Chapter 88: Double Dragon

"Thegame resumes againandZhongyuanisnowintheleadby2:0.Thisgoalby LiYonglecan almostbesaidtohavesealedtheirvictory!"

"True,thetwogoalsarenowinthehandsofthedefensiveZhongyuan. The game's initiative naturally falls into their hands. Shu GUang won't have an easy time trying to score two goals in the remaining 30 minutes. Moreover, Sun Laihong's tactical arrangement against Shu Guang has been very successful. Zhang Jun has no chance under Luo Bin's defense and Kaka has been supressed by Li Yongle to the point where he can't pass the ball out properly. Ren Yu De seems to lack confidence when facing Liu Chao, while Yang Pan has only been forced to shoot from a distance. On top of that, Zhang Lintao's bravery today has gotten his long shots killed. Shu Guang may have no other way to score a goal."

Despite that, thegamewasnotoveryet, so itwasstilltooearlytosayanything.

Soon after, ZhangJunsuddenlybecameveryactive.Hecontinuedtorunintheforwardline; from left to right and front to back. He ran through a very large area,which made Luo Bin a little loss as he defended against him. There werea few times where he actually lost his positioning.

YangPan then took the ball again. He was the captain and everyone often chose to pass the ball to him. Even though his misjudgment before the end of the first half led to a goal for the opposition, his teammates still trusted him as always.

Perhapsit was the two goals in their grasp that made Lu Qing pretty lax. This time, it was real and not a trick to fool anyone into believing that Zhongyuan was in a relaxed mode.

Hisslacking demeanor allowed Yang Pan to break through easily. As Yang Pan ran past him like the wind, he could not even stretch out his feet in time.

"Whatthehellishedoing?"SunLaihongcould nothelpbut raiseaneyebrow. Sincetheteam scoredtwogoals,he had been feeling morepsychological pressure. It was even more so duringthisperiod oftimewhen ShuGuangfoughtbackwildly. The stones in his heart were becoming increasingly heavy as time passed.

LuQingwasbroken through and Deng Rui went ahead to block. However, his movements were too slow for Yang Pan, who could travel 100m in 10 seconds.

"YangPantakes anothershotinfrontofthe penalty area!"

ZhangLintaoleaped andattacked the ball withbothof fists!

"Itdidn'tgoin!"

ButthecrisisinZhongyuan's penalty area had not been lifted. Zhang Jun rushed to the ball as Luo Bin lost his positioning due to Zhang Jun's constant running. Then, he kicked!

Nowit was ZhangYang's turn!ZhangYangusedhisbodytoblocktheballout!

And DengRuiquicklykickedtheball off theside.

Whentheballwasout,ZhangLintaosuddenly roared,"Grr"

"EvenZhangLintao is roaring. He's alwaysbeenrelativelycalmonthe pitch. That was a fierce one indeed. Shu Guang's frantic counter-attacks are making Zhonyuan a little bit more active, with Zhang Lintao displaying extraordinary strength to make sure that they don't lose any goals. His blocking of Yang Pan's big shot was for him and Zhongyuan; you can practically sense his ominous aura!"

Actually,YangPan'sshotearlierhadahugeamountofstrengthinitandthedistancewasnotfareither.AlthoughZhangLintaobravelytackleditoutbuttheballinhishandsdidnoteasehispain.Tolessenhispain,heletoutaloudroartorelieveit.Beforeheroared,washishandsstillinatightfist?

However,nomatterwhat,becauseofZhangLintao'sloudroar,itmadethestandsarousedand roaredalong,thegamegraduallybecamemoreintensewiththisenthusiasm.

LiYonglemanagedtoseeit,LuoBinhasbecomemoreandmorestrenuousandthiskindofstrenuouswasdifficultonone'sphysicalstrength.WithZhangJunconstantrunning,hebecamethearrowforShuGuangandcombinedwithShuGuang'sindefinitelyfrontfieldplay,therewasn'tanythingwrongwithhimrunninglikethis.However,LuoBinwasthecoreofthedefenselineinZhongyuan.Ifheranaroundlikethat,theentirelineofdefensewouldbeoutoforder.Therefore,LuoBinwasveryhesitantformostofthetime.Ifhefollowed,thebackdefenselinewouldbecomechaotic;Ifhedidnot,theotherswouldnotbeabletodealwithZhang Jun.Whetherornothewasfollowingthismultiplechoice,itwouldstillbedifficult.

Atthistime,LiYonglebegantoconsciouslywithdrawabittohelpLuoBin'sconcerns.

ButSunLaihongsawitandwavedathimtogettohisoriginalpositionandmarkKaka.Beinghelpless,hecouldonlyfollowhiscoach'sinstructions.

Asaresult,LuoBincontinuedtobehesitantwithhisdecisiontofollowornottofollow.

ZhangLintaowasinagoodstatetodaythathemanagedtopounceonYangPan'sbigshotforthreetimesinarow.Hisowndragonsmighthaveunexpectedadvantagesbuttheymusthavealreadyseenitduringthesemi-finalsandtheywoulddefinitelythinkofwaystodealwiththe Dragon.Andnowhecouldn'tturnwithoutbeingseen,letalonebringingtheballtothepenaltyzone,howwouldhebringouthisdragonsthen,perhapsthismightbetheirways.Besidesthe Dragon,ZhangJuncouldnotthinkofothergood waysto breakthrough thegoalkeeper'sfingers.

Once,justonechancewouldbeenoughforhim.ZhangJunthoughtofitthatway.

"ShuGuanghasn'tbeenoffensiveforquiteawhileandZhongyuanseizedtheopportunitytogetback!LiYonglepassedtheballtoZhaoDefengandZhaoDefengdribbledtheballforward!WangNingandLiHaoaredoingtheirbesttostophimfromadvancing!Beautiful!Afterbreakingthrough,ZhaoDefengquicklyassignedtheballtoZhangYulinfromthesideandZhangYulinslantedintothepenaltyzoneby45!ButAnKegottheballout.AnKewasinal argerangeofactivitiesandhecanbeseenintheentirerestrictedarea!"

ZhongyuanwentintooffenseandShuGuangnaturallyhadtodefend.Betweentheenteringandretreats,Zhongyuan'stightdefenselinehadaninsignificantspacebehindthem.

AfterAnKereceivedtheball,heimmediatelyattackedwithabigkickandtheballflewtoKaka,itseemedliketheywerebullyingLiYonglewhowasbadatheading.

Sureenough,inthefaceofthiskindofball,LiYonglewasatlossandtheballwasobtainedbyKaka.

InthespacebehindthedefenselineofZhongyuan,Kakahadalreadylookedaheadbeforecatchingtheball.Hebelievedthatasastriker,ZhangJunwouldcertainlysawitclearlytooandwaitedtopasstheballtohim.

Kakausedhischesttostoptheballbyhisside,hesuddenlyturnedandfollowedbyarightleg,theballwaspickedup.AlthoughLiYonglequicklystuckup,therewasstillnowayofstoppingKakafrommakingapass.

Inthehurryofthepass,thepassbecameagracefularcbehindDengRuiandimmediatelyfellintothespacebehindthedefenselineofZhongyuan!There'snodoubtthatKakaimmersedhimselfinsambasoccer.

ZhangJuninstantlystartedmovingwhenKakawaspassingtheball,hegotpassedallthebackdefendersandrantotheplacementoftheball.

WhenotherteammateswereraisingtheirhandstotherefereetoindicatethatZhangJunwasoffside,LiYongleleftKakaandrantothegoal.

Thesiderefereedidnotraisetheflagandthemainrefereealsoignoredit.

ZhangLintaoandAnKeweretwodifferenttypesofgoalkeepers,AnKewasgoodatattackingandhasawiderangeofcontrol.ZhangLintaowasexactlytheopposite,hewascalmandsticktothegoalandtherestrictedarea.Herarelyattackedtheball.Thisballwasnoexception.WhenKakapassedtheballpastDengRui,hewantedtogooutandgettheballbuthesawithavinganarcandwasgoingoutside.Hetooktwostepsandthenwithdrewagain.

Now,ZhangJunandhimwereone-on-oneinthepenaltyzoneandstillhadnointentions ofattacking.ItwasonlywhenZhangJunstoppedtheballandsealedtheangle.EventheshotfromthefirststrikerZhangJun,hestillhadconfidencetothrowitout.Unless

Anamesuddenlyflashedinhismindandhecouldnothelpbutshudder.

"ZhangJuntooktheballintothepenaltyzoneanddidn'tgetoffside!Heisnowone-on-onewithZhangLintao!ThisisthebestopportunityforShuGuangtoscoreapoint!ButZhangJundidn'timmediatelyshootbutinsteadtookitforwardanddribbledittowardsZhangLintao!Lookingatthisstance,canitbe"

Dragon!

ThenameflashedinZhangLintao'smineandhesawZhangJunraisinghisleftfoottoshoot!

ZhangLintao'sbodyslammedtotherightbutheimmediatelyrememberedthename,quicklystoppedandhedidn'tseetheball,sureenoughHeimmediatelyflewtotheoppositedirectionwithhisownsuper-motornerves,readytotakeonthelastofZhangJun'sdragontail!

Butwhenhepounced,hedidnotseetheballflyingacross.

"Ah!Beautiful!Aheelpass!"Thecommentatorloudlyshouted.

Heelpass?WhenZhangLintaocompletelypouncedtotheside,hefinallysawthesoccerballleavingthegoalanditappearedinadirectionwhereafigurecameby.

"YangPan!"

YangPan'sspeedreachedthelimitwithouthavingtodribbletheball,hearrivedearlierthananyoneelse!Thenhetookastepforwardandraisedhisrightleg,heswayedbackandforth.HisentirebodyfelltotheleftandLuoBinwhohadfollowhim,sawhisstanceandgaveupdefendingbecauseitwastoolate.

"YangPan'svigorouslytooktheshot!"

Thesoccerballflewtothefarcornerofthegoalwithabreathtakingstrength!Noseemedtobeabletostopit.

ButasLiYongleraninfrontofthegoal,therewasstillsomedistance,hewasnowtheonlyhopeofZhongyuan.Hethrewhimselfforwardandstretchedouthislongleg,thinkingofblockingtheballout.

Thesoccerballhitthekneeofhisleftlegandthenitbouncedup,slammingintothegoalpostandbouncedintothegoal!

*Beep*Therefereesoundedthewhistle.

"It'sagoal-ShuGuanggotbackapoint!"

YangPan,whoscoredagoal,jumpedupfromthegroundandrushedoutside.Asheran,hetoreoffhiscoatandstrodeinfrontoftwentythreethousandpeople.It'snowonderhewasexcited,thatfatalmistakeinthefirsthalfandthethreeshotsthatwereallcaughtinthesecondhalf,allthesegrievanceswereonhisfootandalltheseembarrassmentwereventedduringtherun.

"Fabulousperformance!ZhangJun'sDragonactuallyevolvedintosuchashot!HechangedhisfootinthebackoftheDragon,hecouldhaveusedhisleftfoottopretendhehadmadethelastshot,neverthoughtthathewouldchangetohisrightfootandsweepthepickedupballintheoppositedirectionofthegoal!ThenYangPanrushedforwardtomeettheballwithabigkick!Thiskindofgoalwouldbeunstoppable!AlthoughLiYonglehittheball,theballstillentered!Thestrengthofthesoccerballwastoohugethatitbecameareboundthatthegoalhadsomeslighttrembling!Whatascaryshot!"

Watchingthegoal,LiangKejumpedandrushedtothesidelinestocheer.Atthistime,hedidn'thavetheshadowofasteadycoach.Thepressureonthefinalwastoogreat,heneededtoventabit.

Thesubstituteswerecheeringtoo.

SuFeididnotexcitedlycheerlikethembutinstead,shewrotedownthescoreinasinglestroke.

Inthe seventeenth minuteofthesecondhalf,ZhangJunassistedandYangPan scoreda goal,ShuGuangtookbackapointwith1:2.

Thebigscreenreplayedthegoalsthatbecamehistoryinthisday.WheneverYangPanwasseenscoringagoal,ShuGuang'ssupporterswouldalwaysburstintocheers.

Eventhetwocommentatorscould nothelpbut cheer.

"Ihavenowordstoexpressaboutthisgoal!ZhangJun'spersonalskillsandYangPan'sgreatshothavebeencombinedwithtacitunderstandingofthetwoofthemtoproducesuchapowerfulstrength!Zhongyuan'smostprouddefenselinehasbeenhitwithablow!"

"Kakawholaunchedtheattackalsoplayedanimportantrole.UnderthestrictdefenseofLiYongle,itisverycommendabletohavesuchhighqualityofpassing,that'spriceless!"

"ActuallythinkingitwastheDragon,whowouldhavethoughtofthesuddenchanges,asingleperson'sperformancebecameatacitunderstandingoftwo.Ithoughtoftheword:DoubleDragonbeads!"

"Veryappropriate!"

Soccerwassuchawonderfulthing.Theeffectofagoalmustnotbecalculatedas1+1=2.

YangPan'spowerfulshotnotonlyprovidedapointfortheteam,itboostedtheteam'smoralebutontheopponent'steam,itbroughtthemawoundedteammate.

LiYongle'skneewashitbytheshotandhecouldnotstandforawhile.InShuGuang'sjubilant moment,hewastakenoffbyamedicalstaffonastretcher.Thisscenewasignoredbythefrenziedsceneofjubilationandfrustration,excitementandhelplessness.Intheendofthecelebration,whenZhongyuansettheballinthemiddletoprepareforthekickoffandwhentheystoodintheirformation,Zhongyuanonlythenrealizedtheyweremissingsomeone.

"LiYongleisinjured,itcouldbebecauseofblockingYangPan'sshotearlier."

"Thatshothithimontheleftknee.JudgingfromYangPan'slegstrength,itwouldn'thavebeenlight.SowhetherLiYonglecancontinueplayinginthegamebecomesaproblem."

"Aftergettingbackapointplustheabsolutemainforce,LiYongleislikelytobereplaceddueto injury. Zhongyuan's lost isn't only a difference in goals! It seems like Shu Guang will most likely seize this opportunity to continue their full-scale attack. As Zhongyuan has lost Li Yongle's long pass counter-attack ability, they can only defend to the death. Let's see if Shu Guang can even out the scores or if Zhongyuan will hold this difference in score! The battle between the sharpest spear and the strongest shield will soon be decided!"