Chapter 130: Chapter 129: The Lisbon Quartet VS The Netherlands Quartet
"Think about it, if that pass hadn’t been good, would Quaresma have complained? I think the chances are very high."
"As the highest point on the field, Almeida’s size advantage is very obvious. As long as his teammates can deliver a good cross, his threat is definitely top-notch."
After this goal was scored, the Poland team was left with no way out.
They launched an attack with full force.
The eighty-fifth minute.
"Power bank" energy recharged.
Deng Kai went for a sprint and completed a super-long interception with a slide tackle.
The football was at least three meters away from him originally.
This was an unconventional defense.
At this stage, many players couldn’t even slide tackle anymore because they were out of strength.
The next moment, Ronaldo, Viana, and Quaresma launched a three-pronged strike.
Deng Kai threaded a direct through pass, precisely delivering the football to the slightly trailing Viana.
Ronaldo immediately made an off-the-ball cut from Viana’s left side to the right.
Thus blocking the Poland defenders who were rushing towards Viana.
Without visibility, Viana made a curved pass.
The football went from left to right, accurately reaching Quaresma at the right edge of the penalty area.
Quaresma with a clear chance!
Facing the charging goalkeeper, Quaresma flicked the ball with the outside of his foot, the feint was extremely deceptive, and he scored with ease.
Three to one!
Portugal expanded their lead.
The game was settled!
The spirit of the Poland team plummeted instantly.
They were eliminated.
Once upon a time, they were at the top of the scoreboard after the first round.
In a single round-robin tournament, the margin for error is just too low.
The ninetieth minute.
The Poland team, though losing the match, did not give up the fight. They continued to play offensive football, threatening until the last moment of the game.
They sustained pressure just outside the Portugal penalty area for as long as four minutes, maintaining control of the ball.
But the Portuguese defense, confident and unafraid, performed well.
The last pass by the Poland team was intercepted by Jose Fonte.
Fonte passed the ball to Meireles.
The Portuguese players once again charged into the Poland half.
Even Viana joined the rush.
He wouldn’t have done this in the past because he needed to be responsible for the transition between attack and defense.
But now, he subconsciously still trusted that Deng Kai could handle this task well.
Indeed.
Meireles passed the football to Deng Kai, then moved to offer Deng Kai an option to pass.
But there were still too few receiving points.
The Poland players, unable to fall back in time, could only encircle Deng Kai to try for a frontcourt interception.
Deng Kai saw nothing but Poland players in his vision.
He dragged the ball with his right foot and braced himself against the oncoming player with his arm, completing a one hundred eighty-degree turn.
Before the opponent could extend a foot to intercept, he followed with a drag of his left foot.
He performed a highly unorthodox Marseille turn.
Two more Poland players approached at this point.
Deng Kai bent his body and kept swatting away the opponents, one two three four, and did it once again.
A complete "Bengbu turn" appeared in the Euro Youth Championship.
Bang!
After the Bengbu turn, Deng Kai immediately flicked the ball to accelerate, breaking out from the encirclement.
This was unexpected by everyone.
Meireles had even started running back, ready to play defense for the next wave.
Bang!
After intercepting, Deng Kai didn’t continue to dribble the ball because there was no need.
Several red and green youths were sprinting ahead.
Deng Kai made a long pass.
On the left, Ronaldo received the pass, and with a single move, he was almost on a semi-breakaway.
But Ronaldo didn’t hog the glory, surprisingly passing the football to Viana, who was surging through the middle.
Viana raised his foot.
The Polish goalkeeper made a save attempt.
Viana turned his ankle, faking a shot but really made a pass, continuing the ball to the right flank.
Quaresma tapped the ball into an empty net.
Four to one!
Portugal defeated Poland by a wide margin.
"Quaresma scores twice! Viana assists twice! Deng Kai even provided two assists in two consecutive games!"
"This goal, from Deng Kai to Ronaldo, Viana, and Quaresma, is another classic Lisbon connection!"
"True to being the Lisbon Foursome, although they come from different age levels within the team, they clearly share the common lineage of Sporting Lisbon. They adapt to each other very quickly. In this atmosphere, even Ronaldo has learned to pass the ball!"
Ronaldo was flabbergasted.
Is this... a compliment?
Meireles, who had passed the ball to Deng Kai, was also surprised. Don’t my passes count? Why is it being calculated from Deng Kai onwards? Is it because I don’t stand tall enough?
The defender Jose Fonte felt somewhat disgruntled. Maybe... how about "The Lisbon Five Tigers"?
I am Jose Fonte, albeit unremarkable, also a player from the Sporting Lisbon academy.
Ultimately, the final score of the match was locked in at four to one.
Deng Kai made two assists, initiated two attacks, and was crowned the best player of the game.
In another match occurring at the same time and ending concurrently, the Czech team scored two consecutive goals after being one behind, ultimately reversing the game against Switzerland.
As a result, both the host Czech team and Portugal finished with two wins and one draw, both with seven points.
The head-to-head encounter ended in a draw.
But Portugal had far more goal difference than the Czech team, and they advanced to the quarterfinals of the U-21 European Championship by virtue of this advantage!
The Czech team also didn’t disappoint the local fans; with a high score of seven points, they were the best runner-up among the six groups and smoothly made it to the quarterfinals.
The U-21 Championship advances to the knockout stage.
...
"Poland takes out Portugal’s main striker; Portugal might be the underdogs of the quarterfinals!"
"Five goals in two games! Quaresma in top form, confident in leading the team to the semifinals!"
"Back-to-back game-making assists! Violante’s double attacking midfielder tactic succeeds, young Deng Kai becomes the new core of Portugal’s midfield!"
"A goal and three assists so far! Viana displays the poise of a leader, he and Iniesta are the most eye-catching midfielders of this U-21 Championship!"
"Scoring in consecutive matches! Young Ronaldo’s performance is stable, efficient, and highly impactful!"
"A 720-degree turn! Deng Kai’s turn might look clumsy, but it’s very effective!"
"A striking force is born! Postiga’s injury departure reveals another sharp fang of Portugal; could striker Almeida be the answer for this team’s center-forward position?"
After the match, news about the Portuguese team was nonstop.
Of course, there was plenty about other teams as well.
Torres and Iniesta from Spain dazzled enough to blind the fans.
After the Netherlands’ victory, people began to compare the "Four Young Talents of the Netherlands" with the "Lisbon Foursome."
Especially, the comparison between the two "foursomes" ignited constant discussion.
If we’re talking about the strongest, Quaresma is undoubtedly the one.
But in terms of overall strength, talent, and flair, many think the Four Young Talents of the Netherlands are superior.
Public opinion continued unabated.
There was also some within the team.
For instance, Postiga was eager to return to the team quickly.
His family stated to the press: "Postiga’s injury is minor; he could rejoin the team at any moment!"
However, Violante had a different response in a press interview the next day.
