Chapter 623
A resounding 60-60 victory over Japan propels us into the World Cup!
"Judging from Shinji Kagawa's performance in these few minutes, he is not as good as Zhang Linpeng, who is the same age as him."
"He was too eager to show off after he came on the court, and he had no idea what kind of opponent he was facing."
Seeing Shinji Kagawa suffer a crushing defeat at Lin Feng's hands, the two commentators, who had initially held high hopes for his performance, couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Is this the genius midfielder that the Japanese have been praising to the skies?
They were completely exposed as nothing in the face of true geniuses!
Football is not just about having skills; it also requires the ability to apply those skills in a match.
I don't know about Shinji Kagawa's technique, but he's definitely not good at physical confrontations.
Especially in his several encounters with Lin Feng, he almost fell over with a single collision and made mistakes whenever there was physical contact.
You can't even hold the ball like that, so how can you play well?
No matter how good your skills are, they're useless without a strong enough body.
What young players lack is the ability and experience in physical confrontation.
……
So this is the strength of a world-class midfielder?
Shinji Kagawa, who had been mercilessly crushed, had very mixed feelings at this moment.
He felt ashamed and frustrated by his poor performance, and even began to doubt his own abilities and talents.
They admired Lin Feng's strength as a world-class midfielder and wanted to strive to reach his level.
Previously, he only knew that Lin Feng was very strong, but he lacked a direct understanding of just how strong he was because he had never experienced it firsthand.
But now, after actually fighting each other, Shinji Kagawa has come to a clear understanding of the gap between them, as well as his own shortcomings and weaknesses.
This made him realize what he should do next!
Although he was taught a harsh lesson this time, the tuition fee was well worth it.
Chen Tao glanced at the Japanese man opposite him with a strange look. Was this guy alright?
Even after being thoroughly humiliated by Lin Feng, he can still laugh.
Could this kid have masochistic tendencies?
Lin Feng also noticed Shinji Kagawa's unusual behavior and couldn't help but think more highly of his opponent.
This guy is really something; he adjusts his mindset very quickly!
Instead of being discouraged after being defeated, they became even more courageous.
However, the gap in objective strength between the two remains enormous. Even though Shinji Kagawa fought harder and harder, he could not bridge the gap between them.
With the midfield out of control, the Chinese team gradually took control of the game.
But after scoring four goals, the players began to relax and were not as careful when handling the ball as before.
Well, except for Gao Lin!
This guy is still fighting for his hat trick!
The more he wanted to score, the harder it was to seize the opportunity. In the second half alone, Lin Feng made at least three good passes to Gao Lin, all of which were wasted by the guy.
One of his best chances was squandered by kicking the ball into the stands.
This kick awakened long-dormant memories in the hearts of fans:
[Oh my god, those feet are so ugly!]
[Shocking! Gao's plane is back!]
That was an absurd shot! Even my 80-year-old grandmother couldn't have kicked it so wide!
Indeed, it's harder to miss that shot than to score it!
Although the fans were making fun of Gao Lin, because the Chinese team's lead was so large, no one had any malicious intent.
"Why has your shooting technique regressed? You could have just pushed that ball in directly, couldn't you?"
Gao Lin's shot just now was so outrageous that even Lin Feng couldn't stand it anymore.
Although he is good at creating opportunities, opportunities shouldn't be wasted like this!
Brother Han Peng hasn't scored yet. If I had known you weren't good enough, I should have passed the ball to Han Peng earlier.
"My mistake, my mistake! Don't worry, Brother Lin, I'll definitely get in next time!"
Gao Lin adopted a very humble attitude, afraid that his poor performance would displease Lin Feng and cause him to stop passing the ball to him.
"Alright, make sure you seize the opportunity, I reckon you'll be substituted soon."
Lin Feng glanced at the time; the match had reached the 70th minute, and the Chinese team was about to make their second substitution.
If there are no surprises, this substitution will likely be either him or Chen Tao, since Zhou Haibin is already listening to Lao Zhu's instructions.
The opportunity will come soon!
In the 71st minute, the Chinese team attracted the attention of the Japanese team with a series of short passes in the penalty area. While being double-teamed by two Japanese players, Lin Feng unexpectedly passed the ball out with his heel.
Gao Lin had a golden opportunity in front of the goal, with the Japanese goalkeeper on the other side, and there was almost an open goal in front of him!
This time, Gao Lin finally seized the opportunity and didn't waste the chance that was almost an open goal. He calmly pushed the ball into the net and completed his hat trick!
Gao Lin, who scored the goal, excitedly rushed to the sidelines, swung his arms, and jumped high, imitating Lin Feng's signature celebration to pay tribute to his teammate.
"Remember to pay your patent fees later! Who gave you permission to use my celebration move!"
"Haha, this is just to pay tribute to you!"
Gao Lin laughed as if he had eaten bee droppings, his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Come on, wouldn't it be more sincere to treat me to a meal than just a verbal thank you?"
Lin Feng slapped Gao Lin's outstretched hand, which was about to give him a high five, and said irritably.
"Haha, definitely next time, definitely next time!"
Gao Lin withdrew his hand, secretly shook it off, and chuckled to himself.
Shinji Kagawa stood not far away, watching Lin Feng celebrate with his teammates, and felt a surge of emotion.
That's incredible! Absolutely incredible!
Despite being double-teamed by two teammates, he managed to protect the ball and pass it out in a way that no one expected.
Is this the strength of the world's best midfielder?
It seems I still have a long way to go to reach their level!
Seeing that the team had scored again, Zhu Guanghu did not delay any longer. He brought forward the substitution he originally planned to make in the 75th minute to the 71st minute.
Lin Feng, who had just provided an assist to help Gao Lin complete his hat-trick and contributed 2 assists and 1 goal throughout the match, was substituted early by Zhou Haibin.
When Lin Feng left the field, the Chinese fans who had traveled with the team stood up and applauded him, and even some Japanese fans applauded him.
Perhaps the Japanese were not entirely convinced of their loss to the Chinese team before, but after being thrashed 5-1 on their home turf, they were truly defeated.
Lin Feng's dominant performance in the game, in particular, instilled a deep sense of fear and even awe in Japanese fans.
After Lin Feng left the field, the Chinese team did not let go of the great opportunity to press their advantage and continued to dominate the Japanese team.
In the 73rd minute, Zhou Haibin, who had just come on as a substitute, unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area that grazed the Japanese post and went out of bounds, almost scoring another goal.
The Japanese fans at the stadium were starting to leave, unable to bear it any longer.
Their own team failed to score a single goal, was completely dominated by the opponent, conceded five goals in one go, and might even concede another.
They simply couldn't bear to watch any longer; some with heart conditions worried that continuing would drive them mad. Meanwhile, the Chinese fans cheered with delight as the Tokyo National Stadium, now practically a library, was transformed.
[Haha, finally the Japanese got to experience what we felt like during the Asian Cup final back then!]
[That was so satisfying! Giving them a crushing defeat on their doorstep and kicking them out of the game—this is the perfect revenge scenario!]
The Australians must be grinning from ear to ear right now. They haven't even played the last match yet, and they've already secured a spot in the next round!
[Australia: The AFC is definitely better! We got a World Cup ticket in our first World Cup qualifier after joining the AFC. All the hardship I went through before was for them!]
[It's too early to celebrate. Although Japan has lost their chance to qualify directly, they can still secure that 0.5 spot through the playoffs. If they're lucky and win against teams from other continents, they can still get a World Cup berth!]
[Haha, then let's wish them a good draw, preferably with a South American team!]
[Are you really trying to kill them? All the South American teams are tough opponents. Even if we were to face them, we might not be able to guarantee a win. If we draw Japan, their chances are really slim!]
Although the competition is not over yet, fans in China have already started calculating the probability of qualifying for the World Cup.
This time, however, they weren't calculating for the Chinese national team, but for the Japanese team.
When it comes to calculating the probability of qualifying, Chinese fans are second to none.
After all, they had accumulated a wealth of experience from calculating the probability of occurrence for the Chinese team.
Given the strength of the Japanese team, they are highly likely to advance through the next stage of the Asian internal playoffs, with a less than 30% chance of being eliminated.
However, if they are unlucky and draw a South American opponent in the playoffs, then the Japanese team's situation will be somewhat unfavorable.
On the field, the Chinese team fought harder and harder, but none of their attacks posed a threat.
Lin Feng's departure from the game had a significant impact on the Chinese team's offense.
Although he can still pass the ball to the forwards, the quality of his passes is clearly not as high as when Lin Feng is on the field.
During stoppage time, Zheng Zhi made a long pass from midfield to the edge of the penalty area, where the two Chinese forwards executed a two-on-two pass inside the box.
Han Peng received a pass from Gao Lin and broke into a one-on-one situation, sending the ball into the goal before the Japanese goalkeeper could come out.
The score is now 6-0!
Han Peng, who had been dragged along by Gao Lin throughout the entire match, finally scored a goal just before the end of the game.
Before the final whistle, the Japanese team launched one last attack. Without Lin Feng's pressure, Shinji Kagawa finally delivered a high-quality pass.
Substitute Keisuke Honda received a pass from his teammate and unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the penalty area.
However, luck was still not on their side, and Keisuke Honda's shot went over the crossbar again.
The referee then blew the final whistle, and the score was set at 6-0.
China's dominant position in Asian football was solidified once again with a resounding victory over Japan.
After the match, the Japanese players collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
Meanwhile, the Chinese players were high-fiving and celebrating, creating a stark contrast between the two sides, much like the current development trends of football in China and Japan.
Because this match was the highlight of Group A, and the Chinese team only needed a draw to advance, it attracted a large number of reporters to the scene.
More than half of them came from China specifically to report on the Chinese national football team's bid for the World Cup.
After the game, these reporters were on high alert in the mixed zone. They would even stop a dog to interview it.
As the focus of this match, Lin Feng naturally couldn't escape the reporters' entanglement.
However, Lin Feng was in a good mood after winning the game and was not averse to interviews by reporters. As long as they didn't keep bothering him, he was willing to answer a few questions.
Xinhua News Agency reporters, carrying their cameras and microphones, were the first to put a microphone to Lin Feng's mouth, even before other media outlets could do so.
"Lin Feng, the Chinese team has secured its ticket to the World Cup. How do you feel right now?"
"I'm very excited and happy. I was too young to participate in the last World Cup when the national team participated. This time I finally made it. I guess I was born in a great era!"
After Lin Feng finished speaking, the surrounding reporters all laughed.
Everyone felt that it wasn't that Lin Feng happened to be born in a good era, but rather that he created such a good era.
After all, in the last World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese men's football team, without him, didn't even make it into the final ten!
The reporters weren't wrong to think that way, but what Lin Feng said was also the truth.
His era was indeed considered relatively good, after all, it was an era that could produce a golden generation like the 1985 National Youth Team.
Ten years from now, when the players from the 1985-1990s retire one by one and the players born in the 1990s start to take the lead, the national team will be truly finished. Even with him, it will probably be difficult to qualify for the World Cup.
"The last time the Chinese team participated in the World Cup, they did not achieve any results. Do you have the confidence to lead the team to break this embarrassing history?"
A CCTV reporter seized the opportunity and asked the second question before anyone else could.
"I can't make any guarantees before the group draw results are out, but we will definitely do our best to achieve the best results!"
The Chinese team is considered a top-tier team in Asia, but its standing on the international stage is another story.
If they are drawn into a group of death during the lottery, it will be really difficult for them to advance.
"but……"
The reporters all pricked up their ears, eager to hear what Lin Feng had to say next.
"But with our General Gao around, we shouldn't be stuck with zero goals!"
Lin Feng grabbed Gao Lin, who was passing by, and pushed him toward the reporter before slipping away.
If he doesn't leave now, he won't be able to leave at all. He just gave an interview and it attracted a huge number of reporters. If he stays any longer, he'll probably be surrounded by a throng of people.
……
After the match, the Chinese national football team did not stay in Japan, but instead flew back to China overnight.
Three days later, they will face their final World Cup qualifying opponent, Australia, at the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing.
Although the plane landed in the early hours of the morning, a large number of fans still gathered outside Beijing Capital International Airport to welcome it.
"Welcome back in triumph!"
"Rise up, Chinese football!"
"Well done, lads of the Chinese national football team!"
"Old Zhu, let's charge again!" (End of Chapter)