Team Spirit

Chapter 112 (1.5 views for the entire match): White Thorn and Green Spear – who will win the championship? Great Britain is getting excited.
Sky Sports: "Medical miracle! Lu Kai, who was sidelined for the season, announces his return to play after 20 days!"

BBC: "The Golden Boy is back! Is it a pre-match smokescreen, or is he physically extraordinary? The truth is about to be revealed!"

France Football: "Wheelchair Announcement! The Ballon d'Or winner rises from his wheelchair to announce he will start against Tottenham in the EFL Cup!"

Gazzetta dello Sport: "Milan laboratory head Marsman believes that European medicine may not yet understand the constitution of people of East Asian descent! Perhaps the so-called meridians in the East really exist!"

Kicker: "Bayern Munich's renowned doctor, Müller-Wohlfahrt, believes that Lu Kai may have used some technology to stop the pain from the fracture and strengthen his leg bone, thus enabling a quick return to play. However, a full recovery will take at least two months, and he does not recommend this special treatment for players, as it could jeopardize their careers."

Marca: "A leading doctor analyzed Lu Kai's surgical procedure, stating that steel nails were used to fix the fractured bone in his tibia! The pain during the procedure could not be suppressed with medication!"

AS: "A true iron-willed man! England has abundant iron ore resources, but the vast majority of them are in Lu Kai's hands! He has sacrificed too much for the League Cup!"

???

Honestly, when you have enough influence, or by chance, you can casually make up a story and countless professionals will stand up to cover it up for you.

If Lu Kai hadn't personally experienced his own life, he would definitely have believed the statements made by those medical experts in the media.

Well-reasoned and impeccable.

Musk: Now you know how awesome I am.

Trump: That's called keeping your word!
On the Tottenham Hotspur team bus, manager Hoddle was making an application while owner Levy accompanied the team on the trip.

Hoddle: "The news of Lu Kai's temporary return has had a great impact, and our players are all a bit distracted right now."

"As you know, supernatural beings, curses, and magic have a wide audience in Europe and in the football world."

"I was thinking, to motivate the players, could we share the £100,000 bonus from winning the EFL Cup with everyone?"

Levy nearly jumped up in frustration: "NO!"

"Can't!"

"Absolutely not!"

"I've already paid them for the game, why should I pay again? It's not in the contract, we should follow the contract and uphold the spirit of the contract!"

Holder was not surprised by the result.

Levy was neither poor nor stingy; he was simply a bad capitalist.

"However... is there any way to offset the impact of Lu Kai's return? I mean, in terms of magic." Levi's reply revealed that he actually believed in supernatural things as well.

When doing business, people like to wish for good luck; it's the same everywhere.

Because Europe did not undergo a thorough anti-slavery and anti-feudal revolution, it was actually more superstitious in this regard.

But the "connoisseurs" euphemistically call it a belief.

Holder nodded: "I know a very powerful wizard who can help us dispel the gloom from the East."

"However, he doesn't usually act rashly, and fighting against Eastern forces would be extremely dangerous, so..."

Glenn Hoddle, a legendary England and Tottenham Hotspur player, participated in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. After retiring, he became the England national team manager in 1996, becoming the youngest manager in England's history.

He led England to the round of 16 in the 1998 World Cup, but his poor performance during the 2000 European Championship qualifiers led to his resignation.

Two things about him during this period are noteworthy.

The first is that he once accused disabled people of suffering in this life because they committed sins in their past lives.

It's clear he's deeply influenced by religion, which is a major reason for his dismissal.

Another instance was during the match when he used a wizard to "help" England defeat their opponents.

He was a pioneer of metaphysical football, having been involved in this field earlier than "Constellation Archbishop" Domenech, "Zidane" Zidane, and "Curse Midfielder" Pogba.

Levy understood: "How much?"

Holder: "One hundred thousand pounds."

Levy nodded and picked up the phone: "I'll have the finance department transfer the money to your account right away and get this done as soon as possible."

"With the wizard's help, our Tottenham players will surely be full of energy! We will bring a trophy to Tottenham!"

Holder nodded: "Yes, they will definitely be happy about your concern! Having a boss like you is a blessing they've earned in eight lifetimes!"

The Tottenham players had no idea that the £100,000 that was supposed to be theirs had been used by Levy to "invite a god" for them.

Levi: You're welcome.

……

Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

This is Dartford's second time here.

The last time they were here, they defeated the host nation, Wrexham, to win the FA Cup.

With this championship, he jumped from level seven to level four, achieving the leap from semi-professional to professional competition, and making the Green Gun Miracle truly known throughout the country.

This time, they will face off against Tottenham.

Lu Kai attended the pre-match press conference.

There was no way around it; the hype was just too high, and the English Professional Football League (EFL) specifically requested that Lu Kai attend.

It doesn't matter if Alfred doesn't come.

Reporter: "Lu Kai, are you really okay? This is no joke! Even a football king playing with an injury is not as good as an ordinary player. This is common sense in football."

"We hope you won't become a burden on the team on the field for the sake of entertainment."

Lu Kai: "I believe no one is more responsible to Dartford than me. I am not a football king, but I will give my all for victory together with my teammates."

Reporter: "What will you do if you win the game?"

Lu Kai: "I don't know. Before I succeed, I won't fantasize about what will happen after I succeed, because that would weaken my motivation to strive."

"But I want to announce here that if we win the EFL Cup, the £100,000 prize money will be distributed entirely to the club's staff and players!"

The reporters at the scene were quite surprised by this.

Premier League teams usually do this because £100,000 is not a lot.

But for English League Three teams, making this decision is not easy.

Just like the FA Cup prize money of nearly two million pounds, even Premier League giants rarely say that they will give it all to the players.

Reporter: "You are the third team to reach the final in your first appearance in the EFL Cup. The first two were the champions and runners-up of the first EFL Cup."

Are you confident of becoming the second team after champions Preston to win the title in their first appearance in the tournament?

Lu Kai: "We are full of confidence in the future."

Reporter: "Will the EFL Cup winners, who will qualify for the UEFA Cup qualifiers next season, become a burden for Dartford?"

"If you win the title, you will have the opportunity to compete in European competitions next season, but you obviously do not yet have the ability to do so."

"Even if you are relegated to the fifth tier next season, you will become the first non-professional team to compete in the UEFA Cup."

