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CCTV studio, 15 minutes before the match

Huang Jianxiang adjusted his headset and looked at the camera:

"Good evening, viewers. You are now watching the live broadcast of the quarter-final match of the 2011 AFC U-19 Championship, between China's U-19 national team and the UAE's U-19 national team. This match is presented to you by CCTV Sports Channel and is also being broadcast simultaneously on platforms such as Goose Video and iQiyi Sports. I am Huang Jianxiang."

Mr. Zhan Jun adjusted his glasses: "I am Zhan Jun. The match will be held at a rectangular stadium in Perth, Australia. The temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, with a light breeze—perfect weather for football."

The camera cuts to an aerial view of the stadium. The rectangular stadium is oval in shape and held nearly 28,000 people tonight. Red and white squares stand facing each other in the north and south stands, interspersed with the neutral colors of local Australian fans.

Huang Jianxiang: "Let's first look at the key players of both sides. For Yi Jianlian, the focus is of course their number 10, 'Gulf Messi' Omar, who has contributed 8 assists in this tournament, ranking first in the assist list. There is also number 9, Mabkhout, who leads the scoring list with 6 goals. This front two can be said to be one of the most threatening attacking lines in this tournament."

Zhan Jun chimed in: "Looking at the national youth team, the biggest highlight is undoubtedly the 'Wu-Wu combination.' Wu Lei, number 7, has five goals in three games, ranking second on the top scorers list; Wu Shi, number 9, has two goals and seven assists, ranking second on the assists list. Their combination in the group stage has already given all opponents a headache."

Huang Jianxiang paused, his tone slightly somber: "There were some unexpected events before the game. Coach Yi Jianlian stated in an interview that their goal is the championship, and some games 'don't need to be played too aggressively,' and they should save their energy for the 'hardest opponents'... What's your opinion, Coach Zhan?"

Zhan Jun smiled and said, "The ball is round. You can make promises you can't keep, but you have to take it one game at a time. The UAE team did show strong attacking firepower in the group stage, but the Chinese youth team's three group stage matches were all tough battles, especially the one where they drew with the host Australia, which showed great resilience."

Huang Jianxiang: "Yes. And in the last group stage match against South Korea, the UAE did play more... relaxed. Of course, we can understand it as a strategic rotation, but in competitive sports, sometimes if you set your mind too high, you're more likely to fall hard."

Zhan Jun: "Alright, both teams' players have entered the field. National anthem playing."

Rectangular stadium, players' tunnel

Wu Shi stood in the queue, able to hear the deafening roar of the crowd outside. A few of the Yi Jianlian players stood nearby, chatting and laughing quietly, their expressions relaxed.

Omar was just diagonally in front of him. This young man, known as the "Gulf Messi," was even more spirited than he appeared on television, with clearly defined calf muscles. He was chewing gum and occasionally bumping fists with his teammates.

When the national anthem was played, Takeshi closed his eyes.

The national anthem ended. The two sides shook hands.

When it was Omar's turn, he shook hands perfunctorily, letting go as soon as his palms touched, and didn't even look at Wu Shi, turning his eyes directly to the next person.

Wu Shi frowned slightly and walked towards the next person.

The referee called on both captains to choose a coin. The Chinese youth team kicked off first.

"The referee blows his whistle, the match begins!" Huang Jianxiang's voice echoed across television screens in countless homes.

"The Chinese U-20 team kicks off from the center circle, Wu Lei passes back to midfield..."

Yi Jianlian's pressing was more aggressive than expected.

Their front three had clearly made a targeted deployment before the match, directly attacking the Chinese youth team's defense.

Mabkhout charged directly at the center-back, while another striker marked the full-back, and Omar roamed in midfield.

Wu Shi had just run to the vicinity of the center circle when he felt someone close behind him.

It was Suhail, number 6 from the UAE, a tall, thin man who was nearly 1.9 meters tall. His arm was intentionally or unintentionally resting on Wu Shi's shoulder, and as soon as he noticed the ball coming to his side, he would make a move to stick to Wu Shi.

