章 472: Absolutely flat
As time passed by, Wang Feng wiped the sweat off his forehead. The German team was indeed incredibly strong, especially when they operated methodically, leaving almost no openings.
For the past twenty minutes or so, he had been actively involved in defense, barely keeping the team from conceding, and had organized one or two counterattacks, but they were always disrupted as they advanced into midfield.
Learning from his mistakes, Müller didn't hold back, earning himself a yellow card, but it was still better than conceding a goal.
"It's really a fierce game. We've been on the back foot the whole time, but the players' fighting spirit on the field is moving. This Chinese national team led by Wang Feng can be said to be glorious even in defeat," Zhang Jun said.
"Indeed, as long as we continue with this attitude, we still have a good chance in the next two matches. Hey? Look at this, Zheng Zhi intercepted the ball and passed it to Wang Feng. It's a counterattack by the Chinese team!"
The Chinese superstar immediately accelerated after receiving the ball, abruptly changing direction to shake off Podolski who was attempting to tackle him, then charged forward along the wing.
Still blocking his path was Thomas Müller, but Wang Feng easily dribbled past him again. The German gritted his teeth, attempting to trip the Chinese superstar even if it meant committing a foul!
As Wang Feng lost his balance and leaned forward, he realized that if he fell, the referee would surely blow the whistle for a foul, and there might even be a second yellow card for Müller, but that would mean the end of this attack and the game was almost over!
So, he exerted force with his right foot in the air, pushing down fiercely to gain more forward momentum with the help of the turf's elasticity, giving himself a brief moment to adjust his posture and avoid falling immediately.
The watching fans could only see Wang Feng staggering forward for two steps to steady himself, then catching up with the ball to continue advancing, which surprised the German defense, but this delay gave them a chance to track back.
Mertesacker and Khedira blocked the Chinese superstar near the sideline, almost squeezing his space with a double-team, forcing him to use his right hand to push off the defensive players while avoiding their interference with the ball under his feet.
He could only hold on for two or three seconds at most, and the ball would surely be kicked out of bounds! Anxious, Wang Feng used his left foot to kick the ball towards Mertesacker, hitting him and winning a throw-in.
The rebound wasn't too strong, and as the ball passed by Wang Feng, his left foot, which hadn't touched the ground, instinctively lifted backward, and his heel happened to hit the ball, sending it flying over Wang Feng and Mertesacker's heads like a rainbow.
The Chinese superstar reacted quickly, immediately squeezing between two defenders to cut inside, surprising Friedrich inside the penalty area, who never expected the heavily surrounded forward to break free.
Without much hesitation, he rushed forward to defend, knowing that they were already within Wang Feng's shooting range, but the Chinese player didn't choose to shoot, instead making a triangular pass back to the penalty spot.
Unmarked, Dongfang Zhu stood firm with his left foot and calmly kicked the ball towards the bottom right corner of the goal, the ball piercing through the German defense like a cannonball.
"Goal!! Goal!! Dongfang Zhu's equalizer!!"
"The match is about to enter injury time, and the Chinese team miraculously ties the score, 2-2!"
After scoring, Dongfang Zhu looked up and howled to the sky, dispelling the gloomy atmosphere of the entire match. He had been tightly marked, and if it weren't for Wang Feng pulling away the defense this time, he probably wouldn't have had a good opportunity to shoot.
The Chinese superstar who arrived shortly after wore a big smile on his face. "That shot was amazing!" Dongfang Zhu rubbed his head. "It was your pass, Wang Ge, haha."
Compared to the excited Chinese team, the German players were very frustrated. Goalkeeper Neuer shook his head and couldn't help complaining to his teammates, "Why didn't anyone mark Dongfang when he had such a big space just now?"
The defenders were also helpless. Who knew Wang Feng could suddenly break out? Their focus was all on the Chinese superstar at that moment.
"This time it was Wang Feng who initiated a quick counterattack. Let's take another look. Müller wanted to foul to stop him, but Wang Feng didn't fall. Instead, he persisted in carrying the ball forward."
"The main referee indicated that the attack was advantageous. If this was called a foul, Müller would have been sent off. But there's not much time left in the game, so it wouldn't have made sense for the Chinese team."
"The most exciting part was this breakthrough. I didn't even see how he did it. Oh, he kicked the ball towards the opponent, and with the rebound's force, he used his heel to rainbow the ball over Müller and Mertesacker."
"To be able to make such an extreme move in the narrow space of a double-team, is there anything Wang Feng can't do?"
"Both the final pass and the shot were excellent. Dongfang Zhu didn't disappoint his teammates' trust. This is also the result of his experience honed in numerous major tournaments. I dare say that few domestic league forwards could score with such precision in one go."
The Mexican referee Rodriguez soon blew the final whistle of the match. After a hard-fought battle, the Chinese team finally drew with the mighty Germans, securing their first point in the South Africa World Cup.
Wang Feng, who contributed with one assist and one goal, was awarded the Man of the Match. He not only played a crucial role in the attack but also showed remarkable performance on the defensive end.
The Man of the Match award came with a separate trophy and interview. Wang Feng said, "I'm honored to receive this award, but it doesn't belong to me, it belongs to all the Chinese team members."
"We held off the fierce attacks from the German team time and time again with tenacity and determination, which gave us the chance to draw. I believe that with everyone's unity, we can take the team further on the World Cup stage!"
Chinese coach Arhan expressed satisfaction with the draw in the interview, "Germany is very strong, but I see an unprecedented cohesion from the players, which is the biggest gain of this match."
"Wang Feng is the captain, as well as the core and spiritual pillar. I often see him constantly encouraging his teammates on the field and helping everyone with his actions, which makes my job easier."
"In the next two matches, of course, we will strive for victory with all our strength. We have the ability and conditions to advance from the group stage!"
German coach Löw said the team perfectly executed the pre-match tactical arrangements and securing a draw was beyond his expectations. "Wang Feng is such a player who can create surprises."
"Whether it's the first long-range free-kick goal or the second fast counter-attack goal, they were both scored by the Chinese superstar's hard work."
"He always seizes the unexpected opportunities. When facing him, we need to tighten our nerves and avoid any mistakes, which is very difficult!"
As for predicting the situation for advancing from the group stage, Löw believed that it would most likely be them and the Chinese team. "I'm confident in leading Germany smoothly into the round of 16. Judging from the form of the Chinese team today, their advancement shouldn't be a problem either."
As for whether they would control the game to avoid encountering England and Argentina in the upper half early, Löw confidently said, "Our goal is the championship, and that requires defeating all the opponents in front of us, it's the same for everyone."
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