Fox in the Penalty Area

When the Dutch team launched a counterattack, the stands were filled with boos and screams from Chinese fans:

Seeing the situation in the backcourt of the Chinese team, many people can only feel despair.

However, after Hu Lai suddenly accelerated to catch up, many people regained hope in their hearts.

Xie Lan in the stands shouted excitedly: "Shovel him, son!"

Then she quickly changed her words: "Oh, don't shovel! Don't foul!"

Then he asked himself: "But can you stop it without fouling?"

She did not continue to fall into the painful decision because her son gave the answer - foul!

Seeing Hu Lai reaching out and grabbing Kaili's jersey, Xie Lan couldn't help but open his mouth wide, but no sound came out.

She hopes that her son will succeed, but she is worried that her son will get a yellow card for her...

In the 52nd minute of the game, Hu Lai kicked Danny Drew from behind for a foul during a counterattack in the frontcourt and received a yellow card.

If you get another yellow card, you will be sent off.

Without Hu Lai, even if the Chinese team can reach overtime, how can it beat the Netherlands? Could it really be delayed until a penalty shootout?

Taking a step back, even if the Chinese team really eliminated the Dutch team in a penalty shootout, how would they defeat Italy in the semi-finals without Hu Lai?

Just when Xie Lan was thinking wildly, reality gave her a crueler blow - her son's foul did not stop the Dutch team's counterattack!

While being pulled down, Kyrie passed the football to Tesis!

The Chinese fans screamed even louder around Xie Lan.

Their screams were like a tidal wave.

When Tesis passed the football to the center, it rose.

Seeing Ding Yuanhai still guarding the middle road, he fell down.

Saw Jaden Van Bruggen miss the ball and get up again.

Until finally Robin Feeney kicked the football into the Chinese team's goal...

The tide fell completely.

The hearts of Chinese fans also sank to the bottom of the sea.

In the Casavalla stadium, which can accommodate 45,000 people, only the Dutch fans cheered deafeningly.

Robin Feeney, the Dutch player who scored the goal, got up from the ground and ran towards the corner flag with his arms outstretched, an expression of ecstasy on his face.

Jaden Van Bruggen, who missed the ball to him, also got up from the ground and chased after him.

There are many more Dutch players.

They ran all the way from the backcourt as if they were just here to celebrate.

When the football was passed to Jaden Van Bruggen, Maxi Carey tried to get up from the ground, but he failed to get up on the first try.

Because Hu Lai's hand was still holding on to his jersey... as if he was afraid that he would move forward and participate in the attack.

Now he was kneeling on the ground, turned around and said to Hu, who was still tugging on his jersey: "Stop tugging, we have all scored.

"

But Hu Lai, who was sitting on the ground, still didn't let go.

Kaili raised his arm again and exerted a little force, but this time he broke free easily.

Looking back at Hu Lai who was still sitting on the ground, Kaili turned around and ran away to celebrate.

In the penalty area of ​​the Chinese team, Luo Kai, who had tackled Robin Feeney but failed to prevent him from scoring, was lying on the ground, panting and his chest heaving violently.

Ding Yuanhai didn't get up either.

Lin Zhiyuan lay on the ground and turned to look at the goal. The football was indeed there. So he turned his head back again and buried his face in the grass.

When the football flew into the goal, Zhou Zijing had just ran through the center circle. When he saw the ball thrown, he stopped and stood there blankly.

Then he heard a cry of pain suddenly coming from beside him.

He turned around and looked around, and found Xia Xiaoyu not far from him. He sat down again and hugged his right leg with both hands - the same leg he had cramped just now.

After limping back, he cramped again.

Zhou Zijing quickly pressed his legs.

In front of the Dutch coaching bench on the sidelines, head coach Joseph Drost hugged his coaches. The substitute Dutch players had already left the bench in droves and rushed to the Chinese team's corner flag area to celebrate with their teammates on the field.

They passed the Chinese team's bench that was deathly silent.

The substitute players of the Chinese team who could not help but stand and watch the game before are now either standing there dumbfounded or kneeling on the ground.

Head coach Jorge Dillon didn't say anything when he lost the ball at the last moment, maintaining the same posture as before, still standing on the sidelines.

Behind him are the coaches with their heads in their hands.

In the stands not far behind the Chinese team's bench, Wang Guangwei clenched the iron railing tightly with his hands until his knuckles turned white and made a "squeaking" sound.

Around him were the laments of the Chinese team staff.

In fact, he has never regretted the handball foul against England.

