errors."

"I believe this is our opportunity."

"Should we play defensively? No, we will not play defensively."

Hm?

Lippi's words made Tang Ye's eyes light up.

Lippi seemed aware that Tang Ye would look at him at this moment; he shifted his gaze, making brief eye contact with Tang Ye.

"Since our opponents are making frequent mistakes, we must also attack."

"We have a player within our team who is exceptionally skilled at creating opportunities; as long as Sweden makes mistakes, our chances of finding scoring opportunities are very high."

The Chinese national team players in the locker room all looked toward Tang Ye simultaneously.

The player Lippi referred to as "exceptionally skilled at creating opportunities" was obviously China's number 10.

GGBond's ability to create opportunities ranked among the very best in global football.

"As for defense, my view is that since they are playing too anxiously, their attacking quality won't be very high; if we maintain solid man-to-man marking, our chances of victory are very high."

Lippi was rarely this confident, and the players in the locker room began to feel stirred with excitement.

"I think this is excellent."

Zhang Zhang Yuning said quietly, offering his opinion.

Wu Lei leaned in close, speaking in a voice only Zhang Zhang Yuning could hear: "Your opinion being good is useless..."

The players looked at Tang Ye, whose gaze was wandering as if he were lost in thought.

He was contemplating the feasibility of Lippi's tactic.

If they continued attacking in the second half, his pressure would undoubtedly be immense.

Simply put, if Tang Ye agreed, the team's fate in the second half would be tied to his performance.

His pupils returned to normal.

"Hmm..."

"If you are willing to trust me, I think we can give it a try."

Wu Lei placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder: "You don't need to ask that question."

"You think too little of us, Tang Ye; we know very well how powerful you are, even more so than them," he said, referring to the fans.

"So you don't need to ask; we will always trust you."

"Haha!"

Tang Ye and Wu Lei high-fived.

After a brief adjustment, the Chinese team players began preparing to enter the field.

Zhang Zhang Linpeng's expression was still not very good; the other players looked at each other, until finally Feng Feng Xiaoting stepped forward.

"Zhang Linpeng! I told you it's fine."

"As long as we win, your mistake won't matter."

"We will definitely win; I guarantee it to you."

Feng Feng Xiaoting said. Zhang Zhang Linpeng glanced at Feng Feng Xiaoting, then turned to look at Tang Ye.

"Mm..."

"I can guarantee it to you too, Brother Peng."

Tang Ye walked over and high-fived Zhang Zhang Linpeng.

Feng Feng Xiaoting spread his hands toward Zhang Zhang Linpeng: "If you don't believe me, surely you wouldn't disbelieve him, right?"

"Haha, I believe you both, I believe you both!"

Zhang Zhang Linpeng slapped Feng Feng Xiaoting on the waist, and then the players left the locker room together.

(End of Chapter)