The entire stadium was oblivious, mistaking it for a final outburst of frustration, a wild shot at the last moment. But they had forgotten, this was Zidane!
With a loud, crisp *bang*, the ball shot forward. As he swung his leg, Zidane's left index finger pointed ahead, as if he could already see the trajectory of the goal!
Cao Baming's eyes lit up, and his heart sank instantly!
The ball sped forward. Though airborne, it skimmed just above the turf, incredibly fast and its trajectory remarkably concealed!
Zizou watched it go, the football flying precisely along the path he had envisioned!
The layers of defense that had been impenetrable countless times were now breached by a smaller object, the football. When it mattered most, the task of shooting was entrusted to Zizou.
In an instant, the ball reached the goal. The goalkeeper's dive was too late!
"Goal!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
"Goal!"
"Goal! At this moment, in the dying seconds of stoppage time, truly the dying seconds, with only the final ten-odd seconds remaining!"
"How can this be believed! The Tangguo players are still in complete disbelief, so lost!"
"It was a shot from Zidane! A sudden arrow, unexpected, penetrating with the force of a mighty crossbow, piercing through the crowd!"
"There's no choice! It's overtime! Alas!"
At this moment, the Fran players embraced, overcome with joy!
With this goal, Zidane had redeemed himself completely. He stepped up when no one else could. When Mbappé, Henry, Griezmann, and the other superstars had all gone silent and dejected, he stepped forward!
Henry ran over and kissed Zizou's divine head, then pulled him into a hug.
On the pitch, the Tangguo fans' triumphant song, reaching its crescendo, abruptly ceased!
Cao Baming watched from the sidelines, full of admiration.
This long-range shot, at least forty meters, he himself might not have been able to execute such a perfect ball. Flying low, with a precisely controlled single trajectory, or it could have struck any one of the dozen or so legs in its path, and it would have been over.
A perfect combination of speed and accuracy, Zidane truly lived up to his reputation as a football master.
Now, what was bound to happen had happened.
The consequence of being substituted so early was unfortunate, but he couldn't worry about that now. He had to quickly consider how to play overtime.
The celebrations on the field hadn't ended when, at that very moment, Li Gang, with a face full of helplessness and guilt, ran over.
"Save me, how are we going to play overtime? I really don't know what to do!"
Li Gang approached Cao Baming and directly pleaded for help, looking as if he were about to cry.
Cao Baming blinked. Was this guy here to throw a tantrum, act spoiled, or be clingy?
Could he possibly be genuinely seeking tactical advice from me?
After a moment's thought, he shared some of his observations.
This intermediate break was only ten minutes long, and the players' stamina could not be fully recovered, which was indeed the biggest problem.
"Can we continue to defend deep in the box? Should we go all out? The opponent's defense is also weak right now!" Li Gang suddenly asked.
"No!" Cao Baming replied firmly.
"You expect them to go head-to-head with the Fran team? One is the world's strongest offensive team, and the other is the team that has conceded the most goals. How can they compete!"
"To win, the only way is through tactics, but the possibility is slim, to be honest."
Li Gang sighed helplessly. He knew the decision he made earlier was not good. He had been too confident, especially when they had a lead.
If only he had substituted Cao Baming a little later, taken a bit more risk, they wouldn't be in this situation now.
He was already prepared to face the storm after the match.
On the field, the players returned to the center spot for the kickoff. Tangguo team started the play.
Just as the fans held onto a sliver of hope, wondering if another equalizer followed by a stunning winner was possible, the referee mercilessly blew the final whistle!
That sharp, piercing sound was like a block of ice shattering a warm heart.
Zidane!
Today, he was the lifelong nemesis of the Tangguo people!
...
The players left the field dejectedly, preparing for the final rest, a rest that was painfully short.
They had already been pushing their limits with a desperate defense, never imagining they might have to play another thirty minutes!
Cao Baming had already joined the coaching staff, strategizing for their last chance.
For them, perhaps the best outcome would be to take the lead early and gain an advantage through intricate tactics.
Because if it came down to a penalty shootout, their chances of winning were extremely low.
There were few players in the squad who were truly adept at penalties, and more importantly, their confidence had been shaken. With Cao Baming unable to take the first penalty to boost morale, the situation became even more difficult.
The team doctor came to inquire about Cao Baming's injury, nearly infuriating him.
Frightened, the doctor quickly retreated.
In reality, the system was already assisting with the healing, and now was not the time to worry about such things.
For the Fran team, they were joyous. This overtime was hard-earned, a gift from God, a redemption.
And in terms of winning probabilities, they actually had a slightly better chance!
At this moment, the Tangguo team wished they could throw Cao Baming back onto the field, but the rules prohibited it. Regret was now useless!
The fans on the sidelines prayed, their only recourse. They could do nothing else. Instead of criticizing now, they should give the team more time.
Reaching the final was already no easy feat. Everyone was reminded of what the Tangguo team had been like before, to not forget.
Only by remembering the past could they avoid being perpetually dissatisfied with the present and truly enjoy the moment.
Both teams would have one substitution in overtime. And the severely depleted Fran team's patchwork lineup was something Deschamps surely wouldn't tolerate, and he would act immediately.
The conventional approach would be to strengthen the defense, especially with ten men on the field and four attacking threats, they wouldn't be able to hold on.
But, should they really judge based on conventional thinking?