socalfunplaces Chapter 63: I'll take over if my teammates can't get past this!
Chapter 63: I'll take over if my teammates can't get past this!
"Ce sont les meilleures équipes (France)"
They are the best team
"Sie sind die allerbesten Mannschaften(Germany)"
They are the ultimate team.
"The main event(English)"
The most important event
……
The starting players from both sides, led by their ball boys, followed referee Skomina onto the pitch, while the Stamford Bridge stadium's loudspeaker system played the Champions League theme song, "Champions League."
Every player felt a chill run down their spine, filled with awe and respect.
This wasn't Chang Huan's first time appearing on the Champions League stage as a player, but every time he listened to this magnificent Champions League theme song, he couldn't help but get goosebumps.
After that, I was incredibly excited and couldn't wait for the competition to start.
After the necessary pre-match ceremonies concluded, the players from both sides stood on opposite sides.
The frenzied atmosphere at Stamford Bridge stadium was brought to a minimum.
"Beep~"
Referee Skomina blew his whistle.
Chelsea fans in the die-hard supporters section started stirring things up.
They shouted wildly and waved blue flags to cheer on their own players who were kicking off first.
Chelsea's tactics revolve around their two wing-backs when they gain possession.
Press on to provide width.
Fabregas is responsible for short passing and linking up play, while Hazard can create scoring opportunities in the flanks.
Kante is responsible for protecting the ball in attack and protecting space in defense.
Bakayoko made a late run and took a long-range shot.
The three center-backs were responsible for marking Dzeko and keeping an eye on Chang Huan, the key player who made the pass during transitions from attack to defense.
Di Francisco and Conte's pre-match tactical arrangements were very effective.
This led to the battle between the two sides focusing on the midfield.
Roma's midfield trio of Gonalons, Nainggolan, and Strootman are all known for their toughness.
They are physically strong, have abundant energy, and are particularly good at snatching.
Chang Huan and Perotti are able to drop deep into the low post when defending, and move swiftly in the attacking third when pressing high up the pitch.
Defend and then attack.
Roma's attacks will deliberately bypass Kanté's defensive zone and pass the ball to the flanks.
Their specific attacking tactics are not much different from Chelsea's.
First, the full-backs overlap to widen the attacking width, constantly passing the ball across the field to stretch Chelsea's defensive system and create opportunities in the flanks or one-on-one situations.
In the first ten minutes of the match, both sides focused mainly on defense and did not give each other any decent opportunities.
However, just into the 11th minute, Chelsea suddenly surged ahead.
Hazard, who had been keeping a low profile, suddenly accelerated, dribbling the ball at breakneck speed.
After getting past Chang Huan and Nainggolan, who were both on defense, Gonalon had no choice but to kick them down.
Hazard rolled twice in agony, then lay on the ground in a shrimp-like position, clutching his right ankle and screaming in pain.
The referee was nearby, his eyes were like rulers, and he only gave Gonalons a verbal warning when Gonalons pleaded for leniency, who was startled.
Chelsea were awarded a free kick on the left flank, approximately 28 meters from the goal.
The home fans booed loudly at the referee who hadn't shown a card.
In their view, Gonalon's foul was a standard yellow card!
Hazard noticed out of the corner of his eye that Skomina hadn't played a card, so he rolled over and knelt with his head on the ground.
He quickly rubbed his right ankle with his right hand, and when Fabregas came over to greet him, he pretended to grin and stand up on tiptoe.
Allison arranged a four-man wall.
The whistle blew.
Marcos Alonso made a run-up and feint, and Fabregas unleashed a high-quality free kick with his right foot!
The football, rising from the ground, bypassed the wall of players, drawing a near-perfect arc in mid-air, and spinning towards the top left corner of the goal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Alisson reacted very quickly, even touching the rapidly spinning football with his fingertips.
But... it did not change the flight trajectory.
With a crisp "whoosh," the soccer ball flew straight into the top left corner of the goal.
Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers.
The loud cheers rose in waves.
The Roma players, who conceded the first goal while playing away, did not show much emotional fluctuation.
There's just no way to deal with a free kick of that quality.
Di Francisco looked at the players on the field from the away team's technical area, clapping and encouraging them.
Roma, having gained possession, first passed the ball to their midfield and defense, bypassing Chelsea's encirclement before passing it forward.
The lack of De Rossi is becoming increasingly apparent in the attacking organization.
Gonalon specializes in defense, Nainggolan is brave but lacks technique, and Strootman can do everything but is not good at anything.
Chang Huan had to frequently bring Kanté or Fabregas back to receive the ball.
Connecting the backcourt and the frontcourt.
"Chang Huan's passing and linking play made Roma's attack more fluid, but the direct threat level decreased."
CCTV-5 commentator He Wei said in a deep voice, "Dzeko is struggling too much against Chelsea's three center-backs..."
18 minutes.
Gonalons' pass to Chang Huan was too deliberate, and Fabregas anticipated it.
Intercept the pass.
Hazard received the ball in midfield and made a long run into the left side of the penalty area, but his low shot just grazed the outside of the near post and went out of play.
Three minutes later, Rome retaliated.
Bakayoko ignored Fabregas's outstretched hand at the center circle and sent a through ball, attempting to break through Roma's defensive system and find Hazard making a forward run.
Gonalons, who had previously lost possession, proved himself by anticipating the ball's trajectory and intercepting it in advance.
After Strootman's pass, the ball was passed to Chang Huan, who was just past the halfway line on the right flank of the attacking third.
"Waaaaah—"
Amidst the piercing boos from the home fans, Chang Huan keenly noticed that Fabregas, who was approaching, was quite far away...
Stop and go!
Kanté promptly filled in the gap.
Chang Huan slowed down slightly when he was about three meters away from the target, and at the same time lowered his left shoulder, giving people a direct sense of inward cutting.
Actually.
Quickly switch to using the inside of your left foot to flick the ball to the right front.
???
The fast-slow-fast rhythm was perfectly controlled, so much so that even the defensively renowned Kanté was fooled by the fake.
He couldn't help but think to himself, "How can this Chinese man be so difficult to guard against?"
Chang Huan dribbled the ball at high speed for about ten meters, drawing Gary Cahill out before sending a through pass.
Dzeko raised his right foot at the right edge of the penalty area, feinted to Rüdiger, and used the time difference gained from the feint to launch a shot.
Courtois was very focused and caught Dzeko's low shot before he could fully exert his strength.
The home fans, who had been holding their breath, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Chang Huan suddenly accelerated to create a killing opportunity, but Di Francisco still decided to change tactics.
The attack was more direct.
If they can get past the midfield smoothly, they'll move on; otherwise, they'll make a long pass to Dzeko.
The truth is found through testing.
The tactical changes did indeed work.
Dzeko was smart; he didn't get entangled with Rudiger and Gary Cahill, but instead actively sought out Azpilicueta, who was on the right side of the three center-backs.
The success rate of successfully contesting a header increases instantly.
"That scoundrel really knows how to find weaknesses."
Conte, the home team's coach in the technical area, with a sullen face, spat out a mouthful of saliva and then spat it onto the ground.
The offensive and defensive positions have changed hands.
After a series of passes, Fabregas found a good opportunity to make a direct pass.
Morata, the "two-footed" striker, made a slight adjustment on the right side of the penalty area.
Completed an outrageous anti-aircraft shot.
Alisson took a short goal kick.
Fazio made a long pass directly to Dzeko.
Conte looked towards the pitch and noticed Chang Huan coming to the left wing out of the corner of his eye, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"Change the attacking squad?"
Chang Huan, along with Dzeko and Kolarov, formed a new small attacking system on the left flank.
Nainggolan also intended to run to the left.
Roma's left flank in the attacking third immediately became their main point of attack.
Continuous, multi-legged, and uninterrupted movement and passing.
Kolarov, who was making a high-speed run down the left flank, couldn't find a chance to cross, so he decisively passed the ball back.
Chang Huan, who was receiving the pass, swung his left foot, and Kante, who was marking him head-on, instinctively raised his foot to block.
Unexpectedly, he feigned a pass and then cut inside, passing the ball to Nainggolan, who had made a run into the left side of the penalty area.
Fabregas dared not make a move.
Nainggolan flicked the ball to the right with the outside of his right foot, then swung his right foot as if he was about to unleash a powerful shot before Bakayoko could close in!
Actually...
A fake shot, a real dunk!
Spike the ball to your left foot and then...
Send a straight pass forward!
The football, close to the ground, rolled along the left sideline of the penalty area towards the goal line.
The live broadcast director switches camera angles.
"Chang Huan!"
CCTV-5 commentator He Wei looked at the familiar figure cutting back towards the passing lane in the lower left corner of the screen, and his voice rose eight octaves.
With his speed increased, Chang Huan used the inside of his left foot to gently flick the ball to the right past the penalty area line and into the penalty area, dodging Zappacosta's sliding tackle from the left with visible speed!
Azpilicueta, who was covering the ball, saw it rolling towards him and instinctively stretched out his leg to intercept it.
Unexpectedly, Chang Huan's right foot was moving very fast!
He used the inside of his right foot, which moved forward alternately, to push the ball forward.
Fried meatballs!
The movement was incredibly smooth, and a drawn-out gasp of surprise echoed through Stamford Bridge: "Oh—"
Azpilicueta's pupils constricted, and his right foot, unable to retract in time, landed squarely on Chang Huan's right ankle as he struggled to push off the ground.
Chang Huan cried out and collapsed in the restricted area.
Referee Skomina's whistle blew a second later.
All eyes were on his right hand.
The index finger points to the penalty spot.
"Penalty!"
CCTV-5 commentator He Wei shouted almost frantically.