Chapter 891 Overtaking
After Leeds City equalized the score, Tramed was indeed panicked for a while, and their suppression of Leeds City was not as strong as before.
So Leeds City attacked more, hoping to score again.
But they failed to score again until the end of the first half.
Of course, they didn't let Tramed score either.
The two teams entered the halftime break with a score of 1:1.
"Actually, we were able to equalize the score before the end of the first half. This result is already very good for Leeds City..." Looking at the scenes of players from both sides leaving the field, He Feng and Yan Kang gave a brief summary of the first half. Summarize.
Yan Kang nodded and said: "Yes, this score can make Leeds City more calm in the second half. But we still have to be careful not to be too calm. After all, if they draw, they will be knocked off the top of the league by Stan Park Rangers. …”
If Leeds City draws with Tramed, Leeds City will only have 91 points, while Stan Park Rangers currently has 92 points because they defeated London Bridge.
Leeds City will become second in the league again.
In this way, as long as Stan Park Rangers defeat the Highlanders away from home in the last round, no matter how the game between Leeds City and Northumbria goes, it will no longer be able to change the final league ranking.
So in today's game, Leeds City can only accept victory.
A draw is a defeat for them.
※※※
"You did a great job, guys." After returning to the locker room, Clark praised his team's performance in the first half. "Although we lost the ball, we got it back quickly. So now You see, can we defeat Tramed on the road? They are not as strong as the outside world says... Otherwise, why are they not in our position?"
He teased Tramed so much that the Leeds City players in the locker room burst into laughter.
At this time, Clark is not worried that the players will become complacent after hearing his words, because at this moment, this team will never relax because of pride, but will completely break Tramed's halo in the red-top stadium. , letting his players know that they are not facing an invincible enemy.
Speaking of which, Leeds City defeated Stan Park Rangers at the "Invincible Stadium" Stan Park where they had not lost for four years and eight months. What's so scary about the former "Devil's Stadium" red-top stadium?
"So we have to continue to stick to our style of play in the second half. The tighter they defend Hu, the more chances the rest of you will have!" After everyone had finished laughing, Clark continued and made some specific tactical arrangements. "On the other hand, if they are attracted by your active performance, Hu will be liberated. In short, you must be thoroughly active when attacking in the frontcourt to increase the difficulty of the opponent's defense..."
※※※
"Obviously Leeds were trying to use Hulay to draw attention away from our defense and create chances for others in their side... We made a mistake in the first half but I'm glad to see that was the only one. As long as we If you always pay attention to maintaining the overall formation in defense, they will not be able to find space so easily." Tramed head coach Kevin Lock marked the positions of his players with chess pieces on the tactical board.
It can be seen that when defending, each chess piece is very close to each other, but this will lead to a relatively empty space on the side.
But Locke pulled two pieces back from midfield and fell directly to the full-back position.
"Balia, Payne, you two must fall into this position to assist in defense when defending."
He said to the team's two wide players, Ricardo Barea and George Payne.
Both men nodded to show they heard.
"Leeds City will definitely try their best to attack in the second half, but their offensive cannot last long. All we have to do is be patient, more patient than them. Because it is them who compete for the league championship, not us..."
When he said this, Kevin Locke paused, because it was a bit sad to say this as the head coach of Tramed.
We at Tramed are not competing for the league title... Although we can decide who is the champion, this feeling is really bad!
Locke did not let his absence affect the players. He quickly withdrew from this unspeakable bad mood and continued: "...When they become more and more impatient, the space behind them will become more and more open. Well, that’s our chance! Now, after a short break, let’s wait for the appearance.”
After he finished speaking, he stepped aside to stay with his fellow coaching staff, leaving time and space for the players themselves.
Leaning against the wall, he thought of the emotion he had just felt again.
In fact, without Leeds City's sudden emergence this season, Tramed would not have won the championship this season. And counting this season, they have missed the league championship for five consecutive seasons. This is a long window for the former Premier League hegemon...