Lu Kai laughed and said, "That's probably not going to happen. Don't forget, the team standing in front of you is the European Cup champion. We've already played in European competitions."

The reporter shook his head: "No, the Europa League can't be considered a European competition in the strict sense. On the contrary, Tottenham has a lot of experience in European competitions."

"They were the first UEFA Cup champions!"

"Instead of wasting a European competition spot for you, why not let Tottenham earn more European competition points for England and contribute to the Premier League surpassing Serie A and La Liga to become the world's number one league, right?"

Lu Kai shrugged: "They might even become the UEFA Cup champions in 2025, but so what? So should we just give up and hand over the trophy in 2002?"

"The trophy is right there; they can go get it, and so can we!"

"As for earning European competition points... please remember that in the past two years, Dartford has earned the second-highest number of European competition points for England, behind only Manchester United and Arsenal!"

Where is Tottenham Hotspur located?

"For the sake of the bigger picture, they should be the ones to withdraw from the competition and hand over the championship to us!"

The reporters were stunned, but unable to refute it.

Because what Lu Kai said was all correct; it's just that no one had ever thought of it that way before.

After the interview, Lu Kai went to the locker room.

The players are all ready.

Alfred then gave a pre-match speech to encourage everyone.

"come on!"

"Kill them!"

Tottenham are trash!

Everyone looked at Amorim.

He was unusually agitated today.

But he is only a substitute player and is unlikely to get a chance to play.

Why invest so much effort?

Lu Kai expressed his understanding of this.

Perhaps this is the inertia of fate.

After all, it must have been heartbreaking for Amorim to lose to Tottenham in the 2025 Europa League final.

Dartford's starting lineup for this match is:

Eastwood, Holt
Shory, Brad, Markov
Lu Kai, Patton

Kevin, Williams, Duff

An Qi
-

Tottenham's starting lineup is as follows:
Sheringham, Rice Ferdinand

Boyette
Sherwood, Anderton
Zieger, Thatcher, Perry, Ridley King, Taric
Sullivan

-

Among them, Sheringham is a Manchester United legend and one of the key players in Manchester United's Champions League comeback against Bayern Munich.

He scored 15 goals in the Premier League last season and this season, making him a truly talented striker.

Les Ferdinand is the uncle of Rio Ferdinand, the current hot new star in the Premier League.

The Ferdinand family has produced some high-caliber football stars.

Poyet, some Arsenal fans should remember him.

Last season, he followed Chelsea to Pond Stadium. After Zola was injured, he was supposed to come on, as that was the position he played for Chelsea.

However, considering Dartford's aggressive playing style, Chelsea substituted in a younger player to avoid injury to key veterans.

Poyet may be old, but he was the Premier League's best signing last season.

He was bought by Tottenham this season and became the team's absolute attacking engine, leading the team to the EFL Cup final. It was another shrewd deal by Levy.

Chelsea fans are now criticizing the club for letting Poyet go.

As for defender Ledley King, he became a regular starter for Tottenham at a young age, with a status comparable to Chelsea's Terry, and will likely remain with Tottenham for a long time to come.

He was just called up to the England national team.

He was recently the subject of much discussion among fans because his record of scoring the fastest goal in the Premier League in 9.9 seconds last season was broken by Lu Kai's goal in 8 seconds in the FA Cup match against Manchester City.

Both he and Lu Kai are known as players who "shoot very fast".

Soon, the players from both sides entered the field.

The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic, with 73,000 fans providing the perfect ambiance for the game.

The atmosphere of this large stadium can never be compared to that of a small stadium with a capacity of 6,000.

There were far more Tottenham fans than Dartford fans at the stadium.

After all, Tottenham is a powerhouse in London.

Dartford is just a grassroots team on the outskirts of Greater London.

At the same time, the difference in the winning percentage between the two sides is also huge.

Tottenham's win rate is as high as 70%.

There is also a 25% chance that the two sides will tie.

Dartford have only a 5 percent chance of winning.

Even this was an improvement after Lu Kai announced his recovery and return to the game.

Because this is no longer a match for youth teams or reserve teams; Tottenham Hotspur fielded their full starting lineup today!
The players who played against Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea are the ones who are currently on the field.

The gap between the Premier League and the Third Division cannot be bridged by a wheelchair.

Football must conform to the basic laws of the real world!
……

"Oh! It's starting to drizzle. That's how changeable the weather is in England in February and March."

"I believe no one could have predicted that this match would turn out like this before the game."

"This must be the worst final in the history of the EFL Cup, right?"

"The EFL has done a lot of promotion for the EFL Cup this year, trying to challenge the FA Cup's competitiveness in England, but they have clearly failed."

"The dark horse Matford they were so keen on didn't create a miracle, and didn't make the game even slightly more interesting."

"Of course, Tottenham also have to take responsibility for this sluggish game. As a strong team, and as a team with a clear advantage on the field, they failed to score a single goal in ninety minutes!"

"Zero to zero! Regular time is over. After a short break, the game will proceed to overtime!"

Yes!

Dartford's five-man defense was exceptional, managing only two shots on goal in total across both halves!
To hide deep within one's soul.

The amazing thing is that they actually managed to survive!

Tottenham Hotspur, despite being a strong team in the Premier League, also happens to be a rare five-defender formation in the league.

They play a defensive counter-attacking style and are not good at taking the initiative to attack.

So when Dartford gave possession to Tottenham, their positional attacks didn't look very good.

Despite bombarding the field with twenty shots throughout the match, very few of them were actually on target or completed inside the penalty area.

Poyet and Sheringham were under close surveillance.

Of course, Dartford paid a heavy price for this.

Duff, Barton, Luke, Holt, and Markov all received yellow cards.

Duff was also injured while defending Sheringham.

Williams came on as a substitute.

Marko was substituted in the 70th minute, and Ashley Young came on as a substitute, playing on the right wing.

Holt was substituted in the 75th minute, and Madeira came on as a substitute.

Both players are excellent at counter-attacks, but unfortunately Dartford could only struggle under Tottenham's siege and were unable to launch counter-attacks.

For Tottenham, Sheringham, Sherwood, Ledley King, and manager Hoddle all received yellow cards.

They were dissatisfied with the referee's decisions, believing that too many of the opponent's fouls went uncalled.

But in reality, this match was very typical of the Premier League.

The competition is fierce.

