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Chapter 181: Punch away
Cai Bokang recalled something: after he handed the captain's armband of the Chinese national team to a young man named Wang Lie, the two had a private conversation.

At that time, the media already knew that he had handed over the national team captain's armband to Wang Lie, officially making Wang Lie his successor.

This is how the media generally described his actions:
Cai Bokang's actions demonstrated his support for Wang Lie, who was going through a slump, and were a sign of recognition and encouragement from the national team captain.

"Actually, those media outlets were only half right. Giving you the armband was indeed a show of support and encouragement. But I also put pressure on you, Wang Lie. In fact, neither I, nor the other teammates, nor the head coach were wrong before. The failure in the Asian Cup was not solely your responsibility..."

Seeing that Wang Lie seemed about to speak, Cai Bokang quickly raised his hand to stop him and continued:
"This isn't about making excuses or trying to absolve you; we're telling the truth. If anyone bears the greatest responsibility for the defeat... it should be me among the players, because I'm the captain. Many people think being captain is cool and awesome; in their eyes, the armband is like a woman's Hermes bag—more about showing off than practical value. To me, that's bullshit. The captain's armband represents both honor and responsibility. I'm giving you the armband, so you have to lead them to victory. If we lose again, no one will stand up and say it's not your fault. Because you're the captain, you have leadership responsibility. Even if you perform exceptionally well in the game, score three goals, and the media gives you a nine out of ten score, and fans across the country comfort you, saying it's not your fault, you still need to understand that it's your responsibility, because you're the captain of this team."

Wang Lie remained silent.

Seeing that Wang Lie remained silent, Cai Bokang assumed that the young man had been intimidated by him and that his earlier words had been somewhat exaggerated. However, he did not intend to admit it at this moment, because he wanted the young man in front of him to fully understand the weight of the captain's armband. He did not want this future leader of Chinese football to have any misunderstanding about the title of "Chinese Captain".

So he'd rather scare the kid.

No third party was present during this conversation, and he doesn't plan to tell anyone afterwards.

The reason for this was that Cai Bokang wanted to put some pressure on Wang Lie, but not too much pressure. If this conversation became widely known, then every time the Chinese team lost a game, the media would bring up this conversation to criticize Wang Lie, accusing him of failing the expectations of his predecessor and not deserving of the captain's armband.

When the time comes, even if Cai Bokang comes out to deny it and says he didn't mean it that way, no one will listen.

"So? Have you thought it through? Let me make this clear to you. It's not too late to back out now. But once you put on this armband, it won't be easy to take it off. Unless you find someone else you think is suitable, like I have."

He still spoke very harshly.

But Wang Lie laughed this time: "Captain Cai, what you're saying makes it sound like the Monkey King, once he puts on the golden headband, is going to abandon everything in the world and sever all emotions and desires..."

Cai Bokang never expected that when he asked him to discuss such a serious topic, he would connect it to nonsensical movies.

He didn't want the atmosphere to escalate in an awkward direction, so he put on a stern face and said in a very serious tone, "Stop talking nonsense, just tell me if you can do it or not."

Seeing his captain's seriousness, Wang Lie also put away his playful smile and gave Cai Bokang a very affirmative answer:

"Don't worry, Captain Cai. I've never thought I could stand idly by after a loss. Your words might scare others, but they won't scare me."

"What are you talking about? Who's trying to scare you? I'm just stating the facts."

Wang Lie nodded: "I know what you said is true, Captain Cai. But I'm not joking either, Captain Cai. What I said is also true. The truth is that I will definitely get the Asian Cup title back this time, I promise you, Captain Cai."

Four years later, Wang Lie, as captain, led the Chinese team to win the Asian Cup against all odds.

That kid kept his word and didn't let him down.

That was true then, and it is true now.

Upon seeing the football fly into the North Korean team's goal, Cai Bokang raised his arms and shouted as he rushed onto the field from in front of the coaching bench.

