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Chapter 234 Everyone is working hard

Wang Lie's goal helped Tyne take a two-goal lead over Brighton White Hill in the first half.

During halftime, Brighton White Hill manager Patrick Mandeville made personnel and tactical adjustments.

However, their efforts yielded little result in the second half.

Tyne maintained firm control of the game.

Brighton White Hill didn't get many chances.

And in the 61st minute, they extended their lead again.

However, the goal scorer was not Wang Lie.

The goal was scored by midfielder Pisano.

The person who assisted him was Wang Lie.

At that moment, Wang Lie received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, attracting the attention of Brighton White Hill players.

He raised his foot as if to shoot, but instead flicked the ball up with his toe, sending it behind Brighton's White Mountain defense.

Pisano made a run from behind, controlled the ball with his chest from behind, and then shot before the ball hit the ground!
To be honest, the difficulty of making a run into the box, controlling the ball with the chest, and then shooting directly is actually quite high.

So Pisano didn't actually hit the ball squarely when he shot.

But it was precisely this movement that fooled Brighton White Hill goalkeeper Bailly Grant, who lunged in the wrong direction – judging from Pisano's left-footed swing, he should have been aiming for the far corner, so Bailly Grant lunged for the far corner without hesitation.

But the ball grazed the edge of the near post and went into the goal – the ball wasn't actually shot into the goal by Pisano, but rather "sliced" in!

Tyne leads Brighton White Hill 3-0.

And after Cabella and Isara both scored, Pisano also scored.

Now all three midfielders have scored.

That seems to be a kind of proof as well.

This proves that the three of them are becoming more and more comfortable with the new team.

After all, what helps a player integrate into the team more than scoring a goal?

Just two minutes after Pisano's goal, Tyne manager Sam McNeil made the first substitution.

He replaced Vitini with Peter Oliver, the center forward.

Wang Lie switched from the middle lane to the left lane.

The reason why Oliver wasn't substituted for Wang Lie was, of course, because there were still thirty minutes left in the game, and McNeil was worried that substituting Wang Lie right away would lead to a fierce counterattack from Brighton White Hill.

Keeping Wang Lie on the field can at least intimidate the opponents and prevent them from making any rash moves.

In the 75th minute, McNeil used his second substitution, this time making two substitutions at once.

Wang Lie was among them.

He replaced Wang Lie with Van Ginkel.

He substituted Wang Lie with fifteen minutes remaining in the game and with a three-goal lead.

It has to be said, McNeil was quite cautious...

After Wang Lie left the court, Tyne's tactics also shifted. He went from aggressive offense to slowing down the pace and tightening the defense.

Meanwhile, Brighton White Hills intensified their attack – they were certainly unwilling to lose at their home ground.

However, they failed to score a goal until the referee blew the final whistle.

They ultimately lost 3-0 at home.

For Mandeville, the only consolation might be that his team didn't lose 0-4 this time...

Facing a stronger Tyne side, they only lost by three goals. For Brighton White Hill, that could be considered a victory in a way... right?

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As the ball flew into the goal, Sonny Dean turned and ran toward the corner flag, then leaped into the air, landing on his knees and sliding across the grass.

They only stopped in front of the billboard.

Kensington fans behind the billboards reached out to him, as if beckoning him over.

Dean also got up and rushed to the advertising board, hugging and interacting with the Kensington fans across the electronic advertising board.

His teammates swarmed up from behind and joined in the hugging and interaction.

"Dean's form lately has been exceptionally good! In just four rounds of the new season, he has already scored two goals and provided one assist! When he took over the number 10 jersey at Kensington, some people questioned whether this prodigal son from Newcastle could shoulder the responsibility of leading a top club... Now it seems he can!"

After celebrating, the Kensington players turned and ran back to their own half.

Richard Burton put his arm around his good friend Sonny Dean and then pointed to the box above the main stand.

"That was a perfect shot, Sonny! Mr. Scott came all this way just for you! You didn't let him down!"

Dean also looked up and gazed in that direction.

Kensington's home stadium, Gardens, has a capacity of 60,000. The stadium stands are very high, and the boxes are far from the pitch.

Even if he looked over, he might not necessarily recognize Mr. Ryan Scott, the England national team manager.

However, he did know that Mr. Scott was in the box over there.

Because during previous matches, close-up shots of Ryan Scott had appeared on the big screen at the venue.

He was watching the game there.

The broadcasters used this method to inform the fans at the stadium that the England national team manager had visited the Garden Stadium.

A huge cheer immediately erupted from the crowd.

Scott also waved to the cheering fans.

Ryan Scott, 53, holds a revered position in the hearts of English fans because he led the England national team to victory in the 2032 European Championship, bringing football "home."

As the England national team manager, he certainly didn't come to the Garden Stadium to hold a "fan meeting".

Instead, they came to observe the players.

Although he didn't say who he was there to see, everyone believed he was there for the currently hot Sonny Dean.