However, this standard is more conducive to defense, and Tottenham often plays the defensive role in the league and is quite comfortable with this standard.

After becoming the main attacker today, I realized that the scale of the attack was very disadvantageous to me.

They're the type who stay silent when they're getting a good deal, but make a scene when they're at a disadvantage.

As a result, the two sides clashed three times during regular game time.

Lu Kai always took the lead.

Patton and Sheringham received their yellow cards during one of those clashes.

Soon, overtime began.

Tottenham used their second substitution, with Simon Davies replacing Taricco.

This is a change to the right wing-back position, which is more offensively potent than Tarik Simon's.

During regular match time, the bookmaker wins; a draw results in a take-all payout.

In extra time, Tottenham's chances of winning soared to 95%.

Dartford's winning percentage is now less than one percent.

The situation is very clear.

Even the best defense can be breached.

Moreover, there was a noticeable difference in physical fitness between the two sides.

Tottenham still have one last crucial substitution available.

Dartford has no room for adjustment.

In the 92nd minute, Simon dribbled and feinted on the right wing, attempting to break through.

Poyet made a ghostly forward run, creating an opportunity.

However, Lu Kai quickly started his run, caught up with Poyet, and reached out from behind to clear the ball.

Boyette turned and glanced at Lu Kai, surprised by the young man's physical abilities.

The confrontation Lu Kai just gave him was quite impressive.

You should know that Boyette is 1.87 meters tall, and he has the physique, the skills, and the experience.

As it turned out, Lu Kai really did keep a close eye on me the whole time.

And the more you watch, the more deadly it becomes!

Simply incredible!

In the 94th minute, Tottenham took a corner kick, and Eastwood cleared the ball at the near post.

Kevin made a mistake while attempting a header clearance outside the penalty area; the ball didn't bounce off and instead landed behind him at the edge of the penalty arc.

Poyet flicked the ball to the basket, shaking off Kevin who was turning to defend, and finished with a long-range shot.

boom!
Lu Kai raised his leg to block the football.

"Oh! I wonder how many times Lu Kai has successfully blocked the blockade today!"

"His prediction of the ball's trajectory is really accurate!"

In fact, magnets also play a role in this.

It makes it easier for the ball to hit someone leaving the penalty area.

"Huh? What's wrong with Boyette?"

"It's possible that in trying to shoot quickly, I didn't control the force of my touch well and pushed the ball too far, which caused my shooting motion to become distorted and strain my thigh."

"It's very difficult to continue playing with an injury like this."

"Plus, Poyet is getting old, at thirty-five... Sure enough, Tottenham are preparing to make a substitution."

"Attacking midfielder Allen Iverson is on the field. He is 1.85 meters tall, which is taller than the Iverson who is more famous in the NBA."

"Tottenham have also used up their three substitutions."

"I wonder if this substitution will bring about any new changes in the game."

In the 97th minute, Lu Kai threw the ball out from the sideline in the backfield, and with a powerful throw, he found Brad, who was in a deep position.

Brad launched a counterattack with a long kick.

Ashley Young shook off Thatcher and made a quick forward run down the right flank.

Ridley King moved very quickly and covered the gap rapidly, giving Ashley Young no room to maneuver.

Ashley Young could only try to lob the ball without stopping it, attempting to control it and get past the defender.

Unfortunately, Ledley King's speed, strength, height, and width were all excellent, and he blocked the ball with a slight jump.

He then suppressed Ashley Young's small frame and passed the ball back to defuse the crisis.

"What a pity! Ashley Young is definitely a talented player. If he could have chipped that ball over the bar, it might have been a game-winning shot."

"But Ledley King truly lives up to his reputation as England's newly capped international, remaining as steady as a rock!"

In the backcourt, Lu Kai saw an opportunity in this attack.

Both being attacking midfielders, Poyet is good at organizing and orchestrating play, and his style of play is more classic, after all, he is a Uruguayan player.

As an Englishman, Iverson's playing style is more like a shadow striker; he only knows how to run and shoot, and he can't do anything technically skillful.

Tottenham's midfield control and attacking quality have both deteriorated.

Dartford are starting to have a chance to fight back!
In the 101st minute, Zieg delivered a cross from the left wing.

Unfortunately, the story has spread too far.

Sheringham's diving volley only managed to hit the side netting.

These attacks from the flanks didn't really cause Dartford any real trouble today.

Poyet's several longitudinal through balls were truly the pinnacle of skill.

In the 103rd minute, Kevin headed the ball away, Lu Kai got the ball and passed it to Xiao Li, then started his forward run.

After taking two steps forward, Xiao Li sent a through ball.

After catching up with the ball, Lu Kai made a cross with the outside of his right foot.

[Beckenbauer-style pass]!
The football bypassed the double-team of Ledley King and Perry.

Madeira took a low shot at the ball.

Unfortunately, Thatcher was there to resist interference.

The soccer ball went wide.

Madeira slammed her fist on the grass, regretting that she hadn't seized the opportunity.

If he possessed Lu Kai's ability to consistently score under intense pressure, they might have secured a last-minute victory against Tottenham.

Tottenham: Oh right, you've now scored two last-minute goals against us.

"What a pity! This is Dartford's third shot of the day, and it still hasn't hit the target."

In the 105th minute, Tottenham had possession of the ball and were preparing to launch one last attack.

Iverson wanted to find a deadly through ball path, or he could lead the ball in himself and crush the enemy from the middle of the field!
boom!
Lu Kai lunged forward to grab the weapon.

It came on strong and fast.

Iverson immediately pulled the ball back, half-turned to protect it, and confronted Lu Kai.

However, Lu Kai's impact was too forceful, causing Iverson to slip and stumble.

Lu Kai seized the opportunity to engage in continuous confrontations, preventing Iverson from regaining his balance.

They eventually intercepted the ball.

Snapped!
Lu Kai slapped Iverson's hand, breaking free.

[A fierce arm swing!]
"Foul! That's a foul!" Tottenham manager Hoddle yelled frantically on the sidelines. "He's like a truck, that tackle was definitely a foul!"

However, the referee waved his hand to indicate that there was no foul.

Lu Kai's foot was clean, and he accurately poked the ball.

Therefore, despite the intense confrontation, it was still within the referee's acceptable range.

In some equally basic confrontations, the referee calls a foul because the player vying for the ball's foot is constantly in contact with the player in possession of the ball, and it's not just about touching the ball itself.