After running a few steps, he realized that he was no longer a player, so he turned around and ran back to hug He Zhenyong.

Unlike Cai Bokang, He Zhenyong was not excited. He let Cai Bokang hold him, and he seemed to be stunned, as if he had survived a disaster.

Wang Lie's goal seemed to remove a huge weight from his heart, making him feel much lighter.

He certainly knew that a single goal could not determine the outcome of the match, and that a one-goal lead was often not secure.

However, in such a close match, the team that scores first gains the advantage.

Why are the North Korean players so highly motivated? Isn't it because they haven't conceded a single goal?
The poor performance of the Chinese team was due not only to objective factors such as their unfamiliarity with the new tactics, but also to their inability to score goals.

Wang Lie's goal has given China the lead, relieving some of the pressure on the players, who can now play with less pressure.

※※※

"Wang Lie cuts inside, forcing his way through. Looks like he wants to solve the problem himself. Right? Aren't you always bragging about being a lone hero? Stand up straight..." Chen Hai said sarcastically.

Then he saw Wang Lie hastily take a shot, and he was amused: "This shot! Where is he going to shoot... Holy crap?!"

He let out a howl and then fell silent.

Unlike the eerily quiet "Gathering of Football Fans" livestream room, which resembled a morgue, the "Weekly Football" livestream room was filled with the frantic shouting of host Zhao Zhou:

"What did I say? What did I say? What did I just say? Shouldn't we trust Brother Wang?! Shouldn't we 'look to Brother Wang in times of trouble'?! Do you think Brother Wang has so many fans all over the world? It's because Brother Wang has saved the team time and time again! Who doesn't admire a hero? Brother Wang is such a hero!! When the Chinese team's overall performance was sluggish, it was Brother Wang who stepped up and turned the tide with this world-class goal!"

The live stream screen was also flooded with excited comments:
"666"

"!!!"

"Holy shit!!"

"Brother Wang is awesome!!"

“OHHHHHHHHHH”

The game footage is completely out of view, but it doesn't matter. It's Chinese players celebrating their goals right now, so it's okay if we can't see it. The most important thing is to vent our emotions.

The emotions that had been building up for over thirty minutes since the start of the match finally burst forth.

Not just in the "Weekly Football" live stream room, but in every corner of the internet, in front of every screen displaying the live stream.

※※※

The TV was showing a multi-angle replay of Wang Lie's goal. You could clearly see that after the ball was sliced ​​out by the outside of Wang Lie's left foot, it had a strong spin, just like a chopping shot in table tennis.

The football, spinning wildly, cut through the air, curving in an exaggerated arc, and flew far past North Korean goalkeeper Park Jong-nam before disappearing into the corner of the goal.

The ball speed wasn't actually that fast, so everyone can really appreciate this incredible arc.

The television broadcast was also very clever; they even included an overhead view in the replay, which was probably taken by the "flying cat" camera located at the highest point of the stadium's roof.

This angle offers the best view because you can clearly see the trajectory of the football in the air, forming a capital "C"!
Zhao Chuanfeng exclaimed repeatedly, "Wang Lie's shot was absolutely brilliant! When sandwiched between two opponents, it's difficult for most players to even protect the ball and maintain their balance. Not only did he manage to shoot the ball, but he also precisely controlled the point of impact, ultimately creating such an arc... Can you believe that this is the physical condition of a 38-year-old player?"

Luo Jinxing said excitedly, "At a time like this, we must step forward and turn the tide single-handedly! So we still have to look to Wang Lie! We have to look to Wang Lie!"

Wang Ziqi, sitting in front of the TV, nodded vigorously and said loudly, "Yes! I still want to watch my dad! Watch my dad!"

Grandma was amused by her grandson's childish words.

But then her smile froze, because her grandson was shouting again:

"Call me Daddy! Call me Daddy!"

Tang Xingmei slapped Wang Ziqi hard on the back: "How dare you talk like that!"

