The template of Madoka Kaname: I rose from adversity to the summit.

Chapter 134 Seven Days, Fifty Thousand Miles [Chinese National Football Team Story, Three-in-One, 6k]

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Yuan Meng hung up the phone with Wilt, put her phone back in her pocket, and turned to drag her suitcase toward the security checkpoint.

The fatigue from the Champions League matches has not yet dissipated, but the national team matches are already calling.

Yuan Meng didn't linger for a moment and boarded a flight to Wuhan.

The plane roared through the clouds as Yuan Meng looked at the Uzbekistan player report on her phone.

"Not bad, quite detailed."

Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.

A middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking refined stood at the arrival gate.

Yu Guizhou, the old handyman, had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Yuan Meng, he immediately went to greet her.

"Yuan Meng, you must be tired from your journey." Yu Guizhou took Yuan Meng's suitcase.

"Hello, Coach Yu." Yuan Meng nodded, his attitude was better than last time. As long as the other party was responsible, he would give him basic respect.

"Coach Lippi is leading the team in training right now, so he asked me to pick you up and take you back to the hotel to rest." Yu Guizhou glanced at his watch. "Your room has already been arranged."

Yuan Meng followed Yu Guizhou into the private car, and they remained silent the entire way.

Upon arriving at the hotel, he declined Yu Guizhou's offer to have dinner with him and returned to his room alone.

A wave of fatigue washed over me, and the soreness in my legs persisted. I had been traveling all night and didn't even have time for physical therapy.

"System, open the store."

Rooney's English Black Tea

[After drinking, physical recovery speed increases by 30%]

This is it! Yuan Meng still remembers falling asleep on the massage chair after drinking it last time. This stuff can be used to adjust sleep time and restore physical strength, killing two birds with one stone!

"exchange!"

Remaining points: 140

A steaming cup of black tea appeared out of nowhere on the bedside table. Yuan Meng picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp, a warm current instantly spreading throughout her body.

He drew the curtains and went to sleep.

As night fell, the area outside the Wuhan Sports Center was already packed with people.

A sea of ​​red flooded every inch of the open space, with fans' faces painted with national flag paint and waving cheering sticks.

Adults held children's hands, clutching national flags in their other hands, as countless people walked toward the stadium with hope.

Regardless of the national team's strength, they are still our own children, and fans want to witness the final two matches in person.

Besides, if they win both of their remaining matches, they still have a theoretical chance of advancing. Who says a miracle is impossible?

Commentators He Wei and Xu Yang are ready.

"CCTV, CCTV, good evening, viewers. This is the live broadcast of the ninth round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the match between China and Uzbekistan at home."

Xu Yang continued, "This match is a do-or-die battle for us. We must win to have any chance of advancing, but to be honest, I'm also a little worried."

"Oh? What is Coach Xu worried about?"

"Yuan Meng, our key player, just played the full 90 minutes in the second leg of the Champions League play-off against Napoli three days ago. As far as I know, he only arrived in Wuhan the day before yesterday and did not train with the team at all, but Coach Lippi still included him in the starting lineup."

"I'm really looking forward to Yuan Meng's performance, but I feel a little nervous."

He Wei encouraged them, saying, "I believe in Yuan Meng, I believe in this Chinese team. No matter the outcome, they will give it their all!"

"Dear viewers, let's cheer them on!!!"

Lippi made some adjustments to today's lineup.

China (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Zeng Cheng; Defenders: Li Xuepeng (left), Feng Xiaoting, Zhang Linpeng, Deng Hanwen (right)

Midfielders: Zhang Xizhe (left), Hao Junmin, Zheng Zhi, Yuan Meng (right)

Forwards: Gao Lin and Wu Lei. Lippi stood on the sidelines, looking serious.

He was well aware of Yuan Meng's physical condition, but this match was a must-win; a draw would be a defeat.

He dared not be overconfident and fielded a strike partnership of Gao Lin and Wu Lei, hoping that Gao Lin could act as a pivot and create more scoring opportunities for Wu Lei.

Yuan Meng was aware of Lippi's concerns; otherwise, he wouldn't have played a 4-4-2 formation with two forwards up front.

This is because they are afraid that Yuan Meng's poor performance will result in a lack of threat in the attacking third.

To this, Yuan Meng could only think to herself: You're overthinking it!

In the national team, he is undoubtedly the key player.

Besides, the Rooney English tea produced by the system was incredibly effective; his body had regained its former lightness, making it more than enough to kick an Uzbekistani.

