Midfielder Ruler

As the referee Kaushoy blew the first-half whistle, the final round of Group C of the 2014 Brazil World Cup at the Pantanal Stadium ended with Colombia leading the Chinese team 1:0 at the end of the first half.

In another game at the Castelao Stadium, the Greek team led Côte d'Ivoire 2:0 at halftime, which means that based on the current scores of the two games, the Chinese team can beat the Greek team with a goal difference advantage. Advance to the top 16 of this World Cup.

However, there were still 45 minutes left in the game. The Chinese team was lagging behind, its overall strength was inferior to Colombia's, and its defense was crumbling.

On the other hand, the Greek team led Côte d'Ivoire by two goals at halftime. Côte d'Ivoire, which had lost both games before, is likely to try its best to strengthen its offense in the second half for the glory of the national team. By then, the Greek team, which is leading by two goals, will have greater space to counterattack. , score more goals.

Therefore, after the second half of the game starts, two situations are likely to occur.

The Chinese team continued to concede goals and the Greek team continued to score goals.

If there is a plus and a loss in the two games, the Chinese team's goal difference will change from '0' to '-1', and the Greek team's goal difference will change from '-1' to '0'.

During the halftime break, both the Chinese fans in the Pantanal Stadium and the Chinese fans sitting in front of the TV were on pins and needles and seemed very anxious.

Before the game, Greek fans who once thought that the Greek national team would miss the top 16 of this World Cup were extremely excited. After halftime, the situation of the two games was clear. The Chinese team, another favorite to advance in Group C, was unable to organize an effective attack, while the Greek team But he scored two goals in limited time and limited opportunities.

Fans with a little bit of football knowledge know that Côte d'Ivoire, which has lost all the previous two rounds of group matches, will definitely not give up the attack. It is very possible to score more goals by then!

Thinking that the national team can score more goals in the next game time, both the Greek fans at the scene and the Greek fans in front of the TV seemed very excited, looking forward to that moment happening.

Not long after, the Chinese players returned to the home team's locker room one after another. Assistant coach Madaloni closed the door, and the noise from the stadium suddenly stopped. The previously relatively good atmosphere became a bit sluggish.

It turned out that Li Tie, one of Lippi's assistants, had informed the players on the field that the Greek team was currently leading Côte d'Ivoire 2:0 in the match at another venue.

The Chinese players, including Tang Zheng, had their brows furrowed and looked anxious.

We already knew that Colombia was strong before the game, but we didn’t really experience Colombia’s strength until the game started. Moreover, Colombia rested some of its main players in the first half, which means that Colombia will be even more terrifying with all its main players.

As the game time goes by, considering the criticality of the knockout rounds, Pekerman will definitely let the main players return to the court to find their form. When the time comes...

Colombia is even more difficult to deal with!

Now trailing 0:1, an equalizer seems far away.

In addition, the Greek team leads Côte d'Ivoire by two goals, and they are very likely to score again with great momentum.

One goes off and the other goes off, and the qualifying situation becomes simple and confusing.

Therefore, many Chinese players couldn't help but sigh when they thought of this. Only Tang Zheng and Lu Liang frowned and were unwilling to do so.

Lippi's wise eyes swept across the Chinese players present, shaking his head as he looked.

Even though he has rich experience in coaching, it is difficult to change the overall temperament of a team.

Although confidence is invisible and intangible, it is crucial to the game.

It wasn't until his eyes glanced at Lu Liang and Tang Zheng that Lippi nodded lightly.

Originally, the biggest reliance on leading the Chinese team to participate in this World Cup was Tang Zheng and attacker Lu Liang, especially Tang Zheng.

Tang Zheng's energy has always been immeasurable. As long as he is in good condition,

Any possibility can happen.

Lu Liang became successful at a young age, became famous early, and has a high golf quotient. His only shortcoming is that he is not mature enough and cannot compare with Tang Zheng when he was nineteen. Therefore, the result is that his condition is not stable enough and he worries about gains and losses.

But the state can be stimulated, and the energy Lu Liang bursts out is very terrifying. After all, he is only nineteen years old.

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The fifteen minutes of halftime passed quickly. The Chinese team and the Colombian team appeared in the stadium to exchange venues. However, the referee Kaushoy did not blow his whistle. Instead, he waited for the Greek team and the Cote d'Ivoire team at the Castelao Stadium. Start the game at the same time when you are ready.

