Chapter 168: Su Dong must be there! [Fourth update after working so hard, begging for monthly tickets!]
On the evening of May 21st, at the Olympic Stadium in Seville, Spain.
“Beep!!!”
With the whistle of Slovak referee Rubes Michael, the players of the two teams quickly separated.
Su Dong grabbed Ronnie's hand and climbed up from the grass, his face full of unwillingness.
Just now, he took the initiative to switch positions with Ronnie, moved to the wing to receive the ball, passed an opposing defender, tried to dribble the ball inside, and when he cut diagonally into the penalty area, he was fouled and tripped by the opponent's Swedish international center back Johan Mjabi.
If he had killed us just now, it would definitely be a very good opportunity.
"What a pity!" Su Dong shook his head and sighed.
Ronnie nodded repeatedly. He was already waiting in the middle. Quaresma was on the right. Sudong was about to pass Mjabi and create a three-on-two situation, but the opponent decisively fouled.
This is the Celtics' strategy tonight!
…
Albertini's free kicks are not always successful.
At least, just eight minutes into the game, Su Dong got a free kick opportunity on the left side of the frontcourt, but the Italian veteran failed to seize the opportunity. After the ball passed the wall of players, it failed to fall into the goal frame and was too high.
From the start of the game, the situation was just like what happened to Su Dong just now, which was a disaster.
Sporting Lisbon is well aware of its strengths and weaknesses, especially in terms of physical fitness.
After a tough fight with Porto, Sporting Lisbon's players are less physically fit than Celtic. If they really go into overtime, it will be very unfavorable for Sporting Lisbon.
Therefore, Sporting Lisbon's opening strategy is to take the initiative.
Boloni was conservative and did not arrange attacking midfielders like Sa Pinto or Tonito to play, but continued to use three defensive midfielders. The purpose was to keep the midfield and backcourt stable while the frontcourt pressed forward to attack.
The Celtics maintained a defensive posture from the beginning and did not attack rashly.
Martin O'Neill was well aware of his team's weaknesses in technology and coordination, so he adopted highly aggressive and lethal tactics and committed frequent fouls.
This turned the game into a disaster as soon as it started.
The referee's whistle sounded continuously.
The Celtics' fouls were very particular, hovering on the edge of getting a card and not getting a card, like a scumbag, lingering at the door and not going in.
It was not until this foul by Mjabi that the Swedish international center back received the first yellow card of the game.
Albertini, Barbosa, Andre Cruz and others are extremely experienced. They know that the Celtics are well prepared to guard against Sporting Lisbon's proactive attacks. They also know that it is difficult to be effective, so they proactively slowed down the offensive and gradually retreated the formation.
The team must consider the issue of physical strength distribution.
Attacking blindly consumes a lot of energy. What should we do when we run out of energy in the second half? How to control the rhythm of the game has always been a profound knowledge.
…
From the tenth minute on, the game was in a stalemate, but still very intense.
Rui Jorge collided heavily with the opponent's right winger Agathe during a competition. Both of them were carried off the field for treatment. Fortunately, neither of them was seriously injured and they soon returned to the field.
It was intense and dull, which made people wonder whether the silver ball system would be used for the first time tonight.
Sporting Lisbon retreated voluntarily, but Celtic showed little willingness to invest in the attack.
The two forwards, one tall and one fast, failed to create much threat in the frontcourt. Sutton did not seem to be in the best condition. Hartson's absence had a significant impact on the striker line. Larsson was like a swimming fish, shuttling between Sporting Lisbon's defense, looking for opportunities.
Both teams played relatively steadily, but the pace of the game was not slow.
The Celtics are well aware that what they excel at is impact and speed, which is a typical British style of play. If they hand over the rhythm of the game to Sporting Lisbon, it will be quite disadvantageous for them.
Therefore, every time the defense is successful, as long as there is an opportunity, they will decisively launch a quick counterattack.
This is also a way for them to consume the physical energy of Sporting Lisbon players.
It doesn’t matter if the offense isn’t threatening, as long as the Celtics can defend and wear down their opponent’s energy, they’ll have the advantage.
Sporting Lisbon knew the opponent's intention, but there was nothing they could do. The midfield could not control the rhythm and the ball, so they could only go against the opponent. In the final analysis, Boloni was too conservative.
If Tonito or Sa Pinto were on the field, the midfield would be able to hold the ball more easily, but in this way, the interception of the midfield would inevitably be weakened, and Boloni was very worried that it would affect the stability of the back line.
Sometimes, tactics are all about trade-offs.
…
What Su Dong faced most was fouls.
The Celtics' defenders didn't have much of a way to deal with him except to foul him.
He also created two chances, one of which was a wonderful pass to Ronnie, but his shot from a small angle was saved by goalkeeper Douglas.
Another time the ball was passed to Quaresma, but the latter failed to move forward in time and missed the opportunity.
After receiving a pass from his teammate, Su Dong suddenly turned around and sprinted forward with the ball. He was double-teamed by two Celtics defensive players. When he was about to break through the opponent's defense, he was attacked by the two players from the left and right at the same time and pulled to the ground.
Su Dong fell outside the thirty-meter area again.
The referee blew the whistle again but did not give a card.
Sporting Lisbon quickly sent a free kick to Ronnie on the left.
Su Dong ran over to receive the ball, but Ronnie failed to pass it in time and it was intercepted by the opponent.
The Celtics immediately launched a counterattack, and under Su Dong's relentless pressure, made a long pass to the front court.
Larsson passed the ball to the right from the middle, and Agathe crossed into the penalty area.
Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Ricardo acted decisively and snatched the ball from mid-air before Sutton.
The Portuguese goalkeeper held the ball in his left hand, raised his right hand high, and extended his index finger, signaling his teammates to press forward.
"Sporting Lisbon should try to invest more manpower in the offensive end and give more support to Su Dong."
"Celtic has a lot of defenders, and Sporting Lisbon's offense relies more on the trident, but it is easy to fall into the opponent's encirclement. If the midfield and the flanks of the back line can provide more support, I believe it will be easier to open up the situation."
"But Boloni didn't seem to have such an idea. He kept admonishing Rui Jorge. Whenever the Portuguese left-back moved forward, Boloni shouted at him to go back."
"Of course, the Celtics are the same way. Neither team is willing to invest enough manpower on the offensive end."
"Look at this time, Sporting Lisbon's hand throw-in."
"Albertini ran back and raised his hand to ask for the ball, received it, turned around and made a long pass."
"It was a very beautiful long pass to the left side of the front court."
"Ronnie judged the landing point, ran back and headed the ball."
Ronnie jumped high to meet Albertini's long pass, and headed the ball, which immediately changed direction and fell to the middle.
Su Dong ran over quickly to grab the second landing point. Facing the flying ball, he first stopped the ball with his chest up, then raised his left foot high to take the ball off, and then gently picked the ball up to his right foot.
The whole action was done in one go, leaving no chance for the opponent to intervene.
After stopping the ball with his right foot, Su Dong dribbled past another defensive player, then suddenly accelerated, shook off the double-team of two defensive players, and quickly sent the ball to the right side of the frontcourt.
Quaresma received a pass from Su Dong outside the right corner of the penalty area. As soon as he stopped, Celtic's Belgian central defender and international player Valgaren was already blocking the inside.
One on one!
Quaresma knew without looking that after passing the ball, Su Dong would go straight into the penalty area and wait for his cross from the wing.
Even Ronnie might rush to the back post.
This is the tacit understanding formed by the three since they started playing football, and it is also their trust in Quaresma.
They all believed that Quaresma could break through Valgaren's defense.
The Portuguese winger did not give his opponent any chance to breathe or think, he dribbled the ball in small steps and approached Valgaren.
After approaching Varga, he dribbled the ball skillfully with his left and right feet, and after shaking his body left and right continuously, he easily shook off Varga and rushed directly to the baseline with the ball.
In just one encounter, Valgaren was completely defeated by Quaresma.
But the Celtics defender kept chasing.
After Quaresma broke through the opponent's defense, he sent a low ball with his right foot to the center of the goal.
He knew that Su Dong would be there! "Sporting Lisbon's breakthrough on the right."
"Quaresma made a very clean pass and crossed the ball from the bottom."
"Is there anyone in the middle lane..."
“Su Dong!!!!”
“The ball goes in!!!!”
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"In the 36th minute, Sporting Lisbon scored the first goal!"
"Little God of War...Su Dong!"
Su Dong easily shook off Balde in front of the goal and sent Quaresma's low cross into the goal.
In fact, even if he didn't get the position, there was still Ronnie at the back.
After Su Dong scored a goal, he rushed out of the stadium inexplicably excited, ran straight to the Sporting Lisbon fans' stand on the sidelines, jumped high onto the billboard, clenched his fist and shouted at the fans in the stands.
The Green Lions fans in the stands were also extremely excited, and were all shouting Su Dong's name frantically.
Behind him, teammates rushed up one after another and surrounded Su Dong.
“So beautiful!”
"Sporting Lisbon's front trident's solo show!"
"These three players not only work well together, but also have excellent individual abilities, especially in one-on-one situations."
"We can see that Ronnie grabbed the first point, and Su Dong's subsequent control of the second point and the ball were very exquisite. He used his skillful and delicate footwork and sudden changes of speed and direction to break through the double-team of three defensive players and transfer the ball to the right."
"Quaresma's breakthrough on the right was very clean and quick, and the opponent didn't even have time to foul him."
"This is Sporting Lisbon's front trident!"
“One to zero!”
"Now, the deadlock in the game has been completely broken!"
“I believe that it will be difficult for Celtic to be conservative in the future, and Sporting Lisbon will definitely do its best to maintain its lead.”
“The game should become more exciting.”
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(End of this chapter)
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