The perfect midfield: It starts with never passing the ball to Ronaldo.

"Dear viewers, you are now watching a key match in Group F of the 2014 World Cup European Qualifiers."

"The Russian team, playing at home, will face the Portuguese team led by Cristiano Ronaldo."

Both teams had previously achieved two consecutive victories and were tied with 6 points. Russia was temporarily in first place due to a superior goal difference, and this direct confrontation could very well determine the top spot in the group!

"The referee for tonight is Viktor Kásé, a 37-year-old Hungarian who has officiated at the Olympics and the 2011 Champions League final."

"The autumn nights in Moscow are bitterly cold, which is good news for Russia, given that many countries have suffered defeats due to severe cold throughout history."

"Moreover, Capello's team has been performing well recently. They not only won their first two World Cup qualifiers but also scored five goals."

"Although Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko were not selected for this squad, the team still has strong players such as Korzhakov and Dzagoev."

"However, looking at the head-to-head history between the two sides, Portugal has the advantage."

「根据国际足联官方统计，两队历史交锋25次，俄罗斯8胜1平16负，国家队正式比赛俄罗斯则是1胜1平4负。」

"Moreover, Portugal's star player, Real Madrid's number 7, is in excellent form. Last month, when he played against Azerbaijan while representing Portugal, Ronaldo orchestrated two goals, including a selfless assist to Postiga's goal, which earned him praise from the media."

"In the following month, Ronaldo scored 10 goals in 6 club games, and in the last 3 games he scored 8 goals, including two hat-tricks."

"Aside from Cristiano, the Portuguese player with the most firepower recently is neither Nani nor Postiga in the forward line."

"But it's Porto's rising star, Mario, who scored a hat-trick in his Champions League debut."

"I wonder if Bento will give this young man his national team debut in this match!"

The European World Cup qualifiers are brutal; 53 teams are vying for 13 spots, and many strong teams have suffered unexpected defeats!

- [The top nine teams from each group qualify directly for Brazil, while the remaining eight runners-up have to play in the playoffs. That's fucking exciting!]

- [Haha, our Chinese top 20 teams are well-organized. Hopefully, we can make it back again after a 12-year gap!]

Why didn't Bento start Mario? He's been on fire at Porto lately, 6 goals and 2 assists in three games!!

- [We've only been training together for a few days, it's already a good opportunity to play in this match!]

-【Don't forget he's the guy without obligations. With Ronaldo scoring two hat-tricks in four days on the field, Mario definitely won't be playing, haha ​​(￣▽￣)~*】

- [The training photos released before the match seem to show that the two have a good relationship. Don't be fooled by the media's misleading headlines.]

- [With this awful weather in Moscow, it's okay if they don't play; the freezing temperatures make players more prone to injury.]

Hopefully, Pepe can tough it out when fouled; his mouth has been smacking his lips from club to national team!

What are the Catalan dogs doing here? Are there any Barcelona players here?!

As one of the two greatest football stars of all time, his live stream was flooded with comments.

On the field, with the referee's whistle, the battle for the top spot in Group F of the European World Cup qualifiers officially began.

The home team set up a 4-2-3-1 formation:

Goalkeeper: Igor Akinfeev

Defenders: Anyukov, Ignashevich, Berezutsky, Dmitry Kambarov

Defensive midfielders: Denisov, Shrokov

Midfielders: Bystrov, Kokorin, Faizulin

Forward: Kerzhakov

Portugal, on the other hand, uses a 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper: Patricio

Defenders: João Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Coentrao

Midfielders: Veloso, Moutinho, Ruben Mikael

Forwards: Nani, Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo

Russia displayed home advantage from the start, and taking advantage of the opponent's unstable midfield, Faizulin delivered a cross from the left wing, but Pepe arrived in time to clear the ball.

In the blink of an eye, the home team, enjoying the advantages of home ground and favorable timing, once again created a deadly opportunity.

Faizulin received a pass near the center circle. Facing pressure from the Portuguese midfielder, he looked up and suddenly delivered an incredibly precise through ball.

The ball pierced through Portugal's entire defense in an instant, like a scalpel.

Kerzhakov cleverly broke the offside trap and created a one-on-one opportunity.

Facing the onrushing goalkeeper Patricio, the Zenit striker calmly slotted the ball into the far corner.

Without Núñez's magic, the ball went straight into the net!

Just six minutes into the game,

Russia 1:0 Portugal

"Gooooal!!!"

"Goal! An incredible start! Faizulin's pass was perfect, and Kerzhakov's positioning and shot were impeccable!" The Russian commentator at the scene shouted excitedly.

