Chapter 370: Chapter 369: Who Doesn’t Have a Youthful Tempest?
"GOAL! Owen! That’s our Owen!"
"England’s number one striker! This is what a true genius forward looks like!"
"Compared to Owen, Quaresma, Ronaldo, Drogba, Ibrahimovic are nothing!"
"Heskey! He’s like a black tank, crushing the defensive area of Lisbon Athletic, and that delicate Portuguese center-back has no way of dealing with Heskey!"
"It’s clear that Lisbon Athletic is facing a physical crisis; their players aren’t excited enough, and the decline in their running ability is there for all to see."
"For the past while, Liverpool has almost completely controlled the flanks of the pitch."
"If the game continues like this, one-nil is definitely not going to be the final score!"
However, Lisbon Athletic didn’t let the script unfold the way most fans had hoped.
Having three of the best players from the Primeira Liga, Lisbon Athletic immediately mounted a counter-attack after conceding a goal.
In the 26th minute, Ronaldo took a pass from Viana and shot high with a long-range effort.
In the 29th minute, Deng Kai slid in, making an interception in the frontfield. Quaresma received the football and tried to dribble past the defender to shoot, but the experienced Happia saw through Quaresma’s dribbling routine and blocked the football with his feet together.
The possession of the ball changed hands several times within a short period.
Bang!
Happia cleared the football up the field with a strong kick.
Heskey, overpowering Feng Te, easily won the first touch, and then laid it back to the advancing Schmeichel.
Schmeichel was once known as the "Counter-Attack Prince" in his younger days.
Although his running capability had noticeably declined with age and frequent injuries, his counter-attacking mindset was still a rare gem that many players couldn’t learn.
Schmeichel carried the ball forward, choosing a very cunning route that forced both Matthaus and Feng Te to move.
As soon as they moved, other gaps appeared.
Bang!
Schmeichel made a through pass.
The football cut through Lisbon Athletic’s defensive line.
England’s star striker Owen burst into action, chasing the wind and speeding unbelievably fast.
"One-on-one! Owen’s got a clear chance! It’s a golden opportunity!"
"Schmeichel is off his line!"
"Owen decisively goes for the low shot! The shot is of a very high quality!"
"It’s in! A brace for Owen!"
"Two-nil! This is Owen!"
"So strong! Liverpool’s strength is daunting! Is this the might of the newest treble winners?"
"UEFA Cup, FA Cup, Carling Cup—the Premier League, having already seen the emergence of the first treble winner among the five major leagues, is about to witness another cup treble winner!"
"Exceptional players should take on the challenge of the Premier League! The Premier League is the breeding ground for the next storm in world football!"
The camera swiftly focused on the defensive line players of Lisbon Athletic.
Their expressions were very despondent, as if they’d already lost the will to contend with Liverpool.
In terms of timing, Liverpool had ample preparation time.
In terms of location, Liverpool fans turned Westfalenstadion almost into Anfield.
Lisbon Athletic had just put up a fierce fight against UEFA, and Liverpool’s global fame and fan base dwarf that of Lisbon Athletic by dozens of times.
Lisbon Athletic is going all out for the win!
But when the camera panned over Deng Kai, the sharp-eyed fans could still see a glint of determination in his eyes.
In the 32nd minute, while Liverpool’s players were still basking in the joy of their goal, Deng Kai received a pass from De Viana and performed a Marseille Turn that bypassed Schmeichel, pushing the ball forward to just outside the penalty area arc.
Bang!
Deng Kai sent a lofted pass, exuding deadly intent.
Unfortunately, Drogba blasted a high shot in the box under Happia’s pressure.
Otherwise, Lisbon Athletic would have silently pulled a goal back.
However, this attack was not entirely meaningless; at the very least, it had revitalized Lisbon Athletic’s spirit significantly.
Quaresma frequently charged down Liverpool’s flank, clashing with Carragher.
Carragher was once considered an English football talent, with the most appearances in England’s U21 and younger teams, reaching a total of twenty-seven times.
He could play almost any position in the defensive line, except for goalkeeper.
But such versatility harmed his growth, preventing him from reaching his anticipated goals.
Under Huo Li’er’s coaching, he mainly played as a full-back, with a performance that could be described as mediocre last season, but this season he had started to show flashes of brilliance.
His defending and decision-making had earned praise, and with his roots in Liverpool’s youth training system, his popularity, along with Gerrard’s, soared this season, hinting at a future as a star within the team.
However, Quaresma, facing this rising young Premier League star, not only held his own but even gained the upper hand at times.
Regrettably, Drogba, Ronaldo, Viana, and others failed to capitalize on the passes delivered by Quaresma during this phase, resulting in much ado about nothing.
In the 40th minute, just as Deng Kai was about to pass the ball to Quaresma on the right, he suddenly switched targets, distributing the ball to the left flank.
Ronaldo sprinted with all his might, catching the ball and passing it back with a Backward Triangle Pass.
Viana, confronted by an advancing Henchos, continued to pass sideways to the approaching Deng Kai.
Bang!
Deng Kai took a shot from five meters outside the penalty area arc.
His offensive choices always caught the Liverpool players by surprise.
This time, his sudden strike could have led to a goal if not for Schmeichel’s block.
However...
"Schmeichel’s defense was impeccable; he moved in time to block Deng Kai’s pass,"
"Don’t be fooled by Deng Kai’s modest stature, and his thighs aren’t as thick as Carlos’s waist, but his long-shooting foundation is solid. He’s scored several spectacular goals from a distance before!"
"Eh, why hasn’t Schmeichel gotten back up?"
"When Schmeichel blocked the ball, he turned to avoid it and it hit his side waist... Oh, could the force have reached his kidney? That can be very painful..."
"The medics are on the field, and their expressions aren’t optimistic... Oh, they’re signaling that Schmeichel can’t continue the match!"
"This is terrible for Liverpool. This is definitely bad news. Schmeichel plays an important role in Liverpool’s attack; if he comes off... Gerrard is warming up, Liverpool is forced to make a substitution!"
"As we’ve mentioned before, 21-year-old Gerrard is also an important part of Liverpool’s midfield rotation, having been involved in almost every match this season."
"Thrown into a critical moment, it’s uncertain how Gerrard will perform. If he can withstand the pressure and shine, there’s a good chance he could become another young leader for Liverpool following Owen!"
"As we all know, this March, Liverpool’s legendary player Kevin Keegan was appointed by the English FA as the national team coach. And a month before that, Keegan had already called Gerrard up to the England team, helping Gerrard complete the leap to the national team!"
"Who says only Lisbon Athletic has a youth movement? Beckham, Owen, Gerrard, Carragher, England has a wealth of talents, each ushering in their own youth movement!"
