Chapter 493: Ancestral Spirit Visits in the Locker Room; The Semifinal Showdown Officially Begins

"Tang Ye, Tang Ye!"

Jolted awake by someone patting him, Tang Ye opened his eyes.

A man wearing a Zhongshan suit stood before him; his face felt familiar to Tang Ye, yet he couldn't quite recall who it was for the moment.

Spotting the air force insignia on the man's chest, Tang Ye widened his eyes: "Great-Great-Grandfather? How are you alive?"

Having visited the grave with his family as a child, Tang Ye naturally knew that the young man before him was his great-grandfather!

Brother—oh no, Senior, how are you alive!

"Don't be surprised!"

Tang Tang Xianmin placed his index finger against his lips, signaling Tang Ye to stay quiet: "The Japanese army is nearby; we must be careful."

"Great-Grandfather, the Japanese have already been driven away!"

"Nonsense! The Japanese were right in front of you just now!"

Tang Tang Xianmin crouched down, his fierce voice frightening Tang Ye into silence.

Tang Tang Xianmin handed a pistol to Tang Ye, but the latter shook his head: "I don't know how to use it..."

"You worthless brat!"

Tang Tang Xianmin's eyes bulged, making him look somewhat terrifying: "How have I taught you all these years? A man must know how to carry a gun; we must fight the Japanese!"

"Oh, oh, okay."

Tang Ye took hold of the pistol, his heart racing with excitement.

He had never even held a real gun until now!

"Tang Ye, listen to me: Great-Grandfather will run over shortly to lure the Japanese away, while you run south. Go where there are no Japanese, and I'll come pick you up in my fighter plane!"

Tang Tang Xianmin placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder.

"Then what about you?"

"You worthless brat, what do you know? Do you realize how important a fighter plane is? How could I just hand it over to the Japanese!"

"Just remember this: if I haven't returned to find you after one week, then I'm gone. By then, by then..."

Tang Tang Xianmin suddenly choked up: "Once all the Japanese have been driven away, you must bring their heads to my grave to pay respects. Understand? If you fail to do so, I will come find you every single night!"

"Huh?"

Tang Ye widened his eyes; Tang Tang Xianmin cursed him as a worthless brat once more, then ran off into the distance.

Feeling this wouldn't do, Tang Ye picked up the pistol, preparing to follow.

"Tang Ye!"

"Tang Ye!"

A voice echoed within his mind, calling his name.

Swaying unsteadily, a burst of white light suddenly filled his vision.

"Lei, Brother Lei?"

"Damn it, how the hell could you fall asleep at a time like this?"

The Chinese national football players and Madaloni gathered around Tang Ye as Wu Lei pulled out his phone: "The match starts in 25 minutes; how the hell did you fall asleep?"

"Hiss, I, I don't know either."

Rubbing his head, Tang Ye recalled what had just happened.

After finishing warm-ups and returning to the locker room, he had leaned back in his chair listening to teammates chat: "I seem to have suddenly fainted..."

"Suddenly fainted? Could you have suffered heatstroke?"

The team doctor's words suddenly made the players nervous, but fortunately, after an examination, they confirmed Tang Ye was fine.

"Awesome! You truly have nerves of steel!"

Zhang Zhang Yuning now admired Tang Ye even more.

However, Tang Ye remained silent.

His mind was still filled with the instructions his great-grandfather had just given him.

The heads of the Japanese...

Lippi went over some core tactical concepts for the match with the players again.

Restrict Takumi Minamino as the explosive threat point, deploy a five-defender line to widen the defensive front, and prevent the opponents from reaching the byline to cross, among other things.

Tang Ye naturally understood all of this; he simply sat in his spot, staring at the palm of his right hand.

Great-Grandfather had just placed the pistol there; Tang Ye clearly remembered that the gun had even been rusted.

Shaking his body, Tang Ye decided to stop thinking about such matters.

"Don't carry any psychological burden; you must build a subconscious belief that even if you lose this match, the fans won't blame you, so don't feel burdened!"

Madaloni delivered the final pre-match speech.

The Chinese national football players had just finished their warm-ups; now, less than twenty minutes remained before the semifinal would begin.

For some reason, Tang Ye now felt as though he were about to step onto a battlefield.

Even if we lose the match, the fans won't blame us?

What the assistant coach Mr. said was correct.

The problem was, if they lost this match, would ggbond's great-grandfather come find him every night, preventing him from sleeping?

Hiss!

Thinking of this, Tang Ye's body involuntarily trembled.

"Three, two, one!"

"China will be victorious, victorious, victorious!!!"

Arriving at the player tunnel, players from both sides fell silent one by one.

Tang Ye quickly adjusted his breathing, and soon his new mission arrived.

【The semi-finals may not be the Chinese team's endpoint; you have received a new mission.】

【Mission Objective: Asian Cup Champion】

【Reward: An inheritance from an ancestor】

In many fantasy novels, protagonists have formidable backgrounds, such as possessing an Emperor father or a Saint ancestor; obtaining their inheritance allows one to become incredibly powerful.

Tang Ye was now receiving the same treatment.

The problem was...

