Oita Stadium.

The 1/8 final between England and Senegal has been played for 40 minutes, and the score is still 0:0. It seems that the traditional strong team England has an absolute advantage, and the technical statistics are overall superior.

At this point in time, the England team's offense changed.

This year's budding full-back Ashley Cole assisted. Previously, he tended to respond on this side, or when McManaman was on this side, he ran inside and shot long shots on the perimeter. .

But this time, the curly dog ​​McManaman controlled the ball on the wing and was 40 yards from the bottom line. He had a slow rhythm and seemed to have no desire to attack. The audience on the scene clearly saw two players rushing in Senegal. In the past, McManaman was besieged, and behind McManaman, Ashley Cole quickly inserted.

Just before the impact of these three points was about to meet, McManaman kicked the ball slightly in front of the sidewalk. Then, he moved and quickly started running the in-line.

Ashley Cole kept speed, rushed to lead the ball directly to the bottom line.

After two seconds, Ashley Cole's position was already parallel to the line of the penalty area. His cross was to pass the ball back to McManaman who suddenly dumped the defensive player after the start.

McManaman took the ball to the left of the penalty area, and then he drew laterally under the terrified gaze of the Senegal defender line. He continued to dribble laterally, and no one knows when he will suddenly change into the penalty area!

McManaman is also observing, almost coldly. His dribbling footwork is very delicate. Similar to Henry, neither is fancy dribbling breakthrough, but the rhythm changes, and the emergency stops to some basic exercises. To a certain level.

Scholes' running position involved McManaman's dribbling in front of the penalty area. No Senegalese player dared to grab the first time.

Until, left-back Tiata took a step forward!

McManaman's eyes narrowed, and as Tiata took a step, his foot kicked the ball behind Tiata!

Tiata didn't even make a stretch of the foot. This poor pass rhythm is too precise, so that the defensive player must be too late to intercept it!

When Tiata turned his head and looked to the side and the back, his heart was suddenly cold!

A figure was killed, and central defender Cissé followed but was significantly slower by half a beat.

Tiata was praying for the England striker to waste this opportunity, otherwise he would become a sinner!

If he does not move, there is no room for Owen to run diagonally!

He just moved, and there was a gap in the right area of ​​the penalty area. Owen ran to the ball. Cissé had a position away from him. It was impossible to defend him unless the foul was committed, or Owen stopped the ball and made other choices. Will give Cissé a chance.

However, Irving did not give Senegal defenders any chance.

Even, he did not give goalkeeper Selva a chance.

Facing the ball, half-turned and kicked!

When the ball rolled towards the goal, Cissé's long legs were blocked for perhaps less than half a second. Cisser looked in horror towards the goal. His wide eyes saw that Selvatzo was unprepared. The spot rushed to the right, obviously, slowly. Before his hand could touch the turf, the ball had already rolled over.

Rolled into the goal from the far post position of the goal, then landed in the side net and stopped turning.

Irving kept looking at the goal direction after the shot was completed. In fact, in less than a second, he saw that the ball must enter without doubt, and then his serious face blossomed in a crazy color of joy, spread his arms towards the sideline Running, at the same time, a huge wave of English fans set off in the stands.

"Owen! Michael Owen! Owen's clever push to help the England team lead, 1: 0, we finally scored! England is now ahead of the score! We did not have a shot in the penalty area before, but this time, the first shot It was so surprising that McManaman became the most threatening knife in the offense. He used the dribbling to disrupt Senegal’s defense and then sent impeccable assists!"

"Martin, Andy, I think that’s why a year and a half ago, when people predicted that McManaman would be abandoned by Hall, but in the end McManaman stayed with the England team and was also given a heavy responsibility by Hall. The reason! It's just the dribbling, breakthrough, and disruption of the opponent's defense line. I think that apart from McManaman, there is no second player in England who can do it. That's why Hall needs him, trusts him, treats him seriously, In the third World Cup, McManaman's third game, like his first two games, played a very important role against Sweden and Argentina! I can't imagine that without McManaman, this England team How much will the power of the offense fall!"

This is a phenomenon that not only England but even fans all over the world have not anticipated.

In the England lineup, the top stars are Beckham and Owen, but when it comes to the importance of the game and the key person to change the game situation, McManaman is the first player, and he has become the most outstanding player.

Owen ran to the sideline after scoring a goal, he made a big circle, and finally rushed in front of Audridge in the chase of his teammates, jumped directly, hugged Audridge, almost knocked Audridge to the ground Fortunately, there are coaches and players behind Aldridge who rushed out of the bench. England's coaches and players gathered together, cheering for the goal and celebrating for the goal.

No one knows that Owen used an undetectable voice in Aldridge's ear, and only Aldridge could hear a word.

"Coach, sorry, thank you."

A "sorry" sound, from the heart, is also full of regret and regret.

Perhaps Irving still couldn't relieve his rude behavior of rejecting Aldridge, and regretted that he missed the mentorship with Aldridge in the club.

A "Thank you" is equally sincere.

During the World Cup group stage, Irving was highly questioned. Even though he had a goal in the victory over Argentina, he wasted a lot of opportunities. It was Aldridge who firmly supported him.

Whether it is because England has no forwards besides Irving, Owen thinks he should say thanks to Aldridge.

Aldridge just smiled, touched Owen’s head, cheered the players up, and shouted at them: “Don’t give them any chance! Senegal, the Tranga Lions, we have to tell them that they can’t stop us from going to eight. Strong!"

The England team also took advantage of this opportunity to explain to each other the attitude of the final stage of the first half.

Southgate raised the defensive line and told everyone to be stable, so that the frontcourt also closed, focusing on counterattacks. There was little time left in the first half. If the other party stormed, England's counterattack might still have a magical effect.

The African fans in the stands were a little lost. It seemed that the team still couldn't stop the three lions from being crushed.

The game saw the huge gap between the two teams in the eyes of the fans. This gap is reflected in the overall technical and tactical strength, not the individual player's performance. The English team calmly and orderly, Senegal responded passively, under constant pressure Cumulatively, when the threats continue to rise, they will be unable to resist and become self-disruptive!

This is a matter of experience. Just like Senegal's 3-0 lead to Uruguay, they will no longer play football. In turn, they are under great threat. Under continuous bombing, they can't keep up with their thinking.

Tiata’s hastily grabbed, to some extent, was the collapse of the psychological defense line, otherwise, reason will tell him to stand in position, block the area, McManaman does not break through, don’t manage the opponent, even if the England team played outside Long shot, just hit it. Did you hit less before?

However, he failed to stop the pressure and was eager to stifle the other party's threat. Instead, he lost his position and gave Irving the opportunity to run, resulting in a flaw in the defense of the most dangerous zone in the penalty area.

Mei Chu motivated players on the sidelines. He also knew that after less than half a game, the gap between the technical and tactical strength of the two teams was already obvious.

Although 21 players from Senegal’s 23 internationals are playing in the French league, their style of play is quite a romantic shadow of Latin. The players dare to play and dare to make moves, and their technical ability does not appear clumsy, but smooth and comfortable.

However, in the face of England's close and orderly defense, their offense is too dependent on individuals, it is difficult to have room to play. At the same time, this kind of dependence on the English team, even in addition to McManaman, you will not feel that the English team has the skills to play. What advantage, but better integrity, better teamwork, makes the England team create a huge advantage on the field, this is the team sublimation effect of the individual players together.

In the use of tactics, Mei Chu expected that the England team planned to make changes in the first half of the final stage.

Before, don't look at McManaman's left and right, the running position is erratic, and other players interspersed with short passing passes are also irregular, but in fact, the routine is one, which is to create a long-range opportunity for midfielders.

It's like in the past, no matter how the offensive was played in England, the most important offensive method was the side pass.

In the same way, if you don't change, you will fall into rigidity, and at the same time let your opponents get more defensive.

But Senegal was not a particularly mature team after all. England’s long-range routine not only did not rigidify themselves. On the contrary, it paralyzed Senegal and McManaman’s lateral dribbling in front of the penalty area. The midfielder defended the person closest to him. Siyaf went to stare at Scholes, Faye followed Beckham, if someone could firmly defend McManaman, I am afraid he would not give Owen an assist so easily.

There is still game time, Mei Chu will not admit defeat now, but he really can not be optimistic, he is constantly mobilizing the enthusiasm of players to inspire them.

This is the only thing he can do.

How to crack England, tactically, he is at a loss.

But football, it's not impossible to turn things around in a short time with just one blood, so Senegal, fight for African football!

Perhaps all hope can be pinned on passion!