Team Spirit

Chapter 203 Thank you for sparing my life, Lu; a final act of tenderness.
In the 70th minute, Emerson sent a long pass deep down the left flank.

Maicon outmaneuvered Del Piero to catch up with the ball and turned to clear it with a pass.

The ball passed Del Piero, but while looking for Toure, it was intercepted by the onrushing Zambrotta.

Zambrotta thrust forward.

Nedved receives the ball.

Maicon and Carrick immediately formed a defensive partnership against Nedved.

Nedved hesitated for a moment, then faced Maicon directly.

Maicon successfully disrupted the football.

But the ball rolled behind Maicon.

Del Piero retrieved the ball and delivered a cross.

Ibrahimovic pushed Vidic aside, ran back two steps, and then volleyed the ball into the air.

when!
The crossbeam was teetering on the verge of collapse.

In the 74th minute, Lu Kai pressured Camoranesi.

The latter passed the ball to Ibrahimovic.

Vidic outjumped Ibrahimovic and headed the ball to Ashley Young.

Ashley Young took a half step forward, feigning a pass to Lu Kai who was coming over.

Lu Kai understood the ambiguity in Ashley Young's eyes, and immediately moved towards the sideline, spreading his hands to make a request.

Emerson was pulled over by Lu Kai.

Ashley Young suddenly launched a powerful long pass, directly piercing through Juventus' midfield and connecting with Forlán, who was retreating from the front line.

This long pass was sudden and required a lot of power. In order to win by surprise, Ashley Young could not have too long a pre-attack or a violent leg swing.

Therefore, the quality of the passes cannot be high.

It's not a simple rolling earth.

Instead, it's a low, flat ball.

The football bounced after landing, making it difficult for Forlan to catch it.

Forlan was caught by Thuram and couldn't control the ball perfectly, so he had to chest it down.

The football bounced up.

Fran and Thuram engaged in a struggle.

Forlán stopped the ball with his foot, but Thuram then kicked his controlling foot, sending the ball rolling two meters into midfield.

Fran and Thuram were pulling at each other, and neither of them could get any speed.

At that moment, Amorim beat Appiah to the punch, rushing forward and dribbling past Forlán.

He even bumped into Fran slightly because he was going too fast.

Fran was attacked from both sides by Amorim and Thuram and fell to the ground on the spot.

When he was hit, he bared his teeth and claws, and also hit Thuram in the chest. Thuram was thinking of committing a foul, so he also fell down.

As a result, Amorim easily broke through from this side and quickly advanced.

With Lu Kai and Vardy on the left and right respectively.

Three against two in the frontcourt.

Amorim delivered a through ball, precisely finding the speedy Vardy.

Vardy received the ball on the right and broke into the penalty area, creating another one-on-one opportunity to challenge the Juventus goalkeeper.

Chimenti did not make a move.

This gave Vardy the opportunity to slow down and observe.

"Attack!"

The people in Montero were numb from watching the replay.

He lunged at Amorin, who passed the ball to Vardy. He quickly tracked back to defend Vardy, but Amorin moved slightly out of position and broke free of his coverage area.

At this point, Vardy makes a cross pass to Amorim, and Montero is completely unable to intervene.

However, if Chimenti comes out early, Vardy will not have a chance to slow down and will have to shoot hastily, which will most likely hit the goalkeeper.

At high speeds, it's difficult for Vardy to handle the ball. If he tries to get past the goalkeeper, he'll just get further and further away from the goal and become less of a threat.

But Chimenti didn't come out, allowing Vardy to handle the situation calmly.

Montero is indeed close to Vardy now, but it's easy to imagine how Vardy will handle it.

boom!
as predicted.

Vardy delivered a cross.

Montero made a diving tackle, but still couldn't reach the ball.

Chimenti could only watch helplessly as the ball rolled toward the goal, where Amorim rushed in and slotted it into the empty net.

How could we possibly lose it?

“GOAL!!!”

"Three to zero!"

"Datford have pulled off a remarkable comeback!"

"Vardy assisted Amorin, it was a very successful counter-attack!"

"Juventus' defense and goalkeeper are clearly disconnected; Chimenti should come out of the box."

"Montero was constantly on the defensive, having to defend against two opponents."