Football is ultimately a sport played on the feet.

"Lu Kai has picked up speed! His stamina is really good!"

"Oh, his speed is very fast! I don't know if everyone has seen the Brazilian São Paulo genius Kaká play, but Lu Kai's speed is quite similar to Kaká's."

After dribbling the ball across half-court with great strides, Lu Kai hit a wall against Brad, got past Sherwood, and continued to advance with the ball.

Dartford's counter-attack storm was faster and more intense than Tottenham had anticipated.

Ridley King lunged at Lu Kai.

boom!
Lu Kai passed the ball again with the outside of his right foot.

Ridley King launched a flying tackle directly into the ground.

He knew that Lu Kai's left foot was weak, while the outside of his right foot was fine.

Having just been outmaneuvered by Lu Kai, how could they possibly not be wary of this tactic this time?
Ok?
Ledley King stared at the football in shock.

Lu Kai did not pass the ball on the ground!

The football soared into the sky, a cross at a 45-degree angle!

A cross with the outside of the foot!
This is the true form of a Beckenbauer-style pass!
The way the outside of the foot generates power determines that it is actually a kind of sky foot technique.

Inside the penalty area, Eastwood and Perry fiercely battled for position.

Perry has taken the lead at the near post.

Watching the football flying towards me.

Eastwood launched a flying tackle from behind, throwing himself out of the air.

He bet Perry wouldn't touch the ball!

boom!
Perry really let the ball slip through!

Because Lu Kai's pass had such a high arc, Perry couldn't reach it whether he headed it or stretched out his leg.

Even if you manage to get to the front post, it won't help.

Instead, it landed on Eastwood's shin and bounced towards the goal.

The next moment, Eastwood and Sullivan collided in front of the goal.

Sullivan looked extremely pained.

But Eastwood didn't care about any of that.

He immediately got up and rushed towards Lu Kai on the sideline.

Because the football is already bouncing around inside the goal!
“GOAL!!!”

"A game-winning goal! Lu Kai initiated a counter-attack and provided an assist, Eastwood slid in and scored!"

"1-0! Dartford snatch a last-minute victory from Tottenham in the final moments of the first half of extra time!"

"That was a great goal!"

"Eastwood, this gypsy has such a powerful shot! He has his own understanding of scoring! We can see the ball hit his shin, but it still went in."

"His sliding shot was very decisive!"

"Of course, Lu Kai's pass was also incredibly skillful, managing to get the ball out despite Ledley King's defense!"

"Oh, Tottenham have a dispute about that goal!"

"They believe Eastwood fouled the goalkeeper!"

"But what exactly happened... there was no collision, the referee shook his head again, he had a very clear view of the situation... and the replay of the goal was shown on the big screen."

"The ball went past Sullivan and into the goal first. Then Eastwood and Sullivan collided."

“No problem, there’s no problem with the goal. If Eastwood had made contact with Sullivan before the ball passed him, then it would have been a foul on the goalkeeper.”

"The player's momentum after shooting is not within the scope of the collision."

"Of course, it was a high-stakes gamble, a life-or-death situation. If Sullivan blocked the ball, Eastwood would at least get a yellow card."

"Ok?"

On the sidelines, Hoddle had had enough of this "unfair" match.

He cursed loudly.

From the perspective of Tottenham fans, the referee was indeed unfair.

Lu Kai's "foul tackle" and Eastwood's "foul goal" were two consecutive wrong calls by the referee, which was really too much of a target for Tottenham.

Can this be tolerated?
Because Hoddle's language was too vulgar, and the referee was convinced that his decision was correct, he showed Hoddle a yellow card.

This was Hoddle's second yellow card of the match.

During regular match time, he received a yellow card for questioning the referee's decision.

As a result, Hoddle received two yellow cards and was sent off.

Tottenham can only be temporarily managed by an assistant coach.

Of course, that doesn't matter anymore.

At this stage of the game, it has completely slipped out of the head coach's control and is no longer related to tactics.

It was entirely a contest of willpower and luck between the two teams.

The first half of overtime then ended.

After a minute or two of rest, the second half of overtime began.

Tottenham continued their relentless attack.

In the 106th minute, Simon cut inside from the right wing and passed the ball diagonally to Sheringham.

Sheringham flicks the ball with his heel inside the penalty area.

Sherwood takes a shot from the penalty spot.

An Qi reacted quickly and saved the ball.

But Ferdinand then headed in the rebound.

The football went into the goal.

"GOAL! 1-1! Tottenham equalized in the first minute of the second half!"

"Datford's goal opened Pandora's box and completely unleashed Tottenham's attacking power!"

"This was also the first time Tottenham had broken through Dartford's defense in this match."

Does this mean Dartford is in for some trouble?

"I have to say, this match may only have truly begun at this moment!"

……

Manchester, England.

Ferguson turned on the television, and the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Dartford match was playing.

He quickly explained to Casey beside him, "Oh, sorry, I thought the game was over. I didn't expect them to play in extra time."

After saying that, he prepared to turn off the TV.

He's about to retire and needs to spend more time with Casey; football shouldn't be a part of their lives anymore.

“Look,” Casey shook her head. “You’ve been sitting in front of the TV for ninety minutes, just to watch this game, haven’t you?”

Ferguson was somewhat embarrassed.

Casey said, "If I don't let you watch the game, I think you're going to have a heart attack. You don't have to force yourself to stay with me like this... if you want to continue coaching."

"If you're not happy, I won't be happy even if you're right next to me."

"Happiness is an atmosphere; happiness is contagious, and so is unhappiness."

Ferguson shook his head, indicating that he did not want to coach.

Kessie glanced at the two teams on TV: "Let's make a bet. Who will win this game? If you guess right, you stay at Manchester United."

The three sons and grandchildren standing nearby all looked over.

Because the outcome of this match is already quite obvious.

Dartford took the lead, but it was clear they were about to break down.

Ferguson said, "I choose Dartford."

Jason shrugged: "This damn bullshit love."

Darren laughed and said, "Dad deliberately chose the team that was going to lose because he wanted to spend time with Mom."

Kessie nodded: "Then I'll bet on Tottenham to win."

Ferguson's eldest grandson suddenly pointed at the television and exclaimed, "Oh, shit!"

Casey laughed and said, "How could you swear?"

