Chapter 89: Teng Sheng Sacrifices Himself for Righteousness, Armored King Rises Again in the Eredivisie

At the Johan Cruyff Arena, the starting players from both sides stood ready in the tunnel.

The live commentators were also prepared.

"This is Matchday 31 of the 2015-16 Eredivisie season, Ajax versus Utrecht!"

"I must now solemnly introduce the starting lineups for both teams, beginning with the home side, Ajax!"

"Goalkeeper: Cillessen!"

"Defenders: Veltman, Van der Hoorn, Viergever!"

"Midfielders: Gudelj, Bazoer, Sinkgraven, Klaassen!"

"Forwards: El Ghazi, Milik, Younes!"

"And now for Utrecht..."

"..."

"In midfield, our miraculous Tom!"

Although it was an away game, many fans still applauded Tang Ye.

This 17-year-old rookie had left a deep impression on everyone this season!

"Damn..."

Suddenly singled out by the live commentator, Tang Ye felt a pang of panic in his heart, accompanied by an indescribable excitement.

"Don't be nervous!"

Ramselaar placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder; the latter shook his head: "I'm not nervous, but..."

Tang Ye pointed at Ramselaar's calf: "Bart, why is your leg shaking?"

"There was a slight earthquake just now; maybe you didn't feel it, but I'm more sensitive."

"..."

"Een juichtoon dav're langs de velden (Cheers resound across the green fields)"

"Voor ons dierbaar rood en wit (For our beloved red and white army)"

"De ploeg der dapp're Meersche helden (The team of brave heroes from the Meer)"

"..."

The match had just begun, and the home fans began singing their team anthem.

This was the advantage of playing at home; Ajax fans wanted to overwhelm their opponents in momentum.

This was a crucial match; Utrecht sat just one place above Ajax, so defeating their opponent in this game would be tantamount to Ajax earning six points in a single match!

"Okay, brothers, let me adjust the equipment; yes, yes, that's about right!"

Wang Chao arrived late, but he moved quickly and immediately threw himself into the commentary.

"Bazoer! Bazoer is carrying the ball down the left flank!"

"Amrabat pushes forward! Today Ten Hag has used Amrabat to replace De Jong; let's see what kind of performance Amrabat can deliver!"

"..."

"Handball! Amrabat has committed a handball inside the penalty area!"

"Holy shit, this fucking looks like a penalty!"

"Let's check the slow-motion replay!"

The hearts of the viewers in the live stream hung in suspense as the on-site director provided a slow-motion replay.

Klaassen's shot had struck Amrabat's hand squarely!

"Beep!"

The referee blew his whistle and pointed his index finger at the penalty spot inside Utrecht's box.

It was a penalty!

"Ajax!"

"Ajax!"

"Ajax!"

Winning a penalty in the 7th minute of the match, the Ajax fans had already begun to cheer.

In contrast, the away stand was utterly silent.

Away teams already lacked momentum to begin with, and now they had gifted their opponent a penalty right at the start.

How the fuck were they supposed to play the rest of this!

Amrabat covered his face in guilt, while goalkeeper Ruiter was now under immense pressure.

Klaassen, who had won the penalty, stepped up to take it himself!

He began his run-up...

Shot!

"Goooo——aaaaa——llllll!!!"

"Damn! A goal for Ajax!"

"Utrecht has fallen behind!"

The clock in the top-left corner had just ticked to the 8th minute, and Utrecht was already down by one goal.

Eight minutes were insufficient to judge which side was stronger or weaker, but one thing was clear: Ajax's luck today was absolutely better than Utrecht's!

"Think! Focus! Concentrate!"

Ten Hag roared at the players on the pitch, pointing his index finger at his own temple.

Obviously, this match had also thrown him into a state of urgent anxiety.

In such a crucial match, if they lose, Ten Hag won't be able to sleep well!

"It's fine, it's fine!"

Ramelaar ran over and patted Amrabat on the back; although Amrabat's foul that conceded the penalty was somewhat inexcusable, as captain, Ramelaar knew he needed to step up at this moment to encourage his teammate.

There was no use regretting the lost penalty that could have brought Utrecht a new opportunity, but lifting their spirits to launch a counterattack still held the chance to help Utrecht equalize the score!

"Huff... huff..."

Tang Ye ran back and forth across the midfield; with Ajax now in possession, Tang Ye and Ramelaar were acting just like they were in a rondo drill, pressing the opponents relentlessly the moment they got the ball.