After being slapped by her mother, Wang Ziqi shrank back and pointed at her younger sister, saying, "I made my sister call me Dad!"

Everyone present turned to look at Wang Zilin.

Especially Wang Ziqi, whose eyes held a pleading look...

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Wang Zilin called out in a clear voice, "Dad!"

Wang Ziqi laughed happily: "Good sister!"

But he still got another slap on the back from his mother: "Don't think I don't know what you mean!"

Wang Lie's goal relieved a huge burden on the Chinese team players. After the game resumed, just as Chinese head coach He Zhenyong had expected, the national team players clearly performed better than before.

You can see to some extent what they emphasized during their previous training.

This is also what He Zhenyong hoped everyone would do before the competition.

He had anticipated the difficulties the team would face, as this is a normal occurrence. It's impossible for any team to seamlessly transition from a familiar, old tactic to a new one that's only been practiced for a little over a week without any noticeable difference.

There always needs to be an adaptation process, and some price must be paid for growth.

This is why he and team leader Shen Dongsheng forbade the national team players from publicly announcing their goal of winning the World Cup.

Perhaps, as time goes by, this goal will eventually become known to the outside world... no, it's almost certain.

However, if the outside world finds out later, the Chinese team will be better able to withstand the storm of public opinion, because the team will perform better in the game and the players will have more confidence.

If there was already a lot of buzz about the Chinese team's goal of winning the World Cup before this match, then coupled with their poor performance in this game, public opinion in China might have exploded.

This, in turn, exacerbates the players' tension, shakes morale, and causes some players to doubt their goals...

It's clearly a good thing, but why make such a mess of things?
Chinese players are quickly finding their rhythm, while North Korean players are in disarray after conceding a goal.

The players' mentality has completely reversed compared to before.

North Korean players began to frequently find themselves unable to defend effectively against China's attacks.

In the 42nd minute, when Wang Lie received the ball on the right wing, he attracted three North Korean players to defend him in one go. The North Korean team was afraid that Wang Lie would cut inside and shoot, since he does not have a so-called "weak foot" and can shoot with either foot.

However, this time Wang Lie did not single-handedly carry three defenders into the enemy's lair.

He quickly passed the ball to Fu Xiaofeng, and then made a run towards the center.

Because Wang Lie attracted three North Korean players, Fu Xiaofeng no longer had to face the double-team of two North Korean players when receiving the ball—there wasn't even a single North Korean player within a five-meter radius around him.

After receiving the ball, he turned and faced the middle.

Wang Lie continued running towards the middle lane, seemingly trying to coordinate a "two-on-N" wall-crashing maneuver with Fu Xiaofeng.

In the middle, Chi Zhen keenly sensed that the North Korean center-back Li Chengming next to him was focusing his attention on Wang. He looked at Fu Xiaofeng who had the ball and suddenly started a diagonal run!

Just as he moved, Fu Xiaofeng outside the penalty area sent a through ball with his left foot.

In the first thirty minutes of the match, Fu Xiaofeng attempted several through balls, but most of them failed, and some even became the starting point for North Korea's counter-attacks...

But this time his through ball pierced through North Korea's entire defense!
The football rolled past Wang Lie and the North Korean player marking him, and slipped into the penalty area from the right side of the North Korean defense!

"Fu Xiaofeng's through ball! Great shot!!"

Chi Zhen used his speed advantage to get ahead of Li Chengming, who was defending him, by more than half a body length. This was his chance, but opportunities in the penalty area are fleeting...

Chi Zhen, who was making a diagonal run, didn't stop the ball. He turned his head and watched the ball roll towards him. While running, he swung his right leg and, without stopping the ball, turned and shot!

The football grazed past Li Chengming's toes as he made a sliding tackle, heading straight for the top corner of the goal!

