The Spain U-21 National Team has essentially inherited the excellent traditions of their predecessors.
They are one of the few teams today that dare to continue with their slow-paced passing and control even when trailing.
Making it seem like they’re the ones leading by a goal.
But, honestly, it’s this kind of temperament that has brought them step by step to where they are today.
If they were like the German Team or England, and started with long passes as soon as they fell behind, the later things get, the more panicked their morale would become, then they wouldn’t have reached where they are today at all.
It can be said that most teams, after seventy minutes, might seem to wildly bombard the goal, but it’s not actually as threatening as playing their regular tactics.
Statistics show that a lot of goals happen after seventy minutes, not because this wild bombardment is so effective, but because the other side takes advantage to steal more goals.
After more than ten minutes of passing and control, the Spain U-21 National Team is already familiar with the field and the football.
They adopt a circling style of play, consuming the attention of the Italy National Youth Team players.
Although Italy is the leading side, when playing against Spain, whether you’re leading or trailing, it’s not easy to get the ball.
In the seventeenth minute, Spain suddenly increased their speed.
Spain’s midfielder made an exquisite pass to go over Morici, Enriquez held the ball at the flank and tried to cut inside.
This sudden acceleration within their passing and control is the true killing blow in their strategy.
Later, when Barça lost Iniesta, they couldn’t play this way effectively; this is one of the root reasons.
But...
Bam!
Lu Yang directly stole the ball from Enriquez from the side.
Midfield Transparent Man!
This player skill sounds basic, but actually has a large effect.
As long as Lu Yang is out of Enriquez’s line of sight for a long time, Enriquez is likely to truly forget that there is such a figure on the pitch.
Lu Yang completed a beautiful defensive theft that posed a threat.
Bam!
He turned around and sent the ball forward to Sevajos, giving Enriquez no chance to counter-steal.
Enriquez looked at Lu Yang with annoyance.
Such a sly guy!
Why didn’t he notice this guy earlier?
This damn person is Italy’s number one threat!
Enriquez shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
From this moment on, he has to view Lu Yang with the standards he used for Mancini.
Otherwise, Spain is really in trouble.
It was clearly a great scoring opportunity just now!
Just as it was mentioned, Sevajos was showing his value of being ranked ninth in the Golden Boy Award.
He made a cut inside and directly passed his opponent.
This ball was actually guarded by the opponent.
But Sevajos’s dribble and bottom-line move was too close to the opponent.
So when he cut inside, he was almost touching with the opponent.
Such close-range directional changes in front of the body made it impossible for the defender to directly put out his foot, he had to step back half a step to have room for foot change.
However, this step-back and foot change slightly distracted him and he could trip himself.
Thus, Sevajos made a beautiful cut, what the audience saw was the Spain right-back defending Sevajos beautifully fell backward.
For those unfamiliar with this movement, it’s recommended to repeatedly watch Messi’s dribbling.
Bam!
Sevajos took a shot.
But this ball wasn’t particularly tricky in angle, and it was saved by the Spanish goalkeeper.
Italy won a corner.
Sevajos came to take the corner.
Lu Yang, Pirola, and others were all in the penalty area for the attacking points.
"Morici, you go outside, you’re blocking me," Lu Yang pushed Morici.
Morici left, mumbling under his breath, "What’s so great about being tall, being tall still needs me to assist, smh! Yodelers never serve!"
Bam!
Sevajos took the corner kick.
Pirola rose from the ground, this Italian center-back smashed a header towards the goal.
However, Spain’s fate couldn’t be denied, the goalkeeper instinctively reached out and just managed to block the ball.
In an instant, chaos erupted in front of the Spanish goal, with sounds of collapsing, intense noises, the voosh of wind, a cacophony of chaos.
Finally, a whistle blew.
Everyone then realized that the ball was already in the Spanish goal.
Goal?
Who scored?
In such a chaotic scene, even if you stare at the screen, you can’t see the goal-scorer.
But the person who scored knows.
Whether or not you touched the football, can you not know?
Foot feel is definitely different!
That soft, cottony, uh... that elastic, somewhat hard but able to provide you with instant feedback round object... isn’t it the football!
Lu Yang dashed out from the crowd, while everyone else was still reacting, rushed to the corner flag area to celebrate.
He stood tall and straight, his right hand shaped like a blade, raised near his temple, towards the direction of the stadium box, not quite a soldier but even more so.
What is it if not a soldier fighting?
Isn’t soccer also a war?
In the presidential box, the old man was still waiting for the replay, but when the camera switched to Lu Yang, he suddenly stood up and returned the same gesture to Lu Yang.
He knew, this salute, Lu Yang was giving to him.
A young man, yet carries the responsibility bestowed by two countries, he’s truly impressive!
"Lu Yang! It’s Lu Yang again! He’s been extremely active today, his form is really too good!"
"Amidst chaos, Lu Yang’s toe was the first to jab the ball!"