Full-level pass, please call me the speaker of the Three Lions

Chapter 363 Red bomber over Lyon!

Bang!
With a crisp sound, the ball shot out from under Ronaldo's feet, turned into a black shadow, and went straight to the near corner of the goal!

Fortunately, Joe Hart was fully focused from the moment Ronaldo got the ball.

Therefore, this kick, with a slightly downward bounce, even though the power and angle were very threatening, went straight to the near corner of the goal.

But Joe Hart still made a textbook flying save and blocked the ball out of the baseline!
"Nice shot!"

"Nice save!"

"C Ronaldo's kick shocked the world and inspired England and Joe Hart!"

Seeing the ball fly out of the baseline, Ronaldo couldn't help but show a hint of regret in his eyes.

He thought that he had shot the ball with good quality, and he also used a very practical and effective shooting technique.

That means looking at the far corner and shooting at the near corner!

However, Joe Hart was very focused and did not let him succeed.

Amid the thunderous applause from the scene, Ronaldo did not forget to turn around and give a thumbs up to Sanchez who completed the advance and passed the ball.

"nice shot!"

Joe Hart immediately started yelling at his defender:
"Kyle (Walker)! Chris (Smalling)! Go up and block the angle! Don't let him kick the ball!"

The two people who were scolded did not refute, but just went back silently and punched Joe Hart who made a wonderful save to express their apologies.

Ronaldo's shot was also the first shot that hit the goal range for both teams in this game!
However, this was not Ronaldo's most threatening attack in this game.

I don’t know if it’s because of the public’s pessimism or because he was compared with rising stars like Ling Feng, but Ronaldo looked excited and light-hearted in this game.

In the Portugal national team, Ronaldo undertakes more tactical and offensive tasks than when he was in Real Madrid.

In Real Madrid, he has Benzema by his side, who can distract him from the defense and help him attract the attention of the central defenders.
Behind him are Modric, Kroos and Bale, who can provide him with comfortable through balls or crosses.

When he returned to Portugal, he not only had to retreat to support and pass the ball with his back, but also had to rush into the penalty area as soon as he got the ball on the wing.

Try to get rid of the interference of the central defender, receive the cross as much as possible, strive to get the ball and complete the shot.

Even if you have to tangle with the defender and fight head-on;
Even if there are not many opportunities to get the ball and break through;
Even if you have to adapt to this unfamiliar style of play;
However, Real Madrid's No. 7 is still the most threatening striker on the planet!

Therefore, even though England had a clear advantage on the field, they did not dare to launch a large-scale attack.

Because the opponent has a top finisher like Ronaldo, once the formation presses forward, the space behind him may be exploited.

And the man wearing the number seven shirt and shouldering the heavy responsibility of Portugal's attack often only needs an opportunity that is not an opportunity to give his opponent a fatal blow!
Therefore, Hodgson dares not gamble, nor can he afford to gamble.

Therefore, before the game he reminded his disciples not to be anxious!
Don’t press too high in the first half, and use passes as much as possible to consume your opponent’s energy!

Wait until the second half to decide the outcome!

This is a very safe approach.

However, in Ling Feng's opinion, it is not the best way to deal with a team like Portugal.

If the offensive and defensive tempo of the game is increased, it will definitely be more beneficial for England, which has an advantage in physical fitness.

Even though Portugal has fast forwards like Ronaldo and Nani, they are also capable of launching fast-paced counterattacks and threatening England's goal.

However, once Portugal faced England in a rapid transition from offense to defense, its disadvantage became more obvious.

Often, before the situation in the frontcourt is opened up, the two central defenders in their thirties in the backcourt are overwhelmed by young and strong guys such as Ling Feng, Vardy and Sterling!
Of course, the greater the return, the higher the risk!

Hodgson's tactical style has always been relatively conservative.

Especially in a cup match like this where the outcome is decided, he would naturally prefer to play it safe.

In his opinion, the best way is to first establish an invincible position and then make changes according to the direction of the game!
As a player, Ling Feng can only follow the tactics of the head coach.

As the commander on the field and free man in the frontcourt, he is the core figure of England's passing and control.

Not only does he have to coordinate and organize the team in the middle, he also has to come to the wing to provide support from time to time.

It was his presence that allowed England to keep the ball firmly under their control and gradually launch some offensives.
When the game unknowingly reached the 35th minute, England's ball possession rate reached 67% and the number of shots reached 7.

Although most of them were long shots, four of them hit the goal.

Portugal was trapped in the half and could hardly reach England's heartland.

Even so, Ronaldo used his deterrence to attract the defense and created two opportunities for Nani who came from behind to shoot.

However, Nani's shots were not very accurate, and either slipped out of the goal or were firmly caught by Joe Hart.

In the England lineup, the most active player is not Ling Feng, but the England captain Rooney who has many opportunities to get the ball!

Perhaps because of his opponent, or perhaps because he wanted to prove himself in front of his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney had a strong desire to attack in this game!

"Rooney has the ball."

“Introduction.”

"Ling Feng, come over here to assist. Two-on-one pass against the wall!"

“There’s room.”

"Shoot!"

The next second, with a "bang", Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio made another wonderful save!
The shot was powerful, but the angle was too straight and it was blocked out of the goal line.

Rooney also held his head in his hands with some regret, and then immediately gave Ling Feng a thumbs up.

This was the third time he had given Ling Feng a thumbs up in this game.

It is worth mentioning that of England's seven shots in the first half, four were taken by Rooney.

Three of them were passed to him by Ling Feng!
Under Portugal's dense defense, long shots are a good way to break the deadlock.

The player with the best long-range shooting ability in the England team is naturally Ling Feng.

However, Portugal also put up tight defense against Ling Feng's amazing long-range shot.

They noticed that Ling Feng could only perform that amazing long shot from thirty meters away.

Therefore, Sanchez in the midfield will serve as the first line of defense and delay Ling Feng's advancement or breakthrough by defending closely.

Then, defensive midfielder Danilo will serve as the second defensive player, always standing in front of him to block his long-range shooting angle.

With João Mario's occasional assistance, Ling Feng was always surrounded by three people.

However, Ling Feng is not a fool who will not turn back until he hits a wall.

Since I can't take a long shot, I can create opportunities for my teammates!

As a result, the wingers Sterling and Rooney, who were moving inward on both sides, got more space to shoot.

However, compared to Sterling, who had poor shooting skills and no confidence in himself, Rooney's kick was more determined!

However, in order to bypass Portugal's two tall central defenders and maintain the power of the shot, Rooney's shooting skills are extremely high.

So, several long shots were powerful but had no angle.

However, in addition to long shots, set pieces are also an effective way to break the deadlock. When Ling Feng placed the ball in the corner flag area, the two central defenders of the Three Lions, Smalling and Cahill, came into the penalty area.

Vardy roamed around the front point, tying down the opponent's full-back.

Facing this set piece, Portugal was also ready for it.

After all, the opponent has a set-piece expert like Ling Feng who can pass the ball wherever he points.

Even Ronaldo returned to the penalty area to help defend.

"Look at the people around you!"

"Man to man, don't look at the ball!"

With the referee's whistle, Ling Feng's corner kick went directly over Ronaldo in front of the goal and landed right above the crowd.

However, Southampton center back Fonte, who performed very well in this European Cup, relied on his rich experience. He first secretly used his hands to hold down Smalling, who was taller than him, to prevent him from jumping easily, and then used the force to jump and grab the first point!
With a header, the ball was sent out of the penalty area!
Facing this 50-5 ball, Sanchez, who was protecting at the front of the penalty area, stretched his leg and poked the ball before Milner.

Then, relying on his outstanding explosive power, he accelerated and caught up!
For a moment, there was no one in front of him!
"Portugal has a chance to fight back!"

"Sanches advances with the ball"

At this moment, seven players of the Three Lions were in Portugal's half, with only three players left in the backcourt.

Slightly ahead is the defensive midfielder Henderson, and the other two players are Tottenham wingers known for their speed, Walker and Rose.

While Sanchez was dribbling the ball forward from the middle, Nani on the right was using all his strength to make a crazy forward move!

At the same time, the 60,000 spectators in the lighted stadium, as well as all the fans watching the live broadcast on TV, saw a moving scene:

Ronaldo returned to the penalty area to defend, and started running forward the moment the ball was cleared.

When he saw Sanchez dribbling forward, he instantly realized that this was a great opportunity for a counterattack!

So, without hesitation, he accelerated to the fullest and rushed forward to the left.

Even at the age of 31, Ronaldo is still incredibly fast!
Just like the young man who once ran at lightning speed in the Premier League!
However, he is not the only one who realizes this!
Ronaldo, who sprinted at full speed, quickly caught up with Nani who started first, and flew on both wings with Nani!

For a moment, Portugal formed a counterattack posture with three arrows fired at the same time!

Sanchez dribbled the ball in the middle, Nani was on the right and Ronaldo was on the left.

"Wow!"

"This is Portugal's chance!"

"Three on three in the frontcourt!"

"No!"

"Ling Feng is still chasing after us!"

Yes!

In addition to Ronaldo who was making crazy forward runs, there was also a white figure chasing back at high speed!
That was Ling Feng who realized the seriousness of the matter!

His start time is slower than Ronaldo, but his speed is faster!

He accelerated all the way from the corner flag area, constantly closing the distance with Ronaldo in front of him.

Eight meters, seven meters, six meters
Seeing Ling Feng chasing back at an extremely fast speed, the Portuguese fans in the stands also showed surprised expressions.

They know that Ronaldo is fast.

But how come this English kid, who also wears the number 7 shirt, looks faster than me? !

As Sanchez kept getting closer, Henderson, the midfielder who had been retreating, gritted his teeth and rushed towards Sanchez who was dribbling the ball at Walker's shout.

He had only one thought in his mind:
Even if you knock the opponent down, you can't let him pass or pass the ball away to launch this counterattack!

As long as this counterattack is interrupted, Ling Feng and other teammates can return to their own half and rebuild the defensive line!

Just when Henderson was about to make a flying tackle, Sanchez passed the ball to the right in time.

The next second, he was tackled by Henderson.

However, the referee, who had been following Portugal's counterattack, did not blew the whistle, but raised his hands, held them forward, and made a "favorable attack" gesture.

Nani received the ball, dribbled it and slid to the baseline without hesitation.

Rose kept chasing back and defending, ready to guard against his crosses at any time.

However, even until Nani kicked the ball hard and made a cross, he was unable to stop the ball from flying over his head!

"Cross!"

Watching the ball fly out, Nani's eyes were fixed on the red figure in the distance, and he couldn't help but let out a low roar of expectation in his heart:

Chris, it's up to you!

The ball drew a beautiful arc in the air and flew accurately to the far back point.

A red figure galloped over on horseback and then soared into the air!

It’s Cristiano Ronaldo!
In front of him, the 1.78-meter-tall Walker also jumped up, and his head only reached his waist!

Behind him was Ling Feng who had just arrived at the scene.

In an instant, the entire lighted stadium fell silent, and the air seemed to freeze.

Everyone's eyes, including Ling Feng, were focused on the man flying in the air.

Only by seeing it up close with his own eyes did Ling Feng realize how strong Ronaldo's jumping and air-staying abilities were!

While Walker's body was already in free fall, Ronaldo used his powerful waist and abdominal strength to stay in the air for a few tenths of a second.

It even gives people the illusion of being suspended in the air!

Immediately afterwards, Ronaldo headed the ball and with a "bang", the ball was smashed into the net!
The power was so great and the speed was so fast that Joe Hart in front of the goal just raised his hands in surrender and had no chance to touch the ball at all!

As the white waves rose and surged, the entire lighted stadium suddenly exploded!

The overwhelming cheers instantly filled every inch of the grass in the stadium.

"Wow!"

"The ball went in"

"What a perfect header!"

"When Portugal needed him most, the man still stood up!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, Cristiano~~~Ronaldo!!!"

No one who watched the game could have imagined that England, which was in control of the situation on the field, would be defeated by a quick counterattack after a corner kick!

And Ronaldo, wearing a red jersey, was like a bomber whizzing over the Lyon stadium under the lights, blasting England's defense with his shells and blowing the goal net to pieces!

In addition to his world-class header finishing ability, this goal also fully demonstrated his terrifying jumping ability!

Walker, whose height was only as high as his waist, became his background, making the Portuguese star look extremely tall.
(End of this chapter)