In the China locker room, Jankovic was giving a speech: "Well done, I'm proud of you. We are defending the honor of our nation. Don't waste time in extra time; play normally, go and win the match. Believe in this team, believe in your teammates around you. If anyone has an energy problem, tell me. Defend well, don't be afraid to lose! Catch your breath, and let's take down our opponent!"
The Head Coach was using passion to help the players persevere, but Gao Nuo's body was experiencing a problem, very similar to before. The adrenaline-induced excitement had worn off, and Gao Nuo's legs felt a bit weak.
Gao Nuo couldn't hide the situation. "Coach, I might not be able to keep going."
Jankovic was a bit nervous: "What's wrong? Where's the problem with your body?"
Gao Nuo was a bit helpless: "Nothing, it's just that my physical energy can't keep up."
Jankovic breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. You can rest during extra time. It would be troublesome if you became exhausted."
Gao Nuo didn't speak, his face filled with an unwilling expression.
Jankovic didn't say much either. He patted Gao Nuo's shoulder and continued to boost morale.
As extra time began, people were surprised to find that Gao Nuo was not on the field. The director also showed a shot of Gao Nuo on the bench.
He Wei was the first to speak: "We see Gao Nuo has been substituted. We don't know what happened. From the director's camera, Gao Nuo's expression looks very serious. Zhang Xizhe has come on to replace Gao Nuo, and Wu Lei is now playing as a forward."
Ten minutes had already passed in extra time, and the score was still 1:1. The bullet comments in the live stream were still discussing Gao Nuo's substitution, with highly imaginative netizens having guessed every possible scenario.
The China Team didn't just defend passively. While withstanding the Iran Team's attacks, they created considerable threats through several counterattacks.
They held on until the 25th minute of extra time. Players from both the China Team and the Iran Team began to cramp, and the match became dull. The 1:1 score held until the end, and both teams would proceed to a penalty shootout.
The China Team's last substitution was for Wang Dalei, and everyone expected him to deliver a miraculous performance.
In the first four rounds of penalties, both teams missed two shots each.
In the fifth round, Wu Lei stepped up to the penalty spot first, looking down at the ball, ignoring the goalkeeper's distractions. He had clearly decided on the direction of his shot. The whistle blew, he took a run-up, lifted his foot, and shot. The ball flew straight towards the top right corner of the goal.
The Iran goalkeeper Beiranvand guessed the wrong direction. The goal was scored, and the China Team was ahead in the penalty shootout.
Wang Dalei celebrated Wu Lei's penalty with a pumped fist, then slowly walked towards the goal, standing inside the goal line, muttering to himself, not knowing what he was saying.
Iran's fifth-round penalty taker was Captain Safi. Unlike Wu Lei, he kept his eyes on Wang Dalei's movements, clearly intending to observe the goalkeeper's actions before deciding the direction of his shot.
The whistle blew, he took a run-up, and saw Wang Dalei, who had been swaying left and right, suddenly stand still, his hands also lowered, looking like he was just going to stand there motionless. Safi hesitated a bit, his shot lacking a bit of power, sending the ball straight down the middle.
Wang Dalei indeed didn't move; he stood in the middle of the goal, caught the flying ball into his arms, then fell forward, firmly pinning the ball down.
They won! The penalty shootout! The China Team defeated the Iran Team! They advanced to the semi-finals!
The coaching staff, players, and fans were all celebrating the victory wildly!
Gao Nuo, who won his first penalty shootout, didn't feel much relief. Reaching the semi-finals was an overachievement for the team, but the team's atmosphere was still very serious. The China Team's opponent in the semi-finals was the Japan Team.
The Japan Team, who had just eliminated the South Korea Team, was indeed stronger than China football in terms of strength. However, the National Football Team players, whose morale was high after just defeating Iran, were not prepared to accept a defeat.
Just as all fans expected, regardless of the outcome of the match, they only hoped to see the passionate struggle of China's men on the field. We can accept failure, we can start over, but we must never be timid before the battle.
On February 7, 2024, at Al Bayt Stadium, the Asian Cup semi-final, the China Team vs. the Japan Team.
As both teams' players entered the field, He Wei began his commentary for the day.
"Hello, audience friends. In yesterday's other semi-final, Qatar defeated Australia, and they will play in the final against today's winner."
"Qatar's upset was full of controversy. As the host nation, they eliminated Australia 1:0 with a penalty kick."
"Anyway, Qatar's advancement is good news for today's two teams."
"Many players from the Japan Team play in Europe, and their strength is indeed much greater than our China Team. But in the warm-up footage, we can see that our players' expressions are very determined, and their eyes carry a murderous intent. Let's see if our athletes can defeat the Japan Team."
"Alright, the match has begun. The China Team kicks off first."
The China Team, as expected, continued to employ a compact defense, with Gao Nuo upfront, ready to launch a counterattack at any moment.
In the 12th minute of the match, the Japan Team took a throw-in from the left, and after simple passing, the ball was sent into the penalty area, only to be cleared by the China Team.
The Japan Team made a mistake in midfield, the pass lacked power and was cleverly intercepted by Wu Lei, leading to a transition from defense to attack.
Gao Nuo led the charge, receiving a pass from Wu Lei and pushing forward on the left flank. Facing two closing defenders, he lofted the ball towards the center.
Wu Lei, after passing the ball, moved to the center to receive it. He calmly controlled Gao Nuo's long pass and, before the defenders could close in, opted for a long-range shot. The ball went slightly over the crossbar.
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Some fans in front of their screens were so excited they had already stood up,
So close! The China Team was so close to a dream start!
In the following match, the China Team's goal was in precarious danger.
In the 18th minute of the match, Maeda of the Japan Team broke into the penalty area from the left, and his shot from a tight angle was saved by Yan Junling.
In the 23rd minute of the match, the Japan Team sent a cross from the wing, and Guqiao's header hit the post and went out for a goal kick.
In the 25th minute of the match, the Japan Team took a corner kick, and Gao Nuo cleared the ball at the near post in the penalty area.
In the 32nd minute of the match, Nan Ye of the Japan Team suddenly shot from outside the penalty area, and a very focused Yan Junling tipped the ball over the crossbar.
In the 44th minute of the match, the Japan Team took a direct free-kick from 28 meters out. Yan Junling fumbled the save, and Guqiao scored on the rebound in front of the goal. Just as the Japan Team began to celebrate, a reminder came through the Referee's earpiece: offside, goal disallowed.
Finally, the match entered the 15-minute half-time break.
Throughout the first half, the China Team's performance was somewhat unsightly. Apart from one threatening counterattack, they were largely on the back foot. The Japan Team had 11 shots, and several times nearly changed the score.
Gao Nuo had a very difficult game today. China's midfield had basically collapsed; the constant pressing made it very difficult for China's midfield to advance. The Japan Team had learned from the Iran Team's experience and directly cut off the passing lanes between China's midfield and Gao Nuo.
The bullet comments in the live stream were all "Go China Team!" floating around. He Wei said with some concern: "The China Team playing like this is not a solution. The loss of control in midfield makes us very passive. Gao Nuo and Wu Lei lack support in the front. Let's see if the Head Coach can make some adjustments. Perhaps one counterattack will be enough to change the situation on the field. Let's wait and see."
