Another draw!
Cao Baiming also felt the difficulty of this match. Although he used a lot of potions in the first half, he only managed a draw in the end, and it was a narrow one.
Now he knew what the Tang Kingdom team feared most: this kind of possession-based system.
He couldn't carry the team alone! What was the point of passing and controlling the ball by himself when his teammates' morale had already collapsed in no time?
However, back in the locker room, everyone's spirits quickly lifted.
They even started celebrating!
Seeing Cao Baiming walk in, everyone rushed towards him enthusiastically, with smiles on their faces – genuine smiles!
"The hero is back! Our goal hero, Cao Baiming!"
"Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh...!"
"The God of Asia, Cao Baiming! Hahaha!"
His teammates began to tease him wildly, and Cao Baiming looked helpless.
Just on the field, these guys were listless, and after only a minute off the field, they were already celebrating?
Ai, you guys are truly hopeless.
"You're celebrating just for a 1-1 draw? With such low aspirations, how far do you expect to go?!"
They hadn't expected Cao Baiming to scold them directly. At that moment, the players' celebration stopped.
The smiles on their faces gradually faded, replaced by a sense of guilt.
Li Gang himself lowered his head. For a moment, he had secretly felt relieved.
To be honest, for the Tang Kingdom, drawing with Bullfighting Country was already a historic achievement, and it was indeed not easy. But everyone had forgotten that this World Cup, they were aiming for the championship!
With the Tang Kingdom team's atmosphere rectified, time had passed.
On the other side, Enrique was clearly very dissatisfied with this result. It was also a draw, and while the score was the same for both sides, the feelings were worlds apart due to differing expectations.
As the second half began, Cao Baiming decisively used the Offensive Horn!
He hadn't used this in the first half; he had basically only used some of his own abilities, and in addition, he had a guaranteed goal that he hadn't used.
Most importantly, it was to help everyone find their confidence.
At the start, the Tang Kingdom players were full of energy, which was the easiest time to build confidence.
As a result, with the boost from this skill, the Tang Kingdom team actually managed to control the ball!
The opposing Bullfighting Country pressed them like wolves, but it was to no avail. They were anxious, with expressions that looked like they wanted to devour someone.
Li Gang watched from the sidelines, utterly bewildered. How did everyone suddenly become so strong?
Then, during this process, Cao Baiming subtly moved forward, making a run down the flank. Surprisingly, no one noticed him.
With the freedom player tactic across the entire field, he was everywhere and could appear anywhere on the pitch at any time. It was simply unrealistic to assign someone to mark him!
In the blink of an eye, when they saw Cao Baiming again, he had already lurked into the forward line!
If teammates couldn't be relied upon, he would do it himself!
Finally, a teammate from the back noticed him and played a ground pass directly!
The ball bypassed the defenders and landed at Cao Baiming's feet.
As expected of a teammate with skill card boosts, this pass was incredible. He couldn't remember receiving many such brilliant passes while at Arsenal, definitely not many!
Cao Baiming didn't stop the ball. He used his body to shield it and directly unleashed a powerful shot into the net!
The two defenders on either side of him fell to the ground almost simultaneously. One clutched his waist, the other his leg.
Cao Baiming made no outward move, but they couldn't withstand the impact of this beast's body!
"The score is overturned! Cao Baiming, a brace!"
"The familiar script is unfolding, is the Tang Kingdom team's counterattack about to begin?"
"In previous group stage matches, against Germany, the Tang Kingdom team scored three goals in the second half, with Cao Baiming completing a hat-trick! Against Costa Rica, the Tang Kingdom team scored three goals in the second half, with Cao Baiming scoring twice!"
"So far in this match, it feels like the same plot. Will the opposing Bullfighting Country accept such a fate?!"
Cao Baiming's eyes flickered as he excitedly embraced his teammates.
The fans were thrilled, cheering his name from the stadium, holding up giant photos of him!
Teams that had essentially secured their advancement no longer needed to worry about the group stage and were now studying their opponents. Especially Morocco and the Chequered Legion, who might face the Tang Kingdom team, both coaches were watching this match.
The player with the most goals in a World Cup was surprisingly a defender. The Tang Kingdom's playing style had given them a refreshing perspective.
But they were not the only ones studying Cao Baiming's performance. France, Brazil, and others were also paying attention. If the Tang Kingdom team could truly win this match against Bullfighting Country, their status as a super dark horse would be thoroughly cemented.
The odds for this match were four to one, which had softened considerably from the beginning. It was likely that if they reached the knockout stage, external perceptions of this Tang Kingdom team would undergo a dramatic shift!
The game situation gradually became clearer, but as the duration of the Offensive Horn dissipated, possession began to shift back.
Cao Baiming moved back to defensive midfield to participate in defense.
Li Gang decided to make a substitution to consolidate the current lead. With the lead, maintaining it would mean finishing first in the group!
The fans didn't ask for too much; as long as they could win this game, they would be very satisfied.
Former captain Wu Dahai, the "Sea Cucumber" captain, was replaced on the field, but he no longer wore the yellow armband. The captain's armband now belonged to Cao Baiming, and no one else had a chance.
Soon, the Tang Kingdom team changed their tactics, focusing on solid defense and delaying the game as much as possible.
For a goal kick, Yan Jun could take tens of seconds to get up, twenty seconds to ponder life, and half a minute to place the ball in front of him before kicking it.
They had truly mastered the art of time-wasting.
However, the more they did this, the more anxious the opposing Bullfighting Country became. They absolutely did not want to end the match with this result.
While qualifying from the group was not an issue, it would be too embarrassing!
Enrique had boasted to the public media before the match, promising to expose the Tang Kingdom team today. If he lost, wouldn't he be the one exposed?
He raised his hand and slapped himself hard.
After Sea Cucumber captain Wu Dahai came on, he habitually began shouting loudly on the field, organizing and directing his teammates.
The spirit and habit of his former captaincy remained, and Li Gang had also deliberately instructed him on a few things before he came on. He was to be the messenger of this information, conveying it to every teammate around him.
In the 50th minute, Gavi received the ball and attacked. Wu Dahai immediately moved to defend, raising a hand to signal his teammates not to panic, "Leave it to me!"