After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

In May, at a Champions League match day.

In the first leg of the semi-finals, Arsenal will host Ajax.

Today, the Emirates Stadium is like a boiling oil pot.

The roar of the fans almost lifted the roof off, and the red and white flags billowed in the stands like a sea.

There's nothing we can do about it for Arsenal.

This season has been incredibly exciting.

These fans had just enjoyed the joy of their team's championship victory a few days ago.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the first leg of the 2018-2019 Champions League semi-final, a clash of titans as Arsenal host Ajax!" From the commentary booth, Zhan Jun's voice, brimming with barely suppressed excitement, came through the microphone.

"Two days ago, the Gunners were crowned Premier League champions with two rounds to spare, and their morale was soaring! Their opponents, on the other hand, were Ajax, the young guard under Ten Hag."

This season, Ajax has already defeated two giants, Real Madrid and Juventus! Tonight, can they upset a third Premier League giant at the Emirates Stadium? The suspense is about to be revealed!

Coach Zhang added.

"That's right, Arsenal eliminated Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, ​​which is also a very impressive achievement."

This clash between a youthful storm and a rising powerhouse is destined to be explosive! We see both teams' players have entered the field, with Ajax taking the initiative and pressing their formation very high up the pitch!

The opening whistle sounded like a starting gun.

The young Ajax players showed no fear. De Jong deftly turned and flicked the ball near the center circle, dodging Xhaka's challenge, and then played a smooth one-two with Schöne next to him.

The ball seemed to be drawn by a magnet, firmly controlled by the Ajax players.

They moved like a swarm of well-trained worker bees, rapidly passing the ball around in Arsenal's half and weaving an attacking network.

"Ajax's passing and control is extremely skillful!" Zhan Jun said rapidly.

"De Jong and Schöne are their two key players, controlling the tempo! Look at this time, the ball is switched to the right wing, and Ziyech gets it!"

Ziyech received the ball on the right flank. Facing Cancelo's defense, he feinted, seemingly heading down the flank, but suddenly cut inside, creating half a step of space, and shot without hesitation!

The ball was spinning intensely.

Heading straight for the top left corner of the goal.

"Long shot! Ziyech!" Zhan Jun exclaimed.

In front of the goal line, Martinez reacted with lightning speed, fully extending his body and forcefully pushing the ball up with one hand!

"Beautiful! Martinez! A world-class save!" Zhang Lu exclaimed. "The shot had excellent power and angle!"

The ball was saved and went out of bounds.

Corner kick.

Tadic took the corner kick, and the ball landed precisely at the far post, finding De Ligt.

The young Ajax captain outjumped Kolasinac and unleashed a powerful header!

"De Ligt!" Zhan Jun's heart jumped into his throat.

The ball whistled past the crossbar.

A huge gasp of surprise erupted at the Emirates Stadium, followed by even louder applause from the Arsenal fans.

"That was a close call!" Coach Zhang analyzed. "Ajax started strong, completely dominating the home team. These young players are trying to turn the tide! Arsenal needs to stabilize their position as soon as possible!"

On the sidelines, Professor Wenger stood with his hands in his crisp suit trouser pockets, his brow slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed intently on the field.

On the other side, Ten Hag stood at the edge of the command area, constantly waving his hand to signal the players to continue pressing forward and maintain a high-pressure stance.

Ajax's offensive came wave after wave.

De Jong orchestrated the play from midfield, sending a long over-the-top pass to Neres, who was making a high-speed run down the left flank.

The Brazilian winger used his speed to get half a body length away from Achraf, broke into the left side of the penalty area, and passed the ball back in a triangular shape.

"Neres!" Zhan Jun shouted.

Tadic, who followed up in the middle, met the ball and shot.

In a flash, a red figure shot back from the right flank like lightning, making a precise sliding tackle just before the ball reached Tadic's feet.

He cleanly and decisively swept the ball out of bounds!

"Yan Yuan!" Zhan Jun's voice suddenly rose.

"It's Captain Yan Yuan! He sprinted all the way back from the right wing to the edge of the penalty area! A crucial clearance! His defensive effort is impeccable!"

Yan Yuan quickly scrambled to his feet from the grass, clapped his hands forcefully, and roared at the still-shaken defense:

"Focus! Keep a close eye on them!"

"Hakimi!"

Yan Yuan called out, then pointed in the direction of Tadic and Neres.

Ashraf nodded to Yan Yuan, indicating that he understood.

The 19-year-old captain exuded an aura that was enough to intimidate the entire audience.

Yan Yuan's confidence stems from his dominant number of goals and individual honors.

This crucial defensive play seems to have sounded the horn for Arsenal's counterattack.

Arsenal withstood their opponents' initial onslaught, and began to push their formation forward, leading to a fierce midfield battle.

In the 15th minute, Xhaka made a strong challenge near the center circle and dispossessed De Jong.

Without the slightest hesitation, he looked up and delivered a precise long diagonal pass with the outside of his right foot.

"Xhaka intercepts the ball! Go straight to the right wing!" Zhan Jun's speech quickened instantly.

Right flank, Yan Yuan starts!

Using his absolute speed advantage, he instantly left Tagliafico, who was trying to intercept him, two body lengths behind.

The ball seemed to have eyes, bypassing Ajax's defense and landing precisely on Yan Yuan's sprinting path.

"Yan Yuan has devoured Tagliafico as expected! The Arsenal captain is on the offensive!" Zhan Jun's voice was full of anticipation.

Yan Yuan pushed the ball forward with his right foot and dribbled forward at breakneck speed.

His dribbling movements are concise and efficient, with each step perfectly placed on the ball's optimal trajectory, maintaining his speed without diminishing.

The cheers at the Emirates Stadium rose higher and higher with each step he took.

"Strict! Strict! Strict!!!"

With each shout from the fans, Yan Yuan seemed to move a little faster.

Ajax's left flank defense was unsurprisingly torn apart. Yan Yuan dribbled the ball for nearly forty meters and plunged straight into the right side of the penalty area!

Veteran Blind, with his extensive experience, fought and retreated, blocking the inside cut-in lanes while simultaneously calling for center-back De Ligt to cover.

"Blind is blocking, De Ligt is coming!" Zhang Lu stared intently at the screen.

Facing Blind's defense, Yan Yuan suddenly stopped while dribbling at high speed and cut the ball back with his right foot.

Blinder's center of gravity was slightly shifted by the sudden change in rhythm.

At the moment of the spike, Yan Yuan did not adjust his position. He leaned slightly to the left, his supporting foot firmly planted on the grass, and with the outside of his left foot, he swiftly curled a ball into the air!

The ball left the foot, spinning intensely, tracing a rainbow as it hurtled towards the far corner of the goal!

Goalkeeper Onana made a diving save to the side.

My arms were stretched to their limit!

"Shoot!!!!" Zhan Jun's roar was almost broken.

The ball traced a deadly trajectory in the air, bypassing Onana's outstretched fingertips, grazing the inside of the far post, and slamming into the net.

"Goal!!!!!" Zhan Jun's passion erupted completely. "15th minute! Yan Yuan! Arsenal's captain! A solo run! He beat Tagliafico, shook off Blind, and unleashed a world-class goal! Stunning! A perfect arc! Onana was helpless! 1-0! Arsenal take the lead!"

"Gooooooooooooooooal!!!" The Emirates Stadium's broadcast system erupted with a deafening goal announcement, instantly drowned out by the tsunami-like roar of the fans.

After scoring, Yan Yuan did not run to celebrate. Instead, he stood still, arms outstretched, head held high, welcoming the surging tide of his teammates.

"This is absolutely incredible personal ability!" Zhang Lu analyzed excitedly.

"From intercepting the ball and launching a counter-attack to a long-distance run, and then to the calm change of rhythm on the edge of the penalty area and that incredibly accurate curling shot."

Yan Yuan showcased all his talents in this goal: speed, technique, football intelligence, and shooting skills. Most importantly, after his team withstood the pressure, he delivered the fatal blow to the opponent in this way.

This is what a captain's responsibility is all about!

On the sidelines, Wenger clenched his fists and swung them into the air, a proud smile spreading across his face.

Ten Hag, standing on the sidelines, vigorously touched his bald head, his face grim, and shouted something loudly at the field, clearly extremely dissatisfied with the lax defense.

Arsenal's morale soared after taking the lead, and they tried to capitalize on their advantage.

Odegaard attempted a through ball to Aubameyang in the attacking third, but De Ligt anticipated and intercepted it.

Lacazette combined with Cancelo on the left wing, but his cross was headed away by Blind.

However, the young Ajax was not defeated by this heavy blow.

After conceding a goal, their eyes blazed with even stronger fighting spirit.

They continued to stick to their fluid passing and possession style of play, patiently looking for opportunities.

In the 25th minute, De Jong once again demonstrated his pivotal role in midfield.

He received a pass back from Schöne, and facing Rodri's close marking, he deftly pulled the ball back and turned, easily shaking off Rodri.

Immediately afterwards, he and Tadic, who had retreated to receive the pass, executed a textbook one-two pass.

"De Jong! That's a beautiful breakaway! A one-two with Tadic! De Jong was Yan Yuan's former teammate, and the two won Hoffenheim's first Bundesliga title last season," Zhan Jun introduced.

"Recently, there have been rumors that Barcelona, ​​who were recently thrashed by Arsenal, are planning to strengthen their midfield next season, and De Jong has become a key target for Barcelona's consideration."

After De Jong got rid of Rodri, an open area appeared in front of him.

He didn't try to take credit for himself, but keenly observed that Neres had already made a high-speed run down the left flank.

He delivered a precise diagonal pass, the ball finding its way through the gap between Ashraf and Kolasinac.

"Neres! The left flank is open!" Coach Zhang shouted.

Neres arrived quickly, caught up with the ball near the byline, and without much adjustment, delivered a low cross with his left foot.

The ball swept quickly and urgently towards the center of Arsenal's six-yard box.

In the middle, Tadic arrived on horseback.

Surprisingly, he didn't choose to shoot, but instead very subtly and skillfully slipped the ball between his legs while running.

This is an exquisite "leak"!

"Tadic! He let the ball through! That was a pretty good pass!" Zhan Jun exclaimed.

This blunder completely fooled Arsenal's entire defense.

Everyone's eyes followed Tadic's movements, but they overlooked the person who had silently moved in at the far post.

De Jong!

The Dutch midfielder appeared like a ghost in the path of the ball!

With no one marking him, he easily slotted the ball home with his left foot.

"De Jong!!! He hit the goal!!!!" Zhan Jun's voice was filled with disbelief.

The ball rolled into the bottom right corner of the goal without any doubt.

Martinez's view was blocked, and he couldn't react in time!

"Goal!!!" Zhan Jun's voice was filled with complex emotions. "Ajax! Frenkie de Jong! He's equalized for the team! 1-1! Only 25 minutes into the game! Ajax's response was so quick!"

Tadic's missed pass was brilliant! It completely fooled Arsenal's defense! De Jong's run into the box was perfectly timed! Arsenal's defense made a fatal lapse in concentration for that instant!

After scoring, De Jong excitedly rushed towards the corner flag to celebrate, and Ajax's young players swarmed around him.

The Emirates Stadium fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a frenzied cheer from a corner of the Ajax fans' section.

"Arsenal's midfield and defense bear the main responsibility for this goal," Coach Zhang analyzed.

"Just now, after Rodri was shaken off by De Jong, he didn't track back to cover in time. The defense was focused on Tadic and completely missed De Jong who was making a run from the back."

But it must be said that Tadic's dummy play was a stroke of genius! This goal stemmed largely from the player's individual imagination.

On the sidelines, Wenger stood with his hands on his hips, shouting loudly at the midfielders and defenders.

Ten Hag then swung his fist forcefully, his bald head gleaming under the light.

The score was tied, which was like adding fuel to the fire in the already intense match.

The battle for midfield quickly intensified, with physical confrontations escalating and fouls becoming more frequent.

The referee's whistle blew frequently.

"Xhaka tackled Van de Beek! Yellow card! That was a bit too much!" Zhan Jun commented.

"Shene also pulled down Odegaard from behind and got a yellow card too! The tension is rising!" Zhang Lu added.

Odegaard attempted to use precise long passes to move Ajax's defense and find Aubameyang's running position.

However, Ajax's defense, under De Ligt's command, maintained a very compact formation and excellent positioning, giving the Gunners few opportunities to exploit.

Yan Yuan's position began to retreat further.

He is no longer limited to the right wing, but frequently drops back into the midfield and even the backfield to participate in receiving and defending.

During an Ajax attack down the right flank, Ziyech attempted to cut inside, but Yan Yuan quickly recovered and formed a pincer movement with Ashraf.

Just as Ziyech attempted to change direction and break past Achraf, Yan Yuan seized the opportunity and cleanly poked the ball away from Ziyech's feet.

"Great play! Yan Yuan! Beautiful help defense and steal!" Zhan Jun exclaimed. "He's involved on both ends of the court! His basketball IQ and overall game awareness are truly innate; he's a natural leader!"

Yan Yuan, who successfully intercepted the ball, did not hold onto it. He immediately passed the ball to Rodri, who was there to receive it, and then quickly moved forward to start the counter-attack.

The stands erupted in enthusiastic applause once again for the captain.

The game was in full swing with intense competition and rapid offensive and defensive transitions, and the first half was drawing to a close.

Both sides appeared somewhat tired, and the pace slowed down slightly.

43 minutes.

Ajax won a corner kick on the right.

Ziyech took the corner kick, which was very fast and landed near the edge of the six-yard box.

De Ligt once again outjumped Kolasinac, leaping high to head the ball into the goal.

"De Ligt, header!" Zhan Jun shouted.

This time, Martinez gave his opponents no chance.

His judgment was accurate; he unleashed both fists like a tiger charging, slamming the ball out of the penalty area.

Martinez had already planned his clearance.

"Martinez punched out with both fists! He's saved the day!" Zhan Jun's voice had barely faded when his tone abruptly changed, filled with astonishment and an impending burst of excitement.

"Wait! The ball is landing... Yan Yuan!!!"

The ball, punched away by Martinez, landed perfectly just outside the edge of the penalty area.

There, Yan Yuan, wearing Arsenal's number 7 jersey, seemed to have foreseen the future and had already secured the best position to receive the ball.

With his back to the direction of the attack, he used his body to shield himself from the onrushing Shene, and just as the ball hit the ground, he lightly tapped it with the instep of his right foot, controlling the ball steadily.

Without pausing or even turning around to observe, Yan Yuan, while unloading the ball, slammed his left foot off the ground as his supporting foot, and his body spun 180 degrees with incredible speed, like a spinning top.

"Yan Yuan! He turns around and starts immediately, without even pausing. You can only see this kind of counter-attack rhythm in the Premier League!" Zhan Jun's voice was already trembling.

The instant he turned around, Yan Yuan's gaze swept across the entire arena like that of a hawk.

He saw a black lightning bolt starting up at the far left flank—it was Aubameyang!

Gabon's striker understood perfectly and, like a cheetah, darted out from a gap in Ajax's defense, rushing straight behind the opponent!

The moment Yan Yuan stretched out his foot to intercept from inside the house.

He used the outside of his right foot to deliver a long through ball with beautiful power, angle, and spin.

