Chapter 180 173: The Opportunity Is Here

"Early this morning, Beijing time, the Chinese Youth Team departed for the Toulon Cup in France."

"Due to the hasty departure, preparations were somewhat inadequate. The team didn't arrive in Toulon until 1 a.m. on the day of the match. After a brief rest, they faced their first group stage match against Colombia that very evening."

"Despite the many challenges, the young National Youth Team players showed great spirit, overcoming a host of disadvantages through sheer effort. They ultimately secured a resounding 3-0 victory over the South American powerhouse, Colombia, getting off to a flying start in the Toulon Cup."

"Yang Yang, the National Youth Team's core player and a young star at Ajax, delivered an outstanding performance."

...

"After the match, National Youth Team head coach Tie Sheng gave an interview to our reporter."

"This has been a very arduous journey for us. The fact that the players could go all out and win under such difficult conditions speaks volumes about their strong sense of responsibility and their intense desire to win on the pitch. I'm very pleased with that."

"We went into this match unprepared. Because of our rushed trip, the players hadn't fully acclimated, and several of our starters were on the bench. As a result, the team probably only played at sixty percent of our potential—and that goes double for Yang Yang."

"Even though this was Yang Yang's first time representing a National Team, he made an excellent impression on me. His skill level is very high; his touch on the ball and his movements on the pitch are top-notch. I believe his experience at Dutch Ajax has led to significant improvement, and one of our key tasks now is to figure out how to best utilize his abilities on the field."

...

"Yang Yang also spoke with our reporter after the match."

"Since it was our first match, I'm still getting to know my teammates. But every single one of us worked incredibly hard and did everything we could to help the team win. That's why we were able to defeat Colombia in the end."

"The coach said I made a big impact? No, I think it was the result of the entire team's collective effort."

"As for my own performance, I'd give myself a sixty. A bare pass. I can definitely do better."

"What's next for me? I just want to focus on playing every single match to the best of my ability. I hope to be worthy of this jersey, and I'll do everything in my power to defend its honor."

"My career plans... I haven't really thought that far ahead. I'm only seventeen, and I still have a long way to go in terms of skill. I hope to continue honing my abilities and improving in the Eredivisie. Ajax is an excellent platform for development; we're in European competitions every year, and I hope to become a regular starter as soon as possible."

"A contract renewal? Yes, my agent is in talks with the club about it now. It shouldn't be a problem."

...

...

Following the report on National Television, media outlets across the country began to focus on the news coming out of the Toulon Cup.

A 3-0 victory over Colombia in the first group stage match was a huge boost for the media and fans back home, especially regarding Yang Yang's debut with a National Team. Even though he wasn't the star of the show, his performance still earned praise from industry experts.

Many football pundits commented that even though Yang Yang only played for a little over twenty minutes as a substitute, he was outstanding. His control of the ball was steady, and all three of the team's goals were orchestrated by him.

"Contributing to the team isn't just about scoring goals or getting assists. Yang Yang's debut was a perfect demonstration of the qualities a core player should possess. He knew he would be tightly marked by the opposition; Colombia never dared to leave a defender on him one-on-one, because they knew they couldn't stop him."

"So, Yang Yang cleverly exploited the opponent's mindset, actively drawing defenders to create space for his teammates. Chen Tao's assist to Zhu Ting came from his pass, as did Liu Yu's assist to Mao Jianqing. And for that shot by Hao Junmin, Yang Yang's pass was brilliant."

"It has to be said, in just over twenty minutes on the pitch, Yang Yang demonstrated the caliber of a European professional player. It proves to all of us that his outstanding performance in the UEFA Champions League, his status as Ajax's super-sub, and his game-winning goal in the Champions League final were no flukes."

The evening after the match, National Television again featured a story on the National Youth Team at the Toulon Cup, this time highlighting a unique discussion session the team held that morning.

"We Chinese have a saying that's very true: 'In learning, age doesn't matter. The one who has attained mastery is the teacher.'"

"'Although Yang Yang is only seventeen, he strikes me as a very thoughtful player. His academic performance is also excellent—he may even be recommended for direct admission to the University of Amsterdam. His firsthand experience with Dutch football has undoubtedly brought us invaluable insight,' head coach Tie Sheng said in an interview."

"'Our coaching staff hopes that by organizing these discussion sessions, we can help our players see more clearly the gap between themselves and the top level of European football. Only by seeing that gap can we improve.'"

Yang Yang, however, didn't see it as him imparting his wisdom, but rather as a channel for communication that promoted mutual understanding.

When speaking to reporters, he also stated that Chinese Football is indeed far behind European football, but is always working hard to learn.

"'I think we should have more players playing in Europe, and they shouldn't just blindly chase after famous clubs. The most important thing is to be able to get playing time.'"

Besides the coaching staff, the players on the National Youth Team were also full of praise for Yang Yang in media interviews. Chen Tao, who was named man of the match for the first round, even said with some embarrassment that he felt he didn't deserve the honor.