When Kevin Locke was playing in Tramed, Tramed was the dominant team in the Premier League and the most famous club in Europe. Now being able to qualify for the Champions League is enough to be called "success".
Now facing Leeds City at home, who are ambitious for the league championship, this contrast makes Locke feel a little sad.
I think back then... we were also the protagonists of this kind of game!
※※※
After the second half of the game started, it was exactly the same as the adjustments made by the two head coaches during the halftime break.
Leeds City, who was obviously playing away from home, rushed hard at the beginning of the second half and attacked Tramed's goal, trying to score a goal as soon as possible.
Faced with Leeds City's rapid offensive, Tramed shrunk his defense. Even wingers like Ricardo Barea retreated to the backcourt, almost becoming a full-back.
Matthew Cox couldn't help but sigh when he saw this scene in the commentary box: "Friends in the audience, maybe you just turned on the TV and saw this scene... I must remind you that this game It’s Tramed’s home court! Yes, you read that right, Tramed is in their red stadium. Heading up the court and shrinking the defense, Leeds City, as a guest, attacked fiercely... Leeds City was completely willing to fight for the championship, but this may also be because the defense was empty, and Tramed took the opportunity to counterattack and score... In fact. Locke may have had this idea!”
The TV broadcast followed his words and cut to a close-up shot of Kevin Locke.
Locke's expression in the camera is calm, sitting in his seat and looking at the court intently.
※※※
"Locke wants to fight us back," Randhir said to Clark.
"Normal operation." Clark was noncommittal. "Almost every team that faces our offense thinks this way: 'When their offense slows down, it's time for us to counterattack.' This is why physical fitness is so important - look. Our offensive will be unsustainable first, or their defense will be broken through first.”
When he said this, he did not take his eyes away from the court and was paying close attention to the game situation.
Because Tramed consciously contracted the defense, Leeds City pressed their thirty-meter area to organize the offense and seek opportunities.
Pete Williams used a pick pass to lift the football directly behind the Tramed defense, but his pass was pushed out by Tramed's center back Wilson - this time Wilson did not follow Hulay. He retreated, but chose to take a risk and let Hu Lai get in behind him. He himself boldly jumped up and headed the ball.
This time he accurately judged the point of contact, pushed the football out before Hu Lai caught the ball, and successfully made a clearance.
But the football he pushed out eventually fell to the feet of the Leeds City players.
Because Tramed's recovery was relatively deep, Leeds City controlled almost everything outside the thirty-meter area of Tramed. As long as football flies here, it is basically controlled by Leeds City players.
Now in control of the football is Leeds City midfielder Jay Adams.
After he caught the ball, he tried to pass the ball diagonally to the wing, but he slammed the football back to the center, opened up the space, and suddenly shot a long shot!
Tramed's England goalkeeper Tom Walker flew sideways and blocked Adams' long shot!
But he failed to save the football from the penalty area, so the football still fell back into the penalty area!
A figure quickly rushed towards the landing point of the football!
It's Hu Lai!
I saw him stretching his feet to shoot!
Wilson squeezed hard and managed to squeeze the football away from Hu Lai at the same time.
Then he and Hu Lai fell to the ground at the same time.
Leeds City fans and Chinese fans in front of the TV shouted in unison:
"Foul!!"
"Penalty kick!!"
But the referee did not blow the whistle, and there were already loud boos in the stands of the red-top stadium-Tramed fans thought Hulay was cheating for a penalty kick by diving.
Of course, the referee didn't think that Hu Lai was diving. He just stared at the football. The ball did not go out of bounds or fly out of the penalty area, but was still in front of Tramed's goal!
In other words, the alarm in Tramed's penalty area has not been lifted...
In the melee, Pete Williams, who broke in from outside the penalty area, kicked the football before Connor Kirk and shot the ball towards the goal!
At this time goalkeeper Walker had just gotten up, but it was too late to turn over and rush back...
The football rolled into the goal in chaos!
Leeds City overtook the score 2:1! (End of chapter)