Chapter 749: Chapter 748: The God Who Descended from the Mountain
They deliberately gave Demede the chance to perform, intentionally suppressed Robben, allowing the truly dangerous player to be substituted off.
They let the Netherlands team sound the charge for Portugal’s counterattack, which was utterly ruthless.
What does it mean to be a coach on the field?
This is it!
The camera focused on Robben.
The Little Flying Man looked reluctant.
When he left the field, he even refused to shake hands with the coach, Advocaat.
Advocaat’s face turned ashen, thinking he would definitely have to school Robben after the game and banish him to Sneijder’s ranks!
On the pitch, Deng Kai walked towards the corner flag area and made a hand signal.
Inside the penalty box, Ronaldo suddenly positioned himself behind Feng Te.
Van Nistelrooy, who was originally going to mark Ronaldo, suddenly found himself without a target.
Stam was already defending Feng Te, but now Ronaldo hid behind Feng Te, and even pushed Feng Te towards Stam, effectively doubling Stam’s defensive burden.
After all, Ronaldo’s position made it very difficult for him to participate in the contest for the ball.
Because Feng Te was blocking him!
Bang!
Before Van Nistelrooy and Stam could think further, Deng Kai took the corner.
The next moment, Ronaldo burst forward with power, pressing Feng Te down onto Stam.
Feng Te’s face was nearly stuck to Stam’s.
Stam also exerted force, but Feng Te’s sizable blockade overpowered Stam’s solo effort, pinning him tightly and even causing him to take a half step back.
Then Ronaldo, free and unguarded, rushed in front of Van Nistelrooy and leapt into the air!
Bang!
Ronaldo executed a Lion’s Header that sent the football thundering into the goal.
Stam immediately raised his hand to signal a foul by Ronaldo, for pushing him... his teammate?
Stam was stunned.
Beep!
The referee pointed to the center circle, indicating the goal was valid.
"GOAL!"
"It’s the CD connection again!"
"A beautiful goal!"
"Ronaldo towers over Van Nistelrooy to score a brilliant header."
"Stam seems to be complaining... oh, Ronaldo pushed Feng Te, thereby blocking Stam. That can’t really be considered an illegal screen, since Feng Te didn’t actually move."
"Poor Feng Te almost became a sandwich cookie. But for that goal, his sacrifice was worth it."
"It was a premeditated corner strategy."
"Portugal has really put in a lot of work on set pieces."
"Feng Te retrieves the football from the goal!"
"The Portuguese sound the trumpet for a counterattack! They want to win! They see the opportunity to equalize the score!"
The Dutch faces turned ashen.
They already substituted a defensive player on, but still couldn’t defend against it.
That feeling was just awful.
Being two goals ahead compared to one goal ahead makes a world of difference.
The team that is only one goal ahead often plays very tentatively, and the game can seem as though they are down by a goal.
However, Portugal quickly made a substitution for tactical adjustment.
They replaced Maniche with Veloso.
Veloso’s defensive ability is somewhat stronger.
In the 68th minute.
Deng Kai dribbled past Demede and Heitinga on the left wing.
Demede was just a giveaway, without any real defensive capability.
Bang!
Deng Kai made a Backward Triangle Pass.
Deco’s long shot sailed high over the crossbar.
Portugal became increasingly threatening as they played.
In the 72nd minute.
Deco carried the ball through the middle and easily bypassed Demede before making a crossfield pass to the left.
Deng Kai found a gap in the ribs and once again made a cross for the far post to Figo.
But this time Stam was more cautious, repeatedly falling back and got to the ball before Figo, heading it away and conceding a corner to Portugal.
Indeed, if Figo had been faster, and Deng Kai had passed quicker, Stam would have been helpless to stop it.
This time on the corner, Ronaldo and Feng Te again stood together, employing the sandwich cookie strategy.
The Netherlands team found this incredibly bothersome and could only garrison heavily.
Bang!
Viana took the corner kick.
This time, the football was headed out by Fan Ni.
Indeed, Viana still targeted the sandwich cookies.
The same trick, don’t even think about defeating the Netherlands team again.
Bang!
From outside the area.
Facing the flying football, Deng Kai’s right foot made an outside instep pass, still targeting the far post of the large penalty area.
Portugal’s Golden Generation leader Figo leapt into the air, his back slightly arched, and he tossed his head.
A beautiful rhino watching the moon!
Swipe!
The football drilled into the goal, stirring up white spray.
"GOAL!"
"Figo! The Portuguese king! The mighty Figo on the right flank!"
"Two to two! At the crucial moment, Figo rises to the occasion!"
"CF connection!"
"Deng Kai continuously targeted Figo three times from that position, and this time it finally paid off!"
"As they say, third time’s the charm, Deng Kai and Figo’s persistence is the main reason for the goal!"
"Now, the match is back to the beginning!"
"But the Portuguese team has clearly gained momentum!"
On the field, Figo rushed toward Deng Kai.
The two embraced in celebration.
This embrace between the Portuguese king and the new Portuguese king seems more like a passing of the torch.
In front of the whole world, Portugal’s reign, from this moment on, wholly belonged to Deng Kai.
The new king... is crowned!
The fans at the site began to chant continuously, "king!"
"king!"
"king!"
They are shouting for Figo.
They are also shouting for Deng Kai.
Substitutes such as Rui Costa and Bolaita exchange glances.
Deng Kai did it.
In 2002, the announcement of the Portuguese national team roster provoked a lot of controversy.
Under pressure, the team agreed to let Deng Kai and C Ronaldo join, to give them a chance to experience a world competition.
Figo even personally invited Deng Kai to join.
But Deng Kai said that 2002 should belong to Portugal’s Golden Generation.
No one can take away the glory that belongs to the Golden Generation.
So there was no need for him to join.
But in the future, if there were any regrets left by the Golden Generation, then he would be willing to lead these players to fulfill their dreams.
At the time, many Golden Generation players sneered at his words.
Just you?
You should know that after he said these words, Deng Kai turned around and joined the Chinese football team.
Moreover, the Golden Generation was full of confidence in themselves at that time.
However, the outcome was... they achieved many of the best results in national team history, but they always came short of winning a major competition.
Now, the players of the Golden Generation are retiring one by one.
Many feel a profound sense of regret.
The words Deng Kai said seem to be coming true.
Could he... really lead the players of the Golden Generation to a stable peak?
...
After the fervent celebration.
The Portuguese team made another substitution.
Quaresma replaced Figo.
Figo’s decline in stamina was clear.
And for a player in such good form as Quaresma, not playing him would absolutely be a waste.
To be fair, for Quaresma to willingly give up his place to Figo is already showing great respect to the old leader.
You also have to think about the younger generation.
Thus, to the applause of the whole stadium, Figo returned to the substitute’s bench.
A few of the Golden Generation’s old guys watched the field with fierce concentration, more tense than any fan.
Because everyone else has a next time.
But this is their last European Championship.