Ferguson explained on behalf of his grandson: "He was just talking about O'Shea, one of our players."

O'Shea: Boss, thank you and your whole family!

Everyone then looked in the direction the eldest grandson was pointing.

The video is replaying what just happened.

In the 109th minute, Tottenham launched an attack on Dartford.

Ledley King, playing as a defender, suddenly made a forward run down the middle.

Sherwood then delivered a through ball.

Once Ledley King receives the ball, Tottenham will break through Dartford's defense and create a shooting opportunity directly in the penalty area.

boom!
Barton came down with a sliding tackle!

Ridley King fell to the ground.

Williams cleared the ball with a long kick.

The referee immediately blew his whistle and showed Barton a yellow card, then pulled out a red card.

Two yellows turn one red.

Barton was sent off.

"Oh! Barton has been sent off again! He's the Dartford player with the most red cards."

"The Tottenham players surrounded the referee, but they weren't telling him that Barton should have been sent off straight instead of given a yellow card."

"They're trying to get a penalty!"

That's right!

Tottenham's players are trying to win a penalty.

Because Ridley King was lying inside the penalty area.

However, the referee was astute and decisive in committing the foul.

Ridley King was brought down inside the top of the key.

This is a close-range free kick.

It was not a penalty kick.

The Tottenham players argued for a while, but were unable to change the referee's decision.

However, this is also very advantageous for them.

Then Sheringham stepped forward.

He will take the free kick, and it will undoubtedly be a direct shot on goal.

"Sheringham's free-kick ability is actually quite good," Ferguson told his family. "David's presence means that many players with excellent free-kick skills in Manchester United don't get opportunities."

The words have not yet fallen.

Sheringham takes a direct shot!

The soccer ball sailed over the wall and headed towards the goal... Clang!

The football hit the crossbar and bounced back into the penalty area.

Anqi lunged at the ball. Ferdinand was also preparing for a follow-up shot, and with Eastwood's excellent performance preceding him, Ferdinand slid in to extend the attacking range.

However, An Qi did not back down.

He leaped forward, using the same method to extend his reach.

However, while others fall, he pounces.

Others use their feet.

He used his hands...and his face.

boom!
An Qi was the first to parry the ball away.

Ferdinand then kicked his forearm, and with the momentum of their movements, the kick landed on Anqi's face.

"Oh my God!"

"Team doctor!"

"Team doctor!"

The referee immediately called the team doctor onto the field.

An Qi clutched his face in pain, and blood could be seen through his fingers.

Ferdinand also pretended to be in pain and rolled on the ground twice.

Only after the referee showed him a red card did he jump up and explain to the referee, "I didn't mean to hurt him."

"I'm pulling my leg back!"

The referee nodded.

Ferdinand did pull his foot back, otherwise Anqi's injury would have been more serious.

But this is a dangerous move.

And it caused substantial damage.

And... just as previously commented on Eastwood's sliding tackle, Ferdinand didn't touch the ball!

This is a very important criterion for judgment.

If he touches the football, he might get a yellow card.

but……

Football is all about making judgments at your feet.

Ferdinand lost his gamble!
"So that means Tottenham will be down a player, and both sides will have ten players... No, Dartford's beautiful team doctor keeps shaking her head."

“An Qi had several bloody marks on her face, but fortunately her eyes were not injured; they were all just superficial wounds.”

"The real problem is in his arm; it must be quite a serious injury."

"Anqi could not continue the game, but Dartford had already used up their substitutions."

"This means Dartford are now facing a harsh reality: after losing a player, they are now down to ten men for reasons not attributable to the referee!"

"They'll only have nine players on the field! One less than Tottenham!"

"Not only that, they also want to send a player to become the new goalkeeper."

"You know, the goalkeeper position is extremely exclusive. Forwards can even be defenders, but only goalkeepers can be... Lu Kai took An Qi's goalkeeper gloves!"

Dartford's captain, Lu Kai, has become the new goalkeeper.

“He mainly played as a striker during his youth academy years, but transitioned to an attacking midfielder at Dartford, and this season he has even started playing as a defensive midfielder.”

"He's kicking further and further back!"

"Oh...we just found out that Lu Kai used to be a goalkeeper! He even saved penalties! And more than one!"

With the commentators' explanation, Lu Kai's choice to become the goalkeeper seemed to make sense.

Even so, Lu Kai's performance today was evident to all; he played an absolute role on both offense and defense.

With him in goal, Dartford will be missing their key offensive and defensive player!
It's a loss no matter how you look at it!

Williams even suggested that he might as well go and be the goalkeeper himself.

Four defenders can play, which is better than losing the team's core player.

But Lu Kai refused.

The score is 1-1.

As long as we don't concede a goal, we can drag the game into a penalty shootout.

And no position is more reliable than the goalkeeper in ensuring the team doesn't concede a goal.

Lu Kai, at least, had received "professional training" and possessed several goalkeeper skills, so he could at least put up a fight when facing shots.

For players like Williams, who were playing as makeshift goalkeepers, it was a sure bet that their shots would be fatal.

If it goes to penalties, then... Tottenham might not be able to beat them!

Don't underestimate Lu Kai just because he's not a professional goalkeeper; Tottenham's Sullivan isn't exactly a top-tier goalkeeper either.

The highlight of his career was in 1996 when he and Beckham orchestrated Beckham's iconic lob shot from the center circle, which helped Beckham become famous overnight!
Yes, that unfortunate goalkeeper was Neil Sullivan.

He was playing for Wimbledon at the time.

In the 112th minute, Simon won a free kick while breaking through on the right wing.

Tottenham sent a deep free kick into the penalty area, trying to create opportunities for their attacking players.

But they overlooked the fact that Lu Kai is a "modern goalkeeper"!
boom!
Lu Kai launched a direct attack, leaping into the air and punching the ball out of the penalty area.

"Pretty!"

Kasper in the stands cheered for Lu Kai.

Surprisingly, Captain Lu's attack was quite impressive!

Is this how gatekeepers kick things?
Sure enough, even though Lu Kai wasn't a goalkeeper, someone who could come up with such a groundbreaking concept as a goalkeeper must have some knowledge of goalkeeping.

However, the crisis was not over.

Ledley King chested the ball down just outside the penalty arc and then unleashed a powerful shot.

The football flies toward the goal.

boom!
Lu Kai quickly stood up and blocked the football with both hands.