However, Ajax's tempo was truly fast; after several sprints, Tang Ye couldn't even touch the damn ball once!

Sinkgraven played a low long pass toward Klaassen, and Tang Ye spotted the opportunity.

"I've got it!"

Swish, swish, swish!

Tang Ye executed a sliding tackle, intercepting Sinkgraven's long pass right in mid-air.

Klaassen rushed over trying to win the ball, but Tang Ye quickly got to his feet and passed the ball to Amrabat, who was rushing over on the flank to provide support.

Amrabat dribbled forward!

Passed to Ramelaar!

Ramelaar passed again to Di Di Bala!

This was an opportunity for Utrecht!

Pa!

Di Di Bala played a square pass into the center, and Haller arrived just in time!

Shot!

"Damn, so close!"

Bang, bang, bang!

Wang Chao, sitting in front of his computer, lifted his mechanical keyboard and began smashing it furiously.

Haller's attempt to meet the ball only pushed it out of play beyond the goal line.

Utrecht had missed the chance to equalize the score!

"Damn it!"

Ten Hag clenched his fist with one hand.

He glanced at the stopwatch board held by the fourth official.

It was already the 25th minute of the first half!

Since it wasn't yet the 30-minute mark, Ten Hag still had a chance to change his mind!

If he substituted Tang Ye off the field, Utrecht would avoid the fine, and Ten Hag could also escape the risk of detention!

Should he do it?

He turned his head to glance at the players sitting on the substitute bench.

Ayoub, whose form was worrying.

De Jong, who could only drive forward but couldn't shoot.

The rest were just some young players barely any older than Tang Ye.

As long as Ten Hag made a substitution, Utrecht would most likely lose the match outright.

After a fierce internal struggle, Ten Hag gritted his teeth and ultimately did not make the substitution.

He chose to trust his beloved disciple!

30'00''

Not only Ten Hag, but the fans in the stands were also staring at the stopwatch board in the fourth official's hands.

The moment the time arrived, the fans in the stands immediately erupted in cheers and jeers, even breaking into song.

"Erik Ten Hag~"

"Erik Ten Hag~ Sitting Like~ Erik Ten Hag~ Prison awaits you~"

"Utrecht has no future, all that remains for Ten Hag is darkness~"

"Wow~"

"Erik! Ten Hag!"

"Erik! Ten Hag!"

The home fans continued their mockery incessantly as the camera focused on Ten Hag standing in front of the substitute bench.

Ten Hag heard the home fans singing the "Erik Ten Hag Imprisonment March"; his mouth was shut tight, and his face was iron-green.

【Really not substituting?】

【Awesome, I'll never blacklist Ten Hag again; he really has sacrificed a lot for the team.】

【So what's the Dutch police's stance? Are they really going to take Ten Hag away for 'education'?】

【I feel like they probably won't, but Utrecht will likely have to endure even heavier fines.】

【Tang Tang Qiuwang, keep it up! Your master has already made sacrifices behind you!】

【The head coach going to jail, absolutely flooded with respect!】

【Damn, Ajax is so strong, what's the point of playing this? Might as well hand over first place.】

【My Tang Tang Qiuwang hasn't even started exerting himself yet; the opportunities aren't good right now, just wait a bit longer, there's still hope.】

After the 30-minute mark, with absolutely no sign of a substitution from Utrecht, the home team's coaching staff cast a look of admiration toward Ten Hag.

Tang Ye, who was running on the pitch, rarely felt nervous.

Tang Ye knew that his presence would cause the team to be fined; this was the source of his pressure. He wanted to deliver a performance worthy of the fine amount!

Time reaches the 35th minute of the first half, and Ajax remains in possession!

"You go there!"

Ramselaar pointed at Sinkgraven, and Tang Ye immediately ran over.

Although Utrecht is not a team that relies on possession stats, Ajax's possession rate today is truly a bit too high.

Tang Ye has barely touched the ball a few times so far!

"I'll take it, I'll take it!"

Tang Ye ran toward Sinkgraven; the latter kept scanning left and right, so Tang Ye guessed a possible passing option and immediately curved his run toward the center.

Sinkgraven played the ball out, and Tang Ye had guessed correctly!

"Quick, quick!"

The Ajax players began urging each other; Bazoer sprinted over swiftly and secured the ball just before Alé could reach it.