Commentator He Wei suddenly raised his voice.

"Yuan Meng has the ball!"

"He simply accelerated past their number 20 full-back!"

Uzbekistan had clearly made a targeted arrangement, with midfielder Denisov (number 19) immediately covering to form a double-team.

Yuan Meng didn't linger in the fight, instead sending a concealed through ball with his left foot.

Spatial Domination

[Proficiency: 30→40 (Mastery)]

The ball pierced through the two defenders and accurately found Wu Lei making a forward run.

The attack was so sudden that Denisov had no time to react and futilely stretched out his right foot, blocking the air.

Wu Lei met the ball and fired a shot!

The ball went slightly wide of the post.

"oops--!"

"This attack is extremely threatening!"

"Let's find our rhythm again, there's hope of scoring!"

Wu Lei raised his thumb high, indicating that the pass was beautiful.

Yuan Meng simply shrugged, indicating that this was just basic stuff. The opponent's interception speed was really slow, their reaction was like being half a beat behind. This kind of through pass would definitely be intercepted in the Champions League.

Uzbekistan gained possession of the ball and quickly launched a counter-attack.

They cleverly bypassed Yuan Meng's left flank and sought a breakthrough from the right.

Li Xuepeng and Zhang Xizhe worked together to limit the opponent's number 11 right winger Sergeyev, but the opponent's number 2 right back Krimets decisively overlapped and sent in a cross after receiving the ball.

The ball whistled towards the penalty area, and Feng Xiaoting and Zhang Linpeng double-teamed, leaping high to seize the first ball.

Veteran Zheng Zhi retreated to the top of the arc to protect the second ball.

"Someone's been missed!" Yuan Meng shouted, signaling Zheng Zhi to immediately cover the left flank, while she herself took a step to the right side of the arc to block any possible long-range shots.

The ball was indeed cleared to the flank, and Zheng Zhi intercepted it before the opposing team's number 19, Shukurov, could react.

The transition between attack and defense was extremely fast; the ball flew towards the front, only to be headed back by the Uzbek defender.

"Have you made enough of a scene?!"

Yuan Meng sprinted straight ahead and, just as Shukurov was about to stop the ball, forcefully intercepted it from his feet.

Shukurov tried to snatch it back, but Yuan Meng leaned on her shoulder and pinned him firmly behind her.

"Two over one!"

Yuan Meng passed the ball to Hao Junmin, while she herself made a high-speed forward run along the gap in the flank.

Hao Junmin understood immediately and passed the ball back without stopping it.

"Yuan Meng and Hao Junmin's teamwork!"

"Wu Lei's diagonal run has drawn a central defender away!"

"A shooting opportunity has emerged!"

"Long shot!"

Yuan Meng met the rolling ball with her right foot, her calf muscles tensing instantly as she slammed the ball hard into the lower middle part!

The ball flew out like a cannonball, heading straight for the top corner of the goal!

"GOAL!!!!!!!!!"

He Wei jumped up from his seat and raised his arms in a shout.

"The hibernating dragon has been awakened from its slumber; its roar shakes a thousand mountains!"

"Yuan Meng, with a stunning long-range shot, helped the Chinese team take the lead!"

Xu Yang excitedly chimed in.

"That was such a beautiful teamwork!"

"Wu Lei's positioning was crucial; he drew away the center-back, creating a perfect shooting angle for Yuan Meng!"

"Yuan Meng seized the opportunity with incredible composure; without the slightest hesitation, she took the shot!"

"Indeed, players who have honed their skills in top European leagues have a different kind of instinct for opportunity!"

The Uzbek players stood frozen in place, the goalkeeper staring at the net in despair.

They couldn't understand how Yuan Meng, who had just been defending in the backfield, could suddenly rush to their goal.

After scoring, Yuan Meng didn't celebrate much. She simply ran to the center circle and pumped her fist to signal her teammates to stay focused.

Despite taking a one-goal lead, the Chinese team did not relax. Under Lippi's command, they maintained a very tight defensive formation.

Uzbekistan's offensive has been repeatedly thwarted.

The stands were a sea of ​​red, completely boiling over.

The fans started singing, cheering for the players on the field with their loudest voices.

"Go China!!!"

Some fans shouted excitedly.

"There is hope, there really is hope!"

"Yuan Meng, take us to Russia!"

The whistle blew to end the first half, and the Chinese team went back to the locker room with a 1-0 lead.