"Zebina was pulled away by Lukaela the entire time, and Juventus' defense was completely torn apart!"

On the bench, Guardiola praised his teammate: "Amorim's passing is quite masterful, just like mine."

Modric nodded: "Indeed, Amorin's through balls have become increasingly sharp this season. He's gone from a blue-collar worker to a gold-collar worker all of a sudden, he's suddenly become a pro!"

"However, Vardy's performance was also excellent. He is far inferior to Arshavin and Ribery in dribbling, support, ball control, and technique."

"But he is extremely fast, and precisely because he is simple-minded, his speed advantage is even more pronounced."

"Only his running style could create those one-on-one opportunities. Arshavin and Ribery, on the other hand, couldn't achieve that effect."

That's not just empty talk.

For these two goals, Ribery and Arshavin will most likely need to receive the ball before making a breakthrough, or slow down after receiving the ball to prepare for a one-on-one attack on the opponent.

Vardy was the most fearless.

It was definitely the right decision to replace him.

Even a kid can be in charge!
On the field, Lu Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ah," "Wa," well done, you saved him a time card.

If he can't take the lead soon, he'll have to resort to divine intervention.

Green Guns cannot afford to lose this match, no matter what.

If you don’t steam the steamed buns, you’ll lose your reputation!
In the 76th minute, Juventus prepared to make a substitution on the sidelines.

Trezeguet stood on the sidelines.

It looks like they're going to substitute Zebina and bring on another striker.

Juventus are now trailing 3-4 on aggregate, and they need to score.

On the field, Emerson passed the ball to Nedved, who then played a through ball.

Zambrotta made a run down the wing and delivered a cross.

It has a slightly inverted triangle shape and is frequently returned.

The original intention was to allow the advancing midfielders to take long-range shots from the penalty spot to the edge of the penalty arc.

However, Zambrotta was distracted by Maicon and failed to deliver the pass properly.

The midfielder couldn't receive the pass and was behind the forward.

At the crucial moment, Del Piero turned around, leaned back, and unleashed a bicycle kick to score.

The experienced photographer swung the lens directly at the goal, perfectly capturing the bicycle kick goal... wait? There's no football in the frame?

The photographer quickly panned back and saw that Del Piero's bicycle kick had failed to hit the ball.

It was just a performance.

boom!
Cannavaro cleared the ball with a long kick.

The referee then blew his whistle.

Piero is injured!
The fans at the scene were stunned. This...

"Barbed hooks are risky; proceed with caution!"

"Piero took a pretty hard fall."

"Cannavaro raised his hands to indicate that he did not touch Del Piero, so it's not his fault."

"In that case, Trezeguet will have to replace Del Piero."

"Juventus could have had an extra striker, but now they're making like-for-like substitutions. I wonder if they have enough firepower."

"However, Trezeguet is in excellent form this season, having scored five goals in the Champions League and nineteen in the league, and these are often crucial goals."

"The reason he's on the bench is because Del Piero prefers to partner with Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic is better at setting up play, which is more beneficial to Del Piero's stats."

In the 81st minute, Juventus won a corner kick.

The kickoff caused chaos in the penalty area.

Toure's clearance attempt wasn't far enough.

Nedved unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, which slammed into Forlán's side.

Fran lay down as he did so.

It really hurts, but delaying it is also a real waste of time.

In the 83rd minute, the game had barely begun.

Dartford have found another opportunity to use their last substitution.

Youngster Giroud replaced Forlán.

Forlan was shown a yellow card by the referee for delaying the game, which drew boos from the crowd.

However, once Forlán returned to the bench, the boos were blocked by the tent. What did it have to do with him?
On the contrary, Giroud, who came on the field, bore all the brunt of it and was subjected to all sorts of insults from the fans.

"It's quite a coincidence that both sides brought on tall, French center forwards at the end of the match!"

Trezeguet vs. Giroud!

In the 87th minute, Amorim dribbled laterally in midfield, broke free, and then played a through ball to Giroud who had dropped back to receive the pass.

Giroud was just making a feint; he's practically invisible, so how could he have imagined that Amorim would pass him the ball?
As soon as Amorim passed the ball, he turned and prepared to sprint.

