Football: Starting from the 05 World Youth Championship

This goal was different from the previous two; it was scored during a positional attack.

The Chinese team's method of completing this attack was nothing special; Lin Feng simply used a change in rhythm to catch the opponent off guard.

The first half was already nearing its end, and the Chinese team had been consciously slowing down the pace of the game, seemingly trying to drag out the time.

The Bahrain team was initially very cautious, but seeing that the Chinese team seemed to have no intention of attacking, they gradually relaxed as well.

Then the Chinese team found an opportunity, using changes in rhythm and Lin Feng's excellent link-up ability to complete the attack.

At least 70% of the credit for this goal should go to Lin Feng.

After scoring, Hao Junmin did not choose to celebrate by himself. Instead, he immediately ran to Lin Feng, knelt down on one knee, and placed Lin Feng's foot on his knee, making a gesture as if he were wiping Lin Feng's shoes.

His shot from an open space wasn't particularly difficult; what was truly remarkable was Lin Feng's crucial pass when he was double-teamed by opposing players inside the penalty area.

In any case, Hao Junmin believed that he could not do it, and he was even certain that, apart from Lin Feng, no one else on the national team could pass the ball so accurately under the same circumstances.

Therefore, he was truly convinced and admired Lin Feng to the point of complete devotion.

It wasn't just Hao Junmin who felt this way; the opposing players also looked at Lin Feng as if he were a monster.

Because of his reputation, major Asian teams will focus on targeting and limiting Lin Feng when they encounter the Chinese team.

However, when the gap in strength between the two sides widens to a certain extent, such restrictions can achieve very little effect.

Judging from Lin Feng's outstanding performance in this match, there was no indication that he was being targeted by his opponent.

In reality, Bahrain had specifically assigned a defensive midfielder to closely mark Lin Feng from the very beginning.

But after only half a game, the defensive midfielder, known for his stamina and running ability, was already exhausted like a dog.

In contrast, Lin Feng seemed unaffected and still had the energy to continue attacking Bahrain's defense.

This left the Bahrain players feeling extremely desperate. They had thought that everyone was human, with two shoulders and one head, so how big could the difference be between them?
But after actually fighting, they were horrified to discover that sometimes the gap between people is even greater than the gap between people and dogs!
……

With a three-goal lead, the Chinese national football team returned to the locker room.

Old Zhu was very satisfied with everyone's performance, and he especially praised Lin Feng, Yu Dabao and Hao Junmin, who performed well in the first half.

Lin Feng and Hao Junmin, among others, didn't seem to care much; they'd heard similar praise enough from the national team already.

It seems that since the Chinese team started to improve a few years ago, Zhu's bad temper has gradually improved. The swear words he used to use have turned into praise, and everyone is tired of hearing them.

On the contrary, the inexperienced Yu Dabao was extremely excited. He was thrilled by the coach's praise and his face was full of the expression of "Coach, just wait and see, I'll crush them in the second half".

Chen Tao nudged Lin Feng with his elbow, gestured towards the energized Yu Dabao with his lip, and whispered:

"Another one got tricked by Lao Zhu and became crippled!"

"really!"

A scholar will die for one who understands him. Perhaps Yu Dabao felt that he had found a mentor who appreciated him, which is why he was so excited.

But upon closer reflection, it seems that they went through the same thing back then.

When they first joined the national team, they were praised by the head coach and senior players for their outstanding performance in the East Asian Four Nations Tournament. These young players were so excited that they played even harder in the next game, even at the risk of getting injured.

Looking back now, I'm starting to wonder if I was tricked by that old coach.

……

Because of China's large lead, Coach Zhu started making substitutions very early in the game.

Veteran player Han Peng did not play in the second half and was replaced by Dong Fangzhuo.

Dong Fangzhuo didn't play in the last game, and if he doesn't play in this game, then his trip to the national team will have been in vain.

To avoid dampening his disciples' confidence and enthusiasm for competing for the national team, Coach Zhu still needs to strike a balance.

However, this means Wu Lei will most likely not have a chance to play in this match, which makes him very disappointed.

In his debut match, Wu Lei did not perform well, and because the game was nearing its end when he came on, he was not given any time to prove himself.

Therefore, Wu Lei put in all his effort in this match, wanting to prove himself with his actions.