In order to reduce the manipulation of the game, kicking off the first and second halves at the same time has become an indispensable part of major games.

It is worth mentioning that neither the Chinese team nor Colombia made adjustments to the on-field lineup. However, it is understandable that the leading Colombia did not make adjustments, but the Chinese team fell behind. In another game, Greece led Ivory Coast by two goals and did not make adjustments. It's a bit puzzling.

Central 5 commentator He Wei looked down at the data in his hand and said solemnly: "The Chinese team was in continuous passive defense in the first half, which is directly related to Tang Zheng's participation in the offense. I have a set of data in my hand. Tang Zheng entered Colombia's thirty-meter defense. The threat created by the Chinese team's offense in the area is much more obvious than if Tang Zheng did not enter the 30-meter zone of Colombia's defense. I wonder if Lippi the Silver Fox should find a time to liberate Tang Zheng and let him participate more in the team. attack……"

Guest commentator Xu Yang also nodded and said: "Defense is the foundation for Tang Zheng to become a professional player, but it is offense that makes Tang Zheng recognized by the world!"

In fact, it's not that Lippi deliberately buried Tang Zheng's talents, but that the position of defensive midfielder is very important.

Because Lippi has always believed in a saying: offense wins fans, defense wins championships, especially in tournament-based games.

Isn’t that what the 2006 World Cup in Germany was like?

Zheng Zhi has rich experience. As he grows older and plays more football, he becomes more and more suitable to serve as a defensive midfielder. The double midfielder partnership between him and Tang Zheng has become the most stable link in Lippi's tactical system.

Unless absolutely necessary, Lippi would not liberate Tang Zheng.

Moreover, the goal difference is still one ahead of Greece.

Not in a hurry!

But...just in the fourth minute of the second half, James Rodriguez scored again.

Li Xuepeng's careless pass in the backcourt was intercepted by Jackson Martinez, and then passed straight to find James Rodriguez who did not return to defense.

James Rodrigues received a direct pass from Jackson Martinez while running at high speed and entered the penalty area. Feng Xiaoting received a yellow card and faced James Rodri who was extremely skilled at his feet. Gus did not dare to stretch his foot easily and held his position, waiting for James Rodriguez to make a mistake on his own initiative.

However, James Rodriguez was very calm and continued to use the changes in his body's center of gravity to deceive Feng Xiaoting into losing his balance.

Yan Junling, who was guarding the near corner, was already on guard and chose to abandon the goal and attack!

James Rodriguez, who shook Feng Xiaoting away, swung his left foot and hit the goal.

Because the distance was too close, Yan Junling did not have time to wait for James Rodriguez to complete the shot before making a judgment, but directly chose to pounce on the near corner.

If the offensive player Yan Junling faced was an ordinary player, the ball would have been saved by him nine times out of ten, but James Rodriguez is not an ordinary player. He is a player who can become a world-class superstar, so he is quite calm.

James Rodriguez's swung left foot did not touch the ball with the instep, but rubbed the inside of the instep of his left foot toward the bottom of the football.

The football flew into the air due to the force and fell towards the goal just above the head of where Yan Junling was standing.

Li Xuepeng, who quickly came to the goal line, wanted to turn the tide, but was unable to fly high enough, so he could only watch the football hit the snow-white net.

"Ouch-ouch——"

Suddenly, the Pantanal Stadium became a sea of ​​joy for Colombian fans, and their continuous cheers rang out in the sky.

The Chinese fans, who occupied almost half of the stadium, felt extremely uncomfortable watching the Colombian players celebrating their goals.

Although the score at the Castelao Stadium has not changed, the score is still Greece leading Côte d'Ivoire 2:0, but now the points and goal difference between the Chinese team and the Greek team are both '-1', and there are nearly 40 years left in the game. minute!

Central 5 commentator He Wei said according to the script prepared before the game: "According to the rules of the same points in the World Cup group stage, when the points and goal difference are the same, it is more mutual..."

Before he finished speaking, He Wei noticed from the corner of his eye the latest score of another game that appeared in the lower left corner of the broadcast screen. His pupils shrank suddenly, as if he saw the most incredible thing in the world, and he suddenly exclaimed: "Oh my God! The Greek team scores again! They lead Côte d'Ivoire 3:0!"

In other words, there is no need to compare the complicated coefficients of the two teams now, because the Greek team's goal difference has changed from '-1' to '0'!

If the two games end according to the current score, the Greek team will beat the Chinese team to become another qualifying team in Group C...

The Chinese players on the court naturally didn't know that the score in another stadium had quietly changed, but they could sense a huge crisis!

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Colombian players celebrated their goals wantonly, and James Rodriguez, who scored twice in this game, rarely celebrated by sliding on his knees to vent the 'huge' psychological pressure he was burdened with before the game!

Especially thinking about the poor record against Tang Zheng's team in the past, he roared excitedly.

Pekerman shook his head and smiled bitterly in front of the visiting team's coaching bench. Although the Chinese team has Lippi in charge and Tang Zheng in the midfield, there is still no way to change the fact that the Chinese team's overall strength is insufficient.

Originally, Pekerman wanted his team to lose the most and then become second in the group to face Costa Rica, which was relatively weak in overall strength.

However, the Chinese team was so weak that they did not even have a few shots that directly threatened goalkeeper Ospina.

If he loses to the Chinese team, as the head coach, he knows with his toes how the media will criticize him, and he may even become the target of FIFA investigation and become the target of public criticism.

Now leading by two goals, it is difficult to break through Ospina's goal based on the current overall strength of the Chinese team.

He was wondering whether substitution adjustments should be made to allow players who have not yet appeared on the World Cup stage to show their faces.

At the same time, Lippi felt a bolt from the blue in front of the home team's coaching bench.

First, the Chinese team lost another goal and fell behind Colombia by two goals. Then they learned from assistant Madaloni that in another venue, Greece led Ivory Coast 3:0, which had lost both games before.

It is equivalent to saying that the Greek team is now coming from behind and ranking second in the group!

If there is no way to score in the remaining game time, the Chinese team can only be eliminated in a good situation!

Thinking of this, Lippi suddenly turned around and had an urgent communication with Madaloni to see if substitutions should be made in advance.

Two minutes later, the Chinese team requested a substitution.

Zhang Xizhe replaced Wu Sanshi, who didn't have much room to play in this game. Hao Junmin's position was adjusted and he came to the familiar right wing.

However, this substitution adjustment did not bring positive effects to the Chinese team, which was in urgent need of goals. Once the football entered the thirty-meter area from defense to offense, it was difficult to move forward.

Tang Zheng and Zheng Zhi were very limited in their ability to participate in the attack forward. The two full-backs were afraid of the space behind them being exploited. They did not dare to go too high without the approval of coach Lippi, so it was difficult for the Chinese team's offense to attack Oslo. Pina guards the goal and poses a threat.

A few more minutes passed in the game, and Colombia also made substitution adjustments.

Messia replaces Quintero.

Messia, who came on as a substitute, also brought head coach Pekerman's latest tactical thinking, which is to retreat and actively give up more time on the ball.

Of course, this does not mean that Colombia completely gave up possession of the ball, but the offense was more direct.

Once the attack fails, the defensive players must quickly return to their own half to defend, so the Chinese team can easily switch from defense to offense.

Lippi, the head coach of the Chinese team, was standing in the home team's coaching area and pacing back and forth. It was easy to see from the broadcast that he was very anxious.

At this moment, assistant coach Madaloni appeared on the broadcast screen with a very solemn expression, and then said a few words in Lippi's ear.

Immediately, Lippi's face became serious, and it could even be said to be... very ugly!

The Chinese fans sitting in front of the TV looked at the score prompt in the lower left corner of the broadcast screen, and the same was true.

The Greek team, which was leading by three goals, scored another goal. In the 60th minute of the game, the Greek team led the defeated Côte d'Ivoire 4:0!

In other words, the Chinese team's goal difference is still at '-1', while the Greek team's goal difference has changed from '0' to '1', which is a full two more than the Chinese team's goal difference.

There is still half an hour left in the game, but for the current Chinese team, it has already reached the edge of the cliff!

Central 5 commentator He Wei said with great excitement: "There is not much time left for the Chinese team! Silver Fox Lippi must make greater changes to the game!"

"That's right!" Commentator Xu Yang solemnly said: "Liberate Tang Zheng! There is no time to delay!!"

Lippi listened to the noise from the stands and rubbed his temples with his index fingers. After about five seconds, he turned to his assistant Madaloni and said: "Call Cai over and get ready to play!"

The broadcast screen followed quickly and came to the warm-up area.

He Wei changed his voice and shouted: "Is... Lippi planning to replace Cai Huikang? Liberate Tang Zheng?"

"This moment..." guest commentator He Wei said loudly: "It's finally here!"