Football: Starting from the 05 World Youth Championship

Having narrowly escaped defeat, the Nigerian team launched a fierce counterattack in the final moments of the first half, creating several dangerous opportunities in front of the Chinese team's goal.

In the 43rd minute, Odemwyn broke through on the left and swept the ball across the face of the goal. His teammates in the middle failed to touch the ball. Adfemi received the ball on the right and passed it across the face of the goal again. Isak was unmarked in front of the goal but was unprepared. His hasty shot was weak and easily caught by Wang Dalei.

This was Nigeria's closest chance to score in the entire first half, but unfortunately they missed a golden opportunity.

In the first minute of stoppage time, the Chinese team launched an attack from the right flank. Chen Tao chipped the ball in from the edge of the penalty area, and Dong Fangzhuo headed the ball towards goal, but the Nigerian goalkeeper caught it.

He also wanted to imitate Wang Dalei's previous counterattack using a throw-in. After getting up, he rushed out of the penalty area with the ball in his arms and threw the ball forward with a powerful throw-in.

The Nigerian forwards understood immediately and went all out to catch up.

However, someone was faster than him. China's goalkeeper, Wang Dalei, appeared near the center circle at some point and kicked the ball back with a long kick.

In this back-and-forth exchange, Nigeria's defense was completely disrupted.

While many players were still charging forward with all their might, the ball had already flown over their heads and behind them.

Dong Fangzhuo, who was feeling frustrated about missing the opportunity earlier, jumped up when he saw the ball coming from the air and passed it to his teammate in front of him.

After controlling the ball with his chest, Lin Feng unleashed a powerful shot from 26 meters out, before the ball even hit the ground.

The shot was incredibly powerful and fast, and Nigeria's goalkeeper, Van Zegin, had his view blocked by his teammate in front of him. By the time the ball came flying towards him, it was too late to react.

With a crisp swish, the ball swished into the net.

In the final seconds of the first half, Lin Feng's goal extended China's lead to two goals.

Nigeria ultimately couldn't escape Lin Feng's wrath!
Lin Feng's sudden goal caught not only the fans off the field off guard, but also the players on both sides of the field completely off guard.

The first members of the national Olympic team to react rushed towards Lin Feng like madmen, tackling him to the ground and playing a human pyramid on him.

The fans in the stands went completely wild, with deafening cheers and applause that lasted for a long time.

In the stands where the Nigerian fans were, a Chinese fan had somehow obtained a piece of cardboard and had written a few lines of text in English on it:

We are good at gymnastics.
We are good at table tennis.

Our football is also very good.
These three lines were a rebuttal to the previous provocative behavior of Nigerian fans, but one guy still felt it wasn't enough, so he added another line below:

Nigerian football is terrible!

When the people around him saw the line he added, they all burst into laughter.

Amidst the laughter of those around them, the Nigerian fans felt their cheeks burning and wished they could disappear into the ground.

They mocked Chinese football for being bad, but in just the first half of the game, the Chinese team scored two goals against them.

The Nigerian Olympic team, on which they had placed high hopes, may well become a stepping stone for the Chinese team to advance to the finals.

……

During halftime, Klaus Toppmöller, who is usually stoic, walked into the locker room with a clear smile on his face.

"Boss, how did we perform in the first half?"

Seeing that he was in a good mood, some players egged him on by asking him questions.

"good, very good!"

Everyone thought that Klaus would tell them to be humble and not arrogant, but to their surprise, Klaus was uncharacteristically generous with his praises and praised everyone in a very open manner.

This attitude, however, made everyone feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"You played exceptionally well in the first half, and I'm proud of you. But remember, a full match is 90 minutes, not 45. If you become complacent or arrogant just because you played well in the first half, football will teach you a lesson!"

With AC Milan's example as a warning, who would dare to open champagne in the locker room at halftime now?
The players sat up straight, perking up and listening attentively to Klaus Toppmöller's instructions.

"In the first half, our main task was defense, and we scored two goals through counter-attacks. We are now in the lead, and our opponents will definitely increase their attacking efforts in the second half. If we continue to use the tactics from the first half, we may be able to find good counter-attack opportunities, but we may also be unable to withstand their attack and concede a goal or even equalize the score!"

"Therefore, in the second half, we must take the initiative and use our own rhythm to win this game!"

The style of play in the first half had already made everyone feel frustrated and unhappy, so when they heard that Klaus Toppmöller had decided to change tactics, no one objected and everyone expressed their support.

"Go, lads, defeat your opponents, get your tickets to the finals, and march towards the Bird's Nest!"

"March!"