The football landed inside the penalty area.

Eastwood held off Sheringham, who was trying to get a rebound shot.

Lu Kai, who had just landed, lunged forward and shielded the ball with his body.

Sheringham pulled back in time, avoiding a yellow card.

"major!"

Kasper, judging Lu Kai's performance from a goalkeeper's perspective, would give it a perfect score.

Although failing to parry the long-range shot due to hand positioning was a point deduction, Lu Kai made two quick movements from the ground in succession.

This level of agility is something that most tall goalkeepers can't achieve.

In the 115th minute, Iverson exchanged glances with Sherwood, then turned and made a forward run.

Sherwood played a through ball.

"Iverson has a one-on-one opportunity... Lu Kai catches the ball!"

"Lu Kai came out early; he wasn't even standing in front of the goal, but near the six-yard box, so he could rush out at any time... His positioning was too bold."

boom!
Lu Kai's kick-off was precise, his long kick far more accurate than that of an average goalkeeper.

The ball found Ashley Young on the right.

Ashley Young turned and walked past Zig, who was pressing forward to steal the ball.

Then cut inward to the right rib area.

boom!
He delivered a powerful, high-quality through ball with his right foot.

Unfortunately, Madeira was suppressed by Thatcher and couldn't touch the ball.

Simon, who was tracking back on the other side, seized possession of the ball.

Tottenham immediately launched a counter-attack.

Simon launched a long pass, and the ball crossed the center circle.

Iverson was full of energy. After outmaneuvering Williams, he made another run and broke through on a one-on-one. He charged towards the goal... Bang!

The football bounced once on the ground, and before it could bounce a second time, Lu Kai kicked it long into Tottenham's attacking third.

"WTF!"

"what's the situation?"

"Does Lu Kai not care about the goal anymore? He's already run six or seven meters out of the penalty area!"

"In a normal formation, this is where the defensive midfielder would be positioned."

"How dare he?"

Not only were the Tottenham players caught off guard by this situation, but the cameramen and directors were also unprepared. As a result, when cutting the shot, they didn't show much of the foreground of the ball, as they had to accommodate Iverson's pursuit from behind.

Suddenly, Lu Kai burst into the frame and kicked the soccer ball away.

Very abrupt!

Casper stood up excitedly: "The doorman! Is this the doorman?"

"Ordinary goalkeepers control the goal."

"Top goalkeepers control the penalty area."

"The goalkeeper was overly aggressive and tried to cover most of the penalty area."

"But I've never seen a goalkeeper who can control an entire half of the game!"

"too strong!"

In comparison, the goalkeeping skills his father taught him were so mediocre!

In the first half, Dartford had a corner kick opportunity.

Unfortunately, it did not pose a threat.

In the 118th minute, Tottenham launched another attack and continued their siege of Dartford.

Without Lu Kai, their organization near the penalty area was exceptionally fluid.

Simon delivered a diagonal pass into the penalty area.

Lu Kai strikes!

Sheringham met the ball with a powerful shot!

Lu Kai immediately jumped to the ground to make the rescue, which was quite professional.

but……

This was a fake shot!
Unfortunately, Lu Kai was never a true goalkeeper.

Or rather, even if a real goalkeeper came, the effect would be the same.

Even if you send Neuer, he'll still be shaken off.

This is the characteristic of attacking goalkeepers... they are more easily fooled by feints than defensive goalkeepers.

Sheringham raised his leg again, preparing to shoot into the empty net.

"Get him!" Lu Kai shouted.

I can’t control that much anymore.

Pfft!
Kevin Dawson tackled Sheringham to the ground!
As the team's defensive midfielder, Lu Kai frequently communicates with the defenders, and they are used to his instructions.

His main advantage is his excellent vision, and his commands are generally correct.

With the chairman's aura, the Green Gun defense dared not disobey.

Kevin only realized he was in the penalty area after he made the tackle.

I'm afraid this isn't...

beep!

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot.

And Kevin was shown a red card!
"Oh! Dartford made a fatal mistake at the last minute!"

"Kevin's foul had serious consequences!"

"Of course, he may have no other choice."

"Given the choice between immediate death and death ten seconds later, he chose the latter."

"Kevin has been sent off, leaving Dartford with only eight players on the pitch!"

"For Tottenham, Sheringham will take the penalty."

"Can Lu Kai save Sheringham's shot?"

"You should know that Lu Kai once saved a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final! And not just once!"

"It was the final moment. The goalkeeper was injured and conceded a penalty, but Lu Kai saved the opponent's game-winning penalty!"

"Then in the penalty shootout, he took five penalties, saving three and conceding only one!"

"Can he bring his amateur league miracles to the EFL Cup final?"

Ten seconds later, Tottenham fans went wild!
The Tottenham players excitedly embraced and celebrated.

“GOAL!!!”

"Sheringham scores from penalty spot!"

"Two to one!"

Tottenham Hotspur snatch a last-minute victory against Dartford!

"They shouldn't be so excited, because this was a result that everyone took for granted before the game!"

"But only those who watched the game know how hard-won this victory was."

"Datford showed incredible sportsmanship! They were leading Tottenham at one point and almost upset the Kings of North London!"

"But unfortunately, football can be just that cruel sometimes!"

At the scene, white liquid was boiling.

Green and withered.

Dartford's players had lost all their strength.

"Even in defeat, there is honor." In the stands, Schmeichel patted Kasper on the shoulder. "The miracle will eventually come to an end."

"Come to Manchester with me."

"To become a good player, you need to be in a good team and receive a good education in a good youth training program."

"It's not that Dartford isn't good enough, it's just that Tottenham is better this time."

Kasper did not refute.

Because the facts seem... to be true.

At Ferguson's home, the old man lay on the sofa: "Two months from now, when I retire from Manchester United, I want to put a ping-pong table here."

"I also want to learn embroidery. I'm really interested in that stuff. I want to embroider one of those patterns... yes, the one that says 'harmony brings prosperity to the family'..."

Casey suddenly reached out.

Pointing at the TV screen, he said, "The game isn't over yet."

Ferguson laughed heartily and explained, "Kaysie, you probably don't understand football. At this score, at this time, in this situation, it's impossible..."

Ferguson's voice gradually faded away.

On television, in the first and final minute of extra time, Tottenham, who had been wasting time by passing the ball around in their own half, were being pressed high up the pitch by Dartford.