Pass it to Klaassen again!

At that moment, Ramselaar darted out from who-knows-where and stuck out a foot to directly intercept Bazoer's low, short pass.

This is a chance!

Tang Ye immediately started making his run, positioning himself behind Sinkgraven!

Slap!

Ramselaar delivered a through ball; Tang Ye extended his right foot and controlled the ball steadily!

Perfect! "Tang Tang Qiuwang is about to put on a show!"

"Carry the ball forward yourself; let's first check our teammates. Alé, who just dropped back to press, is now making a run down the wing, while on the right flank we have Joosten and Di Di Bala."

"Di Di Bala wants to cut inside!"

"Eh... Tang Ye has been taken down!"

In the camera shot, Bazoer charged from the left into the center and completed a slide tackle that directly destroyed the possession.

The broadcaster showed a slow-motion replay: Bazoer's studs landed squarely on Tang Ye's shin.

"Damn it, Bazoer! What act are you putting on!"

"Bazoer directly took down Tang Ye; that's a foul by Ajax!"

A swarm of bean warriors in Wang Chao's livestream room began spamming the chat, urging the referee to show Bazoer a red card.

Bazoer's tackle was indeed a yellow-card offense, but the player he took down was Tang Tang Qiuwang.

!

Then it should be a red card!

Unfortunately, referee Pereira couldn't see the livestream comments; he showed a yellow card to the offending Bazoer.

yellowcard: bazoer

"Damn!"

Tang Ye hugged his shin and rolled back and forth on the ground; the team doctor was already preparing to enter the pitch when Tang Ye finally stood up.

Staring into Bazoer's eyes, Tang Ye's expression was rather unpleasant.

"Tom, are you okay?"

Ramselaar ran over and carefully examined Tang Ye's injured left leg.

There was some mud on his sock, but otherwise it seemed fine.

"Grandma's!"

Tang Ye took a deep breath and shook his leg again; the pain hadn't completely subsided, but he could feel this shouldn't be a serious injury.

Play resumed; Ajax players' foul had stopped Utrecht's rare attacking opportunity.

The 41st minute.

"Veltman!"

"Veltman plays it straight across!"

"Damn, don't mess around! Can someone check on Klaassen? Klaassen is in a great position!"

Bang!

Klaassen received Veltman's cross and finished with a pushed shot to score.

A brace! Klaassen helped Ajax extend the lead to 2:0!

"Damn!"

The Utrecht players on the pitch were now utterly dejected; originally trailing by one goal, they had hoped to equalize before halftime.

But now they were suddenly two goals behind!

Damn it, if Bazoer hadn't taken down Tang Ye in that previous attack, perhaps the score would already be 1:1!

"Ajax!"

Bang bang!

"Ajax!"

Bang bang!

The stadium stands were filled with the home fans' chants; with a two-goal advantage, Ajax had virtually controlled the rhythm of the match.

The first half ended, and it was now halftime. Ten Hag acted quickly: he returned to the locker room himself, leaving Fan Fan Dejiahe in the player tunnel to urge the players to hurry back.

Inside the locker room, Utrecht's players sat in four groups, each person silent.

Clearly, the two goals scored by Ajax had left the Utrecht players somewhat stunned.

Ten Hag manipulated the tactical board vigorously, recreating the players' positions from the first half for both teams, then turned to face his players.

"I believe you can all feel that our opponents have had good luck today, which has left us somewhat on the back foot."

"But it doesn't matter; if we're talking about raw strength, our actual power isn't much different from our opponent's—in fact, I believe we're even slightly stronger right now."

"Bart, Tang, and Sofyan!"

Ten Hag began calling out names, and Tang Ye, whose name was called in the first batch, lifted his head.

"Our possession rate is very low, so the midfield must coordinate with the forwards to press—especially you, Tang; as an attacking midfielder, you need to press so we can win back possession."

Ten Hag specifically pointed out Tang Ye's problem.

That problem was that pressing required coordinating with teammates to press, yet Tang Ye always ran alone.

It was just like rondo training: the more people pressing inside the circle, the greater the pressure on those passing outside it.

"Our opponents are playing far too comfortably; we need to create pressure for them—do you understand what I mean? We must create pressure for them!"

Gulp!

Tang Ye took half a sip of mineral water, then pulled out another piece of chewing gum for himself.

……

The second half began, and the home fans' stand maintained the same momentum they had shown in the first half.

