Chapter 485: Group Stage: Three Rounds, Nine Points—The Heroic People Have Stood Up

"South Korea's possession and control are indeed a bit more delicate than China's."

"But just as I said before, simply playing long balls will do; the Chinese team should play more openly and broadly—hey, hehe—bringing Wu Lei's off-the-ball movement ability on the field into full play."

"Oh, here they come!"

Players from both sides were already ready in the tunnel; the second half was about to begin.

"Son Heung-min."

Tang Ye shook hands with Son Heung-min.

He and this South Korean striker shared a certain affinity; after all, there weren't many Asians playing in the Premier League.

Son Heung-min was under considerable pressure now, but he didn't show it, instead placing his hand on Tang Ye's back and giving it a pat.

"Let's go."

"Mm, let's go."

After the second half began, the Chinese team continued their attacking momentum from the first half.

Tang Ye served as the core ball-controller in the center!

Gesturing for Wu Xi to push up from behind, Tang Ye led his midfield teammates in a positional adjustment.

Everyone shifted slightly to the left.

Now the Chinese players were concentrated on the left flank, waiting for a counter-attack opportunity.

Hwang Hee-chan lost the ball in the attacking third!

Wang Wang Shenchao decisively passed to Zhang Zhang Xizhe, who was also looking for a chance to play the ball forward.

Seeing the opponent intending to press, Tang Ye abandoned his forward run and dropped back to support.

He received the ball from Zhang Zhang Xizhe.

Holding off Lee Chung-yong's pressure, he completed a turn!

Lee Chung-yong reached out to pull him.

Tang Ye dodged directly!

"This is exactly what we mentioned earlier: although this player Tang Ye tends to lose possession, his ball-shielding and control abilities are absolutely first-class."

Run forward!

Advancing nearly fifteen meters on his own, he forced all of South Korea's defensive players to retreat.

He looked up at Wu Lei.

!

As if knowing what Tang Ye intended, Wu Lei accelerated toward the center.

Just then, Tang Ye was also ready.

Both hands raised, his center of gravity coiled tight.

Slap!

The through-pass pierced South Korea's penalty area like a scalpel, finally arriving at Wu Lei's feet.

Slap!

A driven shot flew into the top netting of the goal.

"Goal!"

"In the 53rd minute of the match, China has once again breached South Korea's goal!"

Wu Lei immediately turned to celebrate, with Tang Ye right behind him.

CCTV-5 replayed China's recent attacking sequence.

Between South Korea's two defenders, a gap only half a meter wide had appeared, exposed for less than two seconds.

Yet Tang Ye had stubbornly seized that opportunity.

"Hmm, that through-pass... a bit exaggerated."

"Roar!!!"

Wu Lei's hands bulged with protruding veins.

A whole year of lonely overseas play finally erupted at this moment.

Another fucking goal!

Bang!

Wu Lei turned and collided hard with Tang Ye, who was charging toward him.

"Brother Lei, awesome!"

"Damn, haha!"

A one-goal lead seemed a bit too little, but a two-goal lead was completely sufficient; the players slowly walked back toward their own half, their inner tension greatly eased.

"Wu Lei!"

"Wu Lei!"

"Wu Lei!"

The fans were loudly chanting the name of the goalscorer, Wu Lei!

On the big screen was Son Heung-min, hands on hips, looking dejected.

South Korea's star player was now somewhat stunned by how thoroughly he had been neutralized.

Because of Tang Ye's continuous ball control, he had been virtually invisible today.

The principle remained the same: it was impossible for any footballer in this world to enhance a team's overall strength more than Tang Ye could!

When he reached the area below the main stand and saw Tang Tang Zhengxiong up there, Tang Ye raised his index finger to make a "1"—signifying first place in the group.

Tang Tang Zhengxiong raised his right hand in response.

"Damn, when did Brother Tang Zhengxiong put his sunglasses back on?"

"Stop pretending, please stop pretending, boo-hoo."

"Wu Lei? King Wu of the Ball!"

"It feels like South Korea still isn't up to snuff; hurry up and bring Japan out already."

The match resumed, with players like Zheng Zhi, Gao Lin, and Jin Jingdao ready on the sidelines.

However, Lippi made only one substitution, replacing Wu Xi with Zheng Zhi.

No other positions were adjusted for the time being.

Tang Ye gave Madaloni a thumbs-up; the latter crossed his hands in an X, meaning it hadn't started yet.

Alright then.

The 64th minute.

Tang Ye delivered a pass, but it struck a defending player.

Damn!

"Hurry, hurry!"

The head coach urged them on as South Korea's counterattack began at that moment.

Kim Young-gwon passed the ball out to Kim Jin-su on the wing.

Then it was Kim Jin-su!

A long pass sent directly forward!

"Watch Son Heung-min!"

Some Chinese player on the field shouted, and Zheng Zhi was already moving toward Son Heung-min's direction.

But Son Heung-min was playing with speed.

Controlling the ball while knocking it forward, he immediately accelerated with it at his feet.

There was no choice.

Zheng Zhi reached out and directly dragged Son Heung-min down.

"Phew... that was close!"

If South Korea had truly pulled off this counterattack, the consequences could have been severe; fortunately, Zheng Zhi reacted quickly enough.

"You, se-bal!"

The South Korean players grew somewhat agitated by Zheng Zhi's actions; Lee Chung-yong and Jung Woo-young both stepped up, ready to shove.

"Hey!"

Zheng Zhi didn't fight back, knowing he was in the wrong.

And indeed, the referee showed a yellow card.

"Get away!"

Tang Ye rushed over and shoved Lee Chung-yong away; Zheng Zhi was right behind him.

"He already got a yellow card, what else are you doing?"

A conflict nearly erupted again; finally, when Son Heung-min arrived, players from both sides were fully separated.

"It's fine, it's fine."

Tang Ye patted Zheng Zhi's elbow, then ran off.

South Korea had an indirect free kick, and they chose to let Son Heung-min take it directly.

"Watch the far post, the far post!"

Madaloni was already shouting.

Notably, this time he shouted in Chinese, though where he learned it remained unknown.

Hmm...

Tang Ye turned his head left to check Son Heung-min's position, then right to observe the wall, imagining Son Heung-min's possible passing route.

"Brother Ting, keep an eye on that number 19."

"Okay, okay, almost ready."

Everything was set; the referee blew the whistle.

Beep!

Son Heung-min!

Slap!

His right foot struck the ball; it soared to its highest point before curving back toward the far post.

Kim Young-gwon and Feng Feng Xiaoting jumped up together!

They collided, yet neither managed to get the ball.

Son Heung-min's free kick landed directly on the ground.

Tang Ye rushed forward to contest it, but the opponent got there a step earlier.

Lee Chung-yong took the shot!

Bang!

Lee Chung-yong's shot was blocked by Zheng Zhi, who had thrown himself to the ground.

But there was still Hwang Ui-jo!

Hwang Ui-jo raised his foot, preparing to shoot.

Inside the penalty area, the Chinese players clustered together, ready to block the ball with their bodies.

Bang!

The ball was blocked by Zhang Zhang Linpeng's shoulder!

"Beautiful!"

Huang Huang Jianxiang couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Although the defense at the first point wasn't well executed, China's subsequent handling was absolutely flawless.

Zheng Zhi's dive was perfectly timed!

"Awesome, awesome!"

He ran back to prepare for the corner kick defense, exchanging a high-five with a teammate along the way.

The momentum was excellent; Tang Ye also felt they were not far from victory.

As the clock hit the 75th minute, both China and South Korea made substitutions simultaneously.

Hao Hao Junmin, running onto the field, signaled to Tang Ye.

Here we go!

For the remaining time, Tang Ye would once again attempt to play as a shadow striker.

On the surface, it still looked like a group stage match, but the national team had already begun preparing for the knockout rounds.

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: China substitutes, Tang Ye appears to be trying the forward position again.

In reality, the role was shadow striker, but Tang Ye always tended to view himself as a winger, dribbling into a suitable position before attempting to beat his marker.

This habit wasn't ideal for the team, but it was Tang Ye's muscle memory, something that couldn't be corrected overnight.

In any case, from the broadcast perspective, Tang Ye now looked almost exactly like a left winger.

Just like right now.

Receiving the ball, Tang Ye used the outside of his foot to dribble slowly toward the penalty area.

Although Tang Ye was a midfielder, no South Korean player would dare underestimate his dribbling ability.

Zhang Zhang Yuning ran from the center to offer support.

This was clearly not a good option; Tang Ye gestured for Zhang Zhang Yuning to drop back first.

Wang Wang Shenchao was pushing up!

The plan was being implemented step by step.

A through pass was played to Wang Wang Shenchao, followed by Tang Ye cutting inside.

Crack!

Wang Wang Shenchao's cutback found Tang Ye with pinpoint accuracy.

"Oh!"

A perfect opportunity; naturally, Tang Ye wanted to seize it.

Crack!

He curled a shot toward the far corner.

But it went high.

Oh well!

Shaking his hand, he admitted he had been a bit too rushed; had he taken just half a step more to adjust, there might have been a chance.

Time ticked on, quickly reaching the 83rd minute.

Lippi and Madaloni watched the pitch with full concentration, testing the feasibility of using the team's new tactics in the knockout stage.

The offense was indeed fierce.

Once Tang Ye played as a shadow striker, Zhang Zhang Yuning and Wang Wang Shenchao immediately received an epic-level boost; they could be said to be the true sons of this version.

But there was also a problem: Wu Lei's role had diminished.

And then there was one most critical point.

With the master moving forward, there was now no one in China's midfield capable of controlling the tempo!

Hwang Hee-chan dribbled through the center as if there wasn't a single defender in front of him.

Zheng Zhi slowed down, attempting an interception, but Hwang Hee-chan passed the ball off early.

Up front, Hwang Ui-jo received the ball and sprinted wildly.

"Hmm, South Korea's attacking rhythm is quite good."

"On the contrary, the leading Chinese side seems to be playing somewhat chaotically..."

Beep beep beep beep!!!

The whistles from the crowd were fake; Hwang Ui-jo gradually slowed his pace, then suddenly played a square pass to Son Heung-min.

Using the moment of controlling the ball, South Korea's number 7 immediately shook off Zhang Zhang Linpeng.

A left-footed volley was unleashed!

Goal!

A goal from Son Heung-min; South Korea pulled one back!

"Boooo!!!"

Chinese fans were somewhat dissatisfied with Son Heung-min.

The score changed from 3–1 to a dangerous 3–2, and the broadcast camera quickly focused on Lippi.

Lippi was now under immense pressure, because in the fans' eyes, it was his adjustment that had led to China conceding.

Madaloni looked into Lippi's eyes.

He said nothing, as he was waiting for Lippi's instructions.

"No more attacking."

Lippi shook his head.

"Are you sure?"

Having received Lippi's affirmation, both the translator and Maldoni were already prepared.

"Switch back, switch back!"

Hm?

Tang Ye pointed at himself, then pointed at Hao Hao Junmin.

"Not playing anymore?"

Maldoni made a pushing-back gesture, signaling Tang Ye to return to play in midfield.

Clearly, South Korea's earlier attack had made the Chinese national team's coaching staff somewhat nervous.

There was no other way; Tang Ye retreated back to his position.

"..."

"Beep, beep beep!!!"

"Alright, dear viewers, the match has ended, with the final score fixed at 3:2."

"Although the final period was played somewhat perilously, the Chinese team did indeed secure victory in the match, and this victory means the Chinese team will advance to the knockout stage as the group winner!"

Three group stage matches, three victories, earning 9 points, along with 11 goal differences.

Without even needing to think, one knows that the Chinese national team is the squad with the best group stage performance among the 32 participating teams in this Asian Cup.

"Haha!"

Tang Ye spread his arms and embraced Wu Lei and Zheng Zhi separately.

"Brother Zhi, you said South Korea would be tough to play, yet we still won."

Tang Ye pointed at the score on the large screen.

3:2 looked extremely satisfying to behold.

"It wasn't easy."

"What?"

It was too noisy to hear Zheng Zhi speak, so Tang Ye leaned his head closer.

"I said we didn't play an easy match!"

"Damn!"

His eardrums stimulated, Tang Ye jumped straight up on the spot.

"Cough, cough, it's fine, it's fine. Anyway, Brother Zhi, just say whether we won or not."

If they hadn't employed the shadow striker tactic after the 75th minute, the Chinese national team would most likely have won this match with a score of 4:1; at the very least, securing a 3:1 result would definitely have been no problem.

Overall, Tang Ye and his teammates simply played better than the opposition today!

Walking slowly across the grass.

After stopping his run, he finally felt the pain of the broken skin on the instep of his right foot.

"Tang Ye, awesome!"

Zhang Zhang Yuning lifted Tang Ye straight up.

With his attention diverted, Tang Ye suddenly felt no pain anymore.

The Chinese national team's coaching staff and workers crossed the pitch, coming to the area below the away supporters' stand to carry out their post-match appreciation activity.

"China is awesome!"

Clap clap clap clap!

Clapping along with the fans, Tang Ye occasionally raised both hands to greet the supporters.

Oh, right!

Thinking of something, Tang Ye held up a '1' with each hand.

One and one, combined together, make eleven.

What is this?

This is the total goal difference for the Chinese team across the three group stage matches!

Chewing gum, Tang Ye sat directly on the ground.

Shortly after, he felt a pulling force coming from behind.

It was Zhang Zhang Yuning and Feng Feng Xiaoting.

"What's wrong?"

"Hey!"

He had barely finished speaking one sentence when Tang Ye was directly hoisted up from the ground by the combined effort of three teammates.

"Hey, no, no, no!"

GG Bond said 'no' with his mouth, but in his heart he was already prepared to take flight.

The players gathered together, and Feng Feng Xiaoting began his countdown.

"3, 2, 1!"

"Wow!!"

Tang Ye shot straight up two meters high.

Again!

"Wow!!!"

More!

"Wow!!!"

"The five-star red flag flutters in the wind~"

"How loud is the song of victory!"

"Singing of our beloved motherland,"

"From now on marching toward prosperity and strength!"

"..."

"Crossing Gaoshan~ crossing the plains! Striding over the surging Yellow River and Yangtze River~"

Bang!

"The heroic people have stood up!"

"We are united, friendly, and strong as steel!"

Check Dongqiu Di Match Report: 3:2 comeback victory against South Korea; the Chinese team won all three group stage matches with 9 points, advancing as the top seed of Group C. (118,278 comments)

Opening the app, the very top displays a photo of Chinese team players and fans celebrating together.

Mom, why didn't the great ggbond appear in the photo?

Silly child.

ggbond is flying up in the sky!

(End of Chapter)