Manchester United's heir apparent, but can't play football.

Chapter 79 The Power of 80 Points of Ball Control! (Chinese National Football Team Story)

The sea breeze rustles through the palm leaves.

As the first rays of sunlight illuminate the sea and the beach, the waves surge and crash against the reefs of the Gold Coast.

Several cleaners in sportswear were wiping down their equipment when they suddenly heard the faint sound of a ball being touched in the distance.

Bah!
Bah!
Bah!
The soccer ball bounced on the wet grass, the noise not affecting the dormitory area in the distance, but it startled the magpies and paparazzi who were foraging for earthworms in the nearby bushes.

The sleepy paparazzi reporter was completely dumbfounded when he saw the figure.

"Wake up! I've never seen Li get up this early before!"

"Huh? What? Li is dating a young model early in the morning?"

"He's training!"

"Oh~ Even if you post photos like this that you secretly took, they won't get any attention, right? Let's go back to sleep."

"That's better than having no material at all."

The tide slowly receded, revealing a beach covered with seashells.

Several locals who were jogging in the morning passed by wearing headphones, their trouser legs damp with dew, hurrying past without paying attention to the training ground inside the wire fence.

The fog dissipated quickly, and when the Black woman in the sexy nightgown gently pushed open the balcony door, the sea was already completely bright, and the distant lighthouse was slowly extinguishing its lights.

A local jogger glanced up and couldn't look away, then bumped into a trash can.

The aroma of coffee from the breakfast cart wafted on the wind just as the dew on the lawn had dried.

A beautiful day begins.

After a long time.

Tom, the sparring partner, and the Manchester United fitness coach were panting and drenched in sweat.

Li Luo looked relaxed as he accepted the dry towel and water handed to him by the logistics staff.

The accompanying Wolfsburg technical analyst is studying the details of their next opponent.

not far away.

An assistant coach from Wolfsburg, sent by Black Gold, is personally instructing the Chinese national football team players on how to cooperate with China's talented players.

It's just guidance and coordination.

Unable to provide further details.

The teaching assistants at Black Gold are all accomplished individuals, and the middle-aged man accompanying them this time is named Lockhoff.

During his playing career, he played for PSV Eindhoven and won the "Dutch Double" in the 1980s.

"The Dutch league was highly prestigious in those days. It had not yet been affected by the Bosman ruling and was in its golden age, producing many superstars and a wealth of talent."

"I have played against Cruyff, Van Basten, Rijkaard, and the Koeman brothers many times in the Eredivisie, and we have had our share of wins and losses."

"I defeated the French football legend Platini in European competitions and faced off against Kaisers II Rummenigge without being at a disadvantage."

"why?"

"Because Rudd and I are teammates!"

"So, I understand how you Chinese players feel. I want to tell you how to adjust your mindset and how to play well around the strongest player in the team!"

This assistant coach is very familiar with the characteristics of Asian players, and the reason is quite interesting:
After midfield prodigy Ruud Gullit left PSV Eindhoven, Lokomotiv was labeled a flop by the Dutch media. However, he was lucky enough to catch the wave of large-scale investment in football by island nations. He went to the islands and made a lot of money. When he could no longer play, he became an assistant coach. After making enough money, he slowly returned to Europe. After wandering around, he eventually became an assistant coach for Blackgold.

The Chinese players were completely bewildered.

After a long time.

They felt like they'd heard something but not quite, their minds filled with: "Pass the ball to Gullit, cough cough, I mean, to Li Luo."

However, the teaching assistant's vivid and engaging account of his experience was very captivating.

"The team has a key player; even if you're not as skilled, you still need to show a fighting spirit."

time flies.

Li Luo didn't go anywhere, focusing on preparing for the competition. He trained diligently every day, watched videos of his opponents, and kept himself in peak physical and mental condition.

He's a man of principle.

During the competition, I will not play games or chat with girls.

My entertainment consists of reading books and flipping through newspapers.

Saudi Arabia defeated North Korea 4-1; if the Chinese team beats Uzbekistan, they will advance to the knockout stage based on head-to-head results!

The entire North Korean team may be reassigned to coal mining after returning home.

Keisuke Honda was fined 5000 yuan for verbally abusing the referee.

The Japanese team, having canceled its training program and increased its roster from 10 key players based in Europe to 16, boasts an extremely fierce attacking force.

Australian striker elbows South Korean full-back, blood splatters on the pitch; young Son Heung-min is terrified and cries on the spot.

unconsciously.

The Asian Cup match days are here again.

The venue was still Brisbane Stadium, and the Chinese team faced another cursed opponent: Uzbekistan.

The red ocean surged once again.