Unfortunately, he was disappointed; he wasn't even given playing time, so how could he possibly have a chance to perform?

"Don't worry, you're so young, you'll have plenty of opportunities in the future."

Chen Tao patted Wu Lei on the back and offered a word of comfort.

Wu Lei is only seventeen years old this year, and he has already been selected for the national team. When he was Wu Lei's age, he was just promoted to the first team of Shenyang Jinde and had to wait more than a year before he was selected for the national team.

It can be said that Wu Lei's starting point was already higher than many others.

“But Brother Lin…”

"He's a prodigy, you can't compare yourself to him. If you set him as your goal, wouldn't you feel incredibly frustrated?"

Chen Tao laughed in exasperation. Why did these young people always like to compare themselves to Lin Feng?

Others may not know Lin Feng's strength, but how could he, who has been Lin Feng's teammate for four or five years, not know it?
He also debuted as a prodigy player, and was even more famous than Lin Feng.

But in the face of a true genius, his 'pseudo-genius' simply cannot compare.

Chen Tao was once unconvinced and tried hard to catch up with Lin Feng and prove that he was no weaker than him.

But the more you chase, the more desperate you become. Sometimes the gap between people is even bigger than that between dogs.

Chen Tao has now accepted the fact that he is not as good as his opponent, but today, he seems to see his younger self in Wu Lei.

……

Lin Feng has a good relationship with the forwards in the national team, and he did not neglect Dong Fangzhuo after he came on the field.

In the 71st minute, China took a corner kick, and Lin Feng's cross found Dong Fangzhuo in the crowd, assisting him to score with a header.

The Bahrain fans at the stadium seemed stunned, and as the first half drew to a close, a large number of them began to leave early.

Seeing that the home team still couldn't narrow the score gap and instead conceded another goal, even more fans angrily left the stadium.

Shortly after providing that assist, Lin Feng was substituted.

Zhu Guanghu was worried that if Lin Feng remained on the field, he would be subject to retaliatory fouls from the opposing players who had lost their tempers. Given that the game was already decided and the opponent had little chance of a comeback, he didn't keep Lin Feng on the field and substituted him with Chen Tao. While Chen Tao's ability was indeed inferior to Lin Feng's, having been the midfield linchpin for Werder Bremen for several years, he was still very adept at orchestrating the Chinese team's midfield and controlling the tempo of the game.

Under his organization and direction, the Chinese team maintained firm control of the game, leaving the home team with no chance to turn the tide, and even scoring a consolation goal became a pipe dream.

Lin Feng sat comfortably on the bench, enjoying a massage from the team doctor while watching the game and observing his teammates' performance on the field.

Xiao Chen played well, he's more experienced than before, and his control of the game's rhythm and timing of passes are excellent. It seems that his years of training in the Bundesliga have been very effective.

Yu Dabao's positioning was indeed excellent, and his attitude was impeccable. Even at this point, he still had the energy to sprint. It seems that Lao Zhu's motivational speech had a very good effect!
Xiao Dong's positioning is a bit rigid. This is the second time Lin Feng has seen him in an offside position. He needs to improve in this area!

Old Zheng truly deserves his reputation as the former top midfielder of the national team. With solid technique and rich experience, he can be considered the pillar of the national team's midfield and defense.

Yes, Xu Yunlong's strength is indeed inferior to Sun Jihai's, and his position will soon be replaced by Zhang Linpeng.

Feng's performance is quite good. Although he has less playing time at Barcelona this season than last season, he seems to be more well-rounded than last season.

He used to be a little afraid of physical contact, and his physique was relatively thin, so he was at a disadvantage when facing those strong and tough strikers.

But in this match, he completely shut down the opponent's naturalized striker, giving him no chance whatsoever.

He maintained the upper hand in several physical confrontations and showed no signs of avoiding confrontation.

Although Pique's return has made his situation at Barcelona a bit more difficult, Lin Feng believes that if he can maintain this form, he will eventually be reused by Guardiola.

Just as Lin Feng was mentally evaluating his teammates on the field, a large hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

"Brother Lin, why didn't you pass the ball to me? They all scored, but I didn't. Are you unhappy with me?"

Lin Feng turned his head and saw Han Peng's resentful expression.

"Brother, you're my brother, how could I dare to have a problem with you? The reason I didn't pass the ball to you is simply because you're too strong!"