Lippi didn't make any major adjustments, he just had the players move more to the right wing.

He could tell that Yuan Meng was in better condition than he had imagined, and had not been affected by the competition a few days ago.

Then there's no need to hesitate, pass the ball to Yuan Meng.

The second half began with the teams switching sides.

The monsters on the flanks are starting to unleash their power.

Yuan Meng dominated the right flank, wreaking havoc on Uzbekistan's defense.

They had to send out multiple players to help defend, but Yuan Meng always managed to handle the ball in the most reasonable way before the double team could form.

Either deliver a deadly through ball, or pass it back to the overlapping Deng Hanwen so he can cross the ball.

Yuan Meng's aggressive breakthroughs are interspersed with skillful changes, making her playing style a real headache for Uzbekistan's defenders.

In the 64th minute of the match, Yuan Meng received a pass from Hao Junmin on the wing. He glanced up at the penalty area, cut the ball back with his right foot, and sent a highly curved 45-degree cross with his left foot.

The ball bypassed all the defenders and landed precisely on Gao Lin's head.

Gao Lin didn't even need to jump; he simply brushed the ball away, changing its trajectory.

The Uzbek goalkeeper was shocked; by the time he made his save, the ball was already safely in the net.

"It's in again!!!" He Wei's voice trembled slightly.

"Gao Lin's header! Yuan Meng's assist!"

"That shot looked too easy; Gao Lin barely moved!"

Xu Yang quickly added, "Yes, because Yuan Meng's cross was absolutely precise! The curve was so beautiful, it reminded me of Pirlo at his peak!"

He Wei also joked, "If we also consider looks, I think Yuan Meng looks more like Beckham."

The atmosphere in the stadium was relaxed, and just as the fans were cheering, Uzbekistan suddenly launched a quick counterattack.

The ball was passed long from the backfield and found number 9 left winger Ahmedov directly.

Before Yuan Meng could get back to defend, number 9 had already delivered a brilliant cross.

"Number 23, Shomurodov, heads the ball into the goal!"

"Zeng Cheng!!!"

"He tipped the ball over the crossbar with one hand!"

"It's so beautiful!"

"This match was truly back and forth; the Chinese team must stay focused and absolutely cannot let their guard down until the end!"

Zeng Cheng leaped to his feet, shaking his numb arm, and yelled at the defenders, "Mark them! Stick to them on these balls!"

Zhang Linpeng nodded vigorously, wiping the sweat off his face with his jersey.

Yuan Meng walked closer and took a look. Zhang Linpeng's sweating was obviously abnormal, so he patted him on the shoulder.

"If you're injured, go and rest."

Before Zhang Linpeng could answer, Yuan Meng turned around and made a substitution gesture to Lippi on the sidelines, then pushed Zhang Linpeng to the sidelines without saying a word.

He doesn't need to force himself in this match.

Yuan's idea was simple: now that he was there, there was no possibility of losing to these second-rate Asian teams.

In the 70th minute, Zhang Linpeng was substituted by Ren Hang.

The entire stadium gave him a warm round of applause. His defense was tough enough today, but he paid the price for it with an injury.

As the match drew to a close, Uzbekistan launched a final, fierce attack.

However, a desperate, ant-like attack often exposes one's own weaknesses first.

Yuan Meng decisively tackled midfielder Shukurov (number 19), and the opposing left-back (number 20) seized the opportunity to move forward. Shukurov hastily passed the ball to the wing.

Yuan Meng immediately changed direction and charged towards the number 20 full-back like a cheetah.

In desperation, number 20 attempted to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper, but the pass was too weak!

"Uzbekistan's fatal mistake!"

"Yuan Meng has stolen the ball!"

"Single-handed!"

"Shoot!"

Goal!

"3-0, game over!"

"This is our star player, the pride of Chinese football—Yuan Meng!!!"

The entire Wuhan Sports Center erupted in cheers and screams, even some suppressed sobs, creating a massive wave of sound that nearly overturned the stadium.

Yuan Meng rushed to the corner flag area, opened his arms, and welcomed the worship from all directions like a king.

From then on, Uzbekistan lost all momentum to launch a counterattack.

The final whistle blew, and the Chinese team won 3-0 against Uzbekistan at home.

The atmosphere in the locker room was extremely enthusiastic.

Yuan Meng waved his fist and shouted, "Brothers, you're awesome! You played well, you even kept a clean sheet!"

