The second half of the match began quickly, with both teams returning to the field to compete.
The teams switched sides for the second half. Would the score change?
The game had just started. After a few passes, the Tang Nation team brought the ball to Cao Baming. A flicker in Cao Baming's eyes, and an idea quickly formed in his mind.
Since that was the case, why not seize the opportunity to score another goal?
However, it seemed the opponent's defense was still in position. So what did he do?
No one could have predicted that Cao Baming's next move would be to pass the ball to Luis Figo!
"How could such a mistake happen! Cao Baming?"
The fans were also completely bewildered.
However, Cao Baming had already planned everything. The timing was perfect. Seeing that the ball had been intercepted by their own elder brother, Luis Figo, the opposing team pushed forward!
In an instant, all of the opponent's defensive problems were exposed to Cao Baming's eyes. In the next moment, Cao Baming suddenly took two steps forward and, before Figo could send a pass, snatched the ball back!
The fans only gasped in amazement, but they merely thought Cao Baming had managed to rectify his own mistake. It's likely no one could have imagined it was intentional!
However, the subsequent situation forced everyone to reflect!
After Cao Baming actively intercepted the ball, the opponent's defensive line had already slackened. Under the captain's call and organization, they quickly consolidated their defensive formation. But to do this at this moment was already too late!
Starting from deep within his own half, Cao Baming once again transformed into a lightning bolt, charging forward!
Cheers erupted from the sidelines. At this moment, people seemed to see the legendary super king, Franz Beckenbauer, in Cao Baming!
But the difference was, what he could do, Cao Baming could also do, but what Cao Baming could do, he might not be able to!
As soon as he reached the edge of the penalty area, Cao Baming quickly took a shot!
The surrounding defenders, despite giving their all, could not stop him. In the end, it was the eighteen-year-old veteran, the monk Pepe, who personally dived to make a tackle!
Even so, Cao Baming was completely unstoppable, only forced to shoot prematurely!
After getting up, Pepe felt a dull ache in his instep, as if he had hit a stone or been run over by a car.
He looked helplessly at the goal, his heart already knowing he was going to get a yellow card. He could only hope Diego Costa could save the ball!
The goalkeeper made a divine save, his hands precisely reaching out to the ball!
The Portuguese fans instantly became energized, ready to cheer and express their shock. However, in the next second! The ball still entered the goal!
Cao Baming turned and spread his arms to welcome his teammates. At this moment, the fans were utterly bewildered!
"The ball was too fast! The goalkeeper used his hands to block the ball but didn't have enough power to stop its progress!"
Soon, the replay appeared, and fans in front of their televisions could admire the scene up close. But then, a chilling image emerged!
Just before Cao Baming's shot entered the goal, Diego Costa's hand firmly made contact with the ball. The ball then bent at a terrifying angle, appearing as if it might have been fractured!
The replay ended. The stadium quickly turned its attention to Costa, who was already receiving medical attention.
The referee also walked over and, first, issued Pepe a yellow-red card. No matter what happened, he wouldn't forget.
Soon, the medical team left the field. The goalkeeper was surprisingly able to continue playing.
Cao Baming was even a little surprised.
However, the score had now reached zero to three! For Portugal, this was an almost hopeless situation!
Santos's face was overwhelmed with sadness. Although he was still trying his best to think, to find a way out of this predicament, this situation, whether viewed horizontally or vertically, was a dead end!
His mind could no longer support him in thinking of a last-minute solution, so he could only fight to the death according to the original plan.
Soon, time reached the sixtieth minute, at which point both sides made substitutions.
Portugal chose to substitute three players, while the Tang Nation team made two targeted substitutions, essentially strengthening their defense.
To achieve this result, both Li Gang and the club's top management were already smiling in advance. They had reached heights that had never been achieved before, heights they had never even dared to imagine!
Cao Baming also relaxed his mindset. He had done what he needed to do. The rest was up to them to play however they wanted, as they wouldn't lose anyway!
From the sidelines, Li Gang kept yelling for Cao Baming to return to defense, his voice almost hoarse.
He had finally achieved his wish.
The score did not produce any further surprises, and despite playing the entire match, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score!
The match ended, and Portugal lost!
They had lost long before, so they had ample time to process their sadness, and thus, when the final whistle blew, they could still bear it.
Despite this, while the Tang Nation team celebrated, everyone on the Portuguese team shed tears, and the fans also shed tears!
Whether it was veteran Pepe or Cristiano Ronaldo, this was confirmed to be their last World Cup!
What pained Cristiano Ronaldo the most was not the World Cup defeat, but the fact that Messi was still playing!
If Argentina had won the World Cup, he might have been so angry he died.
"Congratulations to the Tang Nation team!!!!!"
"Defeating the formidable Portuguese team three to zero! Successfully advancing to the semifinals! Our super dark horse continues to gallop without a hint of fatigue!!!"
"The road ahead will only become more difficult, but we must believe that our geniuses can handle any situation with ease!"
"Let us cheer for them once more!!"
...
After the match, Cao Baming specifically opened the media to check the public sentiment.
As expected, he didn't need to look too closely to see the news of this match.
In the semifinals, not many people truly believed in the Tang Nation team!
Seeing this, Cao Baming was relieved.
The next match was four days away, and it would be an even more crucial semifinal clash. Their opponent would be either the Samba legion or Morocco, a suspense that was almost zero.
However, by this point, the true strong enemy was finally appearing!
Although the previous matches were not favored by the outside world, Cao Baming himself had never felt the slightest worry, and winning them was basically not a big problem.
But this ten-star Samba legion... even Cao Baming felt a sense of dread!