Chapter 126: Trapeze Artist

Perhaps it was the four-goal haul against CSKA Moscow that exhausted Dai Zhiwei’s recent scoring luck, as he failed to find the net despite eight shots in Villarreal’s 11th La Liga round match at home against Real Betis. Fortunately, goals from Trigueros and Roberto Soriano secured a 2-0 victory for Villarreal, keeping them in the hunt for a top-four finish.

Following the win, Dai Zhiwei once again became a frequent flyer, connecting through Madrid to Beijing before heading to Kunming. The journey took over twenty hours, all in preparation for the fifth round of the 2018 World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

On November 15, the fifth round of the 2018 World Cup Asian Qualifiers was set to commence, featuring a headline clash between China and Qatar. Prior to the match, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) released the 23-man squad for the Chinese national team.

For China, Zhang Chengdong and Fu Huan were left out, while Cao Yunding was included. Zhang Chengdong’s omission was due to a calf muscle strain sustained during a match; team doctors predicted he would not recover in time. Fu Huan was likely excluded because head coach Perrin considered him too inexperienced. Additionally, Mei Fang, who had been injured in training a few days prior, remained on the roster, while Cao Yunding had recovered from his injury.

This match was critical for both China and Qatar, as a loss for either side would effectively signal the end of their 2018 World Cup qualification hopes. For China, winning was not just about keeping qualification dreams alive, but also about emerging from a slump and regaining confidence; a victory would significantly boost the morale of the squad. For Qatar, the situation was even more dire. Having earned only three points from their first four matches, they sat at the bottom of the group and were on the brink of early elimination. Furthermore, with Qatar set to host the 2022 World Cup, missing out on 2018 would be unacceptable to their football association. In short, this was a do-or-die encounter for both teams.

China chose Kunming’s Tuodong Stadium for this home fixture. The mid-November climate was pleasant, and the scenery beautiful—Dai Zhiwei felt invigorated the moment he stepped off the plane.

In terms of the starting lineup, China made eight changes compared to the previous match against Uzbekistan, retaining only Dai Zhiwei, Feng Xiaoting, and Wu Lei. This constant rotation was a point of frustration for Dai Zhiwei regarding Perrin and the football association. While injuries played a role, the primary issue was the team’s failure to establish a consistent style of play. As a coach, Perrin was more reliable than his predecessor Camacho, but he remained a second- or third-tier manager—the team’s floor wouldn’t be too low, but its ceiling wouldn’t be very high. However, Dai Zhiwei had heard from former Evergrande teammates like Zheng Zhi and Feng Xiaoting that the association was already in contact with Marcello Lippi about a potential coaching change.

"Is this just historical inertia?" Dai Zhiwei wondered, recalling his first reaction to the news. "With me here, maybe Lippi won’t tarnish his reputation this time?"

Qatar made only two adjustments to their lineup, with Musa and Boudiaf replacing Yasser and Akram Afif. Dai Zhiwei was no stranger to Qatar, having scored against them in the previous stage of the qualifiers, and he hoped for another successful "card swipe" victory.

However, it was Qatar who struck first in the 5th minute. Al-Haydos delivered a corner from the right, Correa headed it toward the goal, and Sebastián, with his back to the net, fired a heel flick that narrowly missed the left post, leaving the fans at Tuodong Stadium breathless. In the past, the home crowd might have shown disappointment, but now things were different—they had Dai Zhiwei.

Seven minutes later, after being fouled during a 40-meter run, Dai Zhiwei hammered a long-range free kick. The Qatari goalkeeper, Al-Sheeb, failed to catch it, the ball deflecting off his shoulder and out of play. It was China’s first shot on target, but the look in Al-Sheeb’s eyes revealed his fear of the power behind Dai Zhiwei’s strike.

By the 13th minute, Dai Zhiwei attempted a left-footed volley from the left side of the box, though he sent it wide. After the initial probing, China took full control of the offense as Qatar struggled to find their rhythm. Dai Zhiwei, having adjusted to the match, began to hit his stride. Though not at 100%, it was more than enough to handle Qatar.

Twenty minutes in, led by Dai Zhiwei, China began to press forward, launching wave after wave of attacks. The Qatari defense struggled to cope, barely managing to clear the ball from their half. Thirty minutes into the match, some of Qatar’s defenders were already gasping for air. This was the pressure Dai Zhiwei exerted; they realized that if this continued, their goal would eventually be breached.

On the sidelines, Perrin watched the active Dai Zhiwei and thought, "I didn’t expect him to improve so much in just a month. Perhaps he is a player born for football." At Villarreal, Dai Zhiwei’s role was singular: score. But with the Chinese team, due to the limitations of his teammates and the squad’s overall strength, he had to take on more, evolving into a true "number 10" who organized the attack while still leading the line.

Qatar’s players rushed to take a throw-in, hoping for a rare counterattacking opportunity. Under Dai Zhiwei’s dominance, their attacking chances were scarce. The ball dropped, but it landed at the feet of the Chinese players. When Zheng Zhi intercepted the ball, the Qatari defensive midfielder Assadalla charged at him aggressively. Zheng Zhi, 36, had just returned from a long injury, and players in such situations often fear tackles that might reinjure them. But Zheng Zhi was the most determined player the Chinese team had seen in a decade.

Zheng Zhi broke away and accelerated, leaving Assadalla behind. Watching his veteran captain make a rare run, Dai Zhiwei sprinted into the box, timing his movement to the near post. Zheng Zhi reached the byline, but he was not the dribbler Dai Zhiwei was; his speed and breakthrough ability were limited, and he was easily contained by the Qatari defender Cazorla. Unable to progress, Zheng Zhi was forced into a suboptimal cross.

The ball flew toward Dai Zhiwei’s side and back, right at waist height—the most difficult height for a striker to handle. "Are they just standing there watching?" Dai Zhiwei thought, frustrated by the lack of movement from his teammates. This was the "Dai Zhiwei dependency syndrome"—the team often relied solely on passing to him and waiting for a moment of individual brilliance. It was like the Lakers during Kobe’s peak: one star attacking while the other four watched.

"Fine, I’ll do it myself!" Dai Zhiwei clenched his teeth. As the Qatari center-back Khoukhi moved to clear, Dai Zhiwei reached his toe down, wrapped his heel around the ball, and flicked it toward the goal.

A back-heel flick! The entire stadium went silent, fans and journalists alike stunned as the ball looped toward the top near corner. It wasn’t fast, but the angle was wicked, sending the hearts of Qatari fans into their throats. Could Al-Sheeb save it? Clearly, no. 1-0!

"It’s in! Beautiful!" He Wei of CCTV cheered, forgetting the network's requirement for neutrality. Even neutral fans had to marvel at the artistry of the goal. Replays showed Dai Zhiwei leaning back, arching his body, and catching the ball perfectly with his right heel. It was a goal that proved once again he was the best—and perhaps the only reliable—player for the Chinese team.

After breaking the deadlock, Perrin shocked the stadium by signaling the team to drop back and defend. Dai Zhiwei assumed it was a temporary measure to avoid conceding before halftime, but at the break, he was baffled to hear Perrin demand they "park the bus" for the remainder of the game. While defensive counter-attacking made sense in some contexts, doing so against a third-tier Asian team on home soil was absurd.

The second half was a dismal 45 minutes. Qatar’s attack was a mess, and the two sides combined for only six shots in the half. Despite his dissatisfaction with the 1-0 scoreline, the three points were secured. With eight points, China sat second in the group behind Iran, with qualification firmly back in their own hands.

The morning after the match, Dai Zhiwei flew back to Villarreal. The exhausting 20-hour journey left him bedridden upon arrival. Because of the travel, coach Escribá rested him for the 12th round of La Liga against Athletic Bilbao. Villarreal lost 0-1, and Escribá was furious, cursing the league for refusing to reschedule the match, especially given that a Champions League group stage match against Tottenham loomed just 45 hours later.

With several key players returning from international duty, they remained in Villarreal to prepare for the European clash. Could they recover in time to take down Tottenham and seize control of their Champions League group? Stay tuned!