"This is a classic Russian-style fast counter-attack; Portugal's defense has been completely breached at this moment!"

The Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow erupted in cheers, with a red wave engulfing all the stands.

Russian fans waved scarves and sang songs of the fighting nation.

"Kerzhakov!"

"Our sharpest weapon on the front line!"

"Where is your captain?"

"Locked beneath the iceberg by us!"

"The Portuguese crybaby!"

"On a rainy Moscow night, your tears will be as plentiful as the raindrops!"

"Russ-ia! Russ-ia!"

"KER-ZHA-KOV!"

Russian fans who were eliminated in the semi-finals of the 04 European Championship still have a lot of opinions about Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a participant at the time.

Russian fans even went so far as to disparage this superstar in the lyrics they wrote to cheer him on.

On the broadcasting website, the comments section was flooded with messages.

- [Capello is truly formidable; Russia's counterattack was incredibly sharp!]

Is Portugal's defense sleepwalking?

- [The team was already behind before Ronaldo even touched the ball!]

-【This is really too much to handle, Brother Luo is working so hard!!】

This match is going to be tough; taking a one-goal lead is one of the Italian coach's specialties!!

Fabio Capello, then Russia's head coach, clapped expressionlessly from the sidelines.

This Italian gold medal coach officially took over the Russian team in July 2012. For him, the key task of this coaching cycle was to qualify for the World Cup finals.

Before the match, he repeatedly studied the video of Portugal's games and found that the opponent's defense was prone to gaps when transitioning from attack to defense.

Portugal's head coach, Paulo Bento, waved anxiously from the sidelines, signaling to his players to remain calm.

The 42-year-old young coach was well aware of the importance of this match.

In Group F, where the teams are relatively weaker, the outcome of the direct matches could very well determine who will qualify directly for the Brazil World Cup.

This consensus was clear to all the players on the field.

Therefore, after the match restarted, Portugal quickly launched a fierce attack.

In the 11th minute of the match, Ronaldo dribbled into the left side of the penalty area and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot, which was brilliantly saved by Akinfeev and went out for a corner.

The corner kick was taken, and Alves swept the ball across the front of the goal. Postiga's close-range header unfortunately went over the crossbar due to a loss of footing and a shift in his center of gravity after jumping.

Cristiano Ronaldo held his head in his hands, his face filled with helplessness.

If I had that chance to head the ball into the goal, the score would have been tied without a doubt!

Hey, as the super striker on the front line, they have clearly created opportunities for their teammates through pressure and positioning, but under high pressure, their ability to seize those opportunities is still a bit lacking!

Currently, Portugal is out of the running in terms of timing, location, and the overall situation of the match. They must work even harder if they want to defy fate.

The Real Madrid superstar rubbed his still slightly uncomfortable shoulder and launched another attack in the attacking third.

In the blink of an eye, the match reached the 17th minute, and Portugal suffered another blow.

The unfortunate Coentrao was the first to show signs of acclimatization, suffering an injury during a challenge and ultimately unable to continue the game, being replaced by Lopez.

Bento frowned on the sidelines. An unexpected incident had disrupted the left flank of the Galacticos, forcing him to readjust the offensive and defensive system on the left.

Seeing Coentrao limping off the field, Mario felt that the guy was really unlucky.

Every time he's in a better state, he's prone to injuries, and then the cycle begins.

"Well, durability is the foundation of football," Mario patted the blond-haired man on the shoulder, offering some words of comfort.

On the field, Portugal continued their relentless attack. Although the Five Shields dominated possession, they struggled to break through Capello's solid defense.

The home team, on the other hand, got another free kick in the attacking third, but this time Kerzhakov failed to extend the lead, his direct shot hitting the wall and going wide.

On the other side, thanks to Nani's strong breakthrough, Ronaldo finally got the chance to unleash his free-kick skills.

Unfortunately, his free kick from 27 meters out was easily caught by Akinfeev after it went around the wall.

"There's still time in the game; we have every chance to equalize or even take the lead!"

"Stay patient and maintain your formation!"

Bento, off the field, seized every opportunity during a dead ball situation to remind his players to stay calm.

On the Russian side, Capello signaled for increased midfield pressure.

After figuring out the referee's standards, he needs to use the players' physical advantages to intercept the bullets that the Portuguese are trying to deliver to Ronaldo.

The scene shifts, and Russia nearly extends its lead.

Faizulin was fouled by Moutinho during a midfield breakthrough, and Russia quickly took the free kick. Kerzhakov had another one-on-one opportunity, but unfortunately his shot went wide of the post.

Similarly, Portugal started to make use of the flanks.

In the 38th minute, Pereira crossed from the right wing, and Ronaldo met the cross from 3 meters out with a close-range shot.

This time, the Real Madrid superstar was out of the spotlight. His shot from close range went just wide of the far post and out of bounds because he was too focused on finding the right angle.

Brother Luo knelt down on the ground, covering his face with his hands.

As Portugal's key player, he knew that such opportunities wouldn't be plentiful in such a crucial match, especially given the tight defense he faced from Russia.

After a brief period of frustration, the war continued, with Russia seizing the opportunity presented by Portugal's advance to launch a counterattack.

Kokorin's long-range shot sent shockwaves through the field, and Shrokov's follow-up shot threw the Five Shields' backfield into chaos once again.

Historically and currently, the Portuguese team has always struggled against physically strong and tough opponents.

The core weakness lies in the fact that technical tactics are easily rendered ineffective in intense physical confrontations.

When trailing in the score and facing a tight defense from the opponent, turning the tide often depends on a moment of brilliance from a star player.

Currently, Cristiano is being tightly marked, Postiga is out of form, and Nani is going eight consecutive games without a goal for the national team.

Upon hearing the halftime whistle, Bento set his sights on Porto's rising star.

This 18-year-old has experience scoring long-range goals in the Champions League hat-trick and the Portuguese league.

This weapon is precisely the key to breaking through dense defenses.

Mario, can you become the key player for the team?

Bento, while thinking, urged the players to hurry back to the locker room.

The away team's locker room at Lokomotiv Stadium is well-heated, and the air here is warm and humid, a stark contrast to the biting cold outside. However, the atmosphere here is even more somber than the rainy night outside.

Cristiano Ronaldo's chest heaved violently, not from exhaustion, but from an overwhelming sense of frustration and anxiety.

He regrettably missed a golden opportunity, which was like a thorn in his side for someone who pursues excellence.

Bento quickly walked to the tactics board and tapped the whiteboard in front of him with his marker.

The slippery field, unexpected injuries, the opponent's impenetrable defense, and missed opportunities—all these unfavorable factors were brewing.

At this moment, it is even more important to calm down and find the opponent's weaknesses!

"Calm down! Everyone, calm down!"

His voice carried an undeniable authority, attempting to suppress the pervasive sense of frustration.

The marker then scribbled across the tactics board, emphasizing the area between the Russian defensive midfielder and the back line.

Since the advantage is not in my hands, let's go all out!

"In the second half, Moutinho will drop back to orchestrate the attack, and we need to increase the tempo!"

"Veloso, play tougher defensively, your position is crucial!!"

As Bento spoke, he glanced at Ruben Mikael, who was in mediocre form, and Ruben Amorim, who seemed prone to nervousness in big situations.

Finally, his sharp gaze settled on the young figure in the corner.

"Jose!"

"In the second half, the team needs your long-range shots and creativity to break through their defenses."

Bento nodded to Mario and then turned to the team's star player.

"Cristiano!"

"The team will give you maximum freedom!"

"This most dangerous area is now in your hands!"

"But the Russian defenses aren't impenetrable; you need to be careful to find their weaknesses!"

"Remember, the presence of a superstar creates space for other teammates, and we need to make the most of that!"

Cristiano nodded, agreeing with the request made by his former Lisbon teammate Paolo.

Of course, this is all on the premise that the teammates in the attacking third can step up like they did during the European Championship this summer!

Mario, who was sitting below listening attentively, suddenly had a bright idea. In a way, this could be considered as achieving his KPI of having Ronaldo assist him!

And he's even being assisted by the legendary Ronaldo!

It's worth noting that Cristiano, at 27 years old, is currently in his absolute prime.

technology!

Body!

consciousness!

No weaknesses whatsoever!

He can make powerful breakthroughs and shoot accurately. He can create a great threat wherever he gets the ball, forcing the opponent to commit extra troops to help defend and block him.

During the semi-finals of this summer's European Championship, the Spanish coach specifically devised three strategies to mark and defend against Cristiano Ronaldo.

First, prevent him from shooting;

Second, do not leave him any room or opportunity to break through;

Third, try your best not to lose possession in midfield. If you lose possession in that position, he will cause you trouble.

Russia did the same thing in this match, shifting their defensive focus towards Cristiano.

This will significantly reduce the defensive pressure on Mario, and Mario will also have more open space and one-on-one opportunities.

In his first appearance for the national team, Roger played "support," while Mario stared ambitiously at the scoreboard under the rain.