Chapter 501: Tang Ye Tipped the Referee $500

Check Dongqiu Di pinned post: China vs. Qatar, the peak clash of Asia is underway, with the men's football team striving for their first-ever Asian Cup title in team history.

"Huff, huff-huff..."

The continuous sudden stops and changes of direction left Tang Ye somewhat exhausted, needing a brief moment to recover.

But before Tang Ye could regain his composure, Qatar's forward line suddenly pressed up and snatched the ball back from the Chinese team.

Damn!

Fall back and defend immediately!

The left winger drove down the flank to find the cutting-in fullback.

The fullback then switched the play to the right wing.

Qatar kept circulating the ball back and forth across the pitch, aiming specifically to avoid Tang Ye, who was lying in wait through the center.

Running to the right, then to the left; after all that running, Tang Ye hadn't gotten a single touch on the ball.

"Inside! Inside!"

Signaling his teammates to pay attention to the interior of the penalty area.

Tang Ye ultimately chose to hold his position, preventing the opponents from attempting long-range shots from the edge of the box.

Slap!

Ali delivered the cross!

Into China's penalty area!

Boom!

The Qatari forward launched a header, but Wang Wang Dalei pushed it away.

"Brilliant, Wang Wang Dalei!"

"After Yan Yan Junling suffered an eye injury, Wang Wang Dalei came on as a substitute, and we can see that Wang Wang Dalei's performance in the last two matches has been quite impressive!"

Under such circumstances where the opponent is shooting frequently, the goalkeeper's form is absolutely crucial.

"Watch out!"

"Mark that number 9 when he goes down the line, stick with him!"

Wang Wang Dalei shouted loudly at his teammates on the defensive line.

"Just stay tight on him!"

Captain Zheng Zhi was also rallying the players: "It's already been 30 minutes; only 15 minutes left until halftime ends!"

【Hold the line! Hold the line!】

【Come on!】

On the Check Dongqiu Di homepage poster, danmu comments kept scrolling from right to left; basically, one out of every two comments contained the keyword "hold the line."

Qatar had been pressing China relentlessly, causing immense pressure for both the players and the fans now.

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: In the 35th minute of the match, Tang Ye forced a breakthrough on the wing and delivered a cross, but Zhang Zhang Yuning failed to reach the first point.

As the first half neared its end, the match gradually entered a white-hot phase.

Boom!

Tang Ye went to ground to tackle the ball carrier, then passed the ball forward to Wu Xi.

As a result, the opposing defensive midfielder suddenly charged up and snatched the ball back from under Wu Xi's feet.

The situation on the field seemed a bit too chaotic...

China's players were retreating quickly, while Qatar opted for long balls to launch a rapid counterattack.

Boom!

Reaching the byline!

A cutback!

Ali received the ball at the edge of the box, feinted a shot to adjust, then suddenly threaded a through-ball into the penalty area.

Afif got the ball!

"Oh!"

The pressure suddenly intensified; Zhang Zhang Linpeng hurriedly retreated to get in front of Afif.

Performing step-overs to continue compressing China's defensive line, Afif suddenly played a square pass, returning the ball to Ali.

Ali accelerated with the ball!

Ali tried to weave between Zhang Zhang Linpeng and Shi Ke, but after making contact with Shi Ke, he lost his balance and fell.

?

Shi Ke looked completely bewildered, jumping up and raising both his hands.

"Eh, what's going on here?"

"Is it a penalty?"

"Ali has gone down inside China's penalty area!"

The commentators and fans were already gasping for breath, while the players on the field quickly rushed toward the referee.

"It's a dive! Yellow card!"

Zheng Zhi pointed at Ali, shouting at the referee, but was immediately pushed away by the Qatari players.

"Beep!"

The referee blew his whistle, then drew a rectangle in the air with his hands.

They're going to check VAR!

Phew...

Hands on hips, Tang Ye let out a sigh of relief.

During the earlier confrontation, Shi Ke clearly hadn't exerted force; if VAR were consulted, there would be virtually no issue.

The referee went to the sideline to review the video while the players stood on the field waiting.

Meanwhile, the broadcast displayed the footage; what the fans before their televisions saw was exactly what the main referee was seeing.

Afif received a cross from Afif, suddenly accelerated into the penalty area...

As can be seen, in the footage Shi Ke moved toward Afif, his intention being to block the opponent's immediate shot.

Shi Ke placed his hand on Afif's shoulder.

Afif continued forward, their bodies pressing against each other.

Shi Ke exerted force with his arm, and Afif subsequently fell to the ground.

Hmm...

"From the replay, this shouldn't be a penalty for Shi Ke's action."

"Right, although Shi Ke made contact with his hand, he clearly didn't use any force."

The ruling on this play would be quite controversial.

Let's see what the referee says?

"Beep!"

Back on the field, he drew another box in the air, then the main referee pointed toward the Chinese team's penalty area.

"Penalty!"

"It's a penalty!"

"Wow!!!"

The stands suddenly erupted into chaos, and the Chinese team players immediately ran toward the referee.

"No, he didn't use force! Our player didn't use force; he fell on his own!"

