Chapter 236: Chapter 235 Football Doesn’t Have So Many Miracles (Seventeenth Update)
"GOAL! Deng Kai scores again! That’s his seventh goal of the tournament!"
"Just like with the long-range shot, Deng Kai’s strike was of much higher quality than Deco’s just now!"
"Deco may excel in other areas, but when it comes to shooting technique, Deng Kai is second to none!"
"A powerful and heavy Ground Cutter from a great distance! Deng Kai, the specialist in world-class shots, has helped his team widen the lead!"
"That shot even reminds people of the War God Batistuta during his time with Fiorentina! This is definitely a violent aesthetic!"
"Oh! Deng Kai is celebrating by taking off his shirt! He’s excited, he thinks the score is not going to change anymore! So getting a yellow card doesn’t matter to him!"
However, in reality, getting a yellow card was a dangerous move for Deng Kai.
Because in the upcoming part of the match, he had to focus on defense, specifically to restrict Deco.
But he chose to celebrate by taking off his shirt anyway.
Besides wanting to make use of the "Gabi’s red card" special effect of improving abilities with a yellow card.
Deng Kai also aimed to further shake the confidence of the Porto players.
Players who think they are stronger will immediately strike back when they are at a disadvantage, but if their counterattack fails and they fall behind again, most of them will think, "I didn’t perform well this time; I’ll do it again next time."
Because with a two-goal deficit, the chance of winning might be less than ten percent.
But for the next rematch, their chances of winning could be as high as eighty percent.
Everyone knows which to choose because of their optimism about the future, so they tend to give up easily.
In the same situation, when a weaker team is two goals down, their chance of winning is five percent.
But in a rematch, their chances of winning are still only ten percent.
If possible, they would certainly prefer to put all their energy into this game, because they don’t want to go through the agony again.
Because of their pessimism about the future, they are unwilling to give up.
In the eighty-third minute, Deng Kai slid into Deco and narrowly avoided a second yellow card.
If it weren’t for his movement being sufficiently standard, it would have been very risky.
In the eighty-seventh minute, Cordero brought down Deco and received a yellow card.
Porto was awarded a free kick in an excellent position.
This time Deco didn’t make a mistake; he showcased his strong shot, even though his shooting technique wasn’t excellent, and indeed his free-kick skills were very good.
The football pierced through the defense like an arrow, straight into the goal!
One to two!
Does Porto still have a chance?
Only Deco believes that.
Even if he gets another free kick, could he score directly again?
Impossible!
Football is not full of miracles.
In the ninety-third minute, as Ronaldo headed the ball clear, Deng Kai kicked the football towards the midfield and the referee blew the final whistle of the match.
Deco’s spirit was instantly drained as he looked at the Morerense players rushing onto the field to celebrate, suddenly feeling that all this was somewhat unreal.
Porto had actually lost to a Portuguese second league team.
Looking at his teammates’ expressions, it seemed they didn’t regret the outcome.
Perhaps they had already used up all their quota for regret when they missed out on winning the league this year.
Watching the excited Ronaldo celebrate, Deco couldn’t help reflecting that the kid seemed as if he had never won a championship before.
"Excuse me, can I have your shirt? I’m a big fan!"
Someone approached Deco.
Deco turned to look.
Deng Kai.
Deco had a wry smile on his face, "Are you my fan again? Do you even know my full name?"
"Can I not give it to you?"
It was apparent that Deco harbored some resentment towards Deng Kai.
Deng Kai also took off his own jersey, completing the exchange with Deco: "Don’t be like that, your jersey is actually quite valuable—ah, spit, I mean, we actually have quite the destiny together."
Deco said, "What, are we going to play in the same league next season? You really are quite impressive, I hadn’t even stepped onto a professional pitch at your age, let alone play in a high-level league like the Portuguese Championship."
Deng Kai shook his head, indicating their destiny wasn’t there, "Your name, Deco, in our China, the abbreviation is the same as mine, we’re both DK!"
"Really?" Deco laughed, amused, "That really is fate. So from now on, you’re the Portuguese Deco, and I’m the Brazilian Deng Kai? Hahaha..."
Deng Kai joined in the laughter, but thought to himself... I might not be the Portuguese Deco, and you might not be the Brazilian Deng Kai, buddy.
Afterwards, Deng Kai, C. Ronaldo, and Deco were interviewed by the reporters one after another.
Then, the entire Moreirense team lifted the Championship Trophy again on the stage that had been set up.
This Portuguese Cup was Moreirense’s first domestic top-tier trophy in the team’s history!
It was also their first cup championship.
Compared to the Portuguese Second Division, the Portuguese Cup carries far more value.
The former comes with the prize of entering the Portuguese Premier League.
The latter, however, brings the opportunity to compete in the UEFA Europa League, the future Europa.
Only the third, fourth, and fifth teams in the Portuguese Premier League can qualify for this competition.
The UEFA Europa League just integrated the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup this year, further increasing its prestige; it’s now the second most significant European competition after the Champions League.
These competitions are basically a chance to earn money just by entering.
Just this influx of money was enough to fill Moreirense’s coffers.
However, both Deng Kai and Trigella advised Moreirense’s owner to be content and not get carried away thinking that with their entry into the Premier League and the Europa League, they could now make a big splash by going on a buying spree.
It’s useless.
This season’s Moreirense has pretty much reached the upper limit of this main squad’s level.
It’s no use, even if you replace Deng Kai with Zidane or C. Ronaldo with Vieri.
Unless you also replace Kilop with Cannavaro, Alex with Maldini, and Flavio with Beckham... Isn’t that like changing the entire team?
Take the money, sign a few capable players with the aim of avoiding relegation, and see if you can stay up in the Premier League.
If you can’t stay up, this money would still be enough for Moreirense to have the ability to seek promotion in the Portuguese Second Division over the next three to five years.
That’s enough.
People can’t expect to completely turn their fortunes around with a single miracle.
Whether it’s top clubs or top players, they’re all built upon one miracle after another.
...
"Portuguese Second Division team Moreirense creates miracle, breaking the decade-long stranglehold on the Portuguese Cup!"
"Portuguese Second Division DK defeats Portuguese Premier League DK! Deng Kai leads the team to a resounding victory over Porto, the Premier League’s best midfield lineup unable to match the Second Division’s best!"
"Portuguese Cup award winners announced, Moreirense becomes the biggest winner!"
"The Portuguese Cup’s King of Assists! Who says C. Ronaldo doesn’t pass the ball?"
"Porto loses two Championship Trophies back to back! The value of Jia De’er stands out, fans call for the club to buy back Jia De’er!"
"Porto fans burn jerseys in anger, claiming the team’s performance, aside from Deco’s, was crap!"
"A miracle! Next season Moreirense will not only play in the Premier League but also in the UEFA Europa League!"
"Portuguese Cup’s best lineup announced, Deng Kai, C. Ronaldo, Deco, Gomes, Sasso, Kilop, Feng Te... among others were selected!"
