Chapter 146: Know It or Not, the Red Clouds Should Fill the Sky (Part I)

Changsha was undoubtedly the most suitable venue for the titanic clash between China and South Korea.

The people of Changsha possessed a stubborn, uncompromising, and formidable spirit reminiscent of Diego Simeone, and this was precisely the quality the Chinese national team needed to unleash fully and unconditionally at this critical juncture.

If Changsha truly was a fortunate land for the Chinese team, it was largely because this very spirit permeated the chaotic air, thick with the scent of betel nuts.

Regarding the starting lineup of the Chinese team, Zeng Cheng returned to the starting eleven after recovering from his injury, and coach Marcello Lippi kept the same defensive personnel from the previous match. In the midfield and attacking band, captain Zheng Zhi partnered with Hao Junmin as the twin defensive midfielders, while Wu Lei, Zhang Xizhe, and Wang Yongpo lurked behind the lone striker, Tsubasa Ozora.

China Starting XI: Zeng Cheng; Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Mei Fang, Jiang Zhipeng; Zheng Zhi, Hao Junmin; Wu Lei, Zhang Xizhe, Wang Yongpo; Tsubasa Ozora.

South Korea Starting XI: Kim Seung-gyu; Lee Yong, Hong Jeong-ho, Jang Hyun-soo, Kim Jin-su; Ko Myong-jin, Ki Sung-yueng, Koo Ja-cheol; Ji Dong-won, Lee Jeong-hyeop, Nam Tae-hee.

A tremendous wave of sound echoed across the sky as the players from both sides took to the pitch. The entire Changsha Helong Sports Center trembled, leaving every player feeling a ringing numbness in their ears.

"Ha-ha, the match is about to begin. I know you have some understanding of the South Korean team, Coach Xu. Could you share your thoughts with us and discuss what we need to watch out for in this game?" The live broadcast commentators for the China Central Television Sports Channel were once again the lackluster duo of Hong Gang and Xu Yang—which further showed that the sports channel was genuinely lacking in top-tier talent these days.

"Well, personally, I feel that the South Korean players have reached a stage of seamless cohesion. Whether in terms of age, ability, or experience, their team is at its peak or on a rising trajectory. South Korean players might even make some noise in Europe, but we certainly hold a certain advantage playing at home."

"Right, I am also quite optimistic about the Chinese team. No matter what, we have Tsubasa Ozora!"

In this match, even if someone secretly favored a South Korean victory, no one dared to voice it aloud. This was a matter of political stance and national position; nobody wanted to blatantly play the role of a traitor!

Amidst the endless chatter of Hong Gang and Xu Yang, the referee's whistle blew to signal the start of the match. To the thunderous cheers of the fans at the Helong Sports Center, the Chinese team initiated the first attack.

Tsubasa Ozora delivered the ball to Zheng Zhi in midfield, then surged toward the center of the South Korean formation alongside Wu Lei, who was once again deployed as a shadow striker just like in the previous game.

Having accumulated experience over this recent stretch of matches, Wu Lei had grown accustomed to the role. He was no longer as unfamiliar with the position as he had been previously, where his attacking efforts fell flat and his defensive contributions were lacking.

Upon receiving the ball, Zheng Zhi noticed Ki Sung-yueng already closing in on him, stretching out a long leg in an attempt to tackle.

Zheng Zhi nudged the ball past his opponent, spun rapidly with his body, and instantly shook off Ki Sung-yueng's defense, driving forward with the ball at his feet.

As soon as Zheng Zhi bypassed Ki Sung-yueng, he was immediately swarmed by Koo Ja-cheol. Following a physical collision, Zheng Zhi lost his balance momentarily, muttered a curse under his breath, and hurriedly laid the ball off to Wang Yongpo.

Wang Yongpo quickly executed an overlap. Receiving the pass from Zheng Zhi, he deftly utilized his technique, shifted his center of gravity, hooked the ball inward with the instep of his foot, and pushed it past the lunging interception of Ji Dong-won. He charged toward the edge of the penalty arc, and upon seeing that Zheng Zhi had managed to loop around Ki Sung-yueng, immediately played a return pass.

However, by the time Zheng Zhi received the ball, he found himself surrounded by both Ki Sung-yueng and Koo Ja-cheol. With no room to maneuver, he was forced to release the ball.

Tsubasa Ozora appeared exceptionally eager from the opening whistle. Seeing Wang Yongpo break through and distribute the ball, he immediately drifted back to the center to offer support.

At that moment, Tsubasa Ozora was still some distance from the ball, but Ki Sung-yueng was also sprinting toward it. The two of them reached the ball almost simultaneously, contesting possession in the middle.

Tsubasa Ozora felt his body collide with something as rigid as pig-iron, but sensing the muscles around his opponent's waist tensing up, a flash of inspiration struck him. He cleverly pulled back, allowing the Korean midfielder to swing at empty air.

Indeed, Ki Sung-yueng stumbled slightly and hurriedly tried to plant his foot on the ball to steady himself, but it was already too late.

Seizing the opportunity, Tsubasa Ozora reached out with his long leg and deftly poked the ball right out from beneath Ki Sung-yueng's supporting foot.

Having lost his balance and staggering forward, Ki Sung-yueng could only watch helplessly as Tsubasa Ozora dribbled toward the right flank for an inside cut.

Tsubasa Ozora took two touches horizontally across the pitch, glanced toward the penalty area, and a flicker of absolute determination flashed in his eyes. "There's an opportunity!"

His tendency for speculative long-range shooting flared up once again. Without the slightest hesitation, and without taking any preparatory steps while on the run, Tsubasa Ozora angled his body slightly, cocked his right leg, and unleashed a ferocious, thunderous strike against the side of the ball.

The ball swept through the air with massive outward spin, tracing a sharp curve like a razor-sharp blade slicing through the wind, hurtling directly toward the upper near corner of the goal.

Hong Jeong-ho attempted to block the shot, but by the time he reached the edge of the box, the ball had already sailed high over his head, out of reach of his desperate jump.

In the stands, the Chinese fans cheered ecstatically at the sight of Tsubasa Ozora's shot. For the supporters in Changsha, witnessing Tsubasa Ozora's powerful long-range artillery strikes was the ultimate, pulse-pounding thrill—none of them expected to see it right from the opening moments.

South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu had been on high alert ever since Tsubasa Ozora began his dribble. Having studied Tsubasa Ozora's shooting habits, he knew how lethal his sudden shots on the run could be.

Watching the ball hurtle toward him at breakneck speed, Kim Seung-gyu instinctively leaped sideways and stretched out his arms, producing a sharp sound upon impact.

Feeling the immense force reverberating through his arm, Kim Seung-gyu instinctively managed to palm the ball over the crossbar while mid-air, though a tingling numbness immediately shot through his fingertips.

The Chinese fans groaned in frustration as Kim Seung-gyu tipped the ball over, while the South Korean supporters applauded to acknowledge their goalkeeper's brilliant save.

Lippi watched the pitch in silence, his expression completely neutral, though his gaze remained sharp and fixed intently on Tsubasa Ozora.

Throughout his managerial career, Lippi had witnessed countless exceptional forwards, but based solely on that single shot by Tsubasa Ozora, he realized this was a top-tier striker who lagged behind no legendary star in football history.

"With Tsubasa on the side, some of my tactical ideas are definitely worth a try," Lippi muttered softly to himself.

Tsubasa Ozora's strike broke out a cold sweat among the South Korean players, making them acutely aware that even if their overall team strength surpassed that of China, a single Tsubasa Ozora was more than capable of tearing their carefully organized defensive line to shreds.

The South Korean players quickly refocused. After clearing the resulting corner kick, they regained control of the ball in midfield and launched a fierce offensive built upon their possession advantage.

Both sides quickly transitioned into a grueling, end-to-end battle of attrition. Each team viewed the other as their primary obstacle in the group to securing a berth in the World Cup finals, meaning neither dared to lower their guard in this life-or-death struggle.

The attacking intensity from both China and Korea was fierce from the start, driving the match forward at a breakneck pace.

However, the South Korean team clearly settled into the rhythm faster, carving out more scoring opportunities. In the 12th minute, Lee Jeong-hyeop laid the ball off inside the box, and Nam Tae-hee picked it up, shook off Hao Junmin, and unleashed a sudden, venomous shot.

Zeng Cheng was caught off guard, but fortunately, the ball sailed high over the crossbar, allowing the Chinese team to narrowly escape disaster.

South Korean manager Uli Stielike initially clenched his fist in excitement when Nam Tae-hee shot, but upon seeing it fly over the bar, he shook his head in bitter disappointment. Facing a surging and formidable Chinese team, he knew all too well the immense value of scoring the opening goal.

In reality, the position of the German manager at the helm of South Korea was quite precarious. Following the dismissals of Qatar's former coach Jorge Fossati and former China coach Alain Perrin, Stielike was widely considered the next most likely manager to lose his job.

According to the latest standings, South Korea trailed China due to an inferior goal difference, sitting precariously in third place in the group. Their path to securing a direct ticket to Russia as one of the top two teams in the group was far from certain—a reality that clashed sharply with South Korea's self-image as a football powerhouse in Asia, igniting widespread dissatisfaction among the South Korean Football Association and its fans.

Although the South Korean FA recently issued a statement denying any intentions of replacing the coach, anyone with a discerning eye knew that with the matches looming so close, changing managers was practically impossible. Thus, the FA's denial carried the heavy suspicion of "protesting too much."

Stielike deduced that if his side could score the opening goal and rely on their defensive organization, the Chinese team would be forced to throw men forward in search of an equalizer, leaving vast defensive vulnerabilities. Securing victory in that scenario would become a highly achievable goal.

After being suppressed for nearly ten minutes, the Chinese team initiated their own attacking wave. Zheng Zhi delivered the ball to the feet of Zhang Xizhe ahead of him.

Zhang Xizhe used his experience to glide past Ji Dong-won, and seeing Nam Tae-hee closing in, quickly passed the ball to the overlapping Wang Yongpo.

The two players combined fluidly down the flank, swiftly advancing the ball into the central area.

Hao Junmin drifted into the middle while Wu Lei made an overlapping run. Hao Junmin bypassed Ki Sung-yueng's attempted tackle and surged into the penalty area, putting on a rare display of brilliant dribbling prowess.

At that moment, South Korea's defensive rock, Jang Hyun-soo, rushed over to intercept. With a soft, delicate touch, Hao Junmin squared the ball right behind Jang Hyun-soo.

Utilizing his speed, Zhang Xizhe beat Kim Jin-su to the ball, but lacking absolute, blistering pace, he was unable to completely shake off his marker, with Kim Jin-su sticking tightly to his side.

Left with little choice, Zhang Xizhe dribbled step-for-step under pressure, approaching the endline before suddenly accelerating to shift the tempo. Bursting into a pocket of space he had carved out through sheer effort, he scooped the ball with the instep of his foot, sending it curving into the open space fourteen yards out from the goalmouth.

Amidst the desperate tugging of Hong Jeong-ho, a flash of red rapidly sprinted toward the ball.

It was Tsubasa Ozora!

When Wu Lei and Hao Junmin exchanged positions earlier, Tsubasa Ozora had also drifted into the penalty box, though tight marking by Hong Jeong-ho and Nam Tae-hee had denied him an opening to receive the ball.

As soon as Zhang Xizhe delivered the pass, Tsubasa Ozora and Wu Lei cleverly darted back into their respective spaces. The rapid movement of the two lightning-fast players instantly distorted the South Korean defensive line, creating glaring cracks in their backline.

Seeing Zhang Xizhe release the ball, Hong Jeong-ho and Jang Hyun-soo were forced to split their coverage between Tsubasa Ozora and Wu Lei at a moment's notice.

Pulled violently by Tsubasa Ozora's movement, Hong Jeong-ho staggered alongside him, struggling desperately as Tsubasa Ozora's stride pattern shifted unpredictably on the run, making him exceptionally difficult to track.

With his eyes locked entirely on the descending ball, Tsubasa Ozora exploded with sudden muscular force, sharply elevating his pace.

Hong Jeong-ho felt his grip grab empty air as Tsubasa Ozora pulled a meter clear, prompting the defender to chase frantically.

As the ball plummeted through the air right into Tsubasa Ozora's left-side zone, he did not waste time with a touch. Planting his left foot firmly, he torqued his torso and whipped his right leg backward with immense speed.

A dull, resounding thud echoed across the pitch, accompanied by Tsubasa Ozora's low, ferocious roar: "Get in!"

Tsubasa Ozora's lower leg swept heavily across the underside of the falling ball, sending it tracing a bizarre, wicked parabola that dipped directly toward the far corner. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu scrambled backward while craning his neck, reaching the far post before launching himself off the ground in a desperate, full-stretch dive.

A crisp swishing sound ripped through the air, instantly swallowed by a monumental wave of sound that engulfed the entire stadium!

1:0!

After scoring, Tsubasa Ozora sprinted toward the nearest stand, pressing his lips together tightly while repeatedly patting the dragon-and-phoenix team crest emblazoned across his chest.

The primary color of the Chinese team's kit for this match was traditional red, subtly accented with golden patterns resembling the armor of ancient Chinese warriors.

*Though a hundred battles in the yellow sands wear out our golden armor, we will never return home until Loulan is conquered!*

"The ball is in! Brilliant! 1:0!"

Though not a seasoned football commentator, Hong Gang certainly knew how to recognize a goal when he saw one, and upon witnessing Tsubasa Ozora's strike, he immediately roared at the top of his lungs in sheer excitement!

"Utterly sensational!" Xu Yang praised endlessly in the broadcast booth. "Some fans might not realize this, but Tsubasa only arrived back in the country the day before yesterday and was still dealing with jet lag yesterday. He is far from his optimal physical condition, yet he remains an unstoppable super star whom Asian defenses simply cannot contain!"

"How does he compare to Son Heung-min?" Hong Gang, the football layman, suddenly blurted out.

"Ha-ha..." Xu Yang could only respond with an awkward chuckle. "There is simply no comparison whatsoever!"

The South Korean team restarted play from the center circle. Unfazed by the setback, their ingrained self-confidence within Asian football—particularly the confidence built against the Chinese team—allowed them to swiftly steady their mentality and immediately launch a fierce counter-offensive.

South Korea's central midfielders, Koo Ja-cheol and Ki Sung-yueng, operated like dual meat grinders, relentlessly chewing up the Chinese midfield. While players like Zhang Xizhe found organizing attacks increasingly difficult, the team's two veterans, Hao Junmin and Zheng Zhi, fought tooth and nail in defensive challenges, refusing to yield an inch.

The two sides engaged in a fierce midfield battle, seizing every opportunity to launch rapid counter-attacks and plunging into an open, attacking duel.

Utilizing fluid ground-passing combinations, South Korea unspooled a slick, flowing attack, frequently using the massive mobility of their front three to stretch the Chinese defense in a tide of relentless assaults.

The host Chinese team matched them blow for blow. Relying on Tsubasa Ozora's overwhelming individual penetration, they threw the South Korean backline into complete disarray. The menacing runs and breakthroughs from both Tsubasa Ozora and Wu Lei posed a massive threat to the central defensive partnership of Hong Jeong-ho and Jang Hyun-soo, while the constant pressure down the flanks left fullbacks Lee Yong and Kim Jin-su feeling as though they had fishbones stuck in their throats.

Holding a one-goal lead, the Chinese team played with growing composure, executing their attacking schemes with flair and gradually seizing firm control of the match's tempo.