Obtaining this supreme inheritance was no easy matter.

"China Media Group, China Media Group!"

【Charge, charge, charge!】

【Do you think Ggbond's ancestor visited him in a dream last night to tell him how to play this match?】

【You guys really have imagination.】

【The entertainment value is maxed out.】

【If the national football team wins, I'll fly straight to Guangdong to burn incense for Tang Ye's ancestor; let this comment be my witness.】

The players from both sides lined up, and Tang Ye placed his hand on the head of the ball boy in front of him.

"Now, please ask all fans and staff in the stands to rise."

"Play the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China!"

"Now, please..."

Today, the Chinese fans sang the national anthem exceptionally loudly, making many fans on the adjacent neutral stands feel dizzy.

However, realizing this was such an important match as the Asian Cup semi-final, the neutral fans understood.

"Alright, dear viewers, you are now watching..."

"With a whistle from the referee, the match begins. I will now introduce the starting lineups for both teams, starting with the Chinese team, attacking from the right side of the screen to the left!"

China (5-3-2)

Goalkeeper: Yan Yan Junling

Defenders: Liu Liu Yiming, Zhang Zhang Linpeng, Shi Ke, Yu Yu Dabao, Wang Wang Shenchao

Midfielders: Zheng Zhi, Tang Ye, Hao Hao Junmin

Forwards: Wu Lei, Gao Lin

Head Coach: Lippi

"And now for the Japanese team."

Japan (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Shuichi Gonda

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Sakai

Midfielders: Genki Haraguchi, Wataru Endo, Gaku Shibasaki, Ritsu Doan

Forwards: Takumi Minamino, Okazaki Yuya Osako

Head Coach: Hajime Moriyasu

"Due to Feng Feng Xiaoting's suspension from today's match following his red card, the captain's armband has gone to the veteran Zheng Zhi."

"Judging by the starting lineups fielded by both sides, the key point of this match should be the wings."

The commentator had clearly done his homework; this analysis was indeed very reasonable.

The Japanese team excels at short passes, and to avoid Tang Ye in the center, they would certainly choose to attack via the wings, resulting in a four-defender and four-midfielder wing offense.

As for the Chinese team, Lippi had evidently guessed what his counterpart intended to do, immediately deploying a five-defender formation to widen the defensive line, aiming to minimize the opponent's scoring opportunities.

Japan attacks, China defends.

The outcome of this match depends on which side can execute their tactics better!

In the third minute of the opening, Tang Ye shifted toward the left wing based on the opponent's positioning.

His position was much deeper compared to the previous few matches, indicating that the Chinese team intended to play extremely defensively today.

Slap!

Gaku Shibasaki played a through ball to Ritsu Doan on the wing.

Ritsu Doan stopped the ball with his foot, and simultaneously, the Japanese attacking players began pressing forward.

Ritsu Doan passed to Okazaki Yuya Osako, who then laid the ball off to Gaku Shibasaki making a run up the left flank.

Japan's opening attack flowed very smoothly, prompting the Chinese players to hastily retreat into defense.

"Watch out for high balls!"

Zhang Zhang Linpeng shouted, but it seemed Japan had no intention of playing aerial balls at all.

Gaku Shibasaki distributed the ball to Wataru Endo.

He raised his foot!

Wataru Endo feinted a long-range shot but ultimately chose to cut inside and switch the play.

He attempted to pass to Takumi Minamino on the left, but was caught by both Tang Ye and Zheng Zhi.

Bang!

Zheng Zhi completed the interception!

"Go!"

Urging his teammates to make forward runs, Zheng Zhi hurriedly dodged the defending players.

Just as the Chinese national team players prepared to sprint out, Zheng Zhi was dispossessed again.

"Oh!!"

Losing the ball in this position is absolutely not good news; Chinese fans are now under immense pressure.

Haraguchi Genki passes to Minamino Takumi!

Minamino Takumi passes again to Nagatomo Yuto!

The Japanese team has been playing short passes within a small area, executing very steadily.

But several consecutive short passes added together can also advance the ball a long distance!

Slap!

Nagatomo Yuto delivers a low cross from the baseline.

Osako Okazaki Yuya!

Bang!

A shot is fired, but it smacks right into Yan Yan Junling's face, sending the ball flying out.

Yan Yan Junling falls to the ground, but immediately scrambles back up.

Because Japan's attack is not yet over!

Endo Wataru!

Endo Wataru tries to send another through-ball into the penalty area, but Tang Ye intercepts it.

With one kick, he pokes the ball away to complete the clearance!

"Beep!"

The referee blows the whistle; in the camera shot, Yan Yan Junling collapses to the ground again.

"Oh, Yan Yan Junling's condition seems to require the team doctor to come onto the field for treatment."

"Let's take a look at Japan's attack just now."

"The core was the combination between Minamino Takumi and Nagatomo Yuto; this is also the core of the Japanese team's tactics."

"Minamino Takumi passes it over, Nagatomo Yuto!"

"Osako Okazaki Yuya shoots!"

The director gave a slow-motion close-up of Yan Yan Junling's save, and only then did the commentators and fans realize that Osako Okazaki Yuya's shot just now had struck Yan Yan Junling's eyebrow.

"Eh, this..."

The team doctor is administering emergency treatment to Yan Yan Junling; the high-magnification lens shows clearly that blood is flowing from Yan Yan Junling's face.

"Osako Okazaki Yuya's shot seems to have hit Yan Yan Junling's brow bone!"

The Chinese team players gather around Yan Yan Junling, while on the substitutes' bench, Wang Wang Dalei has already started warming up.

The injury isn't very serious, but the swollen muscle on the brow bone is blocking Yan Yan Junling's left eye, which is unacceptable for a goalkeeper.

After a moment of hesitation, the Chinese team finally made the substitution.

The fans applaud Yan Yan Junling as he leaves the field, then boo Osako Okazaki Yuya.

Of course, Osako Okazaki Yuya is actually innocent; after all, what he wanted was a goal, not to hit the goalkeeper's brow bone.

"Sigh."

In a spot no one noticed, Lippi exhaled.

The starting goalkeeper is substituted off only five minutes into the match; this game is truly hellish difficulty in the literal sense.

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: Yan Yan Junling injured and substituted off, Wang Wang Dalei comes on as a substitute.

【????】

【This, this luck is just too bad.】

【Damn it!】

【Two key players are unavailable; someone tell me how we're supposed to win now.】

After Yan Yan Junling left the field, the Chinese team's already low win probability dropped significantly.

Japan still controls the ball; Tang Ye moves slowly along with his teammates.

Although his designated position is central midfield, in actual play Tang Ye's position changes in real time.

Wherever the opposing ball carrier is, that is where Tang Ye needs to shift toward.

Looking deceptively friendly, Tang Ye suddenly accelerates to begin pressing.

Endo Wataru can only pass backward.

He passes to Tomiyasu Takehiro.

Over on Tomiyasu Takehiro's side...

Bang!

Still no high ball; Tomiyasu Takehiro chooses to pass to Sakai Hiroki supporting on the right flank, and the Japanese team launches another attack from the wing.

"..."

"Sakai Hiroki, passes again to Doan Ritsu!"

"Forward again!"

Doan Ritsu plays a through-ball forward; Endo Wataru runs over to receive it, then moves near the right-side baseline.

"Hold him up, hold him up!"

The Chinese team is organizing their defense; Tang Ye follows directly to the baseline.

"Dribble past him, dribble past him!"

"Come on, come on!"

The Japanese fans were shouting as Watanabe Hajime dribbled the ball, inching closer to Tang Ye.

Tang Ye was slowly retreating.

To be honest, it was really hard on him; an attacking midfielder was actually doing a full-back's job.

But he had no choice but to do it; otherwise, if his teammates' defense wasn't in position, it would be disastrous.

The camera focused: Watanabe Hajime cut inside, dribbling with the outside of his foot.

Tang Ye immediately imagined himself as Ashley Young.

If it were Captain Young!

Damn it, screw it!

Tang Ye directly stuck out his foot and poked the ball away from under Watanabe Hajime's feet.

"Beautiful!"

"It's Tang Ye again!"

"A very perfect tackle!"

Tang Ye and Wang Wang Shenchao high-fived: "Hurry, keep an eye on the front field; if you feel they're about to attack, drop back to defend immediately."

Japan's average strength was incredibly formidable, and the coordination between their players was also excellent.

If the Chinese team players still tried to play the match at their previous rhythm, disaster was guaranteed.

The rhythm must be fast!

"Chinese team!"

"Let's go!"

"Chinese team!"

"Let's go!"

Time reached the 13th minute of the match; currently, Japan's possession rate had already reached 78%.

But it didn't matter; the Chinese team hadn't planned on playing for possession in this match at all.

Just park the bus and be done with it!

"On the Chinese team's side..."

"Beautiful, Tang Ye!"

After gaining control of the ball, he decisively accelerated forward; Tang Ye immediately displayed his top speed.

Watanabe Hajime chased from the side, but Tang Ye chose to use his body to shield the position, leaving Watanabe Hajime with absolutely no options.

An 85 attribute plus the peerless talent for physical confrontation; a physique like Ggbond the wild boar was simply invincible in the Asian Cup, okay!

After dribbling alone for 20 meters, Tang Ye finally delivered his long pass.

Crack!

It accurately found Wu Lei making a forward run on the right wing!

With a spin applied, Wu Lei controlled this ball very easily.

After a slight adjustment, he ran diagonally toward the penalty area!

"I'm here, I'm here!"

In the central position, Tang Ye was still sprinting forward.

The other Chinese team players were also running forward; they needed to create as much space as possible for Tang Ye to receive the ball.

Wu Lei reached roughly the same position and went one-on-one against Yoshida Maya.

After attempting to dribble past him proved fruitless, he decisively chose to pass.

To Gao Lin on the left!

Tang Ye shook off Watanabe Hajime, running in an arc forward to receive the ball.

Coincidentally, at this moment, Gao Lin passed the ball back out.

Tang Ye had found his opportunity!

He lifted his right leg!

Boom!

(End of Chapter)