He then realized that Amorim was aiming for him, so he quickly stopped and rushed towards the ball.

However, Thuram had already run past him and intercepted him.

Juventus launched a counter-attack.

Fortunately, Vidic and Cannavaro locked down Trezeguet with their combined attacks.

Vidic tackled, Cannavaro made a tackle and intercepted, a perfect combination.

Trezeguet is not known for his footwork, and he didn't expect Vidic to be so strong, losing the ball on the edge of the penalty area.

Ibrahimovic, who was running nearby, shook his head.

Trezeguet made the same mistake he had made before.

But this kind of thing is inevitable, and communication is meaningless.

No matter how much Ibrahimovic tells Trezeguet that the opposing center-back pairing is very effective against their big center forwards, Trezeguet will still try it out himself.

Because you might be able to stop Ibrahimovic, but you might not be able to stop Trezeguet.

This is the fighting spirit that every striker should have.

At this point, it's not a good time to give Trezeguet a chance to experiment.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Nedved won a free kick on the wing in the attacking third.

He took the free kick himself, sending it into the penalty area.

The players from both sides fiercely contested the header.

boom!
The football went into the net.

Dartford's bench instantly fell silent.

“GOAL!!!”

"1-3! Juventus scores!"

"It's Trezeguet who came on as a substitute. He truly deserves to be one of the top ten goalscorers in football. Trezeguet is a goal-scoring machine!"

"This makes the aggregate score 4-4, and the away goals are also the same."

"This is an absolute tie!"

"Is Giroud guarding Trezeguet? He's still too young. If Trezeguet is a supercar among centers, Giroud is just a go-kart!"

The camera focuses on Trezeguet and Lu Kai.

The key player who won the 2000 European Championship defeated the key player who won the 2004 European Championship.

Ultimately, the score was tied at 4-4, forcing the game into overtime.

This is also the first time Dartford has faced extra time in a Champions League match.

Lu Kai's brows furrowed in worry, as he was constantly calculating and comparing the various conditions of both sides to see who had the advantage in overtime, and... when would be the best time for him to use the time card.

I'll have to use this card today eventually.

At that moment, the stadium commentators and even commentators from various other sources began to evaluate the performance of the players in this match.

Players who scored or provided assists received positive feedback.

The substitutes, Amorim and Vardy, are currently the highest-rated players in the Green Gunners, reflecting the commentators' admiration for Alfred's brilliant substitutions.

However, Lu Kai's rating was only in the lower middle range.

Giroud received the lowest rating.

For Juventus, Nedved received the highest score of the match.

Trezeguet came on as a substitute and came on second.

"Nedved's performance undoubtedly surpassed Lu Kai's."

"It turns out that Lu Kai is the worst Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year!"

"Oh! Moggi just posted his thoughts on the game on social media. He said that Juventus fans should celebrate early because victory is sure to belong to Juventus."

He sent a second message, a string of question marks, followed by the text, "Where is Lu Kai?"

"Thirdly, Moggi made a triple statement, saying that if Lu Kai had acted like a coward before, Dartford's team bus wouldn't have been smashed."

"This...this is a threat, a provocation, and an insult!"

The director tactfully switched the camera to Moji's private box.

Moggi was in high spirits. He walked out of the private box, raised his glass to the camera, and expressed his strong confidence in Juventus.

The fans at the scene cheered.

The Juventus players are also in high spirits.

The break in overtime was very short, and both sides quickly returned to their respective halves to kick off.

Since Moji insisted, Lu Kai decided not to choose a time.

It is better to choose a day than to hit it.

[Ding! You have used the Arshavin Time Card, lasting for fifteen minutes!]

With a whistle, the green spearmen kicked off.

Lu Kai resolutely pushed forward.

Amorim immediately understood what this meant.

He asked Carrick for the ball.

Carrick knocked back to Amorim.

Amorim met the ball with a long pass.

The ball was accurately delivered to the open space on the left front.

Juventus' defense appears to be a four-man backline, but it's actually a three-man backline, with Zambrotta frequently moving up the left flank.

Therefore, Zebina's position on the right is that of a center-back, not so far out.

Lu Kai then made a forward run down the left flank, getting closer to the ball than Zebina.