Everyone started shouting; the mere mention of the Bird's Nest made them all incredibly excited.

The power of hosting the Olympics is immense; who wouldn't want to shine in front of their hometown folks?

In the second half, the two sides switched sides and started playing again. The Chinese team did something unusual, not only taking the initiative to attack, but also pressing high up the field.

The Nigerian team was caught off guard. They were used to the Chinese team's defensive tactics of camping in the first half and had no time to adjust, leaving them scrambling to catch up with the Chinese team's attacks.

In the 46th minute, the Chinese team intercepted the ball in the attacking third. Lin Feng dribbled the ball into the penalty area and passed it to the right wing. Hao Junmin received the ball and rushed into the penalty area, but unfortunately his shot was too straight and went directly into the arms of the onrushing Nigerian goalkeeper.

However, after the Nigerian goalkeeper launched a long ball into the attacking third, the Chinese team immediately regained possession through a counter-pressing maneuver within the area.

This made Nigeria's head coach uneasy.

Has the other party gone mad?
With such aggressive pressing, aren't you worried that if your players fail to press and lose their defensive positions, they'll be caught on the counter-attack?
Thinking of this, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

Both of Nigeria's forwards are speed-based; given the opportunity, they can use their speed to win the game.

It's good for them if the Chinese team attacks; they'd be in trouble if the Chinese team continued to play a defensive counter-attacking style!
However, things didn't seem to go as he had expected.

Under pressure from the Chinese team's counter-pressing, the Nigerian team couldn't even organize a fast break, and they were almost unable to hold onto the ball in the middle.

In the 49th minute, the Chinese team intercepted the ball again in the attacking third. Lin Feng and Hao Junmin played a one-two on the wing, and Lin Feng broke through along the right wing, cut inside to the edge of the penalty area, and suddenly unleashed a long-range shot.

The Nigerian goalkeeper was startled, but fortunately his view was not blocked by his teammates this time, and he managed to dive and block the ball.

Under the continuous attacks of the Chinese team, the Nigerian team's goal became extremely vulnerable.

Although their players were eager to launch an attack, they were pinned down in their own half and unable to move under the immense offensive threat from the Chinese team.

China's attack lasted for nearly ten minutes, during which Nigeria managed to mount almost no decent attacks and was constantly on the defensive.

For a while, they couldn't even touch the ball. The players were as anxious as ants on a hot plate, and they were all about to turn red.

The continuous attack for ten minutes took a heavy toll on the Chinese team's stamina.

So after launching this offensive, Lin Feng consciously began to control the pace of the game, allowing the team to make tactical adjustments at their own pace.

The Nigerians were overjoyed to see that the Chinese team had reduced their pressing intensity.

Fueled by their pent-up anger, they seized the opportunity to launch an attack, determined to bring the battle to the opponent's half.

The longer the game drags on, the worse it will be for them. To equalize, they need to score at least two goals in the remaining thirty minutes. They haven't scored a single goal yet, and time is running out.

But they seemed a bit too hasty; once the attack reached the frontcourt, they couldn't wait to pass the ball to the flanks.

That's how it was in the first half, and they're still using the same tactic in the second half.

However, the Chinese team had anticipated this. When Isak attempted to break through on the wing, Lin Feng suddenly appeared and, together with his own full-back, dispossessed him.

The Nigerian players nearby realized something was wrong and immediately rushed forward to counter-attack, trying to stop the Chinese team's counter-attack.

However, Lin Feng made a dashing Cruyff turn, leaving his opponent behind.

Mikel charged forward aggressively, but Lin Feng was faster and, before Mikel could reach him, delivered a through ball to the attacking third.

Despite the rush, Lin Feng's pass still showcased his top-class midfield maestro level.

The through ball passed between the two opposing defenders and appeared directly in front of Dong Fangzhuo.

Dong Fangzhuo swore he had never been so lucky in his life, getting two such easy wins in one match.

Faced with this easy assist, Dong Fangzhuo naturally wouldn't waste it.

He fought his way past the defender and received the ball, creating a one-on-one opportunity.

Facing the onrushing goalkeeper, Dong Fangzhuo calmly opted for a chip shot, the ball sailing over the goalkeeper's head and into the net.

3: 0!

Dong Fangzhuo scored his first brace in the Olympic semi-final.

This goal also helped China extend their lead to 3 goals!
With just over thirty minutes left in the game, it was impossible for Nigeria to equalize the score in such a short time unless a miracle occurred.

So his goal has practically killed any suspense in the game!
The Shanghai Gymnasium was in complete ecstasy. The fans went wild, witnessing the Chinese team advance to the Olympic finals and becoming witnesses to history!
Wow! Dong Fangzhuo is awesome!