The ball skimmed across the grass like a cannonball, or like a spirit imbued with life, drawing a huge and eerie arc across the Emirates Stadium pitch.

This arc.

It is not straight, but rather has a strong outward rotation.

He bypassed De Jong's attempt to intercept him in the middle lane.

They bypassed Tagliafico, who was desperately chasing them.

They even seemed to have eyes, precisely bypassing Blind and De Ligt, who were trailing behind and trying to create an offside position!

"A through ball!!!" Zhan Jun's roar completely broke his voice. He even excitedly slapped the commentary table. "My God! That pass! I saw a magnificent arc!!! That pass was so beautiful!!!"

That white arc, with its strong outward spin, ruthlessly and precisely tore apart Ajax's entire defensive line.

The ball rolled perfectly over the feet and outstretched legs of all the defenders, landing precisely in the huge gap on the left side of the Ajax penalty area.

There, Aubameyang arrived like a wild horse.

He was completely unmarked! He had a clear one-on-one opportunity!

Well, how should I put it?

Yan Yuan's shot seemed tailor-made for Aubameyang.

Aubameyang received the ball very comfortably.

"Aubameyang is one-on-one! His pass was so fast and accurate! Yan Yuan's pass was tailor-made for him!!!" Coach Zhang's voice was filled with disbelief.

Aubameyang dribbled the ball into the penalty area with great strides.

Facing goalkeeper Onana, who had rushed out of his goal and reached the edge of the penalty area, Aubameyang calmly observed the situation and gently pushed with the instep of his right foot.

The ball rolled through Onana's outstretched armpit and into the empty net!

"Goal!!!!!" Zhan Jun's passion was completely ignited; he practically roared it out.

"Aubameyang! One-on-one goal! 2-1! Arsenal are in the lead again! But 90% of the credit for this goal goes to Yan Yuan! My God! What an assist!"

"Just now, starting from intercepting the ball at the edge of our own penalty area, he made a nearly 40-meter run, and then, while on the move at high speed, delivered that outward-spinning through ball that could tear apart any defense. That vision! That overall awareness! That technique! I can only say that such a feat is rarely seen!" Coach Zhang exclaimed in admiration.

"Yan Yuan! He turned the Emirates Stadium into his own personal chessboard! That pass was like a god's-eye view; all Aubameyang had to do was shove the ball into the empty net! So perfect! That goal was executed flawlessly!"

After scoring, Aubameyang ecstatically rushed to the corner flag and slid on his knees in celebration.

But halfway down the slide, he immediately jumped up, turned around, and pointed at Yan Yuan, who was rushing towards him.

The two embraced tightly near the sideline.

All the Arsenal players rushed over and surrounded their captain and goal scorer.

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

The singing, shouts, and applause merged into a deafening frenzy.

"Let's take a look at the slow-motion replay." Zhan Jun was still very excited. "Yan Yuan turned, started, observed, and passed the ball in one go. This outside-of-the-foot through ball, with a strong outward spin, drew an arc that just bypassed all the defenders!"

Blind and De Ligt were completely fooled by the bizarre spin, and Aubameyang's timing was perfect—a flawless combination of individual skill and teamwork!

On the sidelines, Wenger applauded his protégé with great enthusiasm.

Ten Hag stood frozen on the sidelines, his hands covering his head, watching the replay of the pass that tore through his defense on the big screen, his face filled with shock and helplessness.

Goalkeeper Onana angrily punched the goalpost.

The remainder of the first half flew by amidst the bewildered expressions of the Ajax players and the deafening chants of the Arsenal fans.

When the referee blew the whistle to end the first half, the score on the scoreboard was:

Arsenal 2 - 1 Ajax

Yan Yuan did not leave the field immediately. He walked to his own goal, patted the goalpost hard, and gave Martinez a high five. Then he turned around, waving to the applauding fans as he walked towards the players' tunnel.