Chapter 198 191: Only Yang Yang

When the referee blew the final whistle, the fans at Beijing Workers' Stadium applauded the players on the field.

But the applause wasn't enthusiastic.

Just before the end of the match, the Chinese Team's defense made another mistake.

Sun Jihai, who had come on as a substitute, committed a foul by pulling on an opponent, giving them a free kick in the attacking half.

Bahrain took the free kick, which was cleared by a Chinese Team defender, but the ball was quickly sent back into the penalty area by a Bahraini player waiting outside.

At that moment, the Chinese Team's defense lapsed. Two defenders unbelievably failed to get to the ball, allowing the opposing number nine to receive it and smash it into the net, changing the score to 3-2.

They had won the match, but that last goal conceded was hard to swallow.

What should have been a spectacular comeback, especially with the relentless offensive in the second half, had unexpectedly fallen apart at the very end.

It was like eating a delicious bowl of noodles, savoring every bite, only to suddenly find a disgusting fly mixed in. It was impossible to feel happy about it.

Walking off the field, Yang Yang felt the same way.

He didn't quite understand. It clearly hadn't been an opportunity, so why had it suddenly become one, leading to a goal?

In terms of the result, there wasn't much difference between 3-1 and 3-2; the Chinese Team still secured the three points. But the way it happened was unsettling, especially for Yang Yang.

Call it a case of being a perfectionist or having impossibly high standards, he just hated it.

And clearly, the fans in attendance didn't like it either.

But he wouldn't let it discourage him. That wasn't his style.

'The goal's been conceded, but at least we have the three points.'

Yang Yang was already thinking about the next match, and even the ones to come.

He had shown his skill and form in the second half, and he believed Arie Haan must have seen his hunger for the game, for victory, and for glory.

'Will I start the next match?'

...

...

"The same old problem."

Wei Zhen sighed and shook his head from his seat in the stands.

As a director and reporter for the National Television sports channel, he was all too familiar with the National Team's issues.

In the words of the fans in China, this was a "special" kind of team. Just when you started to have confidence in them, they would always find a bizarre and unexpected way to let you down.

But what could anyone do?

China only had one National Team. That was a fact no one could change.

The fans back home were scathingly critical, but it was a case of tough love—they were disappointed because they wanted the team to be better. No matter how much they cursed, they still followed Chinese Football closely, all of them hoping for its rise.

The criticism wasn't what was scary. What would be truly terrifying was if they stopped caring enough to criticize at all.

"He played so well. No one will criticize him, right?" Su Ye asked with concern.

The "he" she was referring to was, of course, Yang Yang.

"My dear girl, Yang Yang orchestrated two goals. If he gets criticized, what would happen to the other players? They'd be torn to shreds by the fans," Su Wenhong said with a laugh.

After a moment, Su Wenhong, a veteran fan, offered some more detailed insight.

"It looks like Yang Yang is the one who really understands Arie Haan's tactical intent. After he came on, he completely changed the game. The Bahrain Team's most threatening weapon, their left flank, was completely neutralized by him and was ineffective for the entire second half."

Wei Zhen nodded. "But he's only seventeen. Will Arie Haan have the guts to rely on him?"

From Ajax to the Eredivisie to the Champions League, and then the Toulon Cup, Yang Yang had already proven his abilities to everyone. Furthermore, judging by his performance, his once-weak first touch seemed to be constantly improving. He was making huge strides.

His current overall skill level was more than enough to be a starter on the National Team.

Moreover, he understood the head coach's intentions far better than his teammates, because Arie Haan himself had come from Ajax.

"He should be given more opportunities. If you saw how hard he trains, you'd realize it would be a cosmic injustice if a player like him didn't succeed," Su Wenhong said.

Wei Zhen nodded in agreement.

Sitting beside them, Su Ye was lost in thought, remaining silent.

...

...

"Now that's the kind of game I want to see!"

Back in the locker room, Arie Haan faced all the players and announced his assessment of the second half in a loud voice.

Everyone knew what he meant.

The member of the Chinese coaching staff who had spoken to Yang Yang at halftime looked over at him again, his expression a little awkward and unnatural.

He had been worried that Yang Yang was too young and timid to ask questions, but now he saw that not only had he worried for nothing, but he had also underestimated Yang Yang's tactical awareness and his grasp of Coach Arie Haan's intentions.

With his performance in the second half, Yang Yang had given everyone a vivid lesson. He showed them that the principles Arie Haan always emphasized really worked; the only difference was who was applying them and whether they could do it correctly.

As a veteran domestic coach, this staff member was certain of one thing. If the other players could grasp Arie Haan's tactical intentions and execute them as decisively as Yang Yang, then with the current roster's skill level, the Chinese Team's competitiveness would jump to a whole new level. Competing against Asian powerhouses like Japan, South Korea, and Iran would no longer be an issue.

But there was only one Yang Yang, and the others couldn't necessarily understand the coach's tactics in the same way.

Of course, a few of the more clever players with a deeper understanding of tactics, like center-back Zheng Zhi, showed thoughtful expressions.

"For the second match in four days, I want the team to continue playing the way we did in the second half—but that doesn't include conceding at the end. Everyone be prepared."