Feng Xiaoting beamed with joy: "Of course! If we win the next match, we really might make it to the main tournament!"

"That's right!" Gao Lin said excitedly. "The top three teams in the standings are all our opponents now. Every time we win a game, our opponents lose three points."

That's why Uzbekistan is a direct competitor, and we must win this match today.

"Who were we playing in the last match?" Yuan Meng asked.

Deng Hanwen thought for a moment: "It seems like it's an away game against Dali."

"That's a bit of a pity. It would be better if we continued to play against the top three teams and let them get fewer points," Yuan Meng said, looking at the real-time points leaderboard on her phone.

Asian FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Standings (Group A)

1. Iran 23 points (15)

2. South Korea 14 points (14)

3. Uzbekistan 12 points (2)

4. China 11 points (0)

5. Syria 9 points (-6)

6. Qatar 7 points (-8)

Yuan Meng frowned after reading it. It wasn't as easy as she had imagined; the pit she had dug was a bit too big.

It seems that the Chinese team must win their last match and can only hope that Uzbekistan loses or draws.

"Who knows who Uzbekistan will play next?" Yuan Meng asked loudly.

"They're playing against South Korea." Zheng Zhi checked the match schedule.

"That's good." Yuan Meng breathed a sigh of relief, then shook her head with a wry smile, "I never thought that we would have to rely on the South Korean team to help us qualify."

At the post-match press conference, Chinese reporters were extremely excited and surrounded Yuan Meng and Lippi.

Yuan Meng spotted the female reporter who had asked a question last time in the crowd at a glance. She squeezed to the front again and got the chance to ask a question.

"Yuan Meng, hello. Do you remember in the last interview you said that it's impossible to deliver a magical performance in every game? But in this game you contributed 2 goals and 1 assist. Can I interpret that as you being modest before?"

Yuan Meng looked around and asked a question.

Do I appear to be a humble person?

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

Indeed, Yuan Meng has always been arrogant, but when a capable person becomes arrogant, it can be seen as a sign of confidence.

"Okay, let's get back to the point." Yuan Meng coughed twice, putting away her joking expression. "My view remains unchanged: Chinese football needs to continue to work hard and needs more players to go abroad to play."

"But let's put all that aside for now and have some fun today."

The reporters bombarded the Chinese team with questions, ranging from their chances of qualifying to Yuan Meng's Champions League journey.

Yuan Meng simply raised her hand to signal everyone to stop.

"Ask Qatar if you have any questions. I'm going to sign autographs for the fans now."

After speaking, he walked towards the sea of ​​red that had been waiting outside the players' tunnel, escorted by staff.

Surrounded by a crowd, the Chinese team set off for Qatar.

With only four days between the two matches, the Chinese team must adjust their physical condition and regain their form.

This training camp is shorter, and the players will need to undergo physiotherapy and recovery training, with only one day for tactical practice.

But the players were in high spirits, and the chance to advance was right in front of them.

"Beep beep beep—"

'

The final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match, echoed through the Doha Khalifa International Stadium.

The electronic scoreboard on the sidelines was set to 3-1.

China defeated Qatar on the road, securing three points!

"We did it! We did it!" Commentator He Wei excitedly hugged Xu Yang. "We really achieved a three-game winning streak!!"

1

""

Yuan Meng stood on the sidelines, waving to the fans who had traveled from afar.

The game was much easier than Yuan Meng had expected. Qatar was eliminated early on, and their players were basically in a state of indifference.

The only goal conceded was due to a stupid misplaced pass in the backfield; we have no one to blame but ourselves.

-

Of course, Qatar's strength is also questionable, with some players not even as good as U19 players.

In the first half, he only made two powerful runs before easily beating the opposing full-back and cutting inside to score his signature curling shot.

In the second half, Lippi simply let him conserve his energy on the field, only occasionally participating in defense, to avoid being targeted by opposing players and getting injured.

"We finally won!" Wu Lei excitedly ran over and hugged Yuan Meng's shoulder tightly.

Yuan Meng nodded, but her mind was elsewhere.

Winning against Qatar is just the first step; the real power of life and death now rests in the hands of the South Korean team.

"Is everything finished on the Korean side?" Yuan Meng shouted towards the bench.

Zheng Zhi gripped his phone tightly, staring at the screen anxiously, sweating profusely: "Not yet! Three minutes of stoppage time left, still 0-0!"

Upon hearing this, the national football players, forgetting about interacting with the fans, all rushed into the locker room.

