"Wu Shangshan passed the ball...Li Yongle made a mistake in stopping the ball...Yang Pan!Yang Pan!Yang Pan!Yang Pan!!The ball scored!The ball scored!The wonderful long shot!The Chinese team led 1:0!"

At this moment, countless people in China jumped up and started shouting. This time, no one would open the window and protest loudly, because there were almost only a handful of people who did not watch this key game in China.

Since this World Cup is held in Europe, the time difference has become a big problem. The competitions are all held in the evening and early morning Beijing time. Many units have made adjustments to their working hours and allow employees who stay up late to watch the football team to come to work later.

Football has never been so important in the eyes of Chinese people. For a football game, it can postpone school and work time. People's daily topic is the World Cup, the Chinese men's football team. This kind of life seemed to be only available in Latin America and Europe, but I didn't expect that Chinese people will live now.

How many years have you been? Chinese people are interested in talking about their own football and their own football team?

At the end of the first half, the Chinese team members left the court one by one. On both sides of the channel was the Chinese fan phalanx. They also gave the players a thumbs up: "Good! Good example!"

Everyone would look up when they passed by, regardless of whether they were out of the line or not, they had become heroes. Zheng Jun was deeply moved by this. In the past, they almost always walked into the locker room with their heads down, fearing that they would be hit by the things thrown by the fans. As for those "stupid B" national scoldings, it was even more common.

When he got used to the relationship between players and fans, facing this strong contrast today, his nose felt a little sore. He stood at the entrance of the passage, forgot to walk in, and looked up at the fans who stretched out their thumbs. In the past, they stretched their middle fingers!

Wang Liang walked up from behind and patted Zheng Jun: "Why don't you leave?"

Zheng Jun shook his head: "It's nothing, take a break."

"Hey! Don't rest here, go into the locker room!"

Zheng Jun turned around and looked at the Chinese fans in the stands, and then he followed Wang Liang into the player channel with some reluctance.

※※※

Xiang Tao was active in the locker room like a gorilla, jumping up and down. It made people feel that it was not Yang Pan who scored a goal in the first half but him.

"Haha! Ukraine is simply vulnerable! They were pitiful in the first half of the attack, and I was so leisurely..."

Yang Pan came in and glared at him: "Be careful that you can't be too busy in the second half!"

Xiang Tao grinned disapprovingly and found a place to sit down.

Qiu Suhui was the last one to come in, closed the door casually, and blocked the noise outside.

"We got a lot of opportunities in the first half, but to be fair, you didn't perform well, so many opportunities only scored one goal. This is the World Cup! Are you so generous? Be kind to the enemy is cruel to yourself! Are you all too nervous? Because this game is related to whether you can qualify? So you can't let go?"

Xiang Tao muttered: "I'm not nervous."

Qiu Suhui ignored this player who likes to play tricks anytime and anywhere. He continued to say to everyone: "Have you forgotten what I said before? Every step you take is a big improvement now. The tasks assigned by the superiors have been completed. There is nothing to regret. Let go of your hands and feet and play, put your mind on the game. As for what you play in the end, let's consider it after the game. Ukraine is not weak. They must have encountered the same problems as us in the first half, so don't relax in the second half." Qiu Suhui did not look at someone, but everyone knows who he is talking about "someone" means. A slight laughter sounded in the locker room, and the serious atmosphere just now eased a little.

"In the first half, we were quite successful in the defense of Shepchenko, but don't ignore the people around him. In general, because our offense suppressed Ukraine in the first half, their offense was limited, but don't take this seriously. Ukraine's ability to qualify as the first group in the highly competitive European division is very evident."

※※※

Sophie is taking the time to change film. Since the newspaper has limited staff now, it is impossible to provide her with an assistant, so she needs to do everything by herself. Fortunately, she used to be a photography assistant for people, but now she does this kind of thing very quickly.

Just after changing the film, I received a call from Li Yan from the stands.

"How busy? Sophie."

"It's okay. I took all the goals, but Zhang Jun and Shepchenko didn't perform much in the first half, so I took few shots."

"Haha, don't worry. You took a photo in the second half, didn't you see it?"

"What?"

"In the first half, he and Sheva were not in shape. I think the coach will definitely make some adjustments to them during the halftime break. In the second half, you can wait and keep pressing the shutter, hehe!" Li Yan smiled so much that Sophie was cold behind her back, but his meaning was also very obvious:

In the second half, Zhang Jun will definitely fight against Shepchenko, and the Chinese team will also fight against Ukrainian team.

※※※

"Andre." Bloxin called out to Shepchenko, who was about to leave. "I still want to talk to you, don't think that old man is too verbose."

Shepchenko smiled: "How could it be? Is there anything wrong, coach?"

"You didn't perform well in the first half, I think you realized this problem yourself, right?"

Shepchenko nodded.

"I pushed Wallenin to the front and put you behind him. I think you know exactly what the change in this position means, right?"

"I want to be more active."

"That's right. And you can hide yourself better in the back of Wallenin, which will make it easier for you to score. I hope you will bring out the whole team's form. This game is very important to us, and it is also important to you. This is your World Cup, Andrei!"

The last sentence touched Serchenko. He helped AC Milan get almost all the honors he could win, but never won anything for the national team. This also limited his position in the World Footballer selection. In the 2004 election, he lost to Barcelona's Ronaldinho. Although he tried hard to keep a polite smile on his face, the loss at that moment still did not escape the eyes of many people.

In the 202/03 season, he helped AC Milan win the trophy of the UEFA Champions League. He once said: "The Champions League is my World Cup." This was full of helplessness. When he brought the UEFA Champions League back to Ukraine, he was welcomed like a hero. At that moment, he really thought that what he had in his hands was the golden World Cup.

Now, he is standing on the World Cup in a Ukrainian yellow and blue jersey, standing at a fork in the road to heaven and hell, and this is exactly when he needs to fight like a hero.

I'm a European footballer, aren't I?

I'm the best striker in the world, aren't I?

I am the captain of Ukraine, aren’t I?

This is my World Cup in Andrei Shepchenko, isn't it?

The Ukrainian tightened the captain's armband on his arm and said nothing, but he knew exactly what he should do. He reached out and pushed open the door of the locker room.

※※※

As usual, Zhang Jun waited at the last one before walking out the door. This time he was stopped by Qiu Suhui.

"You are not in a high mood, Zhang Jun."

Zhang Jun is indeed like this. On the court and off the court, he performed as if he hadn't woken up and had a nap.

"Well... it seems that I can't find the state." Zhang Jun rubbed his nose.

“Is it too much pressure?”

"I don't know." Zhang Jun shook his head, "Maybe, there are so many Chinese fans in the stands, more than in the previous two games... I don't want to disappoint them."

Qiu Suhui patted Zhang Jun: "Listen to me, it is a good thing that you have this sense of responsibility. But football is football, especially in such a key game, it is best to throw national emotions aside, which will only make you lose the correct judgment. It is better to think simpler."

Zhang Jun nodded with no idea. He could not fully understand what Qiu Suhui said now. The education he received since childhood was to win glory for the country, and to defend the dignity of the nation and make Chinese compatriots happy. Even on the football field, isn't this good?

Qiu Suhui suddenly grabbed the corner of his mouth and pulled it upwards: "Smile, Zhang Jun. Don't forget what it feels like to smile. Think about when you were at Warren Dam, huh?"

Zhang Jun suddenly realized that he felt an epiphany. Smile, yes, how simple it is.

Smile.

He hung his smile on his face and said to Qiu Suhui: "I think I know what to do, Qiu Zhi."

Qiu Suhui nodded with a smile.

Then Zhang Jun turned around and pushed open the door of the locker room. Walking through a corridor, the hall, turning right there, the passage for the players to play. In this hall, he met Shepchenko who was walking from the opposite side.

Both of them were looking down and thinking about their worries, but when they turned to the stadium passage, they found someone around them. They looked up almost at the same time. They saw each other.

Both were a little surprised, but Shepchenko reacted first. He smiled and greeted Zhang Jun in Italian. Zhang Jun could only give him a gift.

In this case, it was really embarrassing to meet in this mood, so the two of them stopped talking and just went out side by side.

The two of them are the last players to play in each team.

Sophie was a little surprised that they would actually come out together, but no matter whether it was a coincidence or intentional one, it was definitely a very outstanding photo. She quickly pressed the shutter and parted ways from the time they appeared at the door to the sidelines. They all took it all. I believe that after going back to wash it out, I will definitely get a photo with the best effect.

※※※

"Okay, spectators, welcome back to the Allianz Stadium in Munich, Germany! We are here to broadcast the last round of the German World Cup Group A for you, with the Chinese team against Ukraine. In the last stage of the first half, the Chinese team led Ukraine with a long shot from No. 7 Yang Pan to the penalty area and 1:0! Now the second half is about to begin, and we see that the players on both sides have stood up and just wait for the referee to whistle."

The second half was Ukraine kick-off.

Shepchenko said to Wollenen beside him: "Andre, you should know this sentence? 'The five minutes at the beginning of each half and the five minutes before the end are the easiest times to score goals'."

Wollenn looked at Sheva in surprise: "Do you want to..."

"It's too late to score another goal five minutes before the end, we're going to score now." The captain's tone made Wallenin think that they would score the same goal.

"Now?" he couldn't help asking.

"Yes, after the kickoff whistle sounded." Shepchenko nodded.

※※※

The referee hasn't blown the whistle yet. He is deliberately hanging everyone like this? Sophie thought so in her heart, and her palms holding the camera were full of sweat. She has never been so nervous before the opening game between the Chinese and Brazil.

What's wrong? That's just a contest between twenty-two people on the field. What was she doing when she was nervous like this?

※※※

Finally, the whistle that made people feel like they had been waiting for a long time started to sound, and the flashes in the stands were played, and Vorenin on the court kicked the football to Shepchenko.

Zhang Jun did not run straight forward as usual, but rushed into the middle circle and rushed towards Shepchenko who was holding the ball!

This is the first time the two have face-to-face contest. Countless people who are familiar with their past are excited. They are looking forward to seeing Shepchenko shake Zhang Jun beautifully, or Zhang Jun accurately cut Shepchenko's ball off.

But Shepchenko's choice disappointed them - he did not satisfy the audience, but passed back. Zhang Jun was stunned for a moment, slowed down and ran over Shepchenko instead, but his goal was no longer to pass the ball, but to move forward, forward, towards the Ukrainian goal, and to his own position.

But when Zhang Jun got in the position, he realized that he was in an offside position - the Ukrainian defense line was pressing very well!

"It seems that at the beginning of the second half, Ukraine wanted to launch a large-scale attack, and they must want to equalize the score as soon as possible."

With a long pass, Wolenen jumped up and flew back. Behind him, it was not the midfielder Takachenko, but the forward Shepchenko.

This change made the Chinese team members unresponsive. They were used to seeing Shepchenko appear in the front.

After receiving the ball, Shepchenko found that there was no Chinese team around him. He was not polite and took a step and shot hard with a long shot.
To be continued...