Because without that handball foul, the Chinese team would not even be where it is today.

But he does feel very unwilling now...

※※※

"Be careful of the Dutch team's counterattack!"

"What the hell! He pulled Kyrie down! But Kyrie had already passed the football!"

"Tesis! Cross!"

"Danger! Danger!"

"Van Bruggen...missed!!"

"Finney! Ah——"

"well!"

He Feng and Yan Kang sighed heavily at the same time when they saw the football flying into the goal.

Then He Feng remembered his responsibilities and endured the pain and said:

"The Chinese team... the Chinese team finally lost the ball... At the last moment of the game, the Dutch team counterattacked after a corner kick was taken..."

Then he felt that his throat was tight and he couldn't say any more words.

Everyone in front of the TV was speechless.

Every fan, even non-fans who don't usually watch football, saw this scene clearly.

If the ball is lost at this time, it will be difficult for the Chinese team to get it back.

Because... there is no time!

There was eight minutes of injury time. Logically speaking, the game should be over at ninety-eight minutes.

Because Xia Xiaoyu had cramps and other dead-ball situations, the referee gave some additional time as appropriate.

The added time of injury time cannot be the same as the added time of regular time. Just make up as many minutes as you miss.

Basically, if you can give it two minutes, it's almost over.

Therefore, the Chinese team's loss of the ball in the 100th minute means that they may not have a chance to kick off, and the game will be over.

Even if the referee did not directly blow the whistle to end the game, it is estimated that the Chinese team just kicked the football out and the game was over.

Therefore, the Chinese team is destined to lose.

"Woo..."

Whimpering sounded in the living room.

From Jiang Yin.

While others were silent, she couldn't help but cry.

Before this World Cup, she was not a football fan and had almost never watched football games.

It can be said that it was precisely because of this World Cup that she began to gradually enter the world of football, trying to watch games and discuss football with others.

】

She has become a "football fan".

But as a new fan, she may not be able to accept the cruelty of the football world.

He obviously worked so hard, and even though he was given a penalty kick at the last minute against England, he was still able to turn defeat into victory...

But why?

Why doesn't it work this time?

Hearing the cry, everyone turned to look at her, including Yan Yan.

Jiang Yin choked with sobs and asked Yan Yan: "Brother Yan... do you think Hu Lai can... still score from the circle to equalize the score this time?"

Faced with this problem, the great leader Yan Yan, who always said "You can always trust Hu Lai", did not speak. Instead, he put his arms around the shoulders of the girl who kept shaking as she cried.

※※※

"stand up!"

Zhang Qinghuan, who replaced Wang Guangwei to wear the captain's armband in this game, shouted at his teammates lying on the ground.

"The game isn't over yet! The referee hasn't blown the whistle yet! Maybe there's still a chance!"

As he shouted, Luo Kai, who was lying on the ground, stood up and turned to look at the referee.

I found him and he didn’t blow the final whistle!

"As long as the game doesn't end at this time, don't give up!"

Zhang Qinghuan continued to shout like a real captain.

Currently, he is the oldest and most senior on the field, and he is indeed qualified to be the captain.

"Brother Huan is right!" Hu Lai also stepped forward and shouted to everyone who was frustrated. "No matter how long it takes, we will fight them!"

"How to fight?" Zhou Zijing turned to ask Xia Xiaoyu after pulling him up from the ground.

"When we kick off the ball later, everyone will rush forward at the same time, as far as they can. Just leave Lin Zhiyuan behind." Hu Lai said.

Hearing what he said, everyone looked over, and Lin Zhiyuan pointed at himself in surprise: "Me?"

"Stop standing in front of the goal, Xiao Linzi." Hu Lai said to him, "You stand behind the center circle. When the time comes, I will pass the football back to you, and you will kick the football forward using the goal kick method. .”

Lin Zhiyuan did not express any objection to Hu Lai's imaginative idea. He simply nodded and agreed: "Okay."

Hu Lai then said to the others: "I and I will stand in the center circle to kick off the ball. You should all stand on the center line. When the referee blows the whistle, then rush forward in a swarm. This is the only way I can think of." It’s a quick way to hit the ball in front of the Dutch team’s penalty area.”

"I think it's okay." Zhang Qinghuan, as the captain, stood up to express support for Hu Lai.

Others had no objections.

※※※

The Dutch team finally ended their wild celebrations and returned to their own half.

The referee did not blow the whistle to end the game while they were celebrating.

