Green Field Eunuch

Chapter 637 The Perfect Half

The free kick was taken from a position about 30 meters from the goal, which wasn't exactly a good location.

Shan Yongzhuo stands at the free-kick spot.

He's already used his powerful leg kick, so his chances of hitting the goal directly aren't particularly high.

But if we don't play, it seems like we're wasting another opportunity.

Moreover, this opportunity was created after using the Ghostly Tackle, so it would be a real shame if it didn't result in a goal.

After the referee blew the whistle.

Dan Yongzhuo took a few steps back, then jogged forward and kicked the ball behind him.

The football soared high into the air and cleared the wall of players.

"Look at this ball!"

The football was incredibly fast, spinning and curving as it hurtled towards the far left corner of the goal, like a cannonball.

This powerful shot caught the Colombian wall off guard; they jumped instinctively without even realizing it. By the time they reached their highest point, the ball had already passed them.

Colombian goalkeeper Ospina didn't even have time to react. He made a hasty save, but his outstretched hand seemed to be a galaxy away from the ball.

His skills shocked everyone.

When the referee was so shocked that he blew his whistle a little late, the score had already become 2-0.

The Pantanal Stadium erupted once again with a hellish roar, the cheers seeming capable of shattering the barriers of the earth, as everyone's passion was ignited by this incredibly powerful free-kick goal.

"Goal! Goal!"

"A truly spectacular free-kick goal, scored by Shan Yongzhuo!"

"Scoring twice, Shan Yongzhuo once again scored twice, bringing his World Cup goal tally to seven and helping the Chinese team to a 2-0 lead just before the end of the first half!"

"The first half is about to end, and the timing of this goal is crucial. With a two-goal lead, the second half will be much easier for the Chinese team!"

On the field.

The Chinese team is celebrating wildly.

Guarin stood in front of the penalty area, somewhat bewildered and helpless.

So far in this match, his performance has been commendable; in fact, it could be said that he has effectively limited Shan Yongzhuo in open play.

Having been somewhat unhappy at Inter Milan, this performance was crucial for him.

He also dreamed that, thanks to this match, the whole world would remember him.

After all, he was the one who limited Shan Yongzhuo, who was unstoppable in the entire world, during the competition.

But now, those two goals have shattered his hopes.

Shan Yongzhuo was restricted.

Do not make jokes.

Allowing the opponent to score two goals, is that what you call being contained?
Even as Guarin tried to reassure himself, he didn't believe he had truly restrained him.

Although both goals, one from a corner kick and one from a free kick, appeared to be set pieces and had nothing to do with him.

But at least he was responsible for the free kick goal, and he even received a yellow card for it.

In the upcoming defense, he certainly won't be able to be as unrestrained as before.

With this goal, the Chinese team's celebration also came to an end.

At this point, it was almost the 42nd or 43rd minute of the match.

After Colombia restarted the game and launched several attacks, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half.

"The first half ends with China leading Colombia 2-0 thanks to Shan Yongzhuo's brace! This score might surprise those who just turned on their TVs, but anyone who watched the first half wouldn't think so." "Shan Yongzhuo is terrifying; he always finds a way to score!"

In the Colombian locker room.

Pekerman didn't know how to comfort his players.

To be honest, their performance was quite good.

Throughout the first half, Colombia completely dominated the game, controlling the tempo and having more possession and shots on goal.

But they were still down by two goals.

It's really unfair that the opponent took a two-goal lead with just one corner kick and one free kick.

But that's just how incredible football matches are.

At the earliest, Pekerman could only turn his attention to Rodriguez.

"James, you'll be coming on in the second half."

"Yes."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Chinese team's locker room was very relaxed.

After all, the score at halftime allows them to face the second half without any pressure.

Whether they finish first or second in the group, it seems that Gao Hongbo and the players can accept either outcome.

Having advanced from the group stage to the round of 16, the goal has been achieved. Now, every additional win will be a bonus.

However, the internet is in an uproar right now.

The origin of this argument is a blogger's sensationalist claim that the Chinese team relies entirely on Shan Yongzhuo's individual performance, and even if they qualify from the group stage, there's nothing to be proud of, as they won't go far. He believes that Chinese football hasn't fundamentally changed, and that once Shan Yongzhuo retires, the Chinese team will revert to its old ways.

She went on and on and on.

In fact, from his point of view, what he said is quite correct.

However, under the current circumstances, he has undoubtedly incurred the wrath of the masses.

After all, everyone was celebrating the performance in the first half.

Then, he naturally got criticized.

These noises and commotions were naturally irrelevant to the national football team. After a fifteen-minute break, the second half of the game quickly began.

The two sides switched sides and started the game again.

Colombia has clearly intensified its offensive.

Although they don't care about finishing first or second in the group, losing to an Asian team like China still makes the Colombian players uncomfortable.

In the first half, Colombia's attack relied almost entirely on the flanks, which made their attacking methods very limited. They mainly relied on wing breakthroughs or the individual abilities of their two forwards to find opportunities in the penalty area.

But when Rodriguez came on, the situation changed completely.

J. Rodriguez's playmaking and orchestration in the middle played a significant role, allowing Colombia's attack to combine the flanks and the center, becoming more coordinated and cohesive as a whole.

Cuadrado and Juan Quintero, the two wingers, also performed significantly better.

This attacking style, which combines attacks from the wings and the center, and then relies on the wings to send the ball into the penalty area, is often the most effective in a match, and is much more powerful than an attack that relies solely on breakthroughs from the wings.

Colombia frequently passed the ball into the Chinese team's penalty area, creating opportunities for their two forwards, Ramos and Martinez.

Even James Rodriguez frequently made forward runs to seek opportunities for long-range shots, and Cuadrado was also able to find opportunities to cut inside and shoot when passing opportunities were not plentiful.

Suddenly, the Chinese team's penalty area became somewhat fraught with danger.

This crisis, compared to the one that was all bark and no bite in the first half, is a visible crisis where a goal could be conceded at any moment.

(End of this chapter)