Before the match, the organizers reiterated that spectators were prohibited from bringing horns, drums, whistles, and even the classic uuvuzela into the stadium for the 2015 Asian Cup, and significantly increased the number of security personnel.

And so, tonight, the Brisbane Stadium resounded with the purest songs.

"Zhuangdianertai! Zhuangdianertai! Good evening, viewers!"

"We are now broadcasting live the second round of the group stage of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup."

"China vs. Uzbekistan!"

"The Dragons encounter the Central Asian Wolves!"

"The Chinese national football team hasn't beaten Uzbekistan for over a decade. Can they break the curse tonight? Let's wait and see!"

"We saw some media outlets promoting this match as Li Luo vs. Akhmedov!"

"Hehehe, I must say, both of them can rotate between midfield and forward positions."

"I am He Wei, the commentator for this match."

"I am Zhang Lu!"

Player tunnel.

Someone in the Uzbek contingent greeted Li Luo warmly.

The Chinese boy looked confused and didn't recognize the other person.

Who is it?

However, to avoid embarrassment, he could only smile and reply, "Hello, hello, long time no see."

"God bless you, humble and friendly Li. I didn't expect you to still remember me. We met at the Europa League group stage draw a few months ago, and you smiled at me like that back then."

The speaker was Akhmedov.

This guy plays for Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League.

Their combat strength is very strong within Asia.

"of course I remember."

The group stage draw was a very short time, and with so many people involved, how could Li Luo possibly remember everything clearly?

The atmosphere was harmonious.

Because several Uzbek players have played for or are currently playing for Chinese Super League clubs.

About ten minutes later.

Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The second round of the group stage of the Asian Cup has officially begun.

"Now we will introduce the starting lineups of both sides."

"The Chinese team is using a 4-2-3-1 formation!"

Goalkeeper:

"The starting lineup is the same as the one in the last match."

"the other side."

"Uzbekistan's formation is 4-1-4-1!"

Goalkeeper: Nesterov.

"Defenders: Tutakhudyaev, Sholakhmaev, Murajyanov, Denisov."

"Single defensive midfielder: Ismailov".

Central midfielders: Akhmedov, Haidarov, Jeparov, Tursunov

Forward: Sergeyev.

Studio.
-
Are they all husbands?
-
[Including the head coach's name, it's also "husband."]
-
[That's normal. Take a look at the squad lists for Russian Premier League matches when you have time; they're all made up of Vladimir Putin.]
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[I remember the opposing coach! It's Kasimov! A midfield genius who won the Russian Premier League Golden Boot during his playing career! In terms of midfield alone, only dozens of stars like Matthäus, Lampard, Charlton, Ceulemans, Yaya Toure, Coubillias, Walter, Zico, Kaká, Gullit, Riquelme, Platini, Maradona, and many others have a higher number of impressive goals.]
-
[Huh? Midfielders can score so many goals?]
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[Yes, it's not surprising. Think back to six months ago, the Golden Boot winner of the 2014 Brazil World Cup was James Rodriguez, a midfielder, wasn't he? Li Luo will definitely catch up to them in the future.]
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Platini was a midfielder, and he also won the European Championship Golden Boot with 9 goals in a single tournament—a record that remains unbroken.
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[What's your assessment of this match? Is Uzbekistan slightly stronger than Saudi Arabia?]
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[Brainless all-in bet on the Chinese national team to win!]
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[Go go go!]

Courtside.

Perrin looked confident.

He had carefully studied Uzbekistan's tactics.

The Chinese team remained calm and had made targeted preparations before the match.

the other side.

Uzbekistan's head coach, Kasimov, is equally confident.

Facing the Chinese team with Li Luo, he still chose to have the team play with a single defensive midfielder.

Confidence has its sources.

When Kasimov was young, his combat power reached the peak of Uzbekistan.

As a midfielder, he has won the Uzbek Premier League Golden Boot and the Russian Premier League Golden Boot.

On the European stage, they have breached Liverpool's goal.

Second all-time top scorer for the Uzbekistan national team.

The competition was intense.

Uzbekistan didn't mince words or try to probe; they were determined to crush the Chinese team right from the start.

This significantly reduced the time required for organizational restructuring.

Midfielders Jeparov and Tursunov did not play their usual style of orchestrating and stretching the defense, but instead took turns attacking down the flanks.

Full-back Denisov pushed very high up the pitch, providing passing options on the outside and trying to keep the team attacking second.

Forward Sergeyev, transformed into a giant stick, attempted to disrupt the defense.

Ahmedov patiently waited for his chance, occasionally making runs from behind.

no way.

Uzbekistan's squad is even more "aged" than China's, and if the game drags on into the second half, their stamina will be insufficient, making them prone to mistakes.