This 27-year-old former international, thanks to his outstanding performances at the end of last season and the start of this season, is very likely to return to the England national team after three years!

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"Match over! This round of the Premier League's 'Chinese Derby' ends in victory for Chi Zhen! After the defeat in the previous match, the Scottish team returned to their home ground and performed brilliantly, with Chi Zhen being the standout. He contributed a goal and an assist in this match, making him the biggest contributor to the team's 3-0 home win against Witton Hill!"

The Liverpool Stadium erupted in cheers.

After the defeat in the previous game, smiles finally returned to the faces of the Scots fans.

The broadcast camera focused on Chi Zhen, a gesture implying that Chi Zhen was the best player of the match.

In the footage, Chi Zhen did not cheer and celebrate the victory, but walked straight towards Witton Hill's half of the field.

He quickly walked up to his national team teammate, Feng Qiyuan.

"Change your jersey, Qiyuan," Chi Zhen said to Feng Qiyuan.

Although he was somewhat frustrated by the loss, Feng Qiyuan did not refuse Chi Zhen's request to exchange jerseys.

He took off his jersey and handed it to Chi Zhen.

As Chi Zhen took it, he also handed over his own jersey.

After exchanging jerseys, the two didn't part ways but instead covered their mouths and started chatting.

"What did Brother Wang say when you exchanged jerseys with him during the last game?"

Feng Qiyuan watched that match live, which is why he feels it even more deeply now:
Chi Zhen, who was like a little chick in front of Brother Wang, was like a god descending to earth in front of Witton Hill, with every shot and assist he made was unstoppable.

If you only look at the last round of the league, you might think that Chi Zhen is nothing special.

But after watching today's match, I realized just how terrifying Brother Wang is...

The scene where Brother Wang exchanges jerseys with Chi Zhen at the end also caught Feng Qiyuan's attention.

Neither of them revealed what they said after the match.

Feng Qiyuan was very curious.

Could it be that, like him, exchanging jerseys equals exchanging promises? Chi Zhen smiled and said, "Brother Wang acknowledges my challenge to him."

Hearing Chi Zhen say this, Feng Qiyuan was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected such an answer.

After Wang Lie returned to the core of the national team, Chi Zhen was no longer content to play a supporting role as before, but continued to challenge Wang Lie. Neither Chi Zhen nor the coach has publicly mentioned this, but within the national team, everyone can sense the subtle relationship between Chi Zhen and Wang Lie.

They might discuss it in private, but when facing these two people, they would pretend they knew nothing.

I never expected that Chi Zhen would bring those words to light...

Seeing the smile on Chi Zhen's face, Feng Qiyuan suddenly felt that it might not be a smile because he had defeated Witton Hill and won all three points, but because Chi Zhen could now legitimately compete with Brother Wang.

He looked enlightened and said to Chi Zhen, "Okay, now I know why you were in such good form in this match..."

Chi Zhen covered his mouth and laughed: "You've also performed very well. It's only been four rounds of the league, and you've already had an assist. Are you practicing your long passes more?"

Feng Qiyuan nodded: "Yes. The national team's tactics have changed, and as players, we must adapt to the new tactics. Right now, there's only one center-back with the ability to pass the ball, Zhuang Yunsheng, who is easy to contain."

"That's great!" Chi Zhen exclaimed. "Brother Wang said he hoped everyone would strive to become stronger, and everyone really took it to heart..."

"That's because Brother Wang sets an example. Look at his form since the start of the new season... His form when he went to Tyne last season was terrifying enough, but I think he's even more terrifying now! Eight goals in four games, is that the kind of statistic a 38-year-old veteran can put up?"

Chi Zhen nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy: "Indeed. Let alone thirty-eight years old, even Brother Wang at his peak at thirty didn't have these stats..."

The Premier League season has only been played for four rounds, and these two have already faced Wang Lie in the league. They have firsthand experience of how hot Wang Lie's form has been this season, so they are the most qualified to speak on the matter.

The two men exchanged a glance, and Feng Qiyuan couldn't help but say, "Looking at it this way, maybe we really will..."

He didn't continue speaking.

Chi Zhen replied, "Never mind the outcome, just give it your all."

Feng Qiyuan agreed: "Yes, fuck it!"

He extended his hand, and Chi Zhen gave him a high five.

The two then separated and returned to their respective teams.

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Liu Jinxuan dribbled the ball along the sideline, and there was no one on the grass all the way to the end line. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly and flicked the ball from behind him towards the center with the back of his right foot.

At the same time, he suddenly stopped and changed direction, caught up with the ball, lowered his left shoulder, raised his right foot, pretended to pass the ball into the penalty area, and then changed direction again to cut inside.

But it was just a feint.

His foot didn't touch the ball; it continued to roll sideways toward the penalty arc.

After using a feint to get past a non-existent defender, Liu Jinxuan continued to push the ball forward.