The locker room door was pushed open, and more than twenty grown men, covered in sweat and not even having taken a shower, huddled together around Zheng Zhi's phone screen.

"Damn it! This lousy net!" Gao Lin slammed his fist on the cabinet in frustration. "Why does it have to jam at this crucial moment?!"

"Don't move, don't move, the results are in!" Deng Hanwen craned his neck.

The screen is restored.

Uzbekistan is launching a furious attack, and the ball has been lofted into the South Korean penalty area.

In the midst of the chaos, the Uzbek striker unleashed a powerful shot!

The locker room fell into an instant silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud came from the screen as the ball slammed against the post and bounced out of bounds.

"Beautiful! Great pillar!" Yuan Meng jumped up excitedly, almost punching Deng Hanwen in the face.

Zheng Zhi appeared calm and collected on the surface, but in reality, his legs were shaking like a leaf for a split second.

On the phone screen, the South Korean goalkeeper took a goal kick, and the referee simultaneously checked his watch and blew his whistle.

Three long whistles signaled the end of the match.

South Korea and Uzbekistan played to a 0-0 draw!

"Aaaaaah—!"

"South Korea is awesome!!!"

This was a moment when the friendship between China and South Korea reached its peak, a moment worth remembering, and one that may never happen again.

The locker room erupted in chaos.

Mineral water bottles were thrown everywhere, splashing violently against the ceiling, and towels flew all over the place.

Several veteran team members' eyes immediately welled up with tears, and they hugged each other, jumping and skipping.

Yuan Meng could only comfort these veteran players, many of whom were participating in their last World Cup, and if they didn't make it to the main tournament, they would never have another chance.

"Oh right, let me check the leaderboard." Yuan Meng opened her phone.

1. Iran 24 points (+15)

2. South Korea 15 points (+14)

3. China 14 points (+1)

4. Uzbekistan 13 points (+2)

5. Syria 10 points (-6)

6. Qatar 7 points (-10)

Damn it, they just managed to take the lead by one point, what a coincidence!

With 5 points from the first seven games, the Chinese team miraculously secured third place in the group!

What does this mean?

This means that the Chinese team has qualified for the playoffs, where they will face playoff teams from their own continent and other continents, with each match consisting of two games, one home and one away.

Simply put, to secure a ticket to the Russian World Cup, you need to face two teams in the final four rounds of do-or-die matches!

Lippi pushed open the door and walked in, his previously serious face now filled with a relieved smile.

The silver-haired old man clapped his hands, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"You guys did a fantastic job today."

"We walked on the edge of a cliff for three games, and we won three straight!!!"

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the locker room.

Lippi gestured for the light to fall on Yuan Meng in the corner.

"Of course, we must thank one person." Lippi gave a thumbs up, "Yuan Meng, you are a born winner, your arrival changed the fate of this team."

All eyes turned to Yuan Meng.

There was no jealousy, no resentment, only genuine admiration.

In these three life-or-death battles, Yuan Meng delivered a superhuman performance.

He scored a hat-trick against Syria, two goals and one assist against Uzbekistan, and scored another goal against Qatar today.

In three games, he was involved in seven goals!

This is simply a case of being outmatched!

Zheng Zhi walked over and put his arm around Yuan Meng's shoulder tightly: "Brother, thanks to you, whether I can go to the World Cup again in my life depends entirely on you."

Yuan Meng smiled and squeezed Zheng Zhi's shoulder.

"It's a simple matter, don't make a fuss about it, grown men!"

"Besides, there are still four tough battles to fight!"

The following day, domestic sports media and social networks were completely paralyzed.

Miracle! China's national football team escapes from dire straits and advances to the playoffs!

Three games, six goals, one assist: Yuan Shen's legendary three matches!

What defines a world-class winger? Yuan Shen taught all of Asia a lesson!

Yuan Meng dominated the headlines of all the major forums.

[Guys, that South Korean goalpost is practically the Chinese national team's father!]

[Bullshit, the Chinese national football team's real father is clearly Yuan Shen!]

That's incredible! Absolutely incredible!

[Nonsense, who is Yuan Shen? Playing against Asian teams is like a complete annihilation!]

Who will they face in the playoffs? Who will finish third in Group B?

[It seems to be Australia.]

Who cares, with Yuan Shen here!

Amidst a fervent, almost god-like chorus of cheers, Yuan Meng did not return home with the main force to celebrate their victory.

The European leagues have reignited, and he must return to Amsterdam immediately.

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