As the second half of the match was about to begin, the players emerged from the locker room into the tunnel.
From here, one could directly see the pitch bathed in sunlight, shining with a dazzling green. A corner of the stands was visible, filled with the excited figures of fans, some of whom were straining to look in their direction, letting out shrieks and gesticulating wildly.
Cao Baiming stood still, his resolve solidifying at that moment.
This was the stage of the World Cup, incomparable to any other competition!
At this very moment, the pain from his ankle pulsed with every beat of his heart. Even with his steel-like resilience and recovery speed far beyond normal, the pain was undiminished!
Cao Baiming's face remained one of composure!
Soon, the players walked onto the pitch. When the fans saw Cao Baiming in the bright red Tang National team jersey, their hearts surged with excitement, as if seeing a spark of hope in the abyss of despair.
However, they quickly began to wonder if Cao Baiming's injury had truly healed.
From afar, his gait appeared normal, no longer limping, and his face showed no hint of pain.
Though a sliver of concern lingered in their hearts, it gradually faded as the match began, replaced by immense excitement and awe at Cao Baiming's fearsome physical condition.
The fans by the sidelines began to chant Cao Baiming's name incessantly. Cao Baiming heard their voices, and they served as another form of motivation.
Cao Baiming's eyes flickered, his mind racing with thoughts.
What was the current situation?
The Samba legion was leading by two goals to one. In terms of footwork, his teammates were no match for them, and threats could come from all three directions. It would be extremely difficult to break through the opponent's defense alone.
After all, this was the Samba legion!
His injury was manageable for now, but if he took a few more hits like that outside the penalty box, there would be nothing he could do!
So, what was the objective?
Undoubtedly, it was to lead this Tang National team to win the World Cup! To fulfill his own wish and the collective wish of all Tang Guo people.
Given this, he had to bridge the vast gap between the current situation and his goal himself. Though he was reluctant to admit it, the fact was that his teammates were unreliable.
Perhaps in previous matches, they could have played significant roles through cooperation, but facing this Samba legion, the difference in class was overwhelming, and they were unlikely to perform well.
His eyes scanned Neymar, Ronaldo, Rodrygo, Casemiro, and others playing with relaxed ease. Gradually, Cao Baiming began to firm up a decision in his heart.
No matter what, he had to go all out!
He still had a few skill cards and potions he could use. If that wasn't enough, he could even spend two million points. Regardless, this match had to be won!
If they defeated the Samba legion, perhaps Argentina or France later would be relatively easier!
The next second, Cao Baiming decisively used a potion. As the ball was kicked out of bounds, he decisively sounded the horn for attack!
Combined with a feigned retreat, he knew that for the Tang National team, attacking down the wing was the best option.
Seeing his teammate preparing to take the throw-in, Cao Baiming quickly ran over to receive the pass. If he was on the field, he could ensure that the throw-in wouldn't be immediately intercepted by the opponent.
At this moment, his teammate's gaze fell upon Cao Baiming, and he naturally moved to cover, ready to cooperate with the captain.
The Samba legion saw Cao Baiming moving from the center to specifically receive the throw-in, and they could immediately guess he had a plan!
This was almost an open book.
At this very moment, the Samba legion decided to make substitutions!
Kaká, Paquetá, and Sandro, who had been warming up, simultaneously stood by the sidelines!
With the match only at the 53rd minute, the Samba legion directly used all three of their substitution slots in one go.
If this hadn't been planned before the match, no one would believe it.
This series of substitutions not only strengthened their attack but also their defense. At this moment, one couldn't help but wonder, did they truly respect the Tang National team that much? Why didn't they field their best lineup from the start?
According to the rules of the game, the throw-in could only be taken after the substitutions were completed.
Cao Baiming, however, was pleased by this turn of events, because during a team's substitution period, the most likely time for an unexpected situation to occur.
The newly substituted players and the previous ones would have different familiar positions and playing styles, and it would take time for them to adapt to the entire team's formation.
This would give the Tang National team an opportunity!
His teammate threw the ball, and Cao Baiming received it with his chest, shielded it with his back, took two steps to turn, and suddenly drove forward!
It was Casemiro again, and he was bypassed once more. However, there was no surprise on his face, as if he had already known that he alone could not stop Cao Baiming.
But at this moment, three players were closing in for a pincer attack, one of whom was the recently substituted Paquetá.
The coach had clearly given him prior instructions. Perhaps he had suddenly figured out a way to defend against Cao Baiming from the sidelines, but this possibility was unlikely.
Under the pincer attack from three players, Cao Baiming's expression remained incredibly calm. Teammates were available for a pass on both his left and right rear, and they were essentially left unmarked.
Because all these players had come to double-team him, the teammates near his own players were basically left in a half-open state.
When he found the right opportunity, Cao Baiming would pass the ball, and in the next few seconds, it would often be passed back to him.
Through a few simple one-two passes, they easily penetrated two layers of the Samba legion's defense. At this moment, Cao Baiming stood there, his eyes already meeting the fierce gaze of Carlos.
Carlos had already received a yellow card earlier. If he dared to play rough again, it would be impossible.
However, Sandro beside him had every reason to foul him.
If the injury worsened, he would truly be unable to play in the next match!
At this moment, Cao Baiming suddenly decided not to continue dribbling forward but instead unleashed a sudden, violent shot from where he stood!
He used his injured foot to take this shot. Although the pain was excruciating, the ball's speed was still incredibly high.