As he dribbled the ball to the penalty arc, he swung his left foot and shot the ball toward the goal!
After taking the shot, Liu Jinxuan stared intently at the football, watching it spin wildly in the air and generate intense friction with the air.

Various aerodynamic principles he didn't understand caused the football to turn in the air, drawing a clear arc as it headed straight for the far post.

They eventually managed to get out by going around the outside of the back post...

"Oh, my passionate horse—"

Upon seeing this result, Liu Jinxuan couldn't help but hurl profanities.

A voice suddenly rang out behind him:
"The series of changes of direction, speed and feints in front were quite beautiful, but they also consumed a lot of energy, which caused your control of the ball to drop a bit when you took the final shot."

Liu Jinxuan turned around and saw the club's head coach, Pan Haoyu, making a gesture that was enough to enrage all the Korean men.

"It's just a little bit. But the result is the difference between scoring and not scoring."

"Coach Pan, what are you doing here?" Liu Jinxuan asked, puzzled.

Training has ended, and he is now practicing his left-foot shooting ability.

Coach Pan should have already left work by now.

Pan Haoyu walked over to him and said, "The club just received a call from the Football Association. Because Peng Fei is injured, you have been temporarily added to the national team's roster for this match."

Liu Jinxuan was stunned for a moment, unable to believe what he was hearing.

He was not included in the Chinese team's roster for the World Cup qualifiers when it was announced earlier.

Although he felt a little disappointed, Liu Jinxuan told himself that he couldn't assume he could make the national team every time just because he had been unexpectedly selected once before.

He has even prepared himself for the possibility of not making the national team this year, and will focus all his energy on the club.

For him, the remaining months consist of two things:

First, continue to hone your left foot.

Since returning from the last national team match, he has been practicing with his left foot.

He did score a goal with his left foot during the match, but he felt that didn't represent the true level of his left foot. Because that goal was really just a lucky fluke; he could have scored with any part of his body except his hands, let alone his left foot.

Therefore, he did not regard that left-footed goal as a milestone in his practice of developing his left-footed ability.

Since he hasn't even developed his left foot yet, he naturally has no right to hope that he can still make it into the national team.

The second thing was to help Chongshan Qianfan get promoted to the Chinese Super League.

Currently, Chongshan Qianfan is ranked third in the China League One, only three points behind the second place.

There is hope for promotion to the Super League.

Although the goal proposed by Brother Wang was very exciting.

But it's also too grandiose.

However, whether his hometown team can be promoted to the Super League is a goal that is both imminent and very down-to-earth.

Thirty years ago, Chongshan had its own top-tier professional team, but it went bankrupt and disbanded due to poor management.

Chongshan Qianfan is a local team that was rebuilt from ruins.

They started playing in the China League Two, the lowest level under the Chinese Football Association.

Every Chongshan fan has only one wish: that Chongshan can once again have a professional team that can participate in the top league.

The situation is very good this year.

As the team captain, Liu Jinxuan has the obligation and responsibility to fulfill the wishes of the Chongshan fans and the people of Chongshan, which is also his own wish.

He also believes that if he can lead Chongshan Qianfan to promotion to the Chinese Super League, he might be able to get the attention of national team coach He Jiong and perhaps return to the national team.

At that time, there were still about six months until the World Cup, and he still had time to prove himself in the club and the national team and catch the last train to the World Cup.

Who would have thought that he would be invited to join the national team!

Incredulous, he asked the head coach for confirmation: "Coach Pan, you're not kidding me, are you?" (Note 1)

Pan Haoyu was both amused and exasperated: "What the hell are you talking about!"

Then he saw the young man in front of him tense up. He thought Liu Jinxuan would cheer loudly or run a couple of laps on the training field to vent his emotions.

But no, Liu Jinxuan suddenly relaxed again, then turned and walked towards the football placed on the field.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

Liu Jinxuan said without turning his head, "Continue training, Coach Pan, I haven't finished my extra training for today."

Even in a state of excitement, they still remember to give themselves extra practice.

Although he chose Liu Jinxuan as the team captain this season because Liu Jinxuan is indeed more mature than his peers... Pan Haoyu was still very impressed by how mature Liu Jinxuan was.

It seems that he has changed a lot since he was called up to the national team last time.

Whether in training, competition, or even in life, he holds himself to even higher standards than before…

He doesn't act like a player at the China League One level at all.

Pan Haoyu had a very strong premonition:
Regardless of whether Chongshan Qianfan can achieve promotion to the Super League this season, it will be difficult for their team to retain this talented young man...

After watching Liu Jinxuan walk away towards the training area and reminiscing for a moment, Pan Haoyu also turned and left.

As he walked off the training field, he heard a dull thud followed by a sharp crack from behind him:
"Shh!"

That's the sound of the soccer ball rubbing against the net.

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Note 1: 豁 (huò) is a dialect word meaning to deceive or cheat.

(End of this chapter)