Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Initial Success of the Magic Technique (Seeking Full Subscription)
Teammates nodded one after another.
Perhaps nobody was confident about this game.
But Deng Kai was.
Because... Arteta’s whiteboard showed the adaptability of the passing and control tactics of Wu Xudong, Yu Shihao, Hao Junmin, and Shao Jiawei had exceeded 85%.
Hao Junmin was very perceptive, even reaching 90%.
And the other midfield and backfield players were also close to 70%.
This meant that the team’s passing and control tactics were becoming successful.
Prior to reaching this level of success, the combat effectiveness of the passing and control tactics was very weak. This was also an important reason for Deng Kai’s high error rate before.
Compared to defensive counterattacks, long passes, and high balls, before the passing and control tactics mature, they are as weak as a puddle of mud.
Once they started showing success, however, they could provide some positive effects, such as covering the players’ weaknesses, enhancing players’ technical strengths, and converting ball control advantage into scoring opportunities, and so on.
Today, Sporting Lisbon’s opponent was Boavista U17.
Boavista has been one of the strong teams in the Portuguese league in recent years, even breaking the monopoly of the big three on the championship at one point.
Deng Kai’s teammate in the European Youth Championship, Meireles, was the core of this team.
Of course, Meireles had already moved up to Boavista U19 by now.
Even, were it not for playing in the Youth Champions League, he might have gone directly to U21.
Last year’s Youth Champions League at the U15 level was a big success.
After much consideration, UEFA and the major clubs decided to hold this year’s Youth Champions League at the U19 age group.
The level of competition at this age group is higher, the popularity of the stars is greater, and it is more conducive to attracting investment.
Moreover, the stars of U19 are just one step away from many club’s first teams, which is promising for business development.
Any player who performs well in the Youth Champions League could be bought by a big club, or be directly reused in the first team, becoming an overnight sensation.
This further increases the brand value of the Youth Champions League.
Of course, this means that Deng Kai is out of the Youth Champions League this year.
Unless he moved up from U17 to U19 during the winter window.
Normally, in European competitions, players who transfer during the winter window can’t be registered for the Champions League.
Ronaldo missed half a season of Champions League matches for this reason.
It wasn’t until twenty years later that the regulations were relaxed, allowing winter window players to re-register. Then there was the rare spectacle of Harland scoring in the Champions League for two different teams in one season.
But for the Youth Champions League, considering the high mobility of youth team players and the instability of the matches, there are no such regulations.
This is also why Veloso, after transferring from Benfica to Sporting during last year’s winter window, could play in the second half of the Youth Champions League season.
In the first five minutes of this game, Boavista fought very aggressively, making it difficult for Sporting to develop their control of the ball.
In the sixth minute, Hao Junmin lost the ball after being pressed.
He appealed to the referee for a foul by the opposition, but the referee considered it a normal physical confrontation.
Immediately afterward, Boavista launched a fierce offensive and almost scored.
As the football slid past the goal, the entire crowd booed.
This was Boavista’s youth training home ground, and there were more than a thousand fans present.
Their boos were directed at Hao Junmin, and also at Sporting Lisbon.
They were laden with mockery of Sporting Lisbon’s failed attempts at ball control.
"It’s okay, this is normal, they won’t be able to play like this after ten minutes," Deng Kai said to Hao Junmin after exchanging a few words. "We can drop back a bit during this phase, and remember to pass back to me more."
In adult competitions, the pacing of the game for about the first ten minutes is actually abnormal.
It’s much faster.
During this time, both sides are full of energy, and the emotions of the players are also high.
In this period, no matter whether you’re a ball-control team or a counter-attacking team, it’s hard to dominate the ball, and there will be a lot of loss of possession.
This is perfectly normal.
For both sides, not conceding a goal during this phase is a kind of victory.
So though Hao Junmin’s mistake was dangerous, it wasn’t unforgivable.
He just didn’t perform beyond expectations.
Indeed.
After ten minutes, the football was mostly circulating under the feet of Sporting Lisbon.
Deng Kai significantly expanded his running range this season, which also strengthened the team’s dominance when controlling the ball.
His individual number of passes even exceeded the entire Boavista team’s passes.
The team’s consecutive losses in the previous three games were due in part to Ronaldo’s absence, a key factor.
The maladjustment of Chinese young players like Yu Shihao was a secondary cause.
But there’s another important reason, and that is Deng Kai had not fully adapted to his body after a sudden growth spurt.
It’s not about not fitting into that height.
One meter sixty-five isn’t tall at all.
Mainly, after the height increase, Deng Kai’s weight, strength, and speed were changing every day, growing stronger.
A pass that fits well during today’s training might be too fast or too strong in a game two or three days later.
So the forwards collectively failed to receive the ball, and aside from their own capabilities, they also took the blame for Deng Kai.
In the past three games, even if Ronaldo were there, Deng Kai’s passes would make him break out in a cold sweat.
The twenty-second minute.
The extended possession of the football by Sporting Lisbon provoked dissatisfaction among the nearby fans.
They once again booed.
This behavior attacked Sporting Lisbon but also exposed these fans’ limited understanding of the game.
Because those who understand football know that when the passing lulls the fans almost to sleep, the decisive move... isn’t far away.
The twenty-fourth minute.
Yu Shihao dropped back as usual, linking up in the middle with a pass from Deng Kai.
But this time Deng Kai didn’t open wide or drop back like usual after the pass.
Instead, he sprinted forward.
The pace of the match surged at this moment.
Deng Kai signaled Yu Shihao with a glance before making the forward run.
Yu Shihao immediately passed the ball back to Deng Kai.
Deng Kai then played the ball back to Yu Shihao.
The two performed a give-and-go, advancing together.
Boavista’s defensive midfielder charged at Deng Kai.
But Deng Kai made no attempt to dribble past him, decisively passing the ball to Hao Junmin, who was coming up on the left wing, and then made another forward run.
Hao Junmin received the ball and passed it back to Yu Shihao.
Bang!
Yu Shihao made a through pass.
Within a short span, six or seven consecutive passes tore through Boavista’s defensive line.
Deng Kai directly challenged the opposing center-back at the edge of the penalty box.
"Too bad, it would have been better if it were Yu Shihao running to that position. As a forward, Yu Shihao could pose a greater threat to the opposing center-backs."
"Deng Kai is better at passing, but challenging center-backs isn’t his strong suit. His dribbling is quite simple and lacks deception. He’s also much slower than Yu Shihao, making it hard to overpower the opponent. Physically... although he’s grown taller this season, his ability to hold off defenders hasn’t improved significantly yet, he..."
"Bicycle kick! Deng Kai is actually doing bicycle kicks!"
"Three, four, five consecutive bicycle kicks! The movements are very coordinated!"
"Boavista’s center-back is strong, he’s held his ground, he wasn’t fooled."
"Touch! Deng Kai is ready to rely on speed to overpower his opponent!"
"He’s past him! Deng Kai goes down..."
Peep!
A whistle blows.
The main referee points to the penalty spot.
At the same time, he shows the yellow card to Boavista’s center-back.
He pulls down Deng Kai just as he is about to break through.
By that time, Deng Kai’s foot had already stepped into the penalty box.
The entire Boavista team finds it hard to accept the decision, they keep explaining, but the main referee’s eyes are clear, this isn’t a dive, it’s an absolute penalty!
He stands by his decision.
