Green Field Eunuch

Chapter 63 The Clever Hangeland

In the following matches, Roma gradually stabilized the situation by solidifying their defense and were able to launch some attacks.

However, Shan Yongzhuo was marked very closely and didn't have many opportunities to get the ball. Moreover, when he did get the ball, he was usually in a bad position and couldn't turn and shoot.

Moreover, the distance from the goal wasn't ideal, and Shan Yongzhuo was reluctant to activate his skill, which led to him being dispossessed.

Totti did have two long-range shooting opportunities, but he couldn't control the ball and both shots went outside the goal frame.

In the 40th minute, De Rossi made a tackle and passed the ball to Taddei on the wing. Taddei dribbled all the way to the opponent's half and swept the ball towards the center just before the opponent was about to make a tackle.

Shan Yongzhuo, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, immediately retreated to contest the ball, while Fulham failed to do so in time.

The opposing defender immediately came over to intercept, but Shan Yongzhuo didn't give him a chance, nor did he unleash his powerful kick.

He found himself in a very good position with the ball, with only one center-back coming to intercept, allowing him to shoot directly.

Without any hesitation, Shan Yongzhuo turned around before the opposing center-back could intercept him, and then unleashed a first-time shot with the outside of his foot.

The football arced dramatically, hurtling straight toward the Fulham goal.

"The ball is in!"

"Shan Yongzhuo didn't stop the ball; he turned and shot directly at the ball that was being passed to him!"

"In the 40th minute, Shan Yongzhuo helped Roma score a beautiful goal, leveling the score."

"Shan Yongzhuo, a remarkable young man!"

The Italian television commentators were very excited, shouting loudly.

The Italian commentators were very frustrated that Roma had been under pressure, especially since they were being dominated by an English team, which was unacceptable to them.

Now, Shan Yongzhuo scored with a beautiful turn and shot, which immediately improved his mood.

After scoring, Shan Yongzhuo excitedly hugged Taddei, who rushed towards him, followed by De Rossi, Totti, and Vucinic.

Several people cheered, and Taddei shouted excitedly, "Stan, you're a genius! That goal was so beautiful!"

"That turn and shot, the quality of it, is unparalleled."

"I really want to study your feet carefully, to see how they are shaped."

Shan Yongzhuo's goal helped Roma equalize the score, and even Spalletti on the sidelines was excited, saying to his assistant coach, "Sure enough, we still have to rely on Shan, he's amazing!"

When Roma scored, Fulham fans were also discussing Shan Yongzhuo.

"This number 19 is amazing."

"Turning and shooting without stopping the ball, and yet achieving such a terrifying arc, it's unbelievable."

"I know him. He's the top scorer in Serie A, scoring 15 goals in 9 games. He's very impressive."

"..."

After the game restarted, Fulham players intensified their marking of Shan Yongzhuo, but they are, after all, a Premier League team, unlike most Serie A teams, who have a deep understanding of Shan Yongzhuo's footwork.

After retreating, Shan Yongzhuo calmly regained possession of the ball.

In the 42nd minute, Shan Yongzhuo once again received the ball at the corner of the penalty area. Fulham's defenders failed to make a tackle in time, and Shan Yongzhuo, without any hesitation or control of the ball, immediately took a shot.

The position wasn't ideal, but Shan Yongzhuo was absolutely confident, utilizing his powerful leg. The Fulham defender thought it was a cross because a direct shot from that position was very difficult.

But the next moment, they paid the price. The football flew high in an exaggerated arc and sped into the top left corner of the goal.

Fulham goalkeeper Schwarzer accurately judged the direction of the ball and his glove touched the ball, but the ball was too fast and had a violent spin, so it eventually went into the goal.

The Fulham players could hardly believe their eyes as the ball flew into the goal.

"You can kick it straight in from that position?"

Is this luck?

"If not, that would be terrifying!"

The surrounding stands erupted in uproar.

Just over ten minutes ago, they were happily discussing that the team would win, but only a few minutes later, their goal was breached in two minutes.

The Italian commentator, however, was completely different. He was even more excited, exclaiming, "One, another one! Just two minutes later, he scored his second goal!"

"Roma scored two goals in quick succession before the end of the first half, incredible! But Fulham paid the price for their carelessness with this amazing young Chinese player."

"They underestimate Shane. If they had any knowledge of him, they would know that Shane's shots don't have any positional requirements; the entire area around the penalty area is within his shooting range!"

Fulham were very frustrated, and center-back Hangeland became the target of blame.

In the pre-match setup, he was responsible for marking Shan Yongzhuo, while another veteran, Aaron Hughes, was responsible for marking Totti.

However, in both consecutive goals, Hangeland failed to keep up with Shan Yongzhuo, giving him a chance to calmly shoot, which is somewhat unacceptable.

Hangeland was also very frustrated. In his mind, for the first goal, Shan Yongzhuo would definitely stop the ball first and then try to turn around, giving him enough time to close in. The second goal was even more frustrating. In his opinion, it was impossible to shoot directly from that position.

However, the opponent scored two goals, which was hard to accept, and he also found it difficult to refute his teammates' criticisms.

"From now on, I won't give you any more chances. I'll show you what Brad Hangeland is all about!"

However, there wasn't much time left in the first half. After Fulham restarted the game, the two sides traded blows for a few moments before the match ended.

Hangeland was frustrated; he wanted to prove himself in the second half, but Hodgson didn't give him the chance.

"Brad, in the second half you and Aaron switch positions. Let Aaron mark that number 19, and you mark Totti."

"Aaron, that number 19's shots are very accurate, don't give him any chance to shoot!"

"His footwork is mediocre, and he's not fast. If you don't give him a chance to kick, he's not much of a threat."

"..."

Hangrand felt a little uncomfortable, but upon closer reflection, Totti seemed easier to deal with than Shan Yongzhuo. Although Totti was also very famous, he was already over thirty years old, so dealing with such an old guy shouldn't be too difficult.

As for that troublesome number 19, let's leave it to the more experienced Aaron Hughes.

“If Aaron also fails to keep an eye on him, then it won’t be my responsibility alone. That’s right, then naturally no one will blame me.”

Thinking about this, Hangeland couldn't help but admire his own cleverness.

(End of this chapter)