Wu Shi tried his best to get rid of his close guard and repeatedly moved into dangerous positions.

But Suhail never gave Wushi more than 1 meter of space.

It wasn't just him; whenever Wu Shi approached the midfield, another midfielder would always provide cover, creating a local numerical advantage.

Zhan Jun noticed something amiss: "Yi Jianlian is paying close attention to Wu Shi's defense. In the first three minutes, Wu Shi touched the ball twice, and both times he was double-teamed."

Huang Jianxiang: "It seems that although they talked a lot before the game, they did their homework very well. Wu Shi's 7 assists in the group stage are a huge threat."

The first ten minutes of the match were breathtakingly fast-paced.

Yi Jianlian's attack is simple and direct:

Looking for number 10, looking for Omar. This number 10 player plays in midfield, and the ball always ends up at his feet. And the way he handles the ball truly deserves the title of "Gulf Messi."

In the 12th minute, Omar received the ball with his back to goal on the right flank, closely marked by the Chinese youth team's midfielder. Omar pulled the ball back with his left foot, turned his body to the right, and deceived the defender, allowing Omar to get past him.

"Danger! Omar's turn is too clever! Our defenders are having a very hard time keeping up!" Huang Jianxiang exclaimed.

But the Chinese youth team's center-back made a timely cover, making a clean sliding tackle to poke the ball out of bounds.

Omar shrugged and gave the defender a thumbs-up—but his expression was one of disdain.

In the 17th minute,

The UAE team is awarded a free kick in the attacking third. Omar stands in front of the ball, approximately 28 meters from the goal, slightly to the right.

The national youth team formed a five-man wall. The goalkeeper shouted instructions from the goal line: "A little to the left! A little more to the left!"

Omar takes a running start, three steps, and then kicks—

It wasn't a shot on goal.

It was a low, cross-court pass!

The moment the wall jumped, the ball flew past their feet and rolled towards the edge of the penalty area. Mabkhout arrived in time and unleashed a powerful shot!

The ball flew like a cannonball towards the top right corner of the goal!

The goalkeeper made a diving save, his fingers barely glancing at the ball!

"boom--"

The ball hit the top of the crossbar and bounced out of bounds!

"Wow! That was close!" Huang Jianxiang exclaimed, his voice rising.

"That save was crucial! A mere fingertip brushed against the ball, changing its trajectory!"

Zhan Jun speaks very quickly:

"Yi Jianlian's free-kick combination was very clever. Omar feigned a shot, but actually passed to Mabkhout who was making a run into the box. The Chinese youth team's wall was focused on blocking shots and missed this opportunity."

On the pitch, Mabkhout held his head in disbelief that the ball hadn't gone in. Omar walked over, patted him on the back, and said, "It's okay, there's still a chance."

Wu Shi stood in the center circle, watching the Yi Jianlian players calmly retreat to their own half.

They are indeed strong. Their individual skills, tactical coordination, and game pace are all a level above their group stage opponents.

In the 22nd minute, the Chinese youth team launched their first counter-attack.

The Chinese youth team's midfielder successfully intercepted the ball. The opponent's pass was slightly weak, and the attacking midfielder quickly positioned himself to pass the ball to his teammate.

The teammate looked up; Wu Shi had already started.

"Give me the stone!" Zhan Jun shouted.

The ball was passed to him. But just as Wu Shi controlled the ball, Suhair rushed in from the side and made a fierce tackle!

Wu Shi staggered a couple of steps from the impact, but managed to protect the ball. He turned around, and Suhair had already retreated to a safe distance, spreading his arms like a wall.

"The referee didn't call a foul!" Huang Jianxiang said. "The confrontation was within the rules, but it was very aggressive."

Wu Shi passed the ball back and made a forward run. Suhair continued to mark him; the coaching staff must have instructed him to stay with his man the entire time.