The football landed not far from the goal line.

However, the ball speed was greatly reduced.

A powerful, spin-heavy pass!

Amorim has something going for him.

This kind of ball is very easy to catch. Lu Kai slightly tapped the ball, stopping it slightly to the right.

They encountered Zebina head-on.

When Zebina saw the ball rolling towards him, he thought Lu Kai hadn't stopped it properly and instinctively stretched out his foot.

But with Arshavin's support at this moment, and the ball being delivered so comfortably, how could Lu Kai possibly not control it well?

boom!
Lu Kai flicked the ball away with the outside of his right foot, getting there first.

He then bypassed Zebina from outside the baseline.

[Excessive passing!]
[Illegal overtaking]!
Lu Kai overtook his opponent and, with a powerful dribble, surged forward along the baseline into the penalty area. Thuram hadn't anticipated Lu Kai's decisiveness and was still positioned to prevent him from veering off the baseline to the right or sending a cutback pass.

As a result, Lu Kai sped through, and even when Thuram lunged at him again, he couldn't stop Lu Kai.

Lu Kai drove straight into the penalty area.

Chimenti immediately rushed out.

Lu Kai then adjusted himself one step to the right.

Chimenti immediately adjusted his stance, stepping out to the left with his left foot.

wrong!

Chimenti realized what was happening.

Is Lu Kai trying to attack his own back door?
As expected, Lu Kai looked between Qimenti's legs.

Chimenti lowered his body, immediately twisted his right leg to kneel to the left, and stretched his left leg out, adopting a standard goalkeeper's nutmeg stance when attacking.

boom!
Lu Kai unleashed a powerful shot.

The football soared into the sky.

It flew towards the goal, grazing the Mediterranean Sea around Chimenti.

Swish!
They practically ripped the top off the goal.

Chimenti turned to look at the ball inside the goal: "You...you actually shot from that angle?"

Isn't this just reckless?

How can you shoot into the sky with a shot from an almost zero angle?
Get sick!
Among shots, the highest difficulty and the hardest to control is the shot that goes straight up into the air.

Otherwise, why would the two upper left and right corners of the goal be the ten-point angle, instead of the two lower left and right corners?
A shot from a tight angle, especially a high-angle shot, is even more difficult because the angle is even smaller.

Lu Kai smiled slightly.

Theoretically, he didn't have the right angle just now.

But Chimenti knelt down just in time.

This exposes a flaw.

As long as you give me a look of approval, my shot will have meaning!

"GOAL! Four to one!"

"Lu Kai scored a lightning-fast goal in the first minute of extra time!"

"Just now he said that his performance today was mediocre, but now Lu Kai has given Mogi a response."

"I believe Moggi should now know whether Lu Kai is on the field or not."

"Amorin, that pass was beautiful, but you only deserve 5% credit. Because Lu Kai's subsequent breakthrough and shot were even more spectacular!"

"Oh! What kind of celebration is that? Lu Kai threw three punches in a row; he's really professional."

"I heard that Dartford was attacked by fans on their way here, and it seems they even rushed onto their car. Could it be that Lu Kai got into a fight with them?"

There was booing from the audience.

Juventus fans are about to explode.

Because the team has fallen into a disadvantageous situation.

This is their home ground.

They need to score two goals to win.

The referee approached Lu Kai to determine the nature of his action.

Starting this season, UEFA and FIFA have adjusted the regulations for celebrations and begun to strictly enforce rules against unauthorized celebrations.

If Lu Kai provoked the fans, he might receive a yellow card.

When questioned by the referee, Lu Kai raised his fist once and asked, "Was this move illegal?"

The referee shook his head.

This is a perfectly normal fist-pumping celebration.

100% of professional players have done this move.

Lu Kai laughed and said, "So, is there a problem with me doing it three times in a row?"

The referee thought about it and it seemed that everything was fine.

And so, Lu Kai's celebratory gesture passed the "approval".

The game resumed quickly.

In the 92nd minute, Emerson sent a high ball to Trezeguet.

The latter had a significant height advantage over Cannavaro.

Despite numerous injuries to Del Piero this season, Juventus' twin towers have frequently partnered up, resulting in phenomenal performances.

