Bell starts running!
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Lu Yang charges down the sideline without facing any defense at all.
Because no one can keep up with his speed.
In fact... as Lu Yang advanced down the sideline, the defending players also retreated towards the center, hoping to wait for Lu Yang there in advance.
However, when Lu Yang crossed midfield and began to cut inward, these players had already been left behind by him.
Lu Yang ran a longer distance but used less time.
His speed is not particularly extraordinary, but in the final moments of a 120-minute match, it’s no different from the peak Vedian or Bai Zhami for others.
The two center-backs of Benevento were on high alert.
They couldn’t continue retreating on defense, otherwise Lu Yang would soon overpower them.
They could only take a gamble!
The two center-backs have been partners for a long time and have good chemistry.
One of them decisively stepped up, rushing towards Lu Yang with a direct sliding tackle.
The intention of this move was very clear.
Aiming for the player, not the ball!
It’s not about injuring Lu Yang, but this was really the only way to stop him.
Evidently, these two center-backs were not rookies like Naji.
If you’re going to foul, do it fiercely, otherwise, you’ll end up with a card without stopping your opponent.
Bang!
Lu Yang had no difficulty predicting the opponent’s intent.
He flicked the ball up, flying over the opponent together with the ball.
But in doing so, he also temporarily lost control of the ball.
Flicking the ball past while at high speed is different from doing it at low speed. In the former, it’s impossible to flick the ball, let it drop, and continue controlling it as you would at low speed.
Messi, Kaka, Neymar can’t do it, so naturally, neither can Lu Yang.
The ball flew out, and it wasn’t close to Lu Yang.
This was a fifty-fifty ball.
Both Lu Yang and the last Benevento center-back had a chance to reach the ball.
Moreover... the Benevento center-back was closer to the ball.
Both headed towards the ball.
However...
Thud!
The Benevento center-back fell to the ground.
He didn’t make contact with anyone but missed the ball.
This feeling, he had experienced once earlier in the match.
Bai Zhami had taken the ball away at a speed faster than he anticipated.
But at that time, he was in good shape and managed to control his stumbling body.
And this time... Lu Yang accelerated again, taking the ball away at a speed the center-back couldn’t imagine.
The difference is, this time the center-back finally couldn’t hold his ground.
So frickin’ outrageous!
One hundred and twenty minutes!
If you can run this much, why not compete in marathons instead of playing soccer?
Really don’t get it!
Similarly, more frustrated than the center-back was the goalkeeper of Benevento.
Facing another one-on-one situation.
And the opponent is still Lu Yang.
Can we let the substitute goalkeeper play in future matches against San Remo?
He was mentally exhausted!
Lu Yang started dribbling from outside the penalty area.
Benevento’s head coach was afraid that once again, their goalkeeper would get overly anxious and make a rash move.
But fortunately, their goalkeeper truly held his ground.
Even though his heart had long been terrified, Lu Yang remained unmoved outside the penalty area.
Long shots have probabilities, and at such a critical juncture, many players often hesitate to shoot hastily.
The closer you are to the goal, the higher the probability of scoring, a truth shared by both basketball and soccer.
If the goalkeeper stays steady, many attacking players would be indecisive at this moment.
During such a stalemate, the player actually dribbled into the goalkeeper’s control area.
The closer the distance, the greater the angles the goalkeeper could block.
By the time the goalkeeper charges out, it maximizes the chances of preventing a goal.
This is a game of skill and psychology!
"Oh dear! Lu Yang missed the best shooting position!" The Sky TV host was not disappointed but filled with criticism, "He’s too hesitant! Actually, he could have shot from the edge of the penalty area!"
Maniero rolled his eyes: "Long shots are risky, what’s wrong with playing it safe? If he had gone for the long shot, you probably would have said he was reckless."
The host stopped pretending: "Well, that’s better than what he’s doing now. He’s still dribbling? Has he lost his shooting ability?"
Amid the host’s dissatisfaction.
Lu Yang started cycling.
After a series of four or five cycling moves, the Benevento goalkeeper finally couldn’t resist.
He thought Lu Yang had entered his control range.
He prepared to pounce on Lu Yang’s feet.
But he forgot that under Lu Yang’s cycling feints, he unconsciously expanded his defensive stance, ready to dive left or right.
If you try, you’ll find that to dive left or right faster, you have to increase the distance between your feet.
Therefore...
Bang!
Lu Yang made the pass.
A gentle nudge during cycling.
The ball rolled through the Benevento goalkeeper’s legs at a moderate pace.
And the panicked goalkeeper, having lost his balance, prepared for a dive to the left or right, never expected Lu Yang to take such a risky shot.
When you prepare to move from side to side, a ball coming down the middle often causes a moment of stiffness.
Thus, the Benevento goalkeeper stood with legs apart, motionless, as if paralyzed.
The ball passed through both the large and small gates.
Slowly crossed the line.
Gently touched the net.
Another deity of San Remo has descended!
And he had truly dominated this match!
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" The commentator went crazy, "Lu Yang has refused the penalty shootout! He has decided the game in the last moment!"