North Korean goalkeeper Pak Jong-nam rushed over and reflexively raised his arm, but failed to catch the ball!
The ball flew over the goal line above his fingers and into the net!
For the first 37 minutes, the Chinese team failed to score a single goal and was in a sorry state. But now, within five minutes, the Chinese team has scored two goals in a row!

The situation was turned around in one fell swoop!
This is the true value of a "first-ever record"!
That's also the value of the captain's armband on Wang Lie's arm!
※※※

After scoring, Chi Zhen ran towards the corner flag to celebrate, while turning around to wave to his teammates behind him, beckoning them to come and celebrate.

Wang Lie's goal opened the scoring, but Chi Zhen's goal allowed many Chinese players to completely relax.

After Wang Lie scored, everyone celebrated with gritted teeth and waving their fists.

And now they can finally laugh out loud.

With a two-goal lead, and given the Chinese team's strength, as long as they don't falter at crucial moments, losing this match wouldn't be easy...

This is not because we underestimated our opponent.

During the first round of the World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese team was still suffering from the "mental strain" of Chi Zhen and Wang Lie, and the team was not in its best condition. However, they still managed to easily defeat North Korea 2-0 at home.

Now, after a season of training and competition, Chi Zhen is more mature than before, and Wang Lie has ushered in the second spring of his professional career, staging a great "return of the king".

With the addition of new tactics that better utilize the abilities of both players, why can't they play better than in the first round, even when playing away from home?
"Aha! Beautiful!!"

Assistant coaches Cai Bokang and He Zhenyong on the sidelines smiled, high-fived, and hugged.

They are no longer as excited as they were with the first goal, and their current performance is more like that of a battle-hardened, experienced football coach.

The accumulated pressure was all released when Wang Lie scored the first goal. Now they are in a normal mindset and can focus on more important things.

“This shot is getting interesting…” Cai Bokang said to He Zhenyong.

He Zhenyong nodded: "It turns out that for us players who play in Europe, understanding tactics isn't that difficult. Even if we're not very familiar with them yet, it shouldn't be as bad as it was in the first thirty minutes. North Korea did cause them a lot of trouble... but thankfully, Wang Lie's goal opened the scoring."

Cai Bokang laughed and said, "A good punch can prevent a hundred punches in the future."

"Yes, that's exactly right!" He Zhenyong clapped his hands and laughed.

Then he clenched his fist: "Wang Lie was the one who threw the first punch!"

Both coaches were very happy and in such high spirits because Chi Zhen's goal showed them the results of their hard work over the past week.

For coaches, this is probably the happiest thing besides winning.

Or in some ways, it gave them a greater sense of accomplishment than victory itself.

Because the outcome of a match is determined by many factors, luck is indispensable. But coaches are clearly more concerned with whether their tactical ideas have been mastered by the players through training, and whether the players can translate those abstract tactical ideas into tangible results in the game.

“Now we don’t need to switch back to the old tactics in the second half. Let’s just stick to this strategy!” Cai Bokang said.

He Zhenyong shook his head: "Why isn't there a single path leading to a bright future?"

Cai Bokang realized he had misspoke and quickly nodded, correcting himself, "Yes, yes, a bright future!"

Their confidence is certainly not due to the Chinese team's excellent performance in those five minutes, nor is it like some keyboard warriors who get carried away and boast after winning a game.

Ultimately, it was Wang Lie's outstanding performance that reassured them.

In the upcoming matches, they will inevitably encounter difficult situations like today if they stick to this tactical approach, but they will not panic when faced with difficulties.

Because someone will cover for you.

Just knowing that Wang Lie was on the field gave me more confidence.

They weren't unaware that Wang Lie was already thirty-eight years old, but what did age really signify for a man?

Last year, at the age of 37, his performance was indeed poor. But this year, despite being ridiculed worldwide, he has made a comeback.
This man was so different from others; those worldly standards of evaluation were so incompatible with him.

So what if you're thirty-eight? And what if you're thirty-nine?
It's just a number.

(End of this chapter)