Chapter 231 224: Invincible Iron Colossus

As Shao Jiayi broke through the center and drew the attention of Kuwait's defense, no one noticed Yang Yang had already moved to the left flank. By the time Yang Yang received the ball at the edge of the penalty area on the left side, every Kuwaiti player was aghast.

'How did he suddenly end up over there?'

'Isn't he a right-winger?'

But Yang Yang paid them no mind. Shao Jiayi's pass landed perfectly in his path. The moment he controlled the ball, he dribbled into the penalty area, confronting the Kuwaiti defender rushing over to cover.

Yang Yang wasn't rushed. The box was crowded, and he couldn't find Li Jinyu anywhere, so he had to go it alone.

The opposing defender closed in, marking Yang Yang one-on-one.

Yang Yang feigned a run toward the byline, then abruptly stopped and cut the ball back toward the center. This caused the Kuwaiti defender and a midfielder who had tracked back into the box to collide.

Seizing the opportunity, Yang Yang suddenly accelerated, shaking off both players. He found a clear lane to the goal and unleashed a furious shot with his right foot.

The ball shot forward like a cannonball, blasting into Kuwait's goal before anyone could react.

Without a second thought, Yang Yang turned and sprinted away as the referee's whistle blew from behind, confirming the goal.

Every Chinese player on the field went wild, mobbing Yang Yang.

"GOAL!!!"

"GOOOOAAAAL!!!!!"

"It's Yang Yang again! The great Yang Yang!"

"This is an absolute testament to his individual skill!"

"The Kuwaitis never expected it! Yang Yang, who had been probing for opportunities on the right wing, suddenly cut in from the left. Facing the defenders, Yang Yang displayed a composure rarely seen in Chinese players."

"Skill breeds confidence. He didn't rush his play. Instead, he relied on his individual ability, using a feint to shake off two opponents before unleashing a thunderous right-footed shot to equalize for the Chinese Team!"

"One-one! The two sides are back on level terms."

"Oh, wait, no—it's the Chinese Team that has reclaimed the advantageous position to advance from the group!"

"Yang Yang! Right now, I can't find the words to describe him."

"After traveling for over twenty hours, he only just arrived this morning. He came on as a sub tonight and still scored the equalizer for the Chinese Team. He's like an invincible iron man!"

"All I can say is that tonight, Yang Yang is the savior of Chinese Football and a hero to all of us Chinese people!"

...

Elated, Yang Yang sprinted to the sideline and dropped to his knees before the stands filled with Chinese fans.

He saw their faces, smeared with face paint. The red on their cheeks had started to run.

He had always felt that China's fans were the most wonderful, the most endearing.

He was willing to play for them, to fight for them.

His teammates swarmed him from behind. Even Hao Dong and others from the bench rushed over, joining the on-field players in a massive huddle, cheering and celebrating the goal.

At one-one, the score meant the Chinese Team once again held the advantage for advancing from the group.

Unless Kuwait could score again.

'In this moment, my hope for the National Team is rekindled.'

'Because we have Yang Yang.'

'I've always believed that as long as we have Yang Yang, we have hope. He never lets us down.'

'That's true tonight, and it will surely be true in the future.'

...

...

When the scene of Yang Yang's goal appeared on the television, Su Wenhong leaped from the sofa in excitement.

He was so excited!

"I told you! He's our hope! As long as he's on the field, there's always hope!"

Although Ye Ziqing didn't understand football, she could tell how crucial Yang Yang's goal was and nodded repeatedly.

Su Ye's eyes welled with tears. "He really is an incredible hero!"

"He certainly is! He's a hero, a hero for us Chinese," Su Wenhong laughed heartily.

...

...

"Everyone, this is no time for a big celebration! It's one-one, and there are still twenty minutes left. We need to be patient, stay organized, and lock down our defense. We can't give them another chance."

"Kuwait is going to push forward to attack, so we'll hit them on the counter."

As soon as Yang Yang finished speaking, his teammates cheered in agreement.

In that moment, he was the team's backbone, its very heart and soul.

On the sideline, Arie Haan was also thrilled. He never imagined that Yang Yang, after coming on as a substitute, would perform in such peak condition. He looked nothing like a player who had just endured a long journey and been thrown into a match.

But to him, none of that mattered anymore.

What mattered was that Yang Yang had once again played the role of savior.

This goal was absolutely crucial!

It could be said that Yang Yang's goal not only erased their deficit and created an advantage, but it also stabilized the team's morale.

Anyone familiar with the Chinese Team knew they often became incredibly fragile under pressure. But after the equalizer, things were completely different. Their morale was boosted, and the players had regained their confidence.

"Alright, everyone, let's get back on the pitch and refocus for the game."

"Focus on our defense! We absolutely cannot give them another opportunity."

"Everyone, stay sharp! Let's go!"

...

...

With the Chinese Team having tied the game, the scales of the match tipped abruptly in their favor.

Kuwait had lost its advantage and was forced to make another substitution to bolster their offense.

