Chapter 521: Chapter 520: That Streak of Rainbow
"Deng Kai caught up with Schmeichel, he got Schmeichel’s gloves! This..."
"Deng Kai is going to be the goalkeeper! It’s really Deng Kai! My God!"
"Has Deng Kai gone mad? He’s only one meter seventy-eight!"
"Indeed, there have been goalkeepers under one meter eighty in history, but they are very rare. And, most importantly, Deng Kai has never undergone professional goalkeeper training. Maybe Pepe should do it instead?"
On the pitch.
Schmeichel, walking to the sideline, had eyes nearly bulging out: "Are you sure? Kai!"
Deng Kai nodded firmly, "It has to be me."
Schmeichel handed the gloves to Deng Kai.
At the same time, Maxa asked on the sideline: "Feng Te, when you practice together normally, does the loser play as the goalkeeper?"
Feng Te nodded.
"See, I told you Kai had some practice, no problem," Maxa laughed, talking to Trigella while continuing to question Feng Te, "So since Kai has stepped forward, does that mean he’s usually the best at stopping the ball?"
Feng Te was embarrassed: "Well... usually, I stop more balls, then Pepe, and then... second to last is Ronaldo, while Kai... has never stopped a football."
"They, no, it’s Ronaldo who’s a bit afraid of the ball, he dodges it. And Kai... he can’t bear to destroy our shooting confidence, so..."
Maxa was dumbfounded.
It wasn’t just the scene.
Commentators on major broadcasting platforms were utterly in uproar.
Deng Kai to save a penalty?
Does Sporting Lisbon have no one else?
Although Deng Kai isn’t considered short among midfielders now, that’s a goalkeeper we’re talking about!
Goalkeepers below one meter eighty-five are considered Hobbits!
"It’s absurd! Deng Kai is obviously over his head."
"Deng Kai’s penalty kick flew off, now he wants to redeem himself? The sentiment is understandable, but such an act is definitely a mistake!"
"Sporting Lisbon actually has no one to stop Deng Kai? That’s preposterous! The team is ruined! Is this a one-man show by Deng Kai?"
"Maxa and Trigella are just charlatans. They are making no adjustments or instructions, allowing Deng Kai to mess around!"
"Deng Kai has arrived at the goal, he and Zidane locking eyes, you can see the surprise and confusion in Zidane’s gaze. But it’s only for an instant, as Zidane enters his own zone."
Click!
No one could hear it.
But a voice echoed in Deng Kai’s mind.
The Moment Card "Cech Who Refused to be a Tank Trooper" activated.
"Cech, bless me... in this life, I’ll never let you get hurt!" Deng Kai muttered under his breath, standing on the goal line as if he had roots, completely still.
His body slightly crouched, like a hunter deep in the mountains.
And Zidane, who should have had the initiative, became his prey.
Zidane didn’t like this feeling at all.
Deng Kai’s eyes and movements were too aggressive.
It triggered a resistance in Zidane’s heart. He refused to be the guest turned host.
The initiative, should always be in his hands.
Because he is Zidane!
Beep!
The referee blew the whistle.
Zidane started his run-up.
The speed was quite fast.
Bang!
Zidane kicked the ball.
Everyone forgot to breathe at that moment.
The football flew out.
Some guessed left, others guessed right.
In Deng Kai’s mind, Cech’s experience and abilities were furiously calculating.
Cech’s brain concluded it was going left.
But Deng Kai suppressed that impulse from the realm of expertise.
He believed in his own answer.
Even if the other answer came from Cech.
Of course, Deng Kai refused Cech’s judgment, but still possessed Cech’s saving abilities.
He slightly lifted his gaze.
The football, went up!
Baggio in the stands felt like he had been struck by lightning.
This was... a shot from the heavens!
It was a rainbow!
That was... a Panenka penalty!
Zidane, he... wait!
Deng Kai!
After Zidane had kicked the football, his facial expression instantly froze.
Because Deng Kai’s feet remained firmly planted on the ground, unmoving as if they had taken root.
The football just floated gently into Deng Kai’s arms.
Deng Kai... caught Zidane’s penalty kick!
You could say he was as stiff as a wooden chicken.
But you could also say he... saw through Zidane!
And Zidane himself, tended to believe the latter.
The cheering of the Real Madrid fans at the scene came to an abrupt halt.
At this moment, all Melinge fans felt as if they had plunged into an ice cellar.
A chill rose from their feet, making everyone’s scalp tingle.
But this wasn’t the end.
Clutching the football, Deng Kai ran past the stunned Zidane, tilting his entire body to the right rear side with the ball in his right hand, and shouting, "Counter-attack!"
"Counter-attack!"
The next moment, the entire Lisbon Athletic team went on the offensive!
All the players ran frantically towards the Real Madrid half, ready to receive Deng Kai’s throw or long kick.
With the exception of the still-dazed Zidane, all Real Madrid players also turned and sprinted back towards their own half.
"Defend! Defend!" Hierro frantically reminded his teammates.
A race against death had thus begun...
Where’s the ball?
Wait, who is that?
Raul saw a shadow sprint past him, the jersey of Lisbon Athletic.
That was... Deng Kai!
He hadn’t kicked the ball long!
He was running with the football out of the penalty area!
This...
Raul even turned back to look at the Lisbon Athletic goal to be certain, otherwise he wouldn’t have believed it.
And there, indeed, there was no sign of Deng Kai.
Deng Kai had left the goal!
Considering the sidelined Zidane, the ten-man Lisbon Athletic team had an extra player!
Danger!
Danger!
Bang!
Deng Kai passed the ball to Matthaus as he was being rushed by McManaman.
Matthaus sent a cross to Pepe.
Pepe made a pass to Ronaldo, who was almost tripped by Hierro’s off-positioning and fell but stayed in the midfield.
Ronaldo passed back to Deng Kai and started running forward.
Deng Kai passed it to Kaka, who had dropped back to support.
Kaka returned the ball to Matthaus.
Matthaus played a through ball, and Deng Kai carried it on the left flank.
Bang!
Deng Kai lifted the football from behind to the front with the outside of his foot with a lob pass.
A series of passes dazzled onlookers.
The commentator’s pace couldn’t keep up with the speed of the ball’s movement.
Because these passes were all one-touch!
No one took more than a single touch!
At this moment, among football commentators worldwide, only Huang Jianxiang could barely keep up.
He was incredibly familiar with every Lisbon Athletic player.
A minute on stage requires ten years of practice off stage.
At the same time, Zidane, finally coming to his senses, frantically pointed to his wrist, indicating that the match should have ended already.
Bosque immediately complained to the fourth official, "One minute of added time."
But it was already the 123rd minute.
The fourth official signaled Bosque to calm down, because it was normal for the referee to extend the added time due to issues such as changing the goalkeeper.
Moreover, it appeared that the referee was planning to end the match as soon as this offensive play was disrupted.
Lisbon Athletic had already passed the football nine times in succession, and they couldn’t keep playing one-touch passes to maintain the offensive forever.
As soon as the football stopped, the referee would definitely...