After speaking, Arie Haan turned his head, gave Yang Yang a meaningful look, and nodded encouragingly.

Without a doubt, everyone knew this practically guaranteed Yang Yang a spot in the starting lineup.

Arie Haan was betting the team's Asian Cup fate on Yang Yang.

The reason was simple: Yang Yang was the only one on the entire team who could fully understand and execute his tactical vision.

But could a seventeen-year-old shoulder such a heavy burden?

The other players in the locker room were filled with doubt.

...

...

「Four days later, at Beijing Workers' Stadium.」

In the second round of the Asian Cup, the Chinese Team faced off against Indonesia.

Fourteen minutes into the match, the Chinese Team orchestrated a play on the left flank.

Sun Xiang overlapped and passed the ball to Yan Song. The left midfielder then played a one-two with Shao Jiayi before suddenly hitting a square pass to the edge of the penalty area.

Yang Yang, who was starting the match and was supposed to be on the right wing, suddenly appeared at the top of the arc. Receiving Yan Song's pass, Yang Yang dragged the ball back with his right foot, pulling it past an Indonesian midfielder to create an opening, then immediately unleashed a thunderous shot with the same foot.

The ball rocketed towards the goal.

Caught off guard by the sudden strike, the Indonesian Goalkeeper couldn't react in time and could only watch as the ball flew past the right post and crashed into the back of the net!

The moment he scored, an ecstatic Yang Yang sprinted off the pitch and slid on his knees toward the section of the stands where Wei Zhen and Su Ye were sitting.

Even though he didn't know exactly where his friends were sitting.

One-nil!

Yang Yang had scored his first goal for the National Team!

"Oh my god! Yang Yang is definitely going to be the biggest discovery for the Chinese Team in this Asian Cup!"

"In the last match, he set the record for the youngest player ever to appear for the Chinese Team. And tonight, here again at Beijing Workers' Stadium, he has just become the Chinese Team's youngest-ever goalscorer!"

"It was a brilliant long-range strike. Yan Song crossed it in from the left, and Yang Yang smoothly dragged the ball, taking it past a defender and creating a pocket of space before shooting without a moment's hesitation."

"He's in excellent form. Right from the start of the match, he's shown incredible drive and a strong desire to win, and his efforts have quickly been rewarded."

The entire Beijing Workers' Stadium erupted, chanting Yang Yang's name.

After his outstanding performance in the previous game, Yang Yang was heavily marked by Indonesia, but he still managed to find space, seize an opportunity, and open the scoring for the Chinese Team.

No one had expected it, not even Yang Yang himself.

But one thing he was absolutely sure of was that he was in top form.

Even before joining the National Team's training camp, he had been starving for a real match. Now, he finally had the chance to unleash his skills.

His teammates on the National Team were gradually coming to accept their young new member, realizing that Yang Yang would become the sharp edge of the Chinese Team's attack.

...

...

After conceding the goal, Indonesia began to play with a sense of urgency, while the Chinese Team became even more patient.

Yang Yang remained very active on the right flank, but Indonesia also reinforced their defense on his side of the field.

But by reinforcing their right, they left themselves exposed on the left.

Soon, in the 30th minute, the Chinese Team scored again. Shao Jiayi delivered a cross from the left, and Hao Dong scored with a powerful header. 2-0.

Another attack came from the left flank. Sun Xiang made a quick run forward and his long shot won a corner kick for the Chinese Team. Shao Jiayi took the corner, assisting Li Weifeng, who scored with a header.

By the end of the first half, the Chinese Team had established a 3-0 lead.

During the halftime break, Arie Haan couldn't stop smiling. He lavished praise on his players, especially on the wings. Yang Yang had opened the scoring from the right, and once Indonesia reinforced their defense to counter him, China's left flank began creating chance after dangerous chance.

Arie Haan continued to encourage the players, urging them to keep up their efforts and maintain the first half's momentum.

Sure enough, after play resumed in the second half, Yang Yang created another threat in the 50th minute. After receiving a pass from Shao Jiayi on the right wing, he found himself in a one-on-one situation. He once again used his Pendulum Move to beat Indonesia's left-back before sending a low cross to the near post.

Shao Jiayi, making a late run from deep, met the ball at the near post and slotted it home, making the score 4-0!

A landslide victory!

This was an absolute thrashing!

No one expected that after their strong performance in the first round, the Chinese Team would unleash another offensive onslaught in the second.

Yang Yang, in particular, was incredibly active on the right wing. With a goal and an assist, he was the key contributor to the National Team's back-to-back victories.

Counting his two assists from the first match, Yang Yang had delivered one goal and three assists in just two games, directly orchestrating four goals. The National Team, up to that point, had only scored seven goals in total across the two matches.

While stats don't tell the whole story, there was no doubt that Yang Yang was the MVP of the National Team's back-to-back victories.

Worried that Yang Yang might be peaking too early, Arie Haan promptly substituted him with the veteran Li Ming right after the fourth goal was scored.

Afterward, the Chinese Team launched an attack down the left flank, with Yan Song assisting Li Yi for another goal.

In the end, the Chinese Team thrashed Indonesia 5-0.