Simon passes the ball to Sherwood, who then passes it to Sheringham in the attacking third.

They not only broke through Dartford's pressing, but also easily created shooting opportunities that they had been unable to generate before.

Sheringham only needs to receive the ball, turn around, and then choose to shoot directly or pass it diagonally to Iverson, who will then have a one-on-one opportunity.

This green spear is completely broken!
The competition was too taxing, and he was already thirty-six years old.

Sheringham glanced to both sides to make sure no one could threaten him, then stood still and waited for the ball to come to him.

Every bit of effort saved is a bit of effort saved...

boom!
A figure darted out from behind Sheringham and intercepted the ball.

Then, carrying the football, he sped forward!
Number Seven!

This is……

"Lu Kai!!!"

"Lu Kai has abandoned the goal once again!"

"He once again rushed out of the penalty area and successfully intercepted!"

"Sheringham never imagined that a goalkeeper would run to a point 30 meters away from the goal to make a tackle!"

"He didn't even look behind him!"

Anderton moved towards Lu Kai and immediately launched a sliding tackle!

If you manage to steal the ball at this point, you can directly lob it into the empty net!
however……

boom!
Lu Kai accelerated the ball's trajectory.

At this moment, all the buffs from [Stylish Guy on the Court], [Lone Ranger], [Quick Start], [Great Stride], and [Generator] are at their maximum!

Anderton's flying tackle barely touched Lu Kai's heel.

"Stop him! You must stop him!"

Almost everyone in the Tottenham team was moving toward Lu Kai.

If you stop this ball, the referee will blow the whistle to end the game!
boom!
The soccer ball flew into the air.

It draws a beautiful curve, like a rainbow.

[Rainbow Through Ball] [Beckham Curve] [Long Pass Guiding]!
To Madeira made a desperate forward run.

Ridley King didn't hesitate to pull and knock Madeira down.

Even though he already had a yellow card on his record.

But the foul at this point was absolutely worth it!

However, Dartford still has one more fast counter-attacking horse!
Ashley Young charged toward the ball from the right.

Sullivan immediately launched an attack.

With his short legs tumbling wildly, Ashley Young was ultimately half a step ahead.

As the football descended from the sky, Ashley Young knew the opposing team wouldn't give him a chance to control it.

Sullivan's eyes said it all.

He would tackle Ashley Young to the ground.

Then Tottenham just need to defend against the free kick in their own half a moment later.

It's even possible that... the referee could end the game directly.

and so……

boom!
Ashley Young met the ball with a direct chip shot!

He tried this position and this style of play once at the beginning of extra time.

Unfortunately, Ridley King blocked his lob.

This time, he felt the ball even better.

A great player won't fall in the same spot twice!
The football soared into the air.

Bypass Sullivan.

Watching the black and white elves disappear into the distance.

Sullivan seemed to have returned to six years ago.

Ashley Young became the boy named David Beckham!

Swish!
The football went into the goal and into the net.

Tottenham fans at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium felt like they'd been shot.

The few green jerseys surged instantly!
“GOAL!!!”

"Jueping!"

Ashley Young's first-time lobbed shot equalizes the game!

"That was a stroke of genius!"

"At this moment, Beckham's spirit is with him! He's not fighting alone!!!"

"I've said it before, Dartford's best striker isn't Morgan, but someone who doesn't look like Ashley Young!"

"Of course, what's even more incredible than the goal is how this attacking opportunity even came about?"

"Lu Kai provided two assists! Even as a goalkeeper, he can still make tackles and provide assists! He remains the undisputed core of the team's offense and defense!"

"There is no stronger sixteen-year-old player in the world!"

"Absolutely not!"

In the stands, Casper was stunned.

He kept shaking his head.

“No, I won’t go to Manchester City!” Kasper rejected his father’s suggestion and said firmly, “I want to stay in Dartford!”

"I want to learn the ultimate goalkeeping skills here!"

Schmeichel couldn't understand: "I can teach you, I'm one of the best goalkeepers!"

Kasper shook his head: "Yes, you're the best goalkeeper. But there's something I need to learn that you don't! I want to become the world's best goalkeeper!"

Old Schmeichel was taken aback: "The doorman?"

Kasper nodded: "Yes, gatekeeper! A gatekeeper is above a goalkeeper!"

Schmeichel scoffed: "So, the goalkeeper has the best goalkeeping skills in the world?"

Casper shook his head again, pointing at Lu Kai: "I probably can't learn the strongest version."

Old Schmeichel asked, "What is that?"

Kasper: "Goalkeeper! Striker!"

……

“I have to apologize to Dartford! I once said that this game was the worst in the history of the EFL Cup.”

"But as it turns out, this was the most exciting final in the history of the EFL Cup, bar none!"

"Datford have equalized thanks to a goal from Ashley Young."

"The referee has blown the final whistle!"

"Datford has no regrets!"

"They earned the respect of all England fans!"

"From then on, people knew that there was a team in London called Green Guns!"

Everyone was incredibly excited.

Including Tottenham, who were tied.

Because next up is the most tense and exciting penalty shootout.

In overtime, the bookmaker won all the games again!

But for all you bettors, betting is a must in this penalty shootout, because even though we lost the first two rounds, this final round will definitely decide the winner!

Tottenham's win rate remains as high as 90%.

the reason is simple.

Tottenham's goalkeeper is a professional.

Although Lu Kai performed well, his playing style is not that of a goalkeeper.

In terms of basic skills, he could not possibly be better than Sullivan.

In addition, Tottenham players generally have better shooting skills than Dartford players.

This demonstrates the overwhelming superiority of a higher-level player over a lower-level player in terms of overall quality.

Finally, in terms of mentality, Tottenham players have the mentality of strong players, and they will perform better on penalties.

Lu Kai won the coin toss.

He chose to kick first.

Because the winning percentage is significantly higher when playing first than when playing second.

But in recent years, people have often thought that choosing the goal is more important.

Selecting your own fans from the stands allows you to interfere when opposing players shoot.

That makes sense, but the data doesn't reflect that.

This shows that this principle has not been put into practice.

Eastwood, the player with a clutch gene who scored a goal in the match, was Dartford's first penalty taker.

He had a powerful shot, and he slammed the ball into the net.

He has the air of a famous general!

For Tottenham, the first player is midfielder Sherwood.