"Yi Jianlian's defensive strategy against Wu Shi is very clear: don't let him get the ball comfortably, don't let him turn around, and don't let him connect with Wu Lei."

Zhan Jun analyzed,

"Suhail's task is to stick to you, even if he doesn't participate in the attack himself."

That's true. For the next ten minutes, Wu Shi made every touch of the ball under pressure. Suhail used many subtle tactics: pulling on the jersey, stepping on the heel, and subtly bumping the ribs with his elbow.

In the 31st minute, Wu Shi finally received a comfortable pass on the right wing. He turned to face Suhail and feinted a move to break through to the right—

Suhail has shifted its focus.

Wu Shi flicked the ball to the left with his left foot and accelerated!

Half a body length has passed!

However, Yi Jianlian's right-back had already covered and formed a double-team with Suhair. Wu Shi passed the ball to the wing and continued his forward run.

A cross from the wing was headed away by the center-back from the Yi Jianlian team.

"What a pity!" Huang Jianxiang said. "Wu Shi broke free beautifully this time, but Yi Jianlian's help defense was too quick."

Zhan Jun: "Their defensive system is very mature. If one player gets beaten, someone immediately covers for them. And you can see that their formation is always very compact, and the distance between the three lines is well controlled."

In the 38th minute, Omar received the ball in midfield and used two quick changes of direction to shake off the defender. He dribbled forward, forcing the Chinese youth team's midfield line to retreat.

Wu Shi should have retreated to defend, but Suhair was beside him, blocking his way with one arm.

Just then, Wu Shi made a decision that surprised everyone.

He suddenly abandoned his retreat and sprinted in the opposite direction—he sprinted forward!

"What is Wu Shi doing?" Huang Jianxiang asked, puzzled.

Omar was still dribbling the ball, already close to the edge of the Chinese youth team's penalty area. He looked up, preparing to pass to his teammate making a run down the wing.

But he didn't notice that Wu Shi had already started from the center circle!

The Chinese youth team midfielder understood. The moment Omar raised his foot, he made a fierce but not foul-inducing tackle, keeping the ball!

"I've intercepted the ball!" Zhan Jun's voice suddenly rose.

The ball rolled to a teammate's feet. Without hesitation, the teammate launched a long pass over forty meters, flying towards the space in Yi Jianlian's backfield!

Meanwhile, Wu Shi was sprinting at full speed!

"Offside trap! One-on-one opportunity!"

Huang Jianxiang's roar echoed throughout the studio.

Yi Jianlian's two center-backs raised their hands to indicate offside, but the linesman did not raise his flag. His teammate was still in midfield when the pass was made; it was a perfect offside trap!

The ball was falling through the air. Wu Shi used his chest to cushion it, and the ball obediently landed two meters in front of him.

He dribbled the ball towards the penalty area!

UAE goalkeeper Kasimi rushed out of his goal to intercept the ball.

"Wu Shi! Face the goalkeeper!" Huang Jianxiang almost stood up.

Wu Shi glanced up at Kasimi's position. The goalkeeper had already rushed to the edge of the six-yard box, blocking the near post.

If you push the far angle, the angle is very small.

If he attempts a chip shot, Kasimi, with his height and long reach, would likely be able to reach it.

The probability of successfully scoring points for these two options provided by the system is around 30%.

Takeshi made his own decision.

He gently flicked the ball to the left with his right foot, dodging Kasimi's diving hands, and then shot with his left foot—

It's not the goal, it's the gap left after the goalkeeper missed his save!

The moment Kasimi fell to the ground, the ball rolled past his armpit, not fast, but heading towards the goal...

"Go in—" Huang Jianxiang's voice was stuck in his throat.

Yi Jianlian's left-back As chased back like a madman and made a sliding tackle on the goal line!

"Bang!"

The ball hit As's leg and bounced out of bounds!

"Oh my god—!" Huang Jianxiang slammed his hand on the table. "Goal-line rescue! AS saved Yi Jianlian!"

Wu Shi knelt on the grass and pounded the ground hard.

Almost. Just a tiny bit more.

Suhail ran back, panting, and gave As a thumbs up.

Wu Shi stood up, ignored him, and walked towards the corner flag area.

Corner kick.

The shot was headed out at the near post, and a long-range shot from outside the box went high.

The first half ended 0-0.

The locker room was very quiet.

Fifteen minutes passed without anyone speaking.

The only sounds were panting, drinking water, and the hissing of ice packs against the skin.

Old Li was the last to come in and close the door.

"How are you feeling?"

he asks.

No one answered.

"I asked, 'How are you feeling?'" Old Li raised his voice.

Chen Liang gritted his teeth: "Their defense is too tight; Wu Shi is being marked to death."

Where is Wu Lei?

Wu Lei wiped his sweat: "Their midfield support is very fast. Every time I make a forward run, someone is marking me."

Old Li nodded and walked to the tactics board.

"First half stats: Possession: Yi Jianlian 62%, us 38%. Shots: Yi Jianlian 7, us 3. Corner kicks: Yi Jianlian 4, us 2." He paused, "But our best chance came from us."

Wu Shi raised his head.

"That one-on-one opportunity was created by your run," Old Li said, looking at him. "It was also the result of teamwork—the midfield interception, the precise long pass, and your run. What does that show?"

He tapped the tactical board: "This shows their defense isn't impenetrable. Omar is stylish on offense, but on defense? Did he track back? No."

Coach Li turned to the whole team: "Yi Jianlian's arrogance was exposed in the first half. They thought they could overwhelm us with their attack and that our counter-attacks were nothing to fear. That's why their defense dared to push forward and their midfielders dared to participate in the attack."

He picked up a pen and drew a circle in Yi Jianlian's half of the court:

"They'll be more anxious in the second half. A 0-0 draw is a disgrace for them; they have to attack. And all we have to do is wait."

"Wait for them to make mistakes, wait for them to take the fall."

He looked at Wu Shi and Wu Lei:

"Then, as fast as you can, shove it in."

The referee's whistle blew outside, urging the players to enter the field.

Old Li put down his pen: "Forty-five minutes left. If we win, we'll advance to the semifinals and make history. If we lose, we'll go home and continue to be seen as 'spineless'."

He opened the locker room door, and light flooded in.

Choose.

Wu Shi was the first to get up and walk towards the door.

Footsteps sounded one after another behind me.

Heavy, but resolute.

CCTV studio, intermission

Huang Jianxiang compiled the data: "The first half was 0-0, but the game was very intense. The national youth team withstood Yi Jianlian's attacks and even created an excellent one-on-one opportunity."

Zhan Jun nodded: "Yi Jianlian's attack is indeed threatening, and Omar and Mabkhout have strong individual abilities. But the national youth team's defense is well organized, and the three lines are kept very compact, not giving the opponent many good opportunities."

"However, Wu Shi was very tightly marked," Huang Jianxiang said. "Suhair was almost always by his side. Wu Shi only touched the ball nine times in the first half, the lowest number since the start of the group stage."

"This also demonstrates the thorough pre-match preparations made by the Argentine league," Zhan Jun said.

"They talk a big game, but their actions speak louder than words. But in the second half... I think the national youth team has a chance."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Yi Jianlian attacked too aggressively in the first half, so his physical exertion must have been greater than that of the national youth team. Also, they went back to the locker room with a 0-0 score, so they might be anxious."

Zhan Jun pushed up his glasses. "If the national youth team can hold on for the first fifteen minutes and wait for the opponent to get impatient, then the opportunity to counterattack will come."

Huang Jianxiang laughed: "Then let's see in the second half whether Yi Jianlian's attack is sharper or the national youth team's defense is stronger."

Let's take a short break. After that, Mr. Zhan and I will continue to provide live commentary for the second half of the game.