In his opinion, as long as the stoppage time is not completely over, he cannot blow the whistle.

At the same time, the players of the Chinese team were already in position, waiting for the kick-off.

It's just their position that attracted other people's attention.

There was a commotion in the commentary box.

"The Chinese team is..."

"Why is their goalkeeper so far forward? Isn't he guarding the goal?"

"Wow! All members of the Chinese team are standing on the center line, and there is only one person at the back, the goalkeeper! This is really a rare sight!"

He Feng and Yan Kang, who had previously felt sad and painful about the Chinese team's defeat, were shocked when they saw this strange scene.

The two of them looked at each other in the commentary box.

Then He Feng raised his voice, cheered up his mood and tone and said: "Although they suffered a fatal blow at the last moment of the game, the boys of the Chinese team did not give up! They were still ready to fight to the death! This scene was really shocking! I No matter what the final result of the game is, just this scene can let me see the future hope of Chinese football!"

Yan Kang echoed loudly: "Yes! They have been forced into a desperate situation and even fell off the cliff. These young men, even if they are in the air with nowhere to rely on, are still working hard to save themselves... They never give up! They didn't even admit defeat! They... showed the world the courage of Chinese football!"

Can the Chinese team's desperate attitude be able to beat the Netherlands again?

Both of them actually gave up hope.

But they were still excited.

As they say.

They saw the courage and hope of Chinese football.

※※※

The players from both sides have already taken their positions. Although the Dutch players were a little surprised by the position of the Chinese players, the surprise was only Lin Zhiyuan's position.

Unexpectedly, as the goalkeeper, Lin Zhiyuan did not stay in front of the goal, but ran behind the center circle.

But they also learned what the Chinese team will do next.

Hu Lai stood in the middle circle and said to Zhou Zijing: "After a while, you kick the football forward. If you kick it, run away. Leave me alone."

Zhou Zijing nodded: "Okay."

Then Hu Lai looked up at the Dutch team's goal.

Tone Schulman was found standing squarely on the goal line.

He wanted to complain: Don't be so nervous, I can't open or close anymore...

After everyone is ready, the referee blows the whistle.

Zhou Zijing quickly kicked the football out.

At the same time, all the Chinese players pressing on the center line rushed into the Dutch team's half and ran towards their penalty area!

It's like a decisive charge!

Hu Lai stepped into the Dutch half, knocked the football away from Zhou Zijing, and turned and passed it behind him.

Passed to Lin Zhiyuan!

After Lin Zhiyuan received the ball, he raised his big foot and prepared to kick the ball!

But at this moment, the referee, who was strictly punctual, blew his whistle.

A sound.

Lin Zhiyuan kicked the football out with his foot.

Twice.

The players of the Chinese team continued to move forward. No one stopped and paid attention to the whistle.

Three sounds.

Luo Kai jumped up and tried to push the football towards the center.

But he missed the ball.

Lin Zhiyuan's kick was too big, and the football flew out of the sideline from a height of about ten centimeters above Luo Kai's head...

After the whistle, amid huge cheers from the Dutch fans, Roquet lost his balance and fell to the ground. This time he did not get up again.

Other sprinting players also stopped.

Some people put their hands on their knees and threw themselves forward, breathing heavily.

Someone was crawling on the turf.

Others collapsed to the ground.

The Dutch players cheered around them, raised their hands and knelt, and thanked God.

※※※

The Dutch commentator yelled excitedly in the commentary box and waved his fist vigorously: "The game is over! The game is over!! With the goal in the 100th minute, we defeated the Chinese team! This is an amazing victory! Dutch team keep going!”

He looked excited, as if the Dutch team had won not a quarter-final, but a final...

But no one would laugh at him for making a fuss, especially after the 17 minutes when the Chinese team equalized the score.

Everyone will agree that the victory in this game was hard-won for the Dutch team.

The Dutch fans in the stands, while cheering, also felt lucky to have "survived the disaster".

They looked up to the sky and roared, waving their fists and anything they could in their hands.

Others covered their faces with their hands, crying with joy, and hugged each other with their loved ones or strangers.

This scene is not unfamiliar to Chinese fans, because three days ago, they were also part of the cheers and hugs.

But now, they can only stand in the stands dumbfounded, looking at the stadium with expressions of pain, numbness and loss.

The joy and pain football brought them were only three days apart.

It’s not just the Chinese fans at the scene.

Most of the Chinese fans in front of the screen stared silently at the cheering Dutch players and the crying Chinese players.

Failure used to be the main theme of Chinese football. Every Chinese fan hated failure, but had to accept failure again and again.

But this time, when they faced the failure of the Chinese team, many people did not curse.

They're just sad.

He Feng's hoarse voice sounded during the live broadcast:

"The game is over, the game is over...the last quarter-final of this World Cup is over. Audience friends, just like the quarter-finals, the Chinese team also encountered a crisis at the last moment of the game, but like three days The difference is that this time we failed to create another miracle and win the game...

"Perhaps success in life is only temporary, and failure is the main theme. But how to face failure divides people into different looks. Some people will be defeated by failure, and some people can continue to get up and move forward. ...Friends, have you seen the last collective charge of the Chinese team? I think this is the answer the young men of the Chinese team gave when they faced failure!"

When the live broadcast showed footage of Chinese team players crying, Yan Kang's equally hoarse voice interrupted:

"The Chinese team faced many difficulties in this game. The main central defender was injured just over 20 minutes into the game. We lost a captain before the game started. Almost everyone was injured, and their physical fitness was nearly exhausted after continuous battles... …But these difficulties did not defeat the boys of our national team!

"From the time we equalized the score until the last moment of the game, we did not retreat, were not conservative, and had no intention of keeping the tie and playing overtime. Some people will definitely ask why not keeping the tie and playing overtime? I think this may be because of the players of our national team. They really think we can win, and they don’t think they are inferior to the Dutch team... This belief is the most important, and this courage should not be criticized or ridiculed!"

In the World Cup four years ago, after the Chinese team drew 3:3 with Brazil in the last game, both He Feng and Yan Kang saw off the Chinese team with smiles.

They went home the same way, and this time they couldn't laugh anymore...

Because they all have more expectations and visions for this team.

He Feng took over and continued:

"It's time to say goodbye to this team that has given us countless joys. Thank you to the boys of the Chinese team! What you showed us in this World Cup is beyond imagination, you did it Do more and better than we want you to do! When you go home, you don’t have to hang your head down or burst into tears like you are now. You are the well-deserved heroes in the hearts of all those who love Chinese football!

"The victor and the loser have unexpected family matters, and it is a man who is shy and endures shame. The children of Jiangdong are so talented, and their comeback is unknown! Goodbye, Chinese team, goodbye. Let us make a comeback in the China World Cup four years later!"

※※※

Wang Guangwei's figure appeared on the TV screen. He was wearing the uniform of the Chinese team and came to the stadium from the stands.

As the captain of the Chinese team, he is comforting his teammates one by one.

Give them a hug, pat them on the shoulder, back, or head.

When he met Luo Kai, he held him in his arms and kept talking.

Luo Kai lowered his head and covered his face, crying very sadly.

In the noisy scene, the Japanese commentator’s voice was slightly distorted:

"...The last Asian team in this World Cup is out...The Chinese team stopped in the quarterfinals. This is their best result in the history of participating in the World Cup. If you don't count the South Korean team in 2002, this is also The best result of an Asian team in the history of the World Cup, they tied the Japanese team in 2002...

"But I think at this moment, in China, there will definitely not be many people who are happy with their achievements, because even I feel sorry for them...Facing the stronger Dutch team, the Chinese team showed the world The tenacity and courage of the East Asian teams...China, this giant dragon, has opened its eyes!"

Only then did my mother notice that the home had become brighter. She turned to look at the window. The sky was bright outside, and the golden sunlight was driving away the darkness, almost covering the entire sky.

"Ah, it's dawn!"

She sighed.

Next to him, Junpei Morikawa was unmoved, still looking at the TV screen, the tears on his face shining brightly against the rising sun outside the window.

※※※

ps, no more.

All the matches of this Chinese team’s World Cup have been written.

Volume seven is coming to an end.

Next comes the final volume.

The saved manuscript is completely gone - I finished writing this chapter at 5:30 this morning, and I was still revising it until ten minutes before everyone saw this chapter. But I was short of time and couldn't check for typos in detail. If you see any typos or sentences that don’t make sense, please leave a message in the chapter description, and I will correct it as soon as I see it.

After I finish updating this volume, give me a few more days to save my manuscripts and update again...

This last volume won’t be too long, only about three to four hundred thousand words, just for one World Cup.

Finish the book as soon as it is finished.

If all goes well, it should end in March this year.

If it's slower, it might be in April.

It’s impossible to end it as soon as February, because I really can’t write that fast…

Thank you all for your understanding and support!

Thanks!