They are both so good at getting the ball in the attacking third.

But this time, Toure arrived just in time to break the deadlock before Trezeguet could.

He dropped very deep, almost like a center-back.

Trezeguet was closely monitored throughout.

Of course, this means Green Gun will be one less person.

In the 94th minute, Juventus took advantage of this opening to pass the ball to Nedved.

Nedved cut inside.

However, Carrick soon appeared in his path.

Nedved thought that now that Carrick had covered for him, there would be an opening on the other side.

So they sent a message to Camoranesi.

However, Green Gun's defensive rotation system is precisely because Lu Kai can drop from the winger position to the midfielder position.

Lu Kai headed the ball to Amorin and then started his forward run.

Camoranesi tried to pull and tug, but couldn't stop Lu Kai.

Amorin then passed the ball to Lu Kai, who had made a run into position.

Zebina met Lu Kai early this time.

Lu Kai feinted left and right, waiting for Amorin to come up.

Emerson followed Amorim.

But Amorim suddenly stopped.

Lu Kai passed the ball back to Amorin, then cut inside without the ball and surged into the penalty area.

Amorim drove the ball through the wall.

The two players coordinated their attacks in succession.

Lu Kai turned around and leaned against Thuram from the left side of the arc.

Montero also joined in.

Lu Kai had no chance.

boom!
Lu Kai let the ball pass and then unleashed a powerful shot.

The attack came very suddenly.

Arshavin has one distinctive characteristic: his shots are very decisive and resolute.

He hit many shots that you thought shouldn't have been hit, but he did them very sharply.

In this respect, he is very similar to Eastwood.

When this kind of player has a powerful shot, he can score no matter what.

If the coach isn't firm, it seems like a waste of opportunities.

Arshavin's celebrations often involved making incredulous expressions. He genuinely found it unbelievable many times, as if he were thinking, "Is this even possible?"

Lu Kai's feet were actually harder than Arshavin's!

Thuram thought Lu Kai was carrying him to set up a shot, after all, Lu Kai's performance in this game was not outstanding.

As a result, Lu Kai immediately turned halfway and fired.

Montero stretched out his foot to block.

He could have blocked Lu Kai's shot if it had been aimed at the center or right side of the goal.

With his back to the goal, Lu Kai could easily shoot in that direction by turning halfway around.

but……

Swish!
The soccer ball flew to the left.

He almost grazed the post before going into the goal.

Chimenti misjudged the direction and stood still, unable to make a save.

Lu Kai's body was almost twisted into a pretzel while shooting.

His flexibility and shooting angles at incredible angles aren't that good.

But Arshavin has it.

Lu Kai immediately turned around and celebrated enthusiastically with his teammates.

"GOAL! Five to one! It's Lu Kai again! Two goals in four minutes, this..."

"The situation has suddenly turned completely one-sided!"

"Juventus is in a very bad situation now."

"Lu Kai is simply an overtime killer!"

"Of course, Amorin was also outstanding, providing Lu Kai with a series of assists and completing an assist hat trick!"

"It's hard to imagine that this player, who was eliminated by Benfica, could actually complete two hat-tricks of assists in a single Champions League season after honing his skills at Green Gunners for several years!"

"Everyone says the future of Red Gunners lies with Veigar, but I think Amorim is even better than Regas!"

Juventus players are completely stunned.

Was Lu Kai cheating in overtime, or was he AFK during regular time?

Isn't this too outrageous?
He can score two goals with just two shots, his conversion rate is frighteningly high.

Only Arshavin on the Green Gun bench was a little puzzled. Why did he feel that Lu Kai's shooting choices were so similar to his own?
Guardiola and Modric also looked at Arshavin; both of them were quite perceptive and noticed that Lu Kai's dribbling and ball control had improved.

It has a kind of Arshavin flavor.

That sense of rhythm, both real and illusory.

This kind of mutation happened once before, when Lu Kai played against Real Madrid, and suddenly became incredibly smooth.

That's not his usual style.

The same applies now.

Guardiola exclaimed, "This is the first time I've seen a player who can combine mechanical, silky, and feinting styles into one!"

Modric pulled out his notebook and started taking notes: "This is street dance!"