"There isn't much time left for Kuwait."

"Right now, the most important thing for the Chinese Team is to focus on defense and patiently execute their counter-attacks."

"We can see Yang Yang has the presence of a true leader, constantly shouting instructions and reminding his teammates."

"This is undoubtedly something all of us fans are thrilled to see."

But soon, China's defense faltered once more.

Li Weifeng, who was carrying an injury, and Zhang Yaokun were both having a less-than-ideal game. But with Zheng Zhi absent, the National Team truly had no suitable replacements, and another miscommunication occurred between the two defenders.

The Kuwaiti player, Bashar, successfully beat the offside trap, creating a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper. Fortunately, Liu Yunfei was solid, calmly blocking the close-range shot.

Arie Haan could no longer hold back and finally made a change to his defensive line, immediately substituting Sun Jihai for Sun Xiang to strengthen the left flank's defense.

On the pitch, Yang Yang also realized Yan Song was struggling to play on the right wing. He quickly gestured to Arie Haan, and with the head coach's permission, he switched positions with Yan Song, allowing Yan Song to return to his familiar left wing while Yang Yang moved to the right.

Yang Pu partnered with Shao Jiayi and Zhao Junzhe in midfield, with Li Jinyu as the lone striker.

With a 4-5-1 formation, the Chinese Team's defensive counter-attacking strategy became even more resolute.

Kuwait quickly made their third substitution, again focused on strengthening their attack.

But in the eighty-third minute, as Kuwait was attacking in the Chinese Team's half, Zhao Junzhe intercepted a pass and gave it to Shao Jiayi. Shao Jiayi sent a diagonal ball to Yang Yang on the right wing. Yang Yang spun nimbly past his defender and charged down the field. After drawing the attention of most of the defense, he suddenly delivered a diagonal cross to the far post.

Yan Song charged forward at high speed. Unmarked, he controlled the ball and slotted it home, once again breaching Kuwait's goal.

Two-one!

A comeback!

"This is a magnificent comeback!"

"The Chinese Team has finally pulled off a comeback that brings tears to your eyes!"

"Yan Song scores the go-ahead goal! It's two-one! Kuwait must be in despair now!"

"If they want to reclaim the advantage, they'll need to score at least two goals against the Chinese Team."

"How many years has it been? How many years?"

"Time and time again, we've made mistakes in crucial matches and lost. Time and time again, we've lived through these dark nightmares."

"But tonight, in Kuwait City, facing an unfavorable situation, our players finally withstood the pressure and turned the tables on their opponents. This is a kind of massive comeback rarely seen from China in recent years."

"Yang Yang, despite only being on the pitch for a short time, is the protagonist of this great comeback. He was the one who orchestrated it."

"It's truly hard to believe he's only seventeen years old."

"But no one can deny that he is destined to be the leading figure of Chinese Football for the next decade or more—the hope of Chinese Football, and the pride of all Chinese people."

...

After scoring the goal, Yan Song ran straight to Yang Yang and forcefully lifted his young teammate into the air.

He was just so overcome with excitement.

The other National Team players also piled in to celebrate.

Although Yan Song's goal was the icing on the cake, it cemented the National Team's victory and plunged the Kuwaitis into utter despair.

'If they want to make a comeback, they have to attack. But can they stop the Chinese Team's counter-attack while doing so?'

Yang Yang was simply too brilliant!

In the National Team, his individual skill was in a league of its own, allowing him to capitalize on opportunities more effectively.

As long as he was given a chance, he could seize it. Even when he couldn't create a threat himself, he could always help his teammates do so, just like that pass to Yan Song. His field of vision was incredible.

Forget a winger; even Shao Jiayi, playing in the center, had to admit to himself that he might not have even seen Yan Song's run.

Even if he had seen him, he might not have been able to anticipate Yan Song's intention in that split second and deliver such a perfectly weighted pass.

All one could say was that Yang Yang was a genius, always creating unexpected, delightful surprises.

...

...

Upon seeing Yan Song's goal, Arie Haan and his assistant, Dejan, embraced.

Yang Yang's outstanding performance had saved the Chinese Team, but in doing so, had it not saved him as well?

He was keenly aware of the Chinese Team's problems, and he was just as aware that the team could no longer function without Yang Yang.

Yang Yang wasn't just a bridge between the head coach and the locker room; he was also the National Team's greatest weapon. Moreover, he was gradually becoming the team's spiritual leader and its very core.

'From now on, the coaching staff must rely more heavily on Yang Yang, building this National Team around him.'

'Finding a powerful center forward has become a problem the coaching staff must solve as soon as possible. Only then can we maximize Yang Yang's strengths.'

At the same time, Arie Haan had not forgotten his plan to transition to a 4-3-3 formation.

'With Yan Song on the left and Yang Yang on the right, all we're missing is a center forward.'

'Once we have a qualified center forward, my overhaul of the Chinese Team's offense can truly begin.'