Cao Baiming, having found his rhythm, became even more excited.
He performed flashy technical moves on the training ground, dazzling the onlookers. Yet, under his feet, these maneuvers were not only highly spectacular but also extremely practical.
Ten minutes later, the results of this small-scale, casual training match were in.
Although he hadn't specifically counted the goals, his teammates on the sidelines had kept track. The total scores for both sides were 24 and 26, remarkably close.
Cao Baiming's team, with a total of 24 goals, had scored two fewer than the other team led by Henry and Messi, thus losing the training match.
However, this degree of defeat was hardly considered a loss, as everyone had not truly played with full seriousness.
When it came to individual goal counts, Messi and Henry combined had only scored 19 goals. Cao Baiming alone had scored 14 goals!
This calculation even suggested that Cao Baiming's scoring ability was superior to that of Messi and Henry when they played individually.
After this training match, the players were all quite exhausted.
They slowly walked towards the sidelines, their eyes already spotting the water racks beside the football field lined with bottles of mineral water.
They chatted and joked as they comfortably rested.
With these three lively characters in the team, there was essentially no need to worry or be anxious about future matches. All that came to mind were predominantly positive outcomes.
They even felt a sense of anticipation, looking forward to facing strong opponents sooner rather than later.
Three days later, the friendly match against Vos Forest kicked off. This game was held at Arsenal's home stadium.
Under the home stadium lights and the familiar atmosphere, they confidently walked onto the field.
Everything was so familiar, and the opponent was such a weak team; how could they possibly lose? Everyone's mindset was extremely relaxed and peaceful.
"Let's just play casually in this match; we can't possibly lose anyway."
"Save some energy; we're going out for drinks tonight!"
"Yeah, exactly! It's just a warm-up match; getting our bodies warmed up is the main objective!"
The head coach hadn't said much before the match. All training had proceeded as usual. Even he wasn't particularly concerned about this game, implying that they could just play casually.
Since it was just a less important match, the head coach naturally hadn't made any specific tactical arrangements. He even directly included several newly signed players, using this match as an opportunity for them to familiarize themselves with the tactical system.
This naturally included Messi. In the starting lineup for this game, Messi, Henry, and Cao Baiming all appeared on the list!
The players had already stepped onto the field and stood in place, awaiting the referee's whistle.
It was evident that although everyone appeared relaxed, the opposing players looked extremely nervous, showing no signs of ease.
It was an honor to play against a strong opponent like Arsenal.
More importantly, the opportunity to compete against and have close interaction with three generations of football kings like Henry, Messi, and Cao Baiming was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for these young players!
"Boys, take it easy. Don't beat them too badly; give them some face."
"No problem, don't worry!"
The referee on the field blew the whistle to start the match, and players from both sides quickly got into the game.
The Vos Forest players were all fired up, wanting to put on a good show in front of their idols, or at least not look too pathetic.
Before the match, they had encouraged each other, praised their teammates, and believed that unity would lead them to victory against a strong opponent.
However, the match did not unfold as they had envisioned.
Within just thirty minutes, Henry, without even trying, had scored three goals. Two of these goals were assisted by Messi, and one by Cao Baiming.
The others looked at him with disdain.
Henry spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, saying the goals weren't intentional; they just happened.
The opponents began to grow increasingly agitated and instantly lost their composure. Cao Baiming also decided to join the fray! Since that was the case, why not take this opportunity to rack up some points!
By the forty-fifth minute, Henry, Messi, and Cao Baiming alone had collectively scored 6 goals. A newly signed 18-year-old player in the forward line had also scored 1 goal!
Although many players on the field were frustrated, this emotion was only temporary.
During halftime, the opposing team left the field with smiles. The reason was that they had successfully taken four shots in the first half, and one had even hit the target!
This was something to celebrate, wasn't it?!
"They're Arsenal, and what are we? A second-rate team that can't even compete in the English Championship. Getting four shots in a half is pretty good already!"
"Tottenham only had 4 shots in their entire Premier League match, and at that time, Messi wasn't even playing!"
"In other words, we're already better than Tottenham, right?"
The Vos Forest players chatted amongst themselves as they walked towards the locker room, their initial disappointment gradually spreading, and smiles appearing on everyone's faces.
"You're right, brother! Someone like their Harry Kane isn't that great; only one shot in a half. Look at our big brother Carrick, two shots in a half! Amazing!"
They spoke without restraint, not bothering to lower their voices. Cao Baiming, overhearing them, couldn't help but admire their positive attitude!
It's good to be happy! Contentment is happiness!
In the second half, the team had seriously discussed their plan. Seeing the young fans still watching from the sidelines, they decided to show some mercy and not let the children be too sad.
Therefore, in the entire second half, the team only scored one goal and even gave away a penalty in the box.
The final score was fixed at eight to one, a score that showed due consideration!
The referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the match. Cao Baiming finally let out a deep sigh of relief. It was finally over!
The second half had been even more tiring than the first!
It was easy to get past three or four opposing players with just a moment's inattention, and a shot on goal was just a slip-up away. Furthermore, the goalkeeper's ability was clearly different from their usual training opponents.
Who knew how much energy they had expended to maintain this façade of politeness!
Messi practically dribbled around in the penalty box three times, all in an effort to let the opponent dispossess him of the ball.
Returning to the sidelines, head coach Arteta greeted the players with a smile, embracing the goal scorers with affection.
He no longer concealed his favoritism towards Cao Baiming and Henry, and now with Messi added to the mix, the situation had become even more complex!