Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 168: 168. Blitzkrieg Opening! Ronaldo is stunned!

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”Friends, welcome to the live broadcast of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16. At the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil, the match between Belgium and Portugal has now begun!”

”Belgium is wearing their home red kit today, attacking from left to right; Portugal is wearing their away white jerseys and blue shorts, attacking from right to left...”

”Welcome, all football fans, to LeTV Sports. The thrilling battle has begun, the clash between Belgium and Portugal, it is also the ultimate showdown between the Chinese young player Lance and Cristiano Ronaldo!”

”Let’s first look at today’s starting lineups for both teams...”

At the same time, the long-awaited battle, which commentators from various broadcasting organizations had been anticipating, had begun, and they were all passionately immersed in the game.

In the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are undoubtedly the most eye-catching superstars, while James Rodríguez, Mario G?tze, Lance, and Paul Pogba are equally brilliant rising stars!

Originally in the leagues, except for James Rodríguez, Mario G?tze, Lance, and Paul Pogba were already well-known figures in Europe.

But the World Cup exposure boosted their fame by an order of magnitude, making them superstars no less than ”Lionel Messi.”

The collision between Lance and Cristiano Ronaldo itself was newsworthy, and with the Champions League rivalry added, it could be said that on this night, all eyes worldwide were focused on the two of them.

Besides the Chinese commentators He Wei from CCTV and Zhan Jun from LeTV, German television, which usually follows Lance, had commentators Mehmet Scholl and Oliver Kahn; Sky Sports’ golden commentators Martin Tyler and Gary Neville; and channels from Madrid, Milan, and other places all sent their strongest commentary teams, taking this match seriously.

——

Belgium 4-2-3-1

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen

Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini, Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Lance, Eden Hazard

Forward: Divock Origi

——

Portugal 4-3-3

Goalkeeper: Beto

Defenders: Jo?o Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Miguel Veloso

Midfielders: William Carvalho, Jo?o Moutinho, Raul Meireles

Forwards: Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo, Hélder Postiga

——

”Today’s starting lineup, Belgium has made adjustments to their forward line and midfield. Romelu Lukaku, who wasted many chances in the group stage, is temporarily on the bench, and the 19-year-old young player Divock Origi has earned a starting spot.”

”At the same time, Marouane Fellaini replaces Moussa Dembélé, as Marc Wilmots hopes to strengthen the midfield’s depth.”

”Lance! He once again leads the starting lineup without question, the attacking lineup he forms with Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard can be considered the most magnificent sight in the World Cup’s attacking third.”

For Premier League players and Lance, commentator Zhan Jun spoke of them like a family treasure.

He usually commentated on their matches the most, and seeing a few familiar names on the World Cup stage naturally brought a sense of familiarity.

”As for Portugal, Raul Meireles, who was suspected of being injured before the match, returns to the starting lineup, while Hélder Postiga insists on playing through his injury.”

”Cristiano Ronaldo is at the very front position, and in Paulo Bento’s tactical system, all of Portugal’s attacks will revolve around Cristiano Ronaldo.”

”He has turned the tide multiple times in the group stage, single-handedly helping Portugal enter the knockout stage, and his performance today is crucial!”

After the match began, as it was a World Cup knockout match, both sides usually played quite cautiously.

Many knockout matches would not see a goal within 90 minutes, dragging on to 120 minutes, or even to a penalty shootout, before a winner could finally be decided.

The World Cup’s single-elimination format had no room for error, no matter how much a team usually liked to attack, they now had to be patient and wait for their opponent to reveal a weakness.

The first few minutes of the match were usually quite dull, a probing stage for both sides.

After commentator Zhan Jun finished announcing the starting lineups, he had to prepare some gossip topics both on and off the field to chat about, otherwise, there wasn’t much to explain tactically.

Zhan Jun was just about to use Cristiano Ronaldo as an opening to talk about the rivalry between him and Lance, when he suddenly stopped halfway through!

”In the past season, Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals... look at this ball first!”

”Hey, oh! What a goal!”

The guest commentator Zhang Lu slapped his thigh.

Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu, this classic duo, were signed by LeTV at a high price, and both of them were simultaneously excited by the action on the field.

It was originally a probing attack from Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s long shot going over the crossbar and into the stands, a ’high shot’ that missed.

When it was Belgium’s goal kick, the Portugal players didn’t take it seriously, still slowly walking back.

It was less than 5 minutes into the game, and it was generally difficult for a team to launch a fast, all-out attack.

But Belgium was different!

They were the youngest team on average in the 2014 World Cup, their strategy was to catch the opponent off guard!

Thibaut Courtois’s footwork was precise, and his long pass directly found Marouane Fellaini in midfield.

Marouane Fellaini, over 190 cm tall, was a monster near the center circle, easily heading the ball to Kevin De Bruyne.

Before the Portugal defenders could step forward to defend, Kevin De Bruyne sent a curving diagonal pass, bypassing Raul Meireles, directly to Lance outside the box!

Eden Hazard and Divock Origi both made forward runs simultaneously, a lightning-fast counter-attack from Belgium!

”This ball! Lance!”

Logically, Lance would usually trap the ball with his back to goal, then find a way to pass to a teammate.

Eden Hazard’s run indicated this, all three Portugal midfielders were marking, Raul Meireles cutting off the passing lane, Jo?o Moutinho and William Carvalho went to block Eden Hazard.

Just as this quick counter-attack was about to end, Lance surprisingly did the opposite!

At the moment of receiving the ball, he controlled and dribbled in one motion, knocking the ball with his heel through Raul Meireles’s legs, separating him from the ball, and accelerating to break through the wing!

”Hey! Lance! Beautiful!”

Zhan Jun almost lost his voice; Lance’s play was even more elegant than the world’s top superstars, clearly reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane from the 2006 World Cup!

The elegant control and dribble caught the veteran Raul Meireles off guard, watching him charge towards the heart of the penalty area!

Pepe panicked, rushing forward to double-team.

In those two matches against Real Madrid, Pepe had a headache dealing with Lance, now seeing this Asian face, Pepe’s scalp tingled!

”Fuck!”

Cristiano Ronaldo also felt a bad premonition, cursing and quickly chasing back.

But once Lance started running, he couldn’t be stopped, charging like a monster!

Miguel Veloso slid in diagonally, but was tricked by a left-footed elastico, pulling the ball diagonally to evade the slide tackle, and in the nick of time, chipping the ball over Miguel Veloso and entering the box!

Pepe and Bruno Alves arrived in time, double-teaming from left and right, blocking the shooting angle, trying to force Lance wide.

They absolutely dared not foul inside the penalty area.

”Lance! Shot! No, a feint and change of direction, keeps dribbling!”

Going it alone?

Do you want to dribble past the entire Portugal defense by yourself?

You’re something else, Lance!

Zhan Jun was stunned!

He Wei was even more excited:

”Lance! Single-handedly charging into the dragon’s den! He’s in! A feint past Bruno Alves, right-footed shot—”

The World Cup knockout match watched by the whole world, the focal showdown between Lance and Cristiano Ronaldo!

Who would have thought that, just 4 minutes into the game, Lance would suddenly dribble past the entire Portugal defense, making a solo run into the six-yard box, and shoot from a tight angle himself!

Bang—

The football, with the momentum of a sword opening the gates of heaven, smashed into Portugal’s net!