"Hey, don't mess around!"

It had been a fine 0-0 stalemate; awarding the opposition a penalty now was something the Chinese team players absolutely could not accept.

The referee drove back the surrounding Chinese players; Tang Ye retreated while giving the referee a thumbs-up: "Awesome, awesome, you're awesome."

Pah!

Wang Wang Dalei took a sip of water, spat it all out, then returned to his position beneath the goal.

Qatar's penalty; Afif, who had won the spot, would take it himself!

"Beep beep beep!!"

"Screw you!"

The Chinese fans were still cursing.

Everything on the field was ready.

"Beep!!!"

Afif began his run-up; Wang Wang Dalei, who had been bouncing around, suddenly stood still.

Bang!

Afif struck the ball toward the left side of the goal, followed by a sharp "Smack!"

"Saved!"

"Wang Wang Dalei saved the ball!!!"

Inside the penalty area, chaos ensued; Afif tried to shoot again but was headed away by Liu Liu Yiming.

A Qatari player still had possession!

Bang!

The shot was fired but struck Zhang Zhang Linpeng's body.

"I've got it!"

Zhang Zhang Linpeng booted the ball straight upfield with a long kick.

"Wow!!!"

"Booooo!!!"

"Trash! Trash!"

Having earned a penalty chance but failing to convert, the Qatari players on the pitch were met with relentless mockery.

【Wang Wang Dalei? Casillas!!!】

【Awesome!】

【Haters, speak up!】

With such a great opportunity, of course they had to celebrate wildly!

The righteous Chinese team, led by the righteous GG Bond, is the most formidable.

Evil cannot triumph over righteousness!

Running forward to join the attack, Tang Ye also didn't forget to give Wang Wang Dalei, still in the penalty area, a thumbs-up.

Unlike the thumbs-up he had just given the referee, Tang Ye's this time purely meant "awesome," with no ulterior motives mixed in.

"Beep!"

In the 42nd minute of the match, Qatar was awarded an indirect free kick on the left flank.

Something interesting happened: as the referee approached the sideline with his vanishing spray, several Chinese fans in the lowest tier of the side stands leaned out, clutching wads of US dollars in their hands.

"Here you go!"

"Referee, look here!"

"This money is for you!"

"Dollar! Dollar! (US dollars)"

Haha!

Originally, the play felt awful, but the fans in the stands directly laughed Tang Ye dry.

He patted his pocket.

What a pity; the wealthy ggbond had no cash on him today, otherwise he would have done the exact same thing!

Check Dongqiu Di halftime report: Halftime China 0:0 draw with Qatar, Ali's controversial penalty saved by Wang Wang Dalei, Tang Ye repeatedly fouled.

The officials gave no data, but the fans counted it themselves.

In the 45 minutes of regular time plus 2 minutes of stoppage time in the first half, Tang Ye suffered a total of 11 fouls, resulting in 6 falls.

With so many fouls, yet the Chinese team received only 2 direct free kicks and 3 indirect free kicks in total.

"Damn this referee!"

As Tang Ye and his teammates walked toward the locker room, he said, "They can call a penalty like that? Then why wasn't mine called?"

Bang!

Wu Lei kicked the trash can over: "Pure idiots."

"Alright, alright!"

Madaloni pushed Tang Ye and Wu Lei quickly toward the locker room: "Calm down first, calm down first; we have more important matters."

The Guardian—Dissatisfied with the officiating? Rodri posted a photo of himself watching the Asian Cup final at home, captioned: WTF, a penalty?

It wasn't just Rodri; a careful search of famous players' Twitter reveals a phenomenon.

Many European players were watching this match; some players from Manchester United and Villarreal had already started cursing.

Among them was Villarreal captain Bruno, who cursed this Iranian referee on Instagram, then deleted the post five minutes later.

"Thump, thump!"

In the player tunnel, Tang Ye's heart beat rapidly.

Even with his strong heart, he was finding it hard to withstand the pressure now.

Beating so fast; what if his heart suddenly jumped out?

Tang Ye felt somewhat worried.

But!

He clenched his fists tightly.

Forget it!

If it jumps out, let it jump out; at worst, he could just do without this heart.

ggbond must win this match!

Beep!

The referee's whistle sounded ahead; Tang Ye and the teammates beside him high-fived each other.

"Let's go——!!!"

Roaring out the shout, they then walked out from the tunnel.

The second half begins!

Currently, one can see that both substitute benches are crowded with standing people.

Qatar substituted their attacking midfielder, while Lippi still hadn't made any adjustments on his side.

"Come!"

Turning to receive the ball, Tang Ye immediately passed it forward to Zhang Zhang Yuning, then accelerated forward.

China's attack!

Just like in the first half, this counter-attack saw the Chinese team forming a fighter jet formation.

Zhang Zhang Yuning and Wu Lei were the two scout planes up front, with Tang Ye positioned centrally behind them.

Zhang Zhang Yuning ran forward; upon encountering pressure, he decisively passed the ball to Wu Lei.

Wu Lei also encountered defense.

He slowed down directly and stopped!