"'I think Yang Yang was the best player in our first match. Watching him, I truly saw the gap between myself and European players. I hope I get the chance to play in Europe and continue to improve my skills.'"

The public gave high praise for both the National Youth Team's opening victory and Yang Yang's debut in a national jersey. The consensus was that Yang Yang had brought a very positive and tangible change to the team.

However, many in the media also analyzed that while the first win was gratifying, the second match against the France team would be the true test.

The Chinese Youth Team was a U-19 squad, whereas the France team was U-21. Many of their players were already with clubs in Ligue 1 and the other Four Major Leagues. Their overall strength was outstanding, and for the Chinese Youth Team, it would be a massive test.

Head coach Tie Sheng announced in a media interview that Yang Yang would start and that the team would go all out, striving to defeat the host nation, France, in the second match and secure early qualification with two consecutive wins.

Fans back home were fired up and full of anticipation for the National Youth Team's performance.

Major websites scrambled to provide coverage. Although there was no live video stream from the venue, they set up live text commentary to "broadcast" the match.

...

...

「The evening of June 3rd. Toulon, France.」

Compared to their first match against Colombia, the Chinese Youth Team made three changes to their lineup.

Up front, Yang Yang started alongside Zhu Ting. In the midfield, Chen Tao started on the right wing while Hao Junmin remained on the left, with a two-man defensive midfield pivot. In defense, Feng Xiaoting started at center-back, while the other positions remained unchanged.

Although he'd had two days to practice with the team, Yang Yang's coordination with his teammates was still raw. Furthermore, the French team was marking him relentlessly. Center-back Zianni shadowed his every move, and with the additional defensive support from the deep-lying midfielder Flamini, Yang Yang found it hard to create any opportunities.

Flamini was also a very intelligent player. He had performed well for Marseille over the past season, and despite being a substitute, he had left a lasting impression. He even played in the UEFA Cup final and had already been scouted by Arsenal's Wenger, with a summer transfer to the Premier League's Arsenal already arranged—a testament to his ability.

Facing suffocating defense from the opposition, Yang Yang stuck to his tactics from the previous match, using constant, wide-ranging movement to shake his markers and serve as the team's transitional link, organizing and orchestrating attacks.

But unlike the match against Colombia, France was a European team, after all. Their overall tactics were far more rigorous, and they didn't leave the kinds of gaps that Colombia had. On top of that, the host nation's players were stronger across the board.

Almost as soon as the first half began, the French team had the Chinese Team pinned inside their own 30-meter zone, and the game was completely one-sided.

This had the Chinese students who had come to watch the match on the edge of their seats, and it made the fans back home following the text commentary sweat with anxiety.

The Chinese Team's first threatening attack came in the ninth minute. After receiving a pass from Chen Tao on the right wing, Yang Yang swiftly launched a counterattack, driving the ball straight to the edge of the opponent's box before passing it off to Zhu Ting. But Zhu Ting, making a quick overlapping run, took too heavy a touch and missed the golden opportunity to score.

Following that, the France team continued to ramp up their attack. The two "twin stars" from Liverpool, Pongler and Letai, were especially active up front. Their individual skills were formidable, and the two had excellent chemistry, giving the Chinese Team's defensive line a terrible time.

Fortunately, the team's midfield and defense were holding on tenaciously.

In the twenty-fifth minute, Yang Yang orchestrated another attack. He used his body to shield the ball from Flamini while receiving a pass, controlling it to his left side. He then spun and played a through ball into the space behind France's left-back, Berthod.

Chen Tao surged forward to meet the pass, took it to the edge of the penalty area, and sent in a cross, but the opposing center-back, Columbus, anticipated the play and cleared it with a header.

Seven minutes later, it was Yang Yang again. After receiving a long ball from the defense, he took two steps and suddenly let fly with a long-range shot.

It was a powerful, well-struck shot, and Yang Yang was confident about it, but the distance was a bit too great. The opposing goalkeeper was already prepared and got into position to smother the ball.

The first half ultimately ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Neither side had managed to score, but the Chinese Team was at a clear disadvantage on the field.

Under the test of a strong opponent, Yang Yang had become the only bright spot on the pitch for his team.

Neither side made any substitutions at halftime, continuing with their opening lineups, but the stalemate on the field persisted.

France kept pressing the Chinese Team, creating dangerous situations time and again, but the Chinese defended with incredible tenacity. Goalkeeper Guan Zhen's performance was outstanding, and he stubbornly refused to let the other side score.

After the sixty-minute mark, France finally made a change. They were getting anxious for a win, and they could see that Zianni's stamina was depleted; he could no longer keep up with Yang Yang's pace. They substituted Zianni for the number seven, Moskan, to strengthen their attack.

With this change, France switched to a three-man defense.

And Yang Yang realized that the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived.