Chapter 543 This Time It’s Real
When Rooney scored the third goal of the game, the game was already in the 44th minute of the first half, with only extra time left before the halftime break.
The England players did not procrastinate in celebrating the goal. After a simple celebration, all the players returned to their positions.
Wang Li felt pretty good about this game. He felt that he was in very good shape and the atmosphere of the World Cup made him somewhat intoxicated.
In the first 45 minutes of the first half, England scored a total of three goals, Joe Cole and Rooney scored one each, and the other was an own goal by the opponent.
In other words, Wang Li did not score a goal, which was a pity for him.
Wang Li was envious of Rooney's excitement after scoring a goal. After all, this was a World Cup match. Although his performance was unanimously recognized by everyone and he also had an assist, from the data analysis, the most regrettable thing was that he didn't score a goal.
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Although there was not much time left in the first half, Wang Li kept working hard in the frontcourt, hoping to score another goal in the final time.
If the Paraguayan players knew what the black-haired English boy was thinking, they would not be happy: You have already scored three goals, and there is only a little time left, and you still want to score! ?
This really doesn't take the Paraguayan team seriously! !
However, until the end of the first half, Wang Li did not find any good way. After all, the time was too short. After two attacks and a counterattack by Paraguay, the first half was over.
In the first half, England took an absolute lead.
…………The England players who returned to the locker room from the stadium were in a relaxed and happy mood, because they had gained an absolute advantage in the first half. The outcome of the game was no longer in doubt, and every player had no pressure at all.
According to this situation, if Paraguay still wants to get points in the group stage, they will definitely launch a fierce attack in the second half to seize the last chance. After all, it is still possible to recover the 3 goals, although the possibility is very small.
So small that the English players can ignore it!
They really have reason to be excited. This is the first group match and they got off to a good start, defeating Paraguay, the only team in the group except them. It will be no problem for them to qualify for the group.
The lack of pressure made the England locker room very lively, and the players were discussing the first half of the game.
Joe Cole became the protagonist. If we don't count Paraguay's first own goal, he scored the first goal of the World Cup. So other players were "jealous" and kept pulling his hair. After a while, Joe Cole's slightly long straight hair became a bird's nest.
This scene was captured by the absolutely "evil-hearted" Lampard with his mobile phone.
What follows is a hilarious farce.
In contrast, the atmosphere in Paraguay's locker room was much more depressing.
Before head coach Aníbal Ruiz returned to the locker room, the players were all doing their own things silently. Most of them were resting on their chairs, and no one spoke.
The first half of the game was a nightmare for them!
Even at the end of the game, this score was not acceptable to them, and now they had lost three goals in just half a game.
"Are we really so different from those English people?"
Many players began to reflect, and after making a comparison in their minds, they found that there was indeed a big gap between the Paraguay team and the England team, and this was not only reflected in the players' value.
From the first half of the game, England had the overall situation under control, and was better than them in terms of ball possession rate, pass success rate, etc. The individual skills of England's players may not be outstanding, but their coordination and physical fitness are much better than Paraguay's.
After all, most of the players in the current England team come from the Premier League, which is the most fiercely competitive league in the world. Therefore, the England team is much stronger than Paraguay in terms of physical confrontation.
Another thing is that England's offense is very simple. If I use a few words to describe it, it's just: pass, shoot, everything is that simple. This is the style of English football.
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Before, perhaps English football was not strong because their offensive method was too simple. Without gorgeous coordination, smooth and precise techniques, it was really difficult to score goals. But two people changed all this, they were Wang Li and Beckham.
Beckham's pass was so accurate!
Not to mention that the first own goal was caused by Beckham's pass, the second goal of Joe Cole was entirely caused by Beckham's 60-meter ultra-long-distance "fixed-point" pass. Such a player can play a very important role in England's simple offensive system.
Wang Li's skills are unmatched by any other Paraguayan player.
This was reflected in the first half. Facing Wang Li's dribbling, it was really difficult for 2 or 3 Paraguayan players to intercept him. Rooney's goal was directly related to Wang Li. After attracting the attention of all Paraguayan players, he accurately delivered the ball to Rooney's feet.
It is these two players that make England's attack so threatening.
In other words, compared with Paraguay and England, if there were no Beckham and Wang Li, Paraguay might still have some advantages in technology and offense, but with these two people, they are completely passive.
The two teams are simply not comparable in any aspect.
This reality made the Paraguayan players even more demoralized. "Come on, guys!!!"
Seeing the players' condition, Paraguayan head coach Aníbal Ruiz also understood. Facing the score of 3:0, the Paraguayan local coach did not hold much hope for the game. However, the game was only halfway through, and Paraguay still had a chance, and he could not give up directly.
Then give it a try!!
Ruiz had no choice but to do this. "The game is not over yet, we still have a chance!"
Anibal Ruiz continued, "They are not invincible. Although we are three goals behind, there is still hope. I hope you can make one last effort. Think about it, if you can complete a stunning reversal in the second half, then each of you will become a hero. This game will spread all over the world, and then you will be famous. Boys, cheer up!"
Aníbal Ruiz's words are very practical. He is right. Paraguay is now three goals behind. If they can win the game or even tie the score, I am afraid that Paraguay will immediately become the focus of all media after the game.
They will soon be given the title of 'super dark horse'.
Perhaps, the England team will be beaten to a pulp, and this game will be a hot topic among fans for many years.
Such a prospect allowed the Paraguayan players to slightly restore their morale. After all, the game was not over yet. Just like Ruiz said, they still had a chance, didn't they?
After saying a few more words to encourage the players, Ruiz began to arrange the tactics for the second half.
There is nothing complicated about tactics, the important thing is offense.
If Paraguay wanted to equalize the score, they could only launch a massive attack, because it was almost impossible to score three goals in 45 minutes relying solely on defensive counterattacks. What's more, England's head coach McLaren was no fool!
If Paraguay scored a goal on the counterattack, England would definitely strengthen its defense. If you scored the second goal after that, it would be considered luck, but do you still want to score the third one?
It was almost a dream.
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"When defending, pay attention to moving the formation back and not giving the opponent a chance to cooperate. Use your body to block the shooting angle. Be sure to pay attention to the opponent's No. 21. You have seen it in the first half. This black-haired boy is very capable. He is the best star in England." After arranging the offensive tactics, Ruiz added on the defense.
After the first half of the game, no Paraguayan player questioned Wang Li's personal ability. In response to the head coach's instructions, they all nodded tacitly.
"Okay, that's all I have to say. Remember, even if we lose, we have to show our team's momentum. This is a World Cup match, and we must not let the English get too arrogant!" At the end, Ruiz said again to boost morale.
However, nothing happened in the England team's locker room. When head coach McLaren returned to the locker room, he only emphasized the need to pay more attention to defense at the beginning of the second half, and let Wang Li go in front of the team to intimidate the Paraguayan team.
McLaren felt that this arrangement was enough. After all, England was now leading by three goals. Even if they lost the ball, he had time to make adjustments on the spot.
Wang Li was very satisfied with this arrangement because he did not have to participate in the defense.
As an offensive player, Wang Li only likes to attack, and all McLaren assigns him are offensive tasks. This is what Wang Li hopes to see. After all, he has little concept of money and comes to this world just to enjoy life.
Now that he has made enough money, he can just enjoy football on the field.
However, if the England team is in danger, he will still defend. After all, this is a World Cup game, and he still yearns for the World Cup, which is the highest honor football trophy in the world.
The halftime break passed quickly, and amid the anticipation of the fans in the stands, the players of both teams finally returned to the field.
With the referee's whistle, the second half of the game officially began.
Just as McLaren judged, Paraguay launched a fierce offensive at the beginning!
In order to equalize the score, they had to attack.
At this time, they almost completely gave up on defense, and almost all of the 11 players on the field except the goalkeeper participated in the attack. As a result, Paraguay's formation was pulled very forward, and Wang Li had to stand behind the center line, otherwise if his teammates passed the ball to him, it would be offside.
Under this kind of attack, England's defense seemed precarious.
Never underestimate Paraguay's offense. This kind of South American football with European style is no worse than the traditional European powerhouses in terms of offensive capabilities. This is an offense that sacrifices defensive capabilities. Paraguay has already tried its best!
So, in the first five minutes of the second half, Wang Li didn't receive a single pass, and the football kept flying back and forth in the England half.
At the beginning, Rooney, Irving and Wang Li all stood near the center line.
One minute later, Rooney returned to his own penalty area. Three minutes later, Owen also returned to his own penalty area. Only Wang Li was left in the frontcourt.
In fact, this is a very good opportunity for Wang Li. As long as the ball can be passed to his feet, it will definitely pose a threat to Paraguay's goal.
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But the ball just can’t be passed!!
Paraguay's attack made the English players a little panicked, because they had been going smoothly in the first half, but now the situation was completely reversed.
As a result, Paraguay scored a goal in the 53rd minute of the game.
This was a powerful advance. Paraguay passed the ball back and forth outside the England penalty area, and after several passes, the ball was passed to the left side.
Barreto kicked the ball to the middle on the left, and then Acuna in the middle kicked the ball high into the penalty area. After Santa Cruz got the ball, he headed it to winger Gavilan who had inserted into the right side of the penalty area. The latter received the ball, turned around and shot!
Faced with this close-range shot, Thomas had no reaction, and the ball flew directly into the net. Paraguayan winger Gavilan scored a goal for the team.
This goal seemed to have restored the fighting spirit of the Paraguayan players.
After the restart, Paraguay's attack became more fierce. Seeing this situation, McLaren stood on the sidelines anxiously, directing the players to defend. If it wasn't a good opportunity to counterattack, I'm afraid Wang Li would have gone back to defend.
Another Paraguayan attack.
Santa Cruz got a chance outside the penalty area. He received a pass from his teammate while running, then changed direction to get rid of John Terry and shot directly. The ball flew to the far corner and the fans in the stadium exclaimed.
Thomas flew to save the ball and pushed it out of the baseline.
Seeing this scene, Wang Li was looking forward to the next Paraguayan corner kick, when Thomas would be able to grab the ball with both hands, then it would definitely be his chance.
Unfortunately, the corner kick was headed out of the field by a Paraguayan player.
England got a chance to catch their breath, and Paraguay used this time to return to defense.
Wang Li felt a little regretful for missing the best opportunity for counterattack, but he still returned to the backcourt and directed the team to make a steady advance to regain the momentum.
In a game, momentum is very important.
A team with momentum can often exert greater strength and defeat stronger opponents.
In this disadvantageous situation, Wang Li wanted to use a wave of advancement to restore the team's momentum. A steady attack can often help players stabilize their mood for the game and regain their form.
Under Wang Li's command, England's advance was very steady. After the ball was passed several times in England's backcourt, seeing that the frontcourt players had all run to their positions, Lampard, who was lagging behind, suddenly made a diagonal pass, which opened the curtain of England's attack. At the same moment, Wang Li, who had just finished commanding the team's attack, also ran across the center line and ran to a position near the penalty area line. He did not rush to ask his teammates for the ball, but just ran around there, constantly competing for position with the Paraguayan players who were defending him closely.
The Paraguayan players defended Wang Li very tightly, which made Wang Li fight for position as if he was fighting for a header, but in fact, the ball had just crossed the center line. After a few passes, the ball was handed to Joe Cole on the left side. He made a two-on-one cooperation with Ferdinand, and then kicked the ball diagonally to Wang Li. In fact, Wang Li did not run out of position at all, but after working with Wang Li for more than a year at Chelsea, Joe Cole understood Wang Li's ability very well. He knew that Wang Li would definitely catch his pass.
Sure enough, Wang Li took a light step and received the pass before the Paraguayan player who intercepted the ball in the middle could react. Then he simply turned around and shook off the Paraguayan player behind him, then raised his eyes to the direction of the penalty area and subconsciously made a gesture of a long kick.
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"Alan's long shot!!"
At the same time, Graham of Sky TV shouted excitedly, but in fact, Wang Li just used this move to shake off another Paraguayan player.
"He's bluffing!"
The Paraguayan player who was shaken off was midfielder Dos Santos. Seeing himself being shaken off like this, he was somewhat unwilling and shouted to his teammates: "Stop him!!"
So, the two Paraguayan players immediately surrounded Wang Li.
This time, Wang Li made a big kick shooting gesture, which made one of the Paraguayan players jump up on the spot, while the other one subconsciously turned around and tried to block the ball with his body. However, Wang Li took a look at the penalty area and saw that there was no chance, so he easily passed the ball to Lampard who was making a run.
Lampard got his chance!
At this time, Lampard was unguarded, but he still did not shoot. After all, he had not crossed the penalty area line yet. His shooting efficiency was not high, and he did not want to waste the team's opportunity. So, when the Paraguayan player came forward, he kicked the ball back to Wang Li.
After receiving the ball, Wang Li had to face Dos Santos again. The Paraguayan midfielder had been pestering him since the second half, and Wang Li was a little annoyed.
This time, Wang Li moved the ball to the left, trying to change direction and dribble past the opponent.
But Dos Santos was not fooled. He caught up with Wang Li, so Wang Li had to speed up a little to get rid of him. Then, two more Paraguayan players surrounded him on the penalty area line.
This situation made Wang Li a little angry.
The Paraguayan team obviously strengthened their defense against him. I'm afraid the opposing coach emphasized his defense during the halftime break. Every time Wang Li got the ball, there would be three players surrounding him, which was very frustrating.
However, Wang Li didn't want to pass the ball this time, because at this time, he was in the middle of the penalty area line, and no matter which direction he dribbled the ball, he would have space to shoot.
Now, he really wants to score a goal.
So, under the pressure of three people, Wang Li went directly to the right, and three Paraguayan players followed immediately.
While dribbling the ball, Wang Li hurriedly ran to the right. He used the "shadowless kick" continuously to make the Paraguayan players not know where the ball was. After that, he suddenly pulled back and directly shook off two Paraguayan players, leaving only Dos Santos following behind.
At this time, Wang Li curled his lips, glanced in the direction of the goal, and swung his right leg directly.
"Still want to scare me?" Dos Santos said when he saw Wang Li's action, but he was not moved at all.
So Wang Li kicked the football at the bottom.
Under everyone's gaze, the football almost drew a straight line in the sky and went straight into the upper left corner of Paraguay's goal.
“This time it’s real.”
Looking at the dazed expression of the Paraguayan player in front of him, Wang Li gave a "kind" reminder.