This is also a high-level player.

When he was taking the penalty, Lu Kai suddenly started doing the noodle dance in front of the goal!

"Oh! Is Lu Kai trying to interfere with the other side?"

"This is the famous spaghetti dance, created by Liverpool's legendary goalkeeper Grobbelaar during the penalty shootout between Liverpool and Roma in the 1984 Champions League final."

"He disrupted Roma's star player Conte, causing him to miss the shot!"

"Liverpool also used this advantage to defeat Roma and win the Champions League trophy!"

"I wonder if Lu Kai's dance will work this time?"

bump!
Sherwood was unaffected and scored a penalty, deceiving Lu Kai.

Lu Kai lunged in the wrong direction.

Penalty kick, 1-1!

Dartford's second player to come out was their attacking midfielder, Brad.

He is one of the best players on this team.

He also fooled Sullivan.

Iverson was the second to take the penalty for Tottenham.

This player is quite capable; if Lu Kai hadn't been so outrageous coming out of his goal, he would have at least created a goal for Tottenham.

"Here we go again, Lu Kai is doing the noodle dance once more."

"Boos came from the Tottenham fans on the sidelines!"

Iverson was lucky; the soccer ball hit the goalpost and bounced into the net.

Penalty kick, 2-2!
Dartford's third penalty taker was the 1.65-meter-tall Beckham – Ashley Young!

"Oh! Goal!"

"Incredible!"

Ashley Young's touch today was absolutely explosive!

"This is an absolute blind spot!"

Ashley Young never falters in crucial moments; this powerful shot into the top right corner of the goal was simply outrageous.

Strangely beautiful!
Tottenham's third-placed player is left wing-back Zieg.

Lu Kai's energetic dance continues.

This time, he could even hear laughter from Tottenham fans behind him.

boom!
Lu Kai judged the direction correctly, but the rain made the football and his shoes slippery, and the speed of the shot increased significantly, allowing the football to fly into the goal first.

This is why neither goalkeeper has managed to save the ball so far.

The disturbance caused by the noodle dance is clearly less significant than the disturbance caused by the weather.

Of course, rainy weather also means that the football is more likely to go wide.

However, because of this concern, both teams were relatively conservative in their penalty kick decisions.

Apart from Ashley Young, most of the others won by playing it safe.

As long as the shot is on target, it's almost guaranteed to be a goal.

Without rain, some players are more likely to miss their shots in pursuit of the extreme angle.

The harder it is to kick, the easier it is to kick; this is counterintuitive.

Madera was the fourth Dartford penalty taker.

Lady Luck smiled upon him.

His shot also hit the inside of the post and bounced into the net.

After that kick, Madeira almost fell when she turned around and took a step.

His legs were weak and he couldn't muster any strength.

Too nervous.

Tottenham's fourth player is right wing-back Simon.

He has relatively good physical fitness.

Lu Kai performed the noodle dance for the fourth time.

"Oh! Lu Kai is too rigid. That's the difference between him and a real goalkeeper."

"His dance has no effect on the other person; on the contrary, it consumes his own energy."

"I really don't know why he insists on it."

"Tottenham's players are players who play in the top league. They are different from the players Lu Kai encountered in the amateur leagues who had poor shooting skills and weak mentality."

boom!
really!

Simon also took a shot.

Lu Kai judged the direction correctly, but he was still a step too late.

Penalty kick, 4-4!
The final round of shooting ensued.

Lu Kai is Dartford's fifth point shooter.

At this point, the rain started to fall harder and harder.

“Will he choose the short hop penalty? That’s his best penalty method!” Kasper asked his father.

Schmeichel shook his head decisively: "Absolutely impossible."

In front of the television, Ferguson was also answering the children's same question: "The rain is too heavy and it will affect the view."

"At a critical moment, even a single raindrop passing by could affect your accuracy."

"That's how Gerrard's poor ball control came about."

"The short hop penalty requires jumping up and observing the opposing goalkeeper's reaction in mid-air to judge the direction of the save, and then choosing the opposite shooting direction."

"All of this needs to be completed before landing."

"Any interruption will disrupt your brain's thinking and cause you to crash."

"Therefore, Lu Kai can only choose a clean and decisive shot. He can't pursue the extreme angle too much."

"Just like the way the previous eight players chose... Of course, Ashley Young is in top form and skill, so his choice was rather bold."

"But Lu Kai probably can't take a penalty of the same quality as Ashley Young."

Schmeichel explained to Kasper, "Because Lu Kai is involved in a lot of defense, and defense affects the feel of shooting."

"Plus the immense pressure of the final free throw, so... Lu Kai is the most likely to miss it."

Soon, Lu Kai rushed towards the football.

Lift your foot... and leap high into the air!
Sullivan was shocked as he was thrown out!

A penalty kick with a quick hop!
How dare he?
With the rain so heavy, is he sure he can see everything clearly?
If his foot slips when he lands to shoot, the ball might not even roll to the goal.

he……

boom!
Lu Kai kicked the football away.

It landed steadily on the other side of the goal.

Lu Kai adjusted his headband.

The rain had no effect on him.

He saw it very clearly.

"Alright! Now it's Tottenham's turn to pick up the fifth ball. Only Sheringham in the whole team can take on this responsibility."

"As a key member of Manchester United's treble-winning team, Sheringham has an absolutely big heart!"

"Lu Kai started dancing the noodle dance again."

"He's very persistent, or perhaps foolish!"

"The facts have proven that his dance had no effect on penalty kick players, he..."

boom!
Sheringham kicked it out.

Oops!

Almost instantly, Sheringham's expression changed.

That was a perfect shot straight at you!
Too conservative!

Furthermore, the rain also affected his shot selection.

Perhaps Lu Kai's dancing reinforced his mindset that "I can't be influenced by Lu Kai; I'd rather play more steadily than let Lu Kai succeed."

But isn't this idea also influenced by Lu Kai's noodle dance?

boom!
This is called extremely low penalty quality.

After finishing the noodle dance, Lu Kai lunged to the left.

He easily caught the football.

The next moment, he got up, grabbed the football, rushed towards the edge of the penalty area, tossed the football high into the air, and then kicked it into the sky!
Cardiff's Millennium Stadium was instantly ignited!
The entire British Isles were trembling slightly!

Great Britain has finally risen to the top!

(End of this chapter)