“Yakubu!! Amazing!!”
“Guangzhou Evergrande is amazing!!”
“Let those guys from Shanghai know who’s the real king of this field...”
“......”
Two goals ahead at half-time, they could almost pop the champagne. So, Guangzhou Evergrande’s fans were roaring with excitement.
They even started singing and doing the wave.
“Trash Gao Hongbo!”
“Are you doing this for us?”
“Refund! Refund!”
“Resign! Resign!”
“......”
Shanghai SIPG’s performance had been quite poor since Gao Hongbo took over as coach, and their fans had been expressing their dissatisfaction for a long time.
The two-goal deficit at the beginning of this match made their discontent reach a boiling point.
Hearing the roar of his own fans, Shanghai SIPG’s head coach, Gao Hongbo, turned pale with fury, his anger ready to explode.
The players of Shanghai SIPG all walked towards the dressing room with their heads hanging low.
BEEP – the whistle blew, marking the official start of the second half.
Guangzhou Evergrande, with their first-half advantage, aimed to maintain their dominance in the second half. They launched a series of attacks, hoping to firmly control the pace of the game.
No one knew what adjustments Gao Hongbo had made during the half-time break.
Shanghai SIPG did not easily give in. They showed an incredibly tenacious defense and fierce midfield battles in the second half, as if they were a completely different team.
Just five minutes after the restart, Wang Shenchao of Shanghai SIPG made a precise cross from the right wing after advancing with vigor.
On the pitch, standing at 1.9 meters tall, Shanghai SIPG’s striker Ibinni showcased his extraordinary jumping ability. He leaped like a sprout from the ground, cleverly heading the ball to his teammate Wu San Shi.
After receiving the ball, Wu San Shi used the inside of his foot to softly control it, ready to launch an attack.
Guangzhou Evergrande’s defenders quickly used their bodies to block his path, but Wu San Shi did not panic. He calmly used a chip-and-chase technique to move the ball from his right foot to his left.
Although Evergrande’s defenders immediately reacted and tried to intercept with their right legs, Wu San Shi once again showed his composure and skill. With a left-foot drag, he instantly shifted his body to the right.
The spectators on the sidelines couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration: “Heh!” “Nice!” These two consecutive chip-and-chase moves caught the eye of Lin Dong on the sidelines. He saw in Wu San Shi the calmness and judgment needed by a top-tier striker.
Although Wu San Shi’s dribbling stats were only 67 points, his explosiveness was a whopping 78 points, making Evergrande’s defenders appear like wooden posts, unable to stop his break.
After successfully breaking free from the defender’s mark, Wu San Shi took a step forward and then shot with his right foot.
This seemingly simple step was actually a natural reaction made by Wu San Shi based on his unique offensive awareness and intuition.
His 90-point shooting ability seemed effortless against opponents in the Chinese Super League, like a seasoned master taking a leisurely stroll.
BAM!!!!
Wu San Shi did not choose a powerful shot, but used the instep of his right foot to push the ball. It precisely flew into the net along the right post.
Even Cheng Yue Lei could only watch in despair.
This scene sparked thunderous applause and cheers from the stands: “Nice! Wu San Shi!”
“He scored!”
“That shot was so precise, did he measure it beforehand?”
“I thought he wouldn't score today, but he ended up scoring such a beautiful goal.”
Shanghai SIPG’s fans were ecstatic at this moment. They were impressed by Wu San Shi’s performance. The fans who had been extremely dissatisfied with their team’s performance were instantly energized, for they saw a glimmer of hope for victory.
“We can win! If the team can maintain its initial performance!”
That thought emerged in every fan’s mind.
In the stands, Lin Dong was beaming with joy. He thought to himself: “The current Wu San Shi is already on a completely different level from the other Chinese Super League players. All he needs is a chance, and he can turn it into a goal.
With 15 matches left in the league, Wu San Shi has every chance to compete for the Chinese Super League Golden Boot!”
The match continued, the sound of the ball colliding echoed across the pitch. The newly-scored goal had boosted Shanghai SIPG’s morale, and in a reversal of fortunes, Guangzhou Evergrande was now being pushed back into their own half.
Despite trailing 0:2 early on, Shanghai SIPG did not give up the fight.
As the fans’ anticipation grew, Wu San Shi appeared on the field like a transformed man. Every touch of the ball showed an unprecedented confidence and composure.
His technique was not only steady but also sharp, and scoring seemed effortless.
Voices of doubt came from the sidelines: “Didn’t they say that kid can’t dribble?”
And on the other side, someone exclaimed in astonishment: “How come he’s so incredibly calm when he has the ball?”
Evergrande’s coach stood on the sideline, his brow furrowed. He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.
He had studied Wu San Shi’s match footage and knew that he was among the top scorers for Shanghai SIPG, ranked second, but the style he was showing today was completely different, leaving him perplexed.
Wu San Shi’s performance was not only calm and confident in ball control, but he also excelled in his shooting.
This forced the opposing coach to quickly adjust his tactics, instructing his players to intensify their marking of Wu San Shi.
As the match progressed, the clock passed the 67-minute mark. Shanghai SIPG launched a fierce attack on the right flank.
Just before the penalty area, Wu San Shi received the ball and continued to showcase his personal skills. He didn’t use any flashy techniques, just relying on his reaction time and explosiveness to successfully shake off the defending player.
He found himself in a perfect position and without hesitation, shot with his left foot. The ball flew like an arrow toward the corner of the goal.
“GOAL!!!” The scene erupted with deafening cheers.
The score was now 2:2, Shanghai SIPG had tenaciously leveled the score.
The fans’ emotions swung from disappointment to excitement, cheers rising and falling in waves:
“Amazing!!”
“Wu San Shi is amazing!!”
“Wu Ball King!! Wu Ball King!!”
Their heavy hearts were instantly lightened, for their hero, Wu San Shi, descended from the heavens like a god, with two brilliant goals, bringing the match back to a level playing field.
Although Shanghai SIPG had equalized the score, Guangzhou Evergrande did not exhibit the kind of anxiety they had shown at the beginning of the second half.
On the contrary, under their coach’s careful tactical adjustments, they began to systematically pressure Shanghai SIPG’s defense.
Evergrande’s players, using both wings effectively, constantly launched sharp attacks, searching for opportunities to tear through Shanghai SIPG’s defense.
As the game entered the 74th minute, in the midst of the tense and exciting atmosphere, Evergrande’s left-center forward Davi received a cleverly transferred ball from the right midfielder.
He firmly controlled the ball, his gaze scanning the front, slowly advancing towards Shanghai SIPG’s goal.
As Davi approached the penalty area, he suddenly unleashed a precise 45-degree cross.
The target of this cross was undoubtedly Evergrande’s tall center forward Yakubu, a striker with exceptional aerial abilities.
The ball sailed through the air in a beautiful arc, accurately flying towards Yakubu.
Like a precisely-programmed scoring machine, Yakubu leaped into the air, transforming into a bomber descending from the sky.
Amidst the tight defense of Shanghai SIPG, Yakubu, using his powerful physique, successfully contested for the ball and slammed it into the net.
GOAL!!!! The pitch echoed with exciting shouts, the score becoming 2:3, Guangzhou Evergrande once again taking the lead.
Even with the lead, Evergrande did not slow down their pace, their attacks still surging like waves.
Fortunately, Shanghai SIPG’s goalkeeper, Yan Junling, displayed his exceptional goalkeeping skills, and the frame of the goal provided some accidental assistance, preventing further goals for Evergrande.
As the final whistle neared, the match entered its final countdown, with less than three minutes remaining.
At this crucial moment, Wu San Shi moved to the right flank, forming a tacit understanding partnership with right midfielder Mike Brenn.
Mike Brenn advanced to support, cleverly passing the ball to Wu San Shi’s feet.
Facing the opponent’s press, Evergrande’s left-back tried to intercept Wu San Shi’s ball, but the clever Wu San Shi had already anticipated this move. He quickly flicked the ball past him, cutting inwards towards the center.
“Wu San Shi!”
The recently-subbed striker, Cabezas, quickly waved his hands, signaling to Wu San Shi to pass him the ball. But it seemed Wu San Shi didn’t hear him. Facing the first central defender, he shifted his feet a few times, stopped! Controlled the ball! Suddenly accelerated, dribbled towards the left!
“Heh! He beat him!”
“Wu San Shi!”
Lin Chuangyi in midfield was calling out too.
But Wu San Shi stopped again! Dribbled towards the left again! Stopped again, accelerated, dribbled towards the left again! Successfully got past the second central defender.
“Too wide!”
Lin Dong in the stands watched Wu San Shi’s actions and thought to himself.
It turned out that Wu San Shi’s last dribble, while successfully passing Evergrande’s defender, resulted in a disadvantageous position. Due to all the consecutive dribbling towards the left, Wu San Shi was now on the left side in front of the small penalty area.
Also, Wu San Shi’s final dribble was a bit off, the ball going slightly backwards.
By the time Wu San Shi caught up to the ball, he had a shooting opportunity, but awkwardly, he was facing the goal at an angle.
Just when everyone thought Wu San Shi would pass, he lifted his foot!
Shot!