Then came!

Slap!

A back pass to Tang Ye, who then sent a through ball straight to Wu Lei.

Three Chinese players from European leagues executed their combination, advancing several tens of meters in just a few seconds.

Successfully reaching the front field!

After receiving the ball, Zhang Zhang Yuning stood still on the spot.

At this moment, Tang Ye suddenly charged up from his right side!

Bang!

The pass was delivered, though it was slightly too far back.

Stepping on the ball and turning, executing a move similar to a Marseille turn, Tang Ye easily shook off the defending player.

Arriving at the edge of the penalty area.

Just a hair's breadth from entering the box, Tang Ye pushed the ball sideways with the inside of his foot, then accelerated.

Entering inside the penalty area!

"Wow!!!"

Another solo performance; let's see if there's any call to be made.

Making a simple little move, Tang Ye arrived in front of the defending player.

Now only two people stood before Tang Ye: the sweeping center-back providing cover and the goalkeeper.

Slap!

The pushed shot struck the defender's foot and rebounded out.

"Here it comes!"

Wu Lei dropped straight to his knees on the spot, heading the ball back to Tang Ye.

Though someone nearby interfered, Tang Ye still secured the first touch.

He cushioned the ball with his stomach, preparing to let it drop naturally to his feet.

But at that moment, a strange force suddenly came from beside him, and the next second, Tang Ye fell.

"Oh!!"

"Beep beep beep beep!!!"

"This is the second time Tang Ye has fallen inside the penalty area in this match!"

"Referee, is there any call on this play!"

The commentator shouted loudly, while the Chinese team players also demanded an explanation from the referee.

However, the referee responded with a gesture of bringing his hands together and then opening them.

Good heavens, this time he didn't even check VAR, directly signaling no foul by Qatar.

"Huff..."

Tang Ye sat alone inside the penalty area, raised his hands, and then lowered them again.

With no choice, he got up to retreat for defense.

【Unbelievable, brothers】

【Dare to be any more biased?】

【Why not just award the trophy to Qatar directly?】

The Chinese team played truly well in this match; both their tactical execution and player form were the best seen since the Asian Cup began.

Yet, despite such excellent form, they still failed to score against Qatar.

Was it that the Chinese team couldn't score?

It was the f***ing referee who wouldn't let the Chinese team score!

Damn it.

Kicking my GGBond around like a ball is one thing, but what does it mean to deny my GGBond a penalty?

"Shit!"

Madaloni spat the throat lozenge from his mouth onto the grass and moved to confront the fourth official, but Lippi held him back: "This play can't be reviewed anymore."

Lippi's meaning was that, no matter what, the Chinese team could not get that penalty back, so there was no need for Madaloni to earn a yellow card either.

"This... damn!"

Waving his hands, Madaloni felt extremely frustrated now.

"Don't rush, don't rush..."

Lippi said softly, his pupils appearing deep beneath his glasses: "They are playing more and more chaotically."

"Hao, get ready, and Gao Lin too!"

Check Dongqiu Di live match report: In the 65th minute of the match, Tang Ye was fouled on the wing, and Afif was shown a yellow card.

This was Qatar's third yellow card of the match.

Not that three yellow cards were many, but that there were surprisingly only three yellow cards!

It was hard to imagine that playing to this extent, Qatar had received only three yellow cards in total!

Arriving at the 68th minute.

Qatar attacked down the wing; Afif dribbled the ball forward quickly.

Glancing left and right, after confirming the positions of the players on the field, Tang Ye chose to actively move toward Afif.

"Come, come, come!"

Let Zheng Zhi come up!

Tang Ye and Zheng Zhi executed a combination play, and finally, Zheng Zhi successfully completed the tackle on Afif.

Perfect!

Tang Ye decisively made a forward run.

Bang!

Zheng Zhi played a through ball forward to Tang Ye.

Got the ball!

Tang Ye prepared to start his advance, but at that moment, a Qatari defender suddenly came up and shoulder-charged him straight out of bounds.

Tang Ye rolled half a circle on the ground, then punched the grass beside him with his fist.

"Grass!!!"

Beep!

The referee blew the whistle and awarded possession to Qatar.

"That's a yellow card!"

Zheng Zhi signaled to the referee: "Our player had an absolute positional advantage!"

Zheng Zhi pointed at Tang Ye on the ground: "This is still a chance to counterattack."

It made perfect sense, yet the referee still wouldn't listen.

"..."

Tang Ye climbed up from the ground and, under the gaze of the cameras, made his way to the area below the stands.

At that moment, a Chinese fan was waving US dollars at the head referee; Tang Ye ran straight over, pointed at the five-dollar bill in the fan's hand, and said, "I'll buy these five dollars from you, but I can only pay you after the match ends."

The fan looked completely bewildered as he watched Tang Ye take the money from his hand.

Clutching the cash in his hand, Tang Ye quickly returned to the pitch.

Just as everyone was wondering what Tang Ye was up to, the guy ran over to the referee and shoved the five-dollar bill he was holding straight into the referee's pocket.

Wow?

(End of Chapter)