However, unlike the first half, Utrecht had already made some adjustments.

By the 55th minute, Utrecht's possession rate showed signs of recovery, all thanks to Tang Ye coordinating with the team's three forwards to press!

Klaassen controlled the ball in the center while Haller and Di Di Bala simultaneously pressed him!

Klaassen passed to Younes!

Slap!

Tang Ye, no one knew when he had arrived, appeared behind Younes and completed the tackle just a moment before Younes could extend his foot.

"Pass forward, pass directly forward!"

Ten Hag shouted loudly.

Tang Ye wasn't foolish; he knew exactly what he should do now.

A low, long pass sent the ball straight to the right-wing byline!

Josten, who had been switched to the wing, successfully controlled the ball!

Ajax played with intricate finesse, whereas Utrecht favored a more expansive, direct style.

Yet sometimes, such an expansive style could produce unexpected results.

Josten took the ball on the byline and went one-on-one against Viergever!

Di Di Bala moved up to support!

True to his habit, Tang Ye drifted from the right wing toward the edge of the penalty arc.

Josten pressed the Ajax defensive line!

A cutback pass!

To Tang Ye!

"Wow?"

Tang Ye reacted quickly, glancing into the penalty area before receiving the ball.

Memorizing the positions of both teams' players inside the box, Tang Ye actively ran toward the cutback pass delivered by Josten.

Without stopping the ball, he kicked it directly into the air.

Into the penalty area!

With the help of the Fernandes One-Touch Passing Module, Tang Ye's pass was quite accurate.

Because Tang Ye hadn't stopped the ball, it carried tremendous spin.

This was a test for Haller!

"Goal! Haller! Beautiful!"

"A pass from Tang Ye! Utrecht pulls one back!"

"2–1!"

"Utrecht still has a chance to win!"

After scoring, Haller didn't rush to celebrate; he high-fived Tang Ye inside the penalty area, then ran into the goal to fish the ball out.

The goal sequence wasn't over yet!

"Clap, clap, clap!"

The broadcast camera first focused on Haller, then shifted to Tang Ye, who had provided the assist.

Chewing gum in his mouth, Tang Ye's expression was noticeably more relaxed compared to the first half.

The stadium announcer offered commentary.

"Yes, that's Tom's hallmark; most players might choose to control the ball first before crossing, but in that situation, had Tom done so, the opponent likely would have completed the tackle."

"He chose to cross directly, giving the opponent no chance to disrupt the play."

"Utrecht still has hope!"

After scoring that goal, Utrecht gradually gained momentum; by the 65th minute of the match—

Ramselaar took the corner kick!

At the first point, Haller and Van der Hoorn battled for the ball!

Van der Hoorn cleared the ball out of the penalty area!

It looked like a header clearance by an Ajax center-back, but matters were not that simple.

"No way!? Tang Ye, Tang Ye happens to be right behind the second ball!"

"Di Di Bala reacts quickly and starts drifting wide!"

"Tang Ye, pass…"

"Shoot directly at the goal!"

Slap!

Tang Ye's pushed shot struck the left goalpost just right, rebounding back to Ale's feet.

This was clearly a lucky guess, yet guessed with perfect timing.

Ale!

Boom!

"Goooo——aaaaa——lllllll!!!!"

2:2!

With the second goal scored, Ale finally did not give up celebrating this time.

"Come, come, come!"

Ale ran backward, and once Tang Ye reached him, the Ivorian wrapped an arm around Tang Ye's shoulder.

The camera cut to Ten Hag on the sidelines; the great Mr. Sitting Like spread his arms wide!

"Utrecht has now found their rhythm!"

"As long as they can hold the 2:2 scoreline, they will remain top of the league table after this match!"

"Hiss, brothers, I feel Utrecht might switch to a defensive setup."

Wang Chao had a rather ominous feeling.

Those betting on a draw in the live stream were in the minority; if Ten Hag opted for defense, it would be disastrous.

In the 70th minute, Ten Hag made a substitution: De Jong replaced Amrabat, along with a like-for-like change in the defensive line.

Everything else remained unchanged.

"Still four defenders!"

"Ten Hag didn't choose to play defensively; he wants to win the match!"

"A very bold choice!"

"Saint Ten!"

PS: 21,000 words updated, marking the 5th consecutive day of 20,000+ words.

Say no more, begging for monthly tickets!

(End of Chapter)