Chapter 31: Against the Matador (End)
If the fans watch the game before this goal, there will be a sense of equalization. Then after this goal, what the fans saw was a one-sided situation of two teams that were completely different from the same level. I don't know if this goal hit the Spanish players too hard, if the Spanish players in the first few minutes could grit their teeth and persist even if they were not physically fit, then after this goal, this spirit was completely gone. At this time, in the Spanish team, it is the oldest veterans who are still gritting their teeth and persevering.
Enrique, Nadal and Hierro, the veterans of the game, are certain to be their last World Cup, or the last game for the national team. These veterans have achieved enough outstanding results and honors in their respective clubs, but the gap in the history of the national team is perhaps the biggest regret of their careers. Maybe they also know that their efforts can't change anything about the situation of the whole game, but for them, the last effort may be more of a consolation and the most reluctant attachment and reluctance.
This edition of the World Cup is destined to be sad for some long-time fans, who have witnessed Barty's tears, Caniggia's red card, and at this moment they will see legendary superstars such as Hierro say goodbye to the stage of the World Cup. However, when the fans were immersed in the sad parting emotion, the game on the field was still in progress, and time did not stop, so that these veterans had more time to perform and say goodbye, leave more images, and pay tribute to the football years and memories of a generation.
At this time, the game time had come to 82 minutes of the game, and Spain had no power to fight back, and Portugal was almost pressed in the Spanish half of the game. In the face of the frantic offensive of Portugal. Spain's players are looking increasingly overwhelmed. They had to use frequent tactical fouls to block the onslaught of the Portuguese players, especially the veteran players. It felt like they were playing the last game of their careers.
Hierro, Nadal and Enrique have already suffered from leg cramps in a row. After receiving a short stretch, I immediately threw myself into the game, and there was no intention of giving up or slowing down. Lao Lei looked at these three people, and suddenly remembered a poem by Cao Mengde that he had learned when he was still studying in his previous life, "Lao Ji is a long way away, and his ambition is thousands of miles; The martyrs are in their twilight years, and their hearts are strong. ”
No matter what, Lao Lei's heart suddenly had a sense of awe for these three people, and the veteran will never die. It's just withering. Lao Lei thought about the "fake fall master experience card" he bought in the middle of the court, and he suddenly didn't want to use it. He now wanted to say goodbye to these people in a more pleasant way, not by other means. Today may be a special case, and in the past, Lao Lei had a sense of victory and unscrupulous means on the field. This may be some of the influence caused to him by the low-level life in his previous life, Lao Lei thinks that he is not, and he will not be the kind of person who is stubborn and must win or fight back openly. If you can have a higher benefit value by playing small means, Lao Lei doesn't mind being a villain who pursues victory.
But today he wants to make an exception, for the sake of these respectable old players. If you let the World Cup career of these old players end under their own tricks. Old Lei couldn't bear it.
In the 85th minute, Lao Lei suddenly drove straight in the middle and forcibly ate Enrique with his body. Once near the penalty area, Hierro pressed up. Old Lei shook him with a simple croquette. The decline in physical strength made Hierro's reaction speed no longer able to keep up with Lao Lei's frequency of movements. Enrique and Hierro could only be behind Lao Lei, staring at Lao Lei's vigorous figure with the ball, and they didn't know if they were lamenting the ruthlessness of the years. Since ancient times, famous generals have been like beauties, and they are not allowed to see white heads in the world.
After shaking Hierro. Lao Lei has already burst directly into the penalty area, and at this time he can already raise his foot to shoot. Raise your right foot and shoot at goal. Then he swung down lightly and flashed his right foot past Nadal, who was desperately sliding towards him. Facing the gate guarded by Casillas, it was a shot from close range. Just like Tiger Woods' swing, Old Ray's right foot was full of strength, and there was a dull "bang". The ball flew straight towards the goal, broke through Casillas's ten fingers, and hit the net with a "whoosh".
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!! 2:0, we win! We're going to the semi-finals, we're going to play German tanks!! Reima scored the winning goal! "If the 1:0 score still made this game a little suspenseful, then now the suspense has been killed. Looking at the Spanish players on the field who can't even run, no one will think that they still have the possibility of turning the tables.
The Portuguese fans in the stands have begun to sing and celebrate the victory in advance, while the Spanish fans are silently watching the stadium, and some female fans and young fans are already full of tears and can't control their emotions. The king of the preliminaries, Spain will continue to carry this name on its back, waiting for future generations to remove this somewhat humiliating nickname for Spain.
After a brief celebration with his teammates, Ray turned to see that Nadal was still lying there in the penalty area, covering his face with his hands, not knowing what he was thinking. Old Ray walked over, leaned down, and pulled Nadal up. "You're doing a good job, old fellow. But you have to stand up and get out of the stadium. After Lao Lei finished speaking, he walked to his own half, leaving only a back.
Nadal originally thought it was his teammate, but when he got up, he saw that it was Portugal's No. 13 - Lao Lei. The words of the old thunder in his ears still echoed, and Nadal rubbed his face vigorously, cheered up, and picked up the fighting expression again. After the game restarted, the score did not continue to be rewritten in the last few minutes, and the score remained 2:0 until the end. Nadal, Hierro, Enrique, these veterans have completed their last journey in the national team with a fighting attitude.
After the game, Nadal found Lao Ray and the two exchanged jerseys. Nadal looked at the young old Lei in front of him, and a trace of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, wondering if the Dao sounded the bravado of his youth. He didn't say anything, just patted Lao Lei on the shoulder, and left, to say goodbye to the Spanish fans. He is 36 years old this year and has already ushered in the afterglow of his career.
At the press conference after the game, Spain's iron-blooded captain Hierro announced his retirement from the national team. Although everyone knew that the news was coming sooner or later, they were prepared. But when Hierro really announced the news in person, it still set off a wave. Immediately afterwards, Enrique and Nadal also issued their own farewell declarations. The successive farewell declarations of the veterans made Spain, which was still immersed in the sadness of being out, have to add a touch of farewell melancholy.
Contrary to Spain, Portugal is basking in the joy of victory, dreaming and imagining what this Portugal team will achieve in the end. But Old Ray is an exception, and at this time he is comforting Kayla on the phone, who is not in a high mood. Although Kayla is also happy that Lao Lei's Portugal has qualified, it is difficult to hide the impact of England's exit on her, or more precisely, the impact of the sad Beckham. Although Lao Lei is a little jealous in his heart, he also understands that just like those who chased stars in his previous life, this is the influence of idols.
In this quarter-final, Brazil defeated England with a score of 2:1 after falling behind by one goal. Among them, Ronaldinho also became famous for scoring a strange free kick to trick England's goalkeeper Seaman and help Brazil beat England.
As Ronaldinho's friend, of course, Lao Lei wants to send congratulations. Ronaldinho also deliberately re-emphasized the bet of meeting in the final and deciding the winner on the phone. In this regard, Lao Lei naturally responded without showing weakness, and by the way, he also asked Ronaldinho to pray that Brazil without him could pass through the Turkish pass first.
At this stage, the remaining four teams have collected a lot of information about the other three teams. Lao Lei Ke knows that this Turkey team is not easy to deal with, as the darkest dark horse so far in this World Cup, the competitiveness shown in the game surprised everyone. However, in the phone call, Ronaldinho is very confident in his teammates, saying that Brazil now has a terrifying alien. In the end, he ended the call in the mouth of both sides of the quarrel.
Back at the hotel, the Portuguese players couldn't calm their excitement. With only two games left in the Hercules Cup, they could write a new chapter in Portuguese football. Even big names such as Figo and Rui Costa are not exempt, and Old Ray can tell from their expressions that they will not fall asleep easily tonight.
Later, with Oliveira's permission, the Portuguese players held a celebratory party in the hotel. Oliveira himself was excited at the party, and perhaps the pressure and excitement in the head coach's heart was no less than that of his own disciples. This party should be a good release of the pressure and passion in the hearts of the whole Portuguese team, and then adjust the mentality for the next two games.
In the newspapers the next day, most of the football commentators agreed that Portugal's victory was well deserved. Spain killed itself by itself. Although there were a few threatening attacks, it could not hide the shortcomings of the Spanish team itself, and there were fitness problems since the start of this World Cup. The collapse in the final stage of the game has infinitely magnified this problem. The coaching staff, led by Camacho, has become the focus of criticism from the media, especially in Spain.
In addition, the farewell of Hierro and other veterans also accounted for a lot of space. The departure of Hierro, who has always been the spiritual leader of Spain, is also considered by the Spanish media to be the farewell of an era for the Spanish national team, and Spanish football will enter another era, led by Raul.
Ignoring these external disturbances, all that Lao Lei now thinks about is the German tank, the stable, strong, and long-lasting German tank. (To be continued......)