"China is awesome!"

"We've made it to the finals!"

“Champion, champion, champion!”

The fans roared with deafening cheers, and the stadium roof seemed to sway precariously under the impact of this terrifying sound.

On the court, Dong Fangzhuo excitedly rushed to the sidelines and subconsciously imitated Lin Feng's celebration.

As if infected by the celebration, his teammates all adopted the same celebratory gesture.

"Siu!"

Although it wasn't Lin Feng himself who used this classic celebration move, the fans still gave him a huge shout, joining in with Dong Fangzhuo and his team.

"Well shot, King Dong!"

"He scored twice in the semi-finals! This is a result he can brag about for the rest of his life!"

His teammates patted Dong Fangzhuo's head, offering various words of congratulations and praise.

"Hehe, it's mainly because Brother Lin spread the word so well!"

Dong Fangzhuo was a little embarrassed by everyone's praise, so he gave the credit to Lin Feng.

"Your chip shot was really good, much better than someone else's lob!"

"It was a mistake, it was a mistake last time. Please trust me one more time, brother! Don't abandon me!"

Hao Junmin, who had been all smiles, immediately stopped smiling after hearing Lin Feng's words.

According to the law of conservation of smiles, when the Chinese players were all smiles, the Nigerian players all had long faces.

How does this work?
When you're down by two goals, there's still a glimmer of hope. You can still dream of pulling one back, then using the thrill of scoring to launch a counter-attack and tie the game.

But now they're down by three goals, how can they catch up?
The Nigerian team's mentality was greatly affected, which obviously impacted their subsequent matches.

In the 63rd minute, Nigeria had a good chance to score. Mikel passed the ball in front of the penalty area, and Ensofor received the ball on the left side of the penalty area but did not choose to shoot. When he crossed the ball into the penalty area, it was intercepted by Wang Dalei.

Mikel was almost laughing in anger. He had finally created an opportunity, only to have it was so easily wasted by his teammates.

What were you thinking when you didn't shoot directly from that position?
If you delay by even half a second, the opponent will be on guard, and then it will be difficult to pass the ball successfully.

How can you win a game with a bunch of scoundrels as teammates?
At that moment, Mikel had the idea of ​​retiring from the national Olympic team.

The Nigerian head coach couldn't stand by and watch his players squander their opportunities.

In the 64th minute, Nigeria made their first substitution, with Anichebe replacing Okronkwo.

However, the substitution did not seem to have any effect. Instead, after the opponent made the substitution, the Chinese team created several dangerous situations in front of Nigeria's goal with free kicks and corner kicks, almost extending the score to 4-0.
With their backs against the wall, the Nigerian team made another substitution in the 70th minute, bringing on Ekpo to replace Isak, indicating they were going all out.

In the 71st minute, Ekpo, who had only been on the field for a minute, broke through on the right wing and then sent in a cross. The Chinese team's clearance was not cleared properly, leading to chaos in the penalty area.

In the midst of the scramble, Ensofort's follow-up shot went wide of the post, it seems even luck was on China's side.

The Chinese team quickly made substitutions, with Zheng Zhi and Chen Tao, whose stamina was declining, being replaced one after another. The Chinese team brought on Cui Peng and Zhao Xuri as defensive midfielders to strengthen the defense, and Lin Feng moved forward to his familiar attacking midfield position.

With almost all of Nigeria's substitutions being made in forward positions, the midfielders and defenders were also struggling with fatigue.

Faced with Lin Feng's return to the front line, these people were somewhat powerless and could not stop him at all.

In the 73rd minute, Lin Feng was pulled down by a defender while dribbling past an opponent. The referee showed the offender a yellow card and awarded China a free kick in the attacking third.

The ball was in a better position than in the first half, so Lin Feng used the same trick again, unleashing Beckham's signature free kick.

The ball drew a perfect arc in the air and nestled into the top left corner of the goal.

The goalkeeper was helpless against the ball and could only watch it go into the net.

The score became 4-0, and Lin Feng also scored twice after Dong Fangzhuo.

Five minutes later, Klaus Toppmöller used his last substitution to take Lin Feng off the court, allowing him to receive the applause from the fans alone.

The entire stadium rose to their feet and applauded, giving Lin Feng the warmest applause and cheers.

Lin Feng delivered an incredible performance in this match, contributing two assists and two goals. All four of China's goals came from his efforts.

Fifteen minutes later, the referee blew the final whistle to end the match.

The final score was 4-0, with China defeating Nigeria and making history by advancing to the Olympic finals. (End of Chapter)