Han Peng is five years older than Lin Feng. When Han Peng calls Lin Feng "Brother Lin," Lin Feng feels extremely uncomfortable, and goosebumps almost fall off his skin.

"Huh? What does this have to do with my strength?"

"Think about it, you're the main center forward for our national team, and you even scored in the last game. The opponents will definitely target you, right?"

"You were heavily targeted by the opponent, surrounded by defenders. It's not that I didn't want to pass the ball, it's that I had nowhere to tackle!"

Han Peng nodded, accepting Lin Feng's explanation.

But secretly, he was smug and pleased with himself: So my reputation has spread this far? Even the Bahrainis are so wary of me!
I do have the potential to become a top striker in Asia!
Seeing how easily the other party had fallen for the trap, Lin Feng was speechless.
My foolish, silly brother, how could you be so easily fooled!

……

After Lin Feng left the field, the Chinese team's offensive desire decreased significantly, and the opponents were unable to mount an effective counterattack, making the game rather uneventful.

After 90 minutes, the score was 4-0.

The Chinese team secured their third consecutive victory, raising their total points to 16 and maintaining their lead in Group A.

Bahrain, on the other hand, suffered its second consecutive defeat.

In another match, Australia defeated Uzbekistan 2-0 at home.

As a result, Bahrain, with only 3 points from six rounds of matches, was eliminated early and will miss next year's World Cup in South Africa.

After six rounds of matches, the qualification situation in Group A is gradually becoming clearer.

China leads the standings with 16 points from 5 wins and 1 draw, essentially securing a spot in the next round.

Australia has 3 wins and 2 draws, accumulating 11 points and currently ranking second.

Japan has 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, accumulating 8 points and currently ranking third.

Considering that both Australia and Japan still have three matches to play, theoretically, China could still be eliminated.

However, this possibility is extremely slim. It would require the Chinese team to lose both of their remaining matches, the Japanese team to win all of their remaining matches, and the Australian team to win the only match except for the one against Japan.

The first condition alone is almost impossible to meet.

Compared to the qualification situation in Group A, Group B is a complete mess.

Originally, the focus of attention in Group B was on the three long-established Asian powerhouses: South Korea, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

Unexpectedly, a dark horse emerged from the middle – the North Korean team!

After six rounds of matches, the points standings for each team in Group B are as follows:
South Korea has 3 wins and 2 draws, accumulating 11 points and currently ranking first.

North Korea has 3 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses, accumulating 10 points, and is currently in second place due to a superior goal difference.

Saudi Arabia has 3 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, accumulating 10 points and currently ranking third.

As for the traditionally strong Iranian team, although they defeated North Korea in the first round, they were held to a draw by the UAE, who were at the bottom of the group, in the third round, which put them in a very unfavorable situation.

Currently, the Iranian team has 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 loss, accumulating 6 points. They are clearly at a disadvantage in the competition with North Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Considering that Iran has two away games in its remaining three matches, and both away games are against strong opponents, their hopes of advancing are extremely slim.

Saudi Arabia also faces an unfavorable schedule, with their last two matches against South Korea and North Korea.

As a result, South Korea and North Korea are very likely to advance from Group B, a result that may have exceeded many people's expectations before the competition.

Considering Group A, all the teams from West Asia have been eliminated.

If the two qualifying spots in Group B do indeed go to the two North Korean teams, then next year's World Cup will once again feature three teams from East Asia.

Meanwhile, the West Asian teams will be completely eliminated and will collectively miss the World Cup.

As a result, after the sixth round of matches...

In West Asia, there was widespread lamentation, with many fans from various West Asian countries clamoring for a breakup, independence from the Asian Football Confederation, and the formation of their own Arab Football Federation.

The current trend of East Asia rising and West Asia declining is very obvious. The football strength of the three East Asian countries plus North Korea, a dark horse, is constantly improving, while West Asia has not made much progress and is even regressing.

If this continues, it is likely that the 4.5 World Cup slots for Asia will be monopolized by East Asian teams for a long time.

The West Asian countries have spent so much money on football over the years, but in the end they can't even qualify for the World Cup. Isn't all that money wasted?

Therefore, they hope to part ways with East Asia, keeping their own quota and dividing the spoils themselves, rather than letting East Asia take all the spoils. (End of Chapter)