"The ball is now at Chen Zhong’s feet."
"Passed out, here it cos again."
"Pass again, here it cos again."
"Pass to Pirlo, then back to Chen Zhong."
Chen Zhong gritted his teeth and glanced at Pirlo. Before coming to Italy, in his impression, or in the Milan highlights he’d seen, Milan’s offense typically involved passing the ball to Pirlo, who would then deliver a surgical knife-like through ball, breaking through the opponent’s defense.
Then it would be ti for the attacking players at the front to showcase their individual skills.
But in reality, it was a bit different.
Pirlo only attempts such passes when there’s a good opportunity. Most of the ti, he rely redirects the ball.
The first half has already been played for nearly 30 minutes, and Pirlo has not yet demonstrated his magical through passes.
Every ti Chen Zhong passes the ball, and every ti Pirlo returns it, it seems like a conversation between the two.
Chen Zhong: A through ball, let’s go for a through ball, never mind if we lose it.
Pirlo: No, no, the ti is not right, wait a bit more, wait a bit more!
The ball has been at Milan’s feet for over 4 minutes now, making Chen Zhong a bit restless. This ti, after getting the ball, Chen Zhong chose not to pass it back to Pirlo but instead moved forward with the ball!
At this mont, Lazio rushed in like sharks that slled blood.
Ledesma was even at the forefront, heading directly towards Chen Zhong.
However, Chen Zhong had no intention of tangling with the Lazio defenders. He passed the ball to Kaka, then gestured for it back; Kaka returned the ball, then passed it to Beckham, and gestured again.
If Guardiola were here to see this mont, he would certainly get excited again.
This repeated passing, this repeated advancing, directly made many fans shout: "Tiki-Taka."
But in reality, this wasn’t Tiki-Taka, it was just Chen Zhong frequently wall passing with his teammates.
"Milan’s front is displaying wonderful coordination."
"One-touch passing consecutively."
"Penetrating into the dangerous zone."
"Chen Zhong has the ball again."
"His pass is very precise."
"Passed to Beckham."
"A golden opportunity!!!!"
Beckham is at the right side of the penalty area. Lazio’s defenders gave Beckham so space; his eyes were sharp, and without any hesitation, he curled a shot from the arc of the right side.
Beckham strained his neck, eagerly watching the ball’s trajectory.
The ball bypassed the crowd and seed to be diving towards the goal.
Just when everyone thought it was going in, Muslera flew and punched the ball out with one hand.
"Oh no!!!"
"What an unfortunate miss!"
"A brilliant save by Muslera."
"Beckham tid it perfectly, and the curve was beautiful."
"But there was no way to breach Muslera’s ten-finger fortress!"
Muslera, after completing the save, was ecstatic. He clenched his right fist and roared repeatedly, while Lazio’s fans in the stands were loudly chanting his na.
After this attack, it seed Milan had found their groove.
Operating centrally in a way akin to Arsenal or Barcelona, with Chen Zhong becoming Milan’s "core technology," they were very assured in passing the ball to Chen Zhong and letting him churn out clean passes.
And once Chen Zhong moved to a dangerous area, with a pass of considerable risk, Milan could directly threaten Lazio’s goal.
"Another attack from Milan."
"A series of threatening passes."
"Chen Zhong executes a through ball."
"Kaka Kaka Kaka Kaka Kaka!"
"A brilliant breakthrough!"
Surrounding Chen Zhong, Milan ford a tight team. Chen Zhong, at the edge of the penalty area, noticed Kaka’s positioning and passed the ball to him.
Kaka, without stopping the ball, used his backheel to push it through the defender’s legs.
Then accelerated from a standstill, retrieving the ball!
Rushing toward Lazio’s penalty area.
His dribbling had a unique charm, and inside the penalty area, facing the goalkeeper, he confidently went for a low shot.
The ball curved across, skimming the grass.
In terms of strength and height, it was precisely what would trouble the goalkeeper most.
Muslera stretched out his leg, trying to struggle, but it was futile.
The ball grazed past Muslera’s toes and then skimd off the goalpost.
"Lazio dodges a bullet."
"Everything was done perfectly before the shot."
"Just lacked a bit of luck."
"After a private chat with Ancelotti, Milan’s offense has undergone a dramatic transformation."
"If before it was like long-distance guiding, now it’s close combat."
"This tactic is a bit reminiscent of Barcelona’s style."
"But it’s different."
"Kaka’s final thrust was such a pity."
Ancelotti, watching Chen Zhong from the sidelines, was full of surprise; he hadn’t anticipated that Chen Zhong could indeed inject so vitality into a "lacking energy" Milan.
At least in terms of offensive frequency, the ti Milan takes for a threatening shot has at least tripled.
The continuous attack seed to make Milan a bit impatient, especially after twice coming close to breaking through Lazio’s goal, making so of Milan’s players, like Pato, anxious.
"Chen Zhong gets the ball."
"Passes it out."
"Pato!"
"Intercepted!"
"Lazio’s quick counterattack."
"Sarate, breakthrough!"
"Senderos’ defense is non-existent."
"Pass it inside!"
"Pandev!"
"Turns! Shoots!"
Aside from their defense, Italy’s greatest strength is counterattacking after defending.
Lazio’s counterattack is swift, without going through the center, but through the flanks; it’s clear they studied Chen Zhong’s gas at Real Madrid.
People can’t outrun football; under the montum of two or three passes directly from their own half to the opponent’s half, the best Chen Zhong could do was put his head down and sprint.
After continuous coordination, Lazio passed to Pandev inside the penalty area, where he was incredibly composed.
He decisively turns, faces the goalkeeper, then lifts his foot!
"Bang!"
The ball shot like a cannonball towards Milan’s goal.
Abbiati did not react at all.
The ball flew over the goalkeeper and then...
Scread over the crossbar into the stands.
This scene left countless Lazio fans regretting, while Milan fans were imnsely relieved.
Ancelotti was shouting loudly at the players from the sidelines, hoping they would focus and not give the opponents such opportunities again.
"Milan dodges another bullet."
"This attack from Lazio nearly equalized the score."
"Hmm??? Here they co again!!!"
The comntator looked a bit surprised at the scene before him.
Milan, having just escaped a scare, seed still rattled, especially the misplaced defense by Tsedendros who was "daydreaming," taking a touch, looking twice, and hesitating for a third ti.
And just as he was about to make a move but hesitated again, Lazio’s forward Pandev, hungry and lurking, rushed in from the side and snatched the ball directly.
Chen Zhong, upon witnessing this, was completely stunned.
He quickly left behind Ledesma by his side and ran towards Pandev, but Pandev, without hesitation, slanted the ball sideways.
Sarate burst from the side.
At full speed, no one could stay on him!
"One-on-one with the goalkeeper!"
"Lazio!"
"Sarate!"
"The goalkeeper abandons the goal to charge out!"
Goalkeeper Abbiati showed no hesitation, engaging in a "race against death" with Sarate, yet with the advantage of using his hands in the penalty area, Abbiati had the upper hand.
He reached the ball before Sarate and punched it out with his palm.
Just as Sarate lanted, the gasps from the fans seed to suggest that it wasn’t over yet.
"Abbiati punches the ball out."
"Not over yet!"
"Pandev!"
"Attempts a follow-up shot!"
The ball spun out wildly, and there, wearing a blue jersey, was Pandev, with a determined look.
However, Milan fans have not completely despaired.
Because...
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