In the 97th minute, Trezeguet waited in the penalty area for an opportunity, but Nedved's long-range shot was not as accurate as before and failed to hit the goal.

In the 99th minute, Juventus had a corner kick attack.

But this time, the Green Gunners didn't make a mistake. Giroud, Toure, Carrick, and Vidic, the four 1.9-meter tall players, surrounded Juventus' twin towers.

Giroud clears the ball with a header.

Maicon received the ball and was preparing to launch a counter-attack.

Juventus stopped them with a yellow card.

Dartford's quick free kick was blocked.

They then dutifully took a free kick from their own half, pushing it across the halfway line.

Vardy makes a quick forward run.

Giroud dropped to the right flank and successfully received the ball, but unfortunately Juventus' defense suddenly intensified.

Despite his tall and strong physique, Giroud was unable to turn around.

His ability to set up the ball is still quite average.

It can only be sent back.

Amorim received the ball near the center circle but was then pressed hard by Juventus in the midfield.

Juventus is in a hurry.

Amorin kept picking the fruit until he was finally brought down.

It drew a foul from the opposing player.

This is a free kick from a considerable distance in the attacking third.

Amorin looked at Lu Kai, intending to team up with my brother Lu again.

As a result, Lu Kai walked straight towards the football.

Amorin: "Captain Lu, what tactics do you have? How do you need me to coordinate?"

Lu Kai: "Step back a bit."

???

No one understood what Lu Kai was trying to do.

Given Lu Kai's heading ability, he should be heading into the penalty area.

Although he can't compare to the 1.9-meter-tall supergroup, Lu Kai is now considered a top contender for the top.

This distance can't possibly be...

beep!

The whistle blew.

Lu Kai charged toward the football, his eyes resolute.

Juventus didn't even field a symbolic double wall.

Because it is not necessary.

Let alone free kicks, even long-range shots from Lu Kai's position would be a waste of possession.

Absolutely not...

and many more!

On the Juventus pitch, Thuram suddenly frowned.

He vaguely remembered a palm strike falling from the sky... I mean, a goal that came from that far away during the 1997 Four Nations Invitational Tournament.

That belongs to Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos...

boom!
Lu Kai unleashed a powerful kick with the outside of his right foot!
The football suddenly flew to the left, drawing a huge arc.

Heading straight for the left side of the goal.

"What a powerful free kick!"

"Too fierce!"

"This isn't attacking the door, it's firing cannons!"

"In the past two years, many people have overlooked the improvement in Lu Kai's physical fitness. He used to have a hard time firing such powerful shots. But now... he can even fire them in overtime."

"But it's a pity..."

Buffon shook his head: "The distance was too far. Although the shot was of very high quality and the ball was fast, Chimenti had plenty of time to prepare."

"By observing the arc of the first half of the ball, one can predict its trajectory in advance and make a save."

"So while these long-range shots may look beautiful, their success rate in scoring is actually not high."

"In comparison, Lu Kai's knuckleball and jackball are actually more difficult to save."

"The trajectory of the leaf ball is unpredictable."

"The elevator ball has a short distance, and the drop in the second half is too great, which tests your reaction time a lot."

Buffon hadn't finished speaking.

Surprisingly, after a large C-shaped arc, the football followed a small, reverse C-shaped arc.

Chimenti failed to reach the ball at all.

[S-shaped free kick - Carlos - Master]!
Swish!
Waves splashing everywhere!

Buffon was dumbfounded.

His first reaction was... thank goodness I was injured today.

Otherwise, if you put him on the field, the effect will be the same.

As a goalkeeper, Buffon knows better than anyone how many years this goal will remain in classic goal compilations! And how many years will the goalkeeper who conceded the goal be ridiculed!
At that moment, Buffon finally understood what it meant to help others as a way of helping yourself.

The next moment, the entire room fell silent.

The Green Guns bench erupted in cheers!
“GOAL!!!”

"Six to one!"

"Lu Kai has gone berserk!"

"A hat trick in ten minutes!"

"That's his response to Mogi!"

"Juventus is doomed this time!"

"I even suspect that Lu Kai held back during regular match time to repay Buffon for saving Vardy's life."

"Dragging the game into overtime was Green Gun's last act of kindness!"

(End of this chapter)