Their football association reacted very slowly, only realizing the talent gap much later than expected. It wasn't until 2006 that they launched a national youth training reform, establishing public boarding football schools, professional club youth teams, and Olympic training centers under government leadership. However, the effects of this reform system were not fully apparent by 2015.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Uzbekistan launched a relentless and fierce offensive.

On the Chinese team's side, Perrin and assistant coach Lee were yelling in the command area: "Tell the players not to panic."

On the green football field.

Li Luo played with ease, assisting his teammates in thwarting the opponent's attacks on multiple occasions.

Uzbek players have good individual skills, but their attacking methods are relatively limited.

"Djeparov, receive the ball on the wing."

"First, feint towards the baseline, then suddenly cut inside and dribble past our defender!"

"It's okay, it's okay. He's 32 years old, and his explosive power isn't as strong as it used to be."

"pretty."

"China's counter-attack!" "Disposal made, Ismailov makes a steal and passes to Akhmedov!"

"A long-range shot! It hit Mei Fang in the face! Quickly pass the ball to Li Luo!"

The Chinese team quickly set up a counter-attack formation.

After receiving the ball, Li Luo made a high-speed advance through the middle, startling Uzbekistan into hastily retreating.

Gao Lin, Hao Junmin, and Wu Lei ran hard, spreading out their attacking formation to help the Chinese prodigy create space.

Zheng Zhi was also running forward desperately.

"Perrin has truly mastered the art of black gold."

"It's exactly the same as Wolfsburg's attacking formation."

"We're just missing a De Bruyne."

"The 34-year-old captain Zheng Zhi is doing Maranda's job."

"With several passing options in the attacking third, he made a slow, arcing run to protect Li Luo and the space he created during Li Luo's advance."

"If the ball is intercepted, he can immediately block the opponent's counter-attack pass and protect the national team's defense."

"Gao Lin is like Bendtner. I think Gao Lin is more emotionally stable and has better concentration than Bendtner in these two aspects."

The atmosphere at Brisbane Stadium is heating up.

All eyes were on the running Chinese boy.

The spatial perception model is transformed into a planar view.

Li Luo dribbles to the center circle line.

He knew that several Uzbek players were surrounding him.

too easy.

If the Uzbek players are middle school students, then their central pressing strategy is like that of elementary school students.

The space for the teammates on both sides of the frontcourt has opened up!
Wu Lei?

Hao Junmin!
Snapped!
The entire audience was stunned for a moment, watching the trajectory of the car as it swept through the crowd and headed towards the side road.

Brisbane Stadium erupted in applause.

"Pretty!"

"After drawing the defense, Li Luo easily passed the ball out."

"That was a fantastic pass! Top-notch vision and decision-making!"

"it is good!"

"Hao Junmin's parking was also very good."

Having gained valuable experience at Schalke 04, Hao Junmin's basic skills are solid. Overall, apart from Li Luo, his footwork is the best in the entire Chinese team.

Back then, the famous coach Magath had him train one-on-one with Raul every day, and had Raul teach him passing, receiving, and positioning.

Raul was happy to accept because Hao Junmin gave him the number 7 jersey.

Teach me everything you know.

Hao Junmin explained in detail how Carlos and Beckham played football.

Unfortunately, Hao Junmin couldn't learn it, and ultimately lost the competition for a position in the team to Atsuto Uchida.

"The transitions between movements are also very smooth."

"Stop the ball and move forward."

Uzbekistan's defensive focus quickly shifted to the flanks.

Hao Junmin dribbled the ball to the opponent's half, about 30 meters away, and hesitated after observing the positions of Gao Lin and Wu Lei.

suddenly.

He saw Li Luo's gesture.

In that instant, it felt like I was back in Schalke 04, playing football with Raul.

Snapped!
The football lifted off the ground and flew towards the center.

At the edge of the penalty area.

"Gao Lin!"

"Headbutt successful, pass to Wu Lei!"

"Wu Lei shoots!"

"Uzbekistan Super League, ten-time champion goalkeeper Nesterov! Made a brilliant save!!!"

"Huh? It slipped through my fingers!"

"The ball bounced to the other side of the penalty area."

"Li Luo!"

"It's in!"

When the Uzbek defenses saw the Chinese figures sneaking in, they were filled with despair.

How did this kid get in so quickly?
That's too rough!
Sholakhmaev strained with all his might to move sideways in an attempt to escape the predicament, but when he saw Li Luo's terrifying stride, he felt like a clumsy truck.

Goalkeeper Nesterov prepares for a second save.

Born in the Soviet era, he possessed unwavering faith, indomitable will, and an indomitable spirit of struggle.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

The out-of-control football bounced merrily twice in the penalty area.

Li Luo took the initiative and then gently lifted his foot.

A tiger descended the mountain, suddenly stopped in the flower bushes, and gently sniffed the roses.

80 shots on goal!
Falco Tiger Module!
The opponent is the ten-time Uzbek Super League champion and the strongest goalkeeper?
Snapped!
The football sailed over the Uzbek goalkeeper's head, which was filled with despair, and nestled gracefully into the net.

1:0! ! !

The whole place erupted in cheers.

"Pretty!"

"The ball is in!"

"Li Luo, break the deadlock!"

"He played with too much confidence!"

"Impeccable shooting form."

"We are getting closer and closer to advancing from the group stage."

The red stands churned violently.

Excited Chinese fans chanted the names of the Chinese youth!
Different.

This Asian Cup showed them a different side of the Chinese team.

One person's temperament can change the entire style of a match.

Li Luo didn't celebrate alone; instead, he encouraged his teammates.

Gao Lin was extremely excited.

"Li Luo, thank you."

The center forward then turned to his teammates who had gathered around him and remarked with emotion, "Since we were able to win the AFC Champions League with four foreign players from the Chinese Super League at the club level, why can't we work with Li Luo to achieve good results in the Asian Cup?"

"If you have the chance, don't be a waste!"

"Like that assistant coach at Wolfsburg, he'll have something to brag about to the younger generation when he's old!"

A few minutes later.

The Uzbekistan team continued their fierce attack.

Ahmedov positioned himself sideways and received a lateral pass from his teammate.

Followed by.

He broke through from the left by cutting inside.

He kicked the door open.

The football shot out, deflected off a Chinese player's leg, and went into the net.

1: 1.

The entire audience sighed.

Wang Dalei was completely bewildered.

In the previous Asian Cup, he once scolded his teammates for conceding a goal.

The refraction I experienced tonight was too fantastical.
Gao Lin rubbed his forehead. He had just said such awesome things a few minutes ago, and now it had been evened out.

Courtside.

Perrin and Zhao, the translator, experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.

the other side.

The Uzbek coaching staff felt the same way.
Kasimov believed that the Chinese team's defense was weak and signaled to his players to continue their bold attacks.

Studio.
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[I hadn't even finished typing out my praise in the chat when the other team scored.]
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Me too, I wasn't even finished feeling emotional when the other side got in.
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[Akhmedov is a strong player, a key player in the Russian Premier League, and his club also plays in the Europa League.]
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[The over is in the bag, guys!]
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What?! Li Luo dribbled and exploded again!!!

The camera just cut to the beautiful woman in the stands.

Now, suddenly switch back.

They discovered that Li Luo was "dancing" on the left side of the opposite penalty area.

The Uzbek defenses are on high alert.

"Wow!"

"It's over!"

"Li Luo has passed the opponent's number 8 husband, and is now facing number 5 husband."

The commentator was speaking incoherently.

All the spotlights at Brisbane Stadium seemed to shine only on Li Luo.

The planar view in spatial perception is condensed into a high-speed rotating geometric model.

Uzbekistan is rapidly tightening its defenses.

Ismailov used his maximum pace, leaned his upper body forward, and adopted the most traditional defensive posture of "blocking long-range shots and preventing cut-in," with his weight concentrated on his right foot and his arms outstretched in an attempt to expand his defensive area.

Li Luo gently flicked the ball, raised his arm, and swung his right leg.

Ismailov acted decisively, shifting his weight rapidly in an attempt to block the attack.

Li Luo pulled back his power at the last second before touching the ball!
The toes lightly brush the top of the ball, while the supporting foot quickly turns inward, abruptly shifting the body's center of gravity from "forward leaning for power" to "vertical stability".

80 points of ball control.

The opponent is Uzbekistan's strongest defensive midfielder!
"Rhythm change!"

"A game of strategic maneuvering!"

"We've fooled Ismailov!"

"Gently push the ball again with your right foot, then take a small hop with your left foot!!!"

"Wow!"

In the eyes of countless viewers, Li Luo did not make any large movements; he merely faked a shot, stopped, and tricked the opponent into losing his balance. Then, he moved the ball with his right foot, bounced, and turned his body toward the edge of the penalty area before cutting inside and curling a shot!
what?
Uzbekistan's number one defensive midfielder!

They were completely crushed in a one-on-one situation?

It wasn't just Ismailov who was knocked down who fell for the trick.

The entire Uzbek defense line was also fooled.

Some people's view was blocked by the body of the person behind them, and they didn't have time to see what was happening.

Li Luo was already at the edge of the penalty area when he took the shot!
Snapped!
The football rose from the ground on the left side of the penalty area, spun wildly in mid-air, and traced a beautiful trajectory, passing the Uzbek defense and flying straight into the top right corner of the goal!
2:1! ! !

(End of this chapter)