We made you the King of Prisoners, and now you've become the King of Football?

Chapter 93 The Sacred Vermilion Bird

The next day.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves onto the training field.

Coach Gao stood upright on the sidelines, holding a tactics board in his hand.

On the field.

Jiang Ming received the ball with his back to goal in the backcourt.

Hao Junmin, who was behind him, immediately stepped forward to snatch the prize.

But just as Hao Junmin got close to Jiang Ming...

Jiang Ming suddenly turned around.

It slipped past Hao Junmin's center of gravity.

He immediately passed the ball to Wu Lei in the attacking third.

However, the latter masturbated just before reaching the door.

This made Coach Gao, watching from the sidelines, shake his head.

"Jiang Ming truly deserves to be called a player who has made a name for himself in Europe."

"His technique and awareness are far superior to the rest of the team —"

Coach Gao even saw many qualities of top-level stars in Jiang Ming from that entire series of plays.

He calmly evaded the pressing and broke free of the ball, delivered a perfectly timed pass, and made a pinpoint through ball.

These are things you can't experience in front of a TV; they are truly awe-inspiring.

No wonder he has become a hot commodity in European football recently.

"well----"

Coach Gao sighed.

But there's no way around it; no matter how strong an individual's abilities are, they are severely limited in the national team.

The main reason is that my teammates can't keep up!

What was that phrase called again?

XX grams of expert.

Jiang Ming's passes were good, but his teammates' positioning was always too slow to keep up.

Therefore, in the previous match against the Maldives.

They unleashed over 30 shots before scoring five goals.

Most of the players in this Hebei China Fortune team are from the domestic league.

The intensity is nowhere near that of the major European leagues.

Of these players, only four have experience playing abroad.

Zhang Chengdong, who played for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga; Hao Junmin, who played for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga; and Yu Dabao, who played in various leagues in Portugal.

And Zhang Xizhe from Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.

Zhang Xizhe was formerly a sales manager.

They haven't accumulated much practical experience in major European leagues.

Therefore, within the team, only one person could barely keep up with Jiang Ming's pace.

As for players in the domestic league.

Only Wu Lei was able to receive Jiang Ming's brilliant pass thanks to his agile positioning.

However, although this guy's positioning is very clever, his shooting is...

Coach Gao didn't dare to think about it any further.

After training, he walked over to Wu Lei and whispered, "Leizi! I think with Jiang Ming's passes, you don't need to think too much about how to position yourself."

Wu Lei was taken aback: "Coach Gao, what does this mean?"

"What I mean is—"

"Could you practice your shooting more?"

The training sessions lasted several days and passed quickly.

The Chinese national football team players also traveled by bus.

Heading to the next match venue—Shaanxi Provincial Stadium.

This stadium, affectionately known by fans as "Saint Suzaku," can accommodate 50,000 spectators and is widely recognized as a formidable and intimidating home ground in the Northwest.

In its early years, when Shaanxi Guoli competed in the domestic Jia-A League, every match was almost sold out.

-

When opponents step onto this field, they are first overwhelmed by the shouts of tens of thousands of fans.

Not only that.

This stadium is also regarded by many fans as a lucky place for the Chinese national football team.

Back in 2001, during the qualifiers for the Korea-Japan World Cup.

Milutinovic's Chinese national football team thrashed the Maldives 10-1 here.

The journey to qualify for the World Cup has officially begun.

They successfully qualified for the World Cup finals.

The Chinese national football team has played five international matches here in the past.

They have two wins and three draws, and have never lost a game.

It is one of the few home stadiums in China that has been able to maintain an undefeated record for a long time.

This is relevant to the battle for the top 40 qualification.

This stadium is considered a lucky place by Chinese football fans.

The day before the match.

Press conference.

Qatari coach Careño sat on the stage, looking calm and composed.

"We have already secured first place in the group, and our record of seven wins in seven games is enough to demonstrate the team's strength."

"There are rumors that several of our key players are suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, leaving our squad incomplete."

"But football relies on the team as a whole. Our rotation players still have the ability to compete at a high intensity compared to Hebei China Fortune players."

"I know that the Chinese team has no way out now, and the whole team is under tremendous pressure."

"We will fight for victory with all our might and will never deliberately throw the game to give away points. This is the most basic respect we can show to the host country."

The Chinese reporters in the audience were practically living in Bengbu.

What do you mean by "I know you're on the edge of a cliff"?

So I'll give you a shot, and let you have your fun.

Is the Qatari coach really that humorous?

"I've seen the player on the Hebei China Fortune team who plays for Monaco in Ligue 1."

"He has outstanding individual dribbling and passing talent, but it is difficult for a team to overcome its overall weaknesses by relying on a single player."

"In the last round, Hebei China Fortune played against the Maldives and only managed to score five goals after firing dozens of shots. Their finishing efficiency is a major weakness they cannot avoid."

"I believe that my players can effectively limit Hebei China Fortune's attack —"

the other side.

Coach Gao is on high alert.

"We will not calculate the rankings of other groups now."

"Right now, the team only has one thing to do, and that is to take down Qatar."

"Jiang Ming's arrival has filled the gap in our most lacking midfield organization capabilities."

"The whole team has been working together to adapt to his rhythm during this period of training, and we are fully prepared."

"Saint Suzaku is a lucky place for the national football team; the fans will fight alongside us!"

Match day.

A sea of ​​red surged toward the San Suu Kyi Stadium.

From the stadium entrance to the street, the streets were filled with Chinese fans wearing red jerseys.

The fan plaza set up on the perimeter was packed with people.

Young fans also unfurled a long poster, with Jiang Ming wearing the number 10 jersey of China Fortune in the center.

The accompanying text reads, "Young people shoulder the responsibility of their country; this battle will determine the fate of the nation."

Although the Chinese national football team has repeatedly disappointed in most matches.

But when it comes to crucial matches like qualifying for the World Cup...

There are also quite a few fans who genuinely support them.

After all, every fan has a dream in their heart.

I dreamt that one day the Chinese national football team could stand on the World Cup stage again.

With the live broadcast signal connected.

The commentator's voice rang out in the live broadcast room.

"Zhuangdian'ertai! Zhuangdian'ertai!"

Good evening, everyone!

"Welcome everyone to this Round of 40 matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers!"

"The Chinese national football team will host Qatar, a strong team from West Asia, at the Shaanxi Provincial Stadium!"

"I'm commentator He Wei."

"I'm commentator Xu Yang."

"This match will be the final round of the Asian Qualifiers' Round of 40, and its importance cannot be overstated."

"The Chinese national football team has lost all three previous encounters between the two sides."

"The last time the Chinese national football team won against Qatar was twelve years ago in the Asian Cup —"

"Can Coach Gao's Chinese national football team break this embarrassing record and advance further in the qualifiers?"

Let's wait and see.

Inside the players' tunnel.

Jiang Ming leaned against the wall and checked the system panel.

To outsiders, however, he appeared to be resting with his eyes closed.

This action drew the attention of the Qatari players on the other side of the tunnel.

This Chinese kid in Ligue 1 seems a bit pretentious!

"So what if he plays in one of Europe's top five leagues?"

"They've even started adopting the European ways?"

"We need to really push him hard in the upcoming match."

The 19-year-old Qatari prodigy Afif also looked over.

He did not agree with his teammates' discussion.

Because Afif also came from European youth training.

He played for Seville U19 and Villarreal U19.

However, he has never been able to get a chance to play for the first team.

With such achievements, he is hailed as Qatar's next generation core player.

Thinking about it, Afif felt that the Chinese boy in front of him, who was a year younger than him, was unfathomably powerful.

He is a true core player for teams in the top five European leagues.

They upset both Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

"I advise you not to underestimate that Jiang, he's very strong—"

Afif offered his teammates a sincere piece of advice.

Whether or not to listen to a junior like him is another matter.

19: 30.

The players from both sides entered the field under the guidance of the referee.

The Chinese fans at the San Suu Kyi Stadium erupted in a thunderous roar.

"China!!"

"Awesome!!"

"China!!"

"Awesome!!"

Fifty thousand Chinese fans roared in unison.

The stands looked like a red wall that had come to life.

If Westphalia is the most intimidating home ground in Europe.

At this moment, the Sacred Vermilion Bird Stadium is the devil's home ground for the Chinese team!

"Alright, with both teams' players entering the field, the starting lineups for this match are now set."

"Huaxia team, playing at home, continues to use the same tactics as before, mainly employing a 4-2-3-1 formation."

Goalkeeper: Zeng Cheng.

"Defenders: Ren Hang, Feng Xiaoting, Zhang Linpeng, Zhao Mingjian."

Defensive midfielders: Hao Junmin, Huang Bowen.

"Attacking midfielder: Jiang Ming."

""

-

"Forwards: Zhang Xizhe, Wu Lei, Jiang Ning."

Qatar, on the other hand, has deployed a 3-5-2 formation.

Goalkeeper: Lecomte.

"Defenders: Mufta, Miguel, Musa."

Midfielders: Muhed, Ceara, Hatem, Saeed, Tabata.

"Forwards: Abdullah, Mohammed"

"It's worth mentioning that Qatar will be missing their top scorer and midfield maestro due to accumulated yellow cards."

"And their 19-year-old rising star, Afif, is also on the bench."

"This is two major pieces of good news for the Chinese national football team."

The players from both sides have lined up.

The national anthem of China was played throughout the venue.

The players on the field and the fans in the stands were solemn and respectful.

The preparation phase is over.

The referee looked down at his watch.

The pointer jumps.

"Whoosh!"

A crisp whistle pierced the night sky over Xi'an.

This was the final do-or-die match in the World Cup qualifiers, crucial for the Chinese national football team's chances of advancing.

The show is officially starting!

After the start, Qatar, playing away, quickly regained their footing.

Relying on the 3-5-2 formation arranged before the match, they played a steady and solid passing and control game.

Even though the team had already secured first place in the group, several key players were absent for this match.

Qatar, despite being rotated into the squad, maintained its disciplined tactical approach.

-

The team passed the ball around in the backfield with ease, while the wing-backs frequently made runs up and down the field.

The team attempted to stabilize the game's rhythm through skillful team passing.

Sidelines.

Qatari coach Careño stands with his arms crossed in the control area.

His pre-match confidence was by no means unfounded.

In his eyes.

Chinese players who have spent most of their time playing in the domestic league have limited experience in terms of competitive intensity.

They still struggled to cope with Qatar's mature passing and control system.

Even if the opposing team has a French Ligue 1 prodigy.

But football is ultimately a team sport of eleven players.

In contrast, look at the Chinese team's bench.

Coach Gao looked tense.

This is a crucial juncture that will determine the fate of Chinese football.

This match is crucial and cannot be lost!

After several days of targeted training.

The team abandoned the sluggish pace they had in the match against the Maldives.

The opening offensive was extremely fierce.

The entire team actively pressured and coerced the enemy.

The defensive midfield duo of Hao Junmin and Huang Bowen frequently pushed forward to apply pressure.

Constantly cutting off Qatar's midfield passing lanes.

Four defenders were stationed at the rear.

This leaves Qatar no room to retaliate.

The game has only been going on for 7 minutes.

Qatar gradually took control of the game's tempo.

Saeed and Hatem continued to exchange short passes.

The football rolled back and forth between the feet of several midfielders.

China's several attempts to intercept the ball all failed.

The cheers from the stands subsided somewhat.

For many veteran fans, this scene is all too familiar.

The opponent had possession of the ball, forcing the Chinese national football team to run alongside them.

Eventually, their physical strength was gradually depleted.

Sidelines.

Qatari coach Careño crossed his arms.

His expression became increasingly relaxed.

This is the rhythm of the game that Qatar is familiar with.

China's high pressing in the opening minutes.

-

Ultimately, it was just a fleeting moment.

Just then.

Saeed received a pass back from his teammate.

He looked up to observe, preparing to move the ball to the open space on the left.

The football is punched away.

Before it had flown two meters, it was suddenly stopped by a foot.

"Huh?" Said was stunned.

Suddenly, cheers erupted from the stands.

"It broke!"

"Jiang Ming!" He Wei's voice suddenly rose.

"That interception was brilliant!"

"He completely disrupted Qatar's midfield organization!"

In the shot.

Jiang Ming wearing the number 10 jersey.

They have already taken control of the ball.

There was no flying tackle, no physical contact.

They simply retreated from the attacking third.

He extended his leg to complete the interception from outside the opponent's field of vision.

elegant.

Precise.

It was as if he already knew where Saeed would pass the ball.

After intercepting the ball.

Jiang Ming did not pass the ball immediately.

Instead, it moved forward with the momentum.

Qatar's two midfielders immediately surrounded them.

-

Hatem blocks the passing lane.

Muhed applied close pressure.

A standard double-team.

Seeing this scene.

Carreño, on the contrary, breathed a sigh of relief.

It's okay to intercept the ball.

As long as we can stop this counterattack from happening.

The situation remains in Qatar's hands.

But the next second.

Everyone's expression froze at the same time.

Jiang Ming gently tapped his right foot.

The body then rotates laterally.

The football seemed glued to his feet.

He carried the ball and slipped between two Qatari players.

Just one glance.

The two players who were supposed to be double-teaming him have already left him behind.

"It's over!"

He Wei couldn't help but stand up.

"Jiang Ming has achieved a breakthrough!"

"So easy!"

"Faced with two defenders closing in, he dribbled straight out and broke through!"

The San Suzaku Stadium erupted in cheers.

Fifty thousand Chinese football fans stood up at the same time.

A red wave swept across the entire venue.

Carreño's face was filled with disbelief.

He had watched video recordings of Jiang Ming's matches in Monaco.

But seeing it with his own eyes still gave him a different kind of shock.

After breaking through the midfield.

Jiang Ming looked up to observe.

The situation in the attacking third is fully visible.

Three red figures rushed towards the Qatari defense line at the same time.

Qatar's three-center-back formation immediately fell into disarray.

Should we retreat to defend or charge in?

Just as they hesitated...

Jiang Ming gave a slight twitch of his ankle.

The football flew low over the grass.

Like a scalpel, it instantly tore through Qatar's defense.

"pretty!!"

"This ball is in!!"

He Wei shouted excitedly.

The football passed between the two center-backs.

They accurately located Jiang Ning, who was making a high-speed forward run.

Jiang Ning didn't stop the ball and swept it across the middle.

The ball is at the far post.

There.

A red figure had already arrived on horseback.

Wu Lei!

"Wu Lei!!!"

"The opportunity has arrived!!!"

All the fans at St. Suzaku Stadium held their breath at the same time.

Wu Lei met the ball and shot.

The movements are extremely simple.

His close-range shot was different from his solo run with the ball.

No more force is needed.

So.

He won't hit the ball out of bounds again!

The football headed straight for the bottom right corner of the goal.

Qatar's goalkeeper Lecomte quickly got to the ground.

He stretched his arms out as far as he could.

But in the end, it was too late.

The football was right in front of him.

Roll into the net!