072 penalty shootout
Remember in one second
Porto, Portugal. Dragon Stadium, Portuguese League Cup final, Maritimo vs Benfica, the scoreboard in the stadium shows 88 minutes and a score of 1-1.
"Is the ball in?"
Wu Yu lay on the ground, his right hand gently pressing against his forehead, with a blurry vision in front of him and stars twinkling all over the sky.
"Hey, Wu Yun, how are you?" Kuaresima's concerned voice came from above, Wu Yun wanted to speak but found himself unable to control it.
The referee immediately stopped the game, and Maridimo's team doctor rushed into the field. Before them, a white figure ran to Benfica's penalty area at an even faster speed. Gao Wei was very worried after Wu Yun fell down and ran over, not wanting anything unexpected to happen to his brother.
Martins stood on the coach's seat, looking ahead, but his eyes flashed with guilt.
The stadium was quiet, despite Marítimo having just equalized, but their fans found Wu Lei lying on the ground and all the excitement of celebration disappeared, only worry, whispering to each other, discussing.
。
Hua Yanke and Wang Peijun were frowning at Benfica's penalty area, while Wu Yu was still unable to get up surrounded by the team doctor, making them very worried.
"Xiao Yu, don't let anything happen to you now that your stage has just begun." Wang Peijun prayed in her heart.
"Let's take a look at the slow-motion replay, what exactly happened just now?" The TV screen starts to replay the moment when Wu Yun scored the goal earlier, and Zhan Jun is also quite concerned as he explains: "Ah, this is Gao Lei heading the ball onto Wu Yun's back of the head, it looks pretty serious, hopefully Wu Yun won't have too much of a problem."
"Hey kid, can you hear me clearly? How are you feeling now?" The team doctor's voice came from beside him.
"My head... is spinning..." Wu Yu said with difficulty.
"It must have been a concussion, you do what I say..." The team doctor started to know that Wu Yu was using his breathing to adjust himself after making a preliminary judgment on Wu Yu's injury.
After being treated by the team doctor and resting for a while, Wu Yun finally recovered. His originally dizzy head also became much clearer at this time.
When he was helped up from the ground by the team doctor, more than 50,000 spectators in the stadium applauded for him. Four days ago, this young man had just experienced a car accident, and just now he fell to the ground, which also made all the fans worried about him.
Wu Yu stood up and walked towards the edge of the court, raising his right hand in a gesture to the stands.
The direction he raised his hand was the platform where Wang Peijun was located.
Wang Peijun saw Wu Yu raise his hand to signal that he was fine, and immediately let out a breath, and the tense nerves also relaxed.
When Wu Yu fell to the ground for treatment, the match had already been 90 minutes. After Wu Yu walked out of the court edge and continued to be treated, the referee directly indicated that there would be 5 minutes of stoppage time, and the match continued.
Maradi Diouf was warming up on the bench, and Martins had already asked one player to warm up in preparation for replacing Wu Lei.
"Wu Yu, you've already helped the team tie the score, don't take any more risks." Martins said with concern beside him.
"Yes, for safety's sake, you shouldn't kick it down anymore"
"The team doctor is also worried about Wu Yu's physical condition."
"Coach, I'm feeling great now, I want to lead the team to defeat our opponents!" Wu Yu said firmly without listening to their opinions.
Martins looked at Wu Yun's resolute expression, feeling ashamed in his heart, but he didn't insist anymore. He just walked over and patted Wu Yun on the shoulder.
Wu Yu got the referee's indication and re-entered the game, Maridimo fans immediately responded with thunderous applause and cheers, welcoming their team hero back.
"Xiao Yu, are you okay?" Gao Wei took the opportunity to run to Wu Yu's side and asked with concern.
"I'm fine!"
……
In the following 5 minutes of stoppage time, neither side created enough attacking opportunities to break through, and the match was dragged into extra time.
The 90-minute match ended with Benfica and Maritimo tied at 1-1, going into extra time. The goals for both sides were scored by Gaitan and Wu Lei, who took over the game in the 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute and scored the equalizing goal despite the risk of injury.
"We'll go to a commercial break first, and after the commercial, we'll immediately bring you the overtime match." After Zhan Jun finished speaking, he stood up from his seat in the studio, stretched his waist, and chatted with the cameraman and director beside him.
It was 5:30 in the morning in Beijing, with a hint of white in the sky. However, this match in Portugal had not yet ended. Two young players from China were fighting for their first professional trophy.
"Listen, in extra time we need to control the midfield, while ensuring defensive intensity, and make two more passes on the flanks. The opponent's full-backs are already exhausted, use speed to get past them!" Martens instructed his players in the locker room.
The team doctor and other substitute players were massaging the muscles of several players who had played 90 minutes for Krasnodar, preparing them for the next 30 minutes of extra time.
Benfica locker room, Quque Flores looked at the players in front of him who were somewhat dejected, they were just a few minutes away from winning this trophy, but now Wu Yu tied the score and dragged the game into overtime.
"Everyone lift your heads! We still have a chance to get the second goal, they don't have midfield defense now, next time strengthen the pressure in midfield, take back control of the ball and defeat them!"
Flores motivated his teammates.
Benfica's players slowly lifted their heads, and their confidence gradually increased.
Beep——
The referee's whistle sounded, and the extra time began. This final battle at the Dragon Stadium was thought to be a sure win for Benfica after Wu Yu's absence was announced before the match. However, when people saw Wu Yu's name on Maritimo's team roster an hour before the game started, they had another expectation for this match.
Bookmakers quickly adjusted the odds of both sides winning within an hour before the match, with Wu Yus presence considered an uncertain factor, and the originally lopsided odds ratio suddenly returned to a balanced state.
The trend of the game was also like this, Benfica had an advantage in the first 80 minutes and scored a goal. But after Wu Lei came on as a substitute, Maritimo quickly narrowed the gