For twenty minutes on the field, Cao Baming had already contributed significantly on defense.
However, he still hadn't had a single shot opportunity, let alone a chance to dribble forward. Even crossing the halfway line was difficult.
Until the new system was adapted and implemented, he would likely have to play like this. Opportunities to shoot would only arise if he fought for them himself!
Once the new system was in place, he would surely get more personal shooting chances as defensive cover and midfield linkage became more mature.
In the 76th minute, Cao Baming saw the opponents drawn to the left flank. Seizing a rare opportunity, he began to surge forward, calling for the ball.
This was his first shooting chance since coming onto the field!
The player dribbling the ball was Thomas, a young player who had just been substituted on. His stamina was at its peak, and he was in full flow.
After a few skillful dribbles, he had ample space to pass.
Seeing Cao Baming overlapping on the wing, he passed the ball over the top without hesitation.
The trajectory of the lobbed pass was perfectly controlled, allowing Cao Baming to receive it comfortably without it traveling more than a meter away.
Upon seeing Cao Baming with the ball near the halfway line, Crystal Palace panicked.
This guy could shoot from anywhere once he was inside the halfway line! Who wouldn't panic?
Indeed, for Cao Baming, as long as he crossed the halfway line, there were always a few lines that would appear before him.
Even though the numbers kept changing, he could always find a line with a success rate greater than forty!
As he dribbled forward, the closer he got, the higher the numbers would become!
Sometimes, at specific moments, the numbers would even reach eighty or ninety percent, or even higher.
For Cao Baming, seeing such lines meant he didn't need to think too much; he just had to shoot. That seventy-meter chip shot was completed in this manner!
He looked ahead, seeing defenders accelerating towards him.
At least three players were closing in for a pincer movement.
Ödegaard, beside Cao Baming, came to receive the pass. They executed a quick one-two, and Cao Baming received the ball again.
The distance had now closed by more than ten meters!
Facing the defense, he knew his current ability was insufficient to get past them. So, he took a step forward, saw a '70' on one of the lines before him, and shot directly!
"Cao Baming shoots! Another thunderous strike!"
The commentary box erupted in cheers!
The tens of thousands of fans in the stands instantly became a frenzy.
The distance was half that of the previous seventy-meter chip, but it was still an extremely long shot!
The ball's trajectory was not as fancy this time. It had almost no arc and flew towards the goal in a near-straight line, like a bullet!
It sliced through the gap between two center-backs and headed straight for the goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper leaped high and pushed the ball away!
"Wow! What a shame!"
"That shot might have been a bit too straight. The goalkeeper could still react at this distance."
"Indeed..."
Cao Baming sighed in frustration.
The goalkeeper made a save!
But looking at his face, instead of a smile, he appeared to be in great pain. What was going on?
After the goalkeeper fisted the ball out for a corner, he clutched his arm, rubbing it repeatedly as if it were on fire.
Facing the confusion of his defenders, the goalkeeper could only reply, "Try catching a shot like that yourself, and you'll understand!"
Following this, Arsenal was awarded a corner.
Cao Baming wasn't too discouraged. It wasn't a particularly good chance to begin with.
Besides, for every four shots on target, there would be one guaranteed goal. Wasn't that easy to achieve?
All he had to do was to give it his all and rack up the stats!
The corner kick posed no threat.
...
Unknowingly, the game entered the final five minutes of regular time.
With two long-range shots that successfully hit the target, he was about to get his third chance.
After a successful active tackle in midfield, Cao Baming once again surged into the opponent's defensive midfield area, preparing to shoot before being tackled.
At that moment, a ghost-like figure suddenly flashed past behind him.
The sudden interference just before he was about to shoot caused the number to flicker from 72 to 34!
Damn it! What the—!
Cao Baming had no words for his misfortune, but he had already kicked the ball!
Watching the ball fly at high speed towards the goal, he didn't care if it went in; he just wanted to add another shot on target!
That way, the next one would be a guaranteed goal! Even an angel couldn't stop it then!
The eyes of the entire stadium were focused on this ball. It seemed to be sailing slightly high!
Old fans behind the goal had already started to stand up, preparing to catch the match ball.
Sometimes, staff might forget to retrieve the ball from fans, allowing a lucky spectator to take it home.
There was even a fan who once caught a stunning Beckham free-kick, which was later auctioned for a staggering one million pounds!
Just as everyone thought the shot was off target, the ball suddenly accelerated downwards near the goal!
Two seconds later.
"Ding, congratulations to the host for scoring a goal, awarded 1000 points!"
A tomahawk? A banana kick?
"Goal!!!"
"My God!"
"Incredible!"
"Incredible!!"
Cao Baming, watching the ball fall into the net, was instantly overwhelmed with emotion.
It actually went in?
That was a probability of 34, practically bordering on mysticism!
Unknowingly, he had once again produced a top-quality, super swerving shot!
This time, it thoroughly ignited the excitement of the fans. This was exactly what they wanted to see!
On the broadcast, Cao Baming's shot was replayed repeatedly. From his movement to the ball entering the net, it was a work of art!
"Finally!"
"Cao Baming has opened the scoring for Arsenal!"
"Secured this crucial point!"
"In the dying moments of the match!"
"Another last-minute winner!"
"Cao Baming, the undisputed king of last-minute goals!!"
With less than three minutes remaining, Cao Baming's goal had reset the count for the four-shot guaranteed goal.
To get that guaranteed goal, he would need to wait for three more shots.
However, the current score was already satisfactory.
Mikel Arteta on the sidelines also expressed his satisfaction, instructing the team to retreat and defend, to hold on until the end of the match and secure another victory.
If they won this match, it would be a five-game winning streak!
Following Arteta's instructions, Cao Baming obediently returned to the defense to support.
In the final few minutes, including added time, Crystal Palace tried with all their might but still couldn't equalize. The final score was set at one-nil.
The only goal of the match was scored by the substitute, Cao Baming.
Amidst the passionate cheers of the fans and commentators, both teams departed the field.
In the post-match ratings, Cao Baming received Man of the Match for the first time, and he had only played for less than forty minutes this time.