Chapter 491: Tang Ye's Great-Grandfather's Identity Exposed; Must Win the Semi-Final

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No. 1: China leads Iran.

No. 2: China playing with ten men.

【I won't say GGBond is a god, but this is the fact!】

【Lippi is truly clever, look at how he's playing this defensive midfielder tactic.】

【The AFC is completely blind; I don't approve of them not giving Lippi the Best Coach of the Group Stage.】

【I suggest giving the Best Coach of the Group Stage to my GGBond; my GGBond participated in the command too.】

A through-ball goal from the master; with one man down, the Chinese team immediately scored another.

Can you handle this?

"Come!"

Tang Ye was pulled up from the grass by his teammates; Gao Lin pretended to carry Tang Ye on his back, but the Iranian players complained to the referee.

For deliberately delaying the match time, the referee showed Tang Ye a yellow card.

"Damn it, I f***ing..."

Gritting his teeth, then letting out a sigh of relief.

Just now I was so focused on the fans singing that I didn't notice the time...

The match resumed; Iran's defensive midfielders went from two to one, and the number of forwards increased again.

Now it was no longer China burning their boats, but Iran.

"Lippi having Tang Ye play as a defensive midfielder, I have to say this move is really excellent."

"Exactly, many who just started watching football, or even many veteran fans as we say, don't know that Tang Ye can actually play as a defensive midfielder."

Well, Tang Ye indeed doesn't really know how to play as a defensive midfielder.

But he learns so fast that no one can stop him!

74th minute.

Now there were at most 20 minutes left until the end of the match, and the Chinese team still led by two goals.

It felt like victory was right before their eyes!

Jahanbakhsh took the ball!

Bang!

After controlling the ball, he passed immediately; now Azmoun had possession.

Pa!

The shot was fired, but Yan Yan Junling punched it away from an extreme distance.

"Roar!!!"

Clenching both fists, Yan Yan Junling let out a roar toward the fans in the stands.

The culprit from the first half has stood up in the second half!

Lippi applauded the players on the field; three minutes later, he substituted Gao Lin off and brought on another defensive player.

Now only Wu Lei and Zhang Zhang Chengdong remained in China's forward line!

In defensive midfield was the forget-age friendship combination of Tang Ye and Zheng Zhi.

Why call it a forget-age friendship combination? Because these two were respectively the youngest and the oldest players in the national football team.

The forget-age friendship combination was there, but where was the other combination for the Chinese team?

The other person of the childhood combination, Wei Wei Shihao, was standing on the sideline.

Brother, the childhood combination has no chance to get on the field!

In the 89th minute, Chinese fans squinted their eyes.

How many minutes of stoppage time!

Added time:

3'

Three minutes of stoppage time was considered quite standard.

At least judging from the current situation on the field, the possibility of the Chinese team holding this scoreline was still relatively high.

91st minute!

"Iran is playing a bit too anxiously; actually, the more anxious they are, the less chance they have. Football is, after all, a delicate craft."

"Chinese team counterattack..."

With two minutes left in the match, the Chinese team led by two goals.

Moreover, Zheng Zhi was the one in possession now.

By this point, the outcome of the match was almost certain.

However, the national football team still had to attempt their final attacking opportunity.

Zheng Zhi slowed down, waited for Tang Ye to run up, and then passed the ball to him.

Handing it to Tang Ye, letting Tang Ye carry out a ball-carrying advance.

"Huff huff!"

Extremely tired, Tang Ye passed it to Zhang Zhang Chengdong.

Then passed to Wang Wang Shenchao making an overlapping run on the wing!

While his teammates were passing the ball, Tang Ye gradually moved to the area near the arc.

Suddenly accelerating!

Reaching out!

Slap!

Wang Wang Shenchao delivered a 45-degree cross; Tang Ye controlled the ball with his chest, then flicked it onto his thigh.

From the thigh to the shin, he finally succeeded in bringing the ball down to his feet.

His body twisted to control the ball, and Tang Ye nearly tripped over his own left foot, so he immediately fired off a shot.

Slap!

It didn't go in, but the reaction from the Chinese players on the field was intense.

"Handball!"

Tang Ye pressed his left hand against his right arm: "Handball, handball!"

Tang Ye's shot struck the outstretched hand of an Iranian defender; it was a clear handball.

As expected, the Chinese team was awarded a penalty kick.

"Nice!"

Wu Lei clenched both fists and shouted loudly.

They've advanced!

"Here!"

Liu Liu Yiming passed the ball to Tang Ye, who took it in his hands and spun around quickly.

The fans' gaze focused on Tang Ye as the camera followed him.

It was true that the Iranian team had already lost.

But whether Tang Ye could secure a hat-trick was indeed something worth watching.

"Hoo..."

Exhaling a breath, Tang Ye suddenly stopped spinning the ball, turned, spotted Zheng Zhi, and walked over.

Hmm?

The fans seemed to realize something.

Zheng Zhi realized it too, but he didn't quite believe his guess until Tang Ye spoke.

"Brother Zhi, you take it."

Tang Ye extended his hand to offer the ball; Zheng Zhi took it but did not withdraw the hand holding it: "Are you sure?"

"Mm."

Pointing at the stadium's large screen: "There are only a few dozen seconds left in the match; we've already secured the win."

"So you don't want the hat-trick anymore?"

"I can get one of those anytime."

It sounded a bit like showing off, but Tang Ye just wanted Zheng Zhi to take this goal with a clear conscience.

Because after Feng Feng Xiaoting left the field, the captain's armband had passed to Zheng Zhi.

Tang Ye hoped this old captain of the national team could score a goal in the Asian Cup while wearing the armband.

"... Hoo, thanks."

Zheng Zhi cradled the ball in his right hand and punched Tang Ye hard on the chest with his left: "Thanks!"

"Haha, go for it!"

Zheng Zhi approached the penalty spot.

"Tang Ye has just given his penalty kick to Zheng Zhi."

"Does he not know he already has two goals?... He probably does know."

"Let's watch Zheng Zhi's penalty; if he scores, the Chinese team will change the score to 4:1! This will be the largest margin of victory in the history of matches between China and Iran!"

Beep!!!

Zheng Zhi took his run-up and pushed the shot.

Beiranvand, who had performed well in this match, guessed the penalty direction wrong and ultimately failed to protect Iran's goal in the final moments.

"Goooo——aaaa——llll!!!"

The score is now 4:1!

Tang Ye raised both hands, and the Chinese players in vests on the substitute bench ran out to celebrate.

As for Zheng Zhi...

"Roar!!!"

"Roar!!!"

"Roar!!!!!"

After three consecutive roars, Zheng Zhi's face was completely red.

"Hoo, hoo hoo... Damn, damn!"

"Roar!!!"

Another roar, and only after that did Zheng Zhi finally calm down slightly.

The live camera focused, and fans could see that the eyes of this national team captain seemed somewhat red.

He was crying.

"Brother Zhi!"

The players on the field hugged Zheng Zhi.

Knowing nothing about what was happening, Tang Ye squeezed into the crowd, patted Zheng Zhi's hair, and then started doing the moonwalk on the side.

Sliding to the left, then sliding to the right.

Then sliding forward again.

Further forward!

Damn, this is so much fun!

"Beep, beep beep!!!"

"Alright, the match is over; the final score is fixed at 4:1."

"With this victory, the Chinese team will advance to the semi-finals of this Asian Cup! Their opponent in the semi-finals will be decided between Vietnam and Japan."

"Let us congratulate the Chinese team!"

The match had ended, yet Tang Ye was still jumping up and down on the field.

Only then did he notice Zheng Zhi seemed to be crying; Tang Ye immediately fell silent.

"Damn, Brother Zhi..."

"It's nothing, it's nothing, nothing."

Zheng Zhi intentionally did not want others to notice his condition, so Tang Ye had to run away first.

If a penalty kick had secured a last-minute victory from a 1:1 tie, such bitterness would naturally be expected.

But after leading 3:1, does a penalty kick really matter anymore?

In the end, Tang Ye could not think from Zheng Zhi's perspective.

He only felt that Brother Zhi was a bit too emotional today.

Well, for a defensive midfielder, this is probably normal; after all, defensive midfielders don't score many goals.

After thinking it over, Tang Ye found a somewhat forced answer.

"Chinese team!"

"Long live!"

"Chinese team!"

"Long live!"

The fans were even more excited than the players on the field.

Check Dongqiu Di Match Report: 10-man China defeats Iran 4:1 to advance to the semi-finals; Tang Ye scores twice, breaking the single-tournament Asian Cup goal record; Zheng Zhi seals the match with a penalty kick. (Comments: 139,122)

【I truly didn't expect him to give away that penalty.】

【Doesn't matter; for Tang Ye, an Asian Cup hat-trick is as easy as drinking water.】

【Stop praising, please stop praising my King Tang Tang Qiuwang, or he'll stay up late playing games again and we'll be doomed.】

【Tang Ye seems to browse Check Dongqiu Di; don't praise him too much.】

【Master-level technique is truly impressive; the next round against Japan is a lock, I'm already setting my alarm.】

"Thank you, yes, thank you."

He took the MVP trophy from the host's hands.

In the UAE Asian Cup, the Chinese team has played five matches so far, and Tang Ye has already won five MVP awards.

That is indeed a bit too many.

If the rules allowed, Tang Ye would want to withdraw from the selection and give the trophy to a teammate, but he truly could not do so.

"Your goal count has now reached ten, breaking the Asian Cup record; do you have any comments on this?"

"Um..."

Tang Ye took the microphone: "Actually, I only learned from the news before the match that I was about to break the record. But after reading that news, I didn't pay attention to it anymore, because I knew Iran was not an easy opponent to deal with, so we still had to focus on the match."

"You have advanced to the semi-finals; considering the Chinese team's historical results, this outcome is already very good for you. In the semi-finals, you might encounter Japan, a strong favorite for the championship; do you have confidence in defeating them?"

"Japan is not an easy team to deal with, and the question you asked is not an easy one to answer."

"Haha!"

Tang Ye's words made the reporters below laugh.

"If we can win, then we will certainly try to win. Because we also want a better ranking, and I feel the current Chinese team deserves any victory. We played quite well, I think."

"I suppose so, haha!"

Tang Ye smiled, returned the microphone to the reporter, and then left the scene.

Click click!

"Go Tang Ye!"

A Chinese reporter shouted loudly.

Tang Ye turned around and greeted them: "I will definitely go all out!"

"Thanks, really thank you."

Zheng Zhi came over and clapped hands with Tang Ye.

Tang Ye noticed that Zheng Zhi's eyes looked much better than before, and it seemed he had even washed his face.

"Brother Zhi, this is a small matter; if you hadn't made those interceptions in the second half, we would have conceded even more goals."

Tang Ye stood up and gave Zheng Zhi a big hug.

Wu Lei, who had also just finished his interview, returned, shouting "Awesome" loudly; it was clear he was truly extremely happy.

Maradona also joined the players' celebration.

But in a spot everyone else missed, Lippi stood alone in a corner, silent for a long time.

The respected Mr. Marcello seemed to have something on his mind.

CCTV-13, News.

"Beijing time, January 25th, 12:00 AM, AFC Asian Cup quarter-final: China Men's National Football Team versus Iran Men's National Football Team... Ultimately, relying on goals from players Tang Ye, Wu Lei, and Zheng Zhi, the Chinese team defeated the Iranian national team with a score of 4:1, successfully advancing to the knockout stage semifinals."

"It is worth mentioning that this is the first time since 2004 that the Chinese national team has advanced to the Asian Cup top four; their semifinal opponent will be decided between Vietnam and Japan."

Although it is said the opponent will be decided between Vietnam and Japan, in reality, everyone knows quite well that the national football team's semifinal opponent will basically be Japan.

It is worth mentioning that during the 2004 Asian Cup, the Chinese team lost to Japan in the final with a score of 1:3.

Fans could already guess what kind of poster the media would produce after Japan advanced.

The title would simply be: "A rematch after 15 years; does the national football team have hope for revenge against the Blue Samurai?"

After the match ended at the Abu Dhabi Sports Stadium, Xinhua News Agency interviewed the well-known national football fan He Sheng.

You might not know who He Sheng is, but you certainly know his other name.

He is the "Worth-It Brother" of the national football team!

Back in 2017, when the national football team defeated Uzbekistan in the Asian qualifiers to take all three points, it was this very man who shouted the slogan "F*ck, it's worth it!"

【Xinhua News Agency Reporter】

"Today we have also interviewed Mr. He; do you have anything you would like to say regarding this match?"

"Perfect; aside from that red card, I think everything else was perfect. Feng Feng Xiaoting won't be able to play later, which will have a huge impact on the upcoming match. But at least we have made it through this hurdle."

As a long-time fan of the national football team, He Sheng remained relatively optimistic.

"Then do you think our semifinal..."

"Japan, just you wait!"

He Sheng pointed at the camera, his expression fierce.

"Haha!"

"Then, Mr. He, do you consider coming to Abu Dhabi to watch the Asian Cup live this time to be 'worth it'?"

"Haha!"

The Xinhua News Agency reporter played along with the meme, and the surrounding Chinese fans had already burst into laughter.

"Worth it, absolutely worth it!"

He Sheng raised both fists in the air.

Check Dongqiu Di Match Report: National football team's semifinal opponent confirmed! Japan advances to semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Vietnam; Ritsu Doan scores from a penalty, Takumi Minamino breaks the deadlock. (Comment count: 23,914)

The Chinese team ultimately could not avoid this hurdle!

The last time the Chinese team encountered Japan in an A-level competition dates back to 2004.

And damn it, it happened to be exactly that 1:3 Asian Cup final from 2004!

All the elements are maxed out, the hype is maxed out; now there are already team previews for the Asian Cup semifinals on Douyin.

"AFC Asian Cup Semifinal Preview: The Blue Samurai, Japan!"

"The Japanese team has won the Asian Cup championship four times, making them the team with the most titles in Asian Cup history, bar none; simultaneously, they are also one of the favorites to win this year's Asian Cup."

"In midfield, there is Ritsu Doan from Groningen in the Fan Fan Dejia, heavily relied upon by the head coach, capable of playing as both an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder..."

"In the forward positions, there is Okazaki Yuya Osako from Werder Bremen in the Fan Fan Dejia, possessing keen goal-scoring instinct and tough physical confrontation, as well as..."

"Substitute players include..."

Japan's 23-man roster gave everyone the impression that each individual was formidable.

After all, with a total squad value of over 80 million euros, this lineup is top-tier when viewed across Asia.

Of course, the premise of saying this is to first exclude China, because for well-known reasons, the data regarding the Chinese team's starting lineup value and full roster value possess reference significance.

The Japanese team is indeed very strong, causing Chinese fans to feel somewhat pressured now.

That was, until a piece of news appeared.

Xinhua News Agency, January 26th, reporter Wang Anxun: Tang Ye's father displays a portrait of Tang Ye's Ceng Zufu outside Zayed Stadium (the venue for the China-Japan semifinal), attracting a large crowd of fans to gather and watch.

?

Upon seeing this news, fans were instantly stunned.

Displaying a portrait of his great-grandfather?

Ancestral supervision of the battle has even been brought out; GG Tang Zhengxiong, what are you up to again!

Clicking in to see the photo, there was the familiar Tang Tang Zhengxiong, and then the framed black-and-white photograph held in his hand.

Discovering that the young man in the photograph wore various medals, the fans suddenly became serious.

What exactly is going on?

"According to investigations by Xinhua News Agency reporters, Tang Ye's Ceng Zufu, Tang Tang Xianmin, was a famous general of the Republic of China during the War of Resistance Against Japan."

What the... fuck?

No way.

GG Bond, you have such a background?

Skipping the May Day holiday entirely, here are three updates delivered!

Begging for monthly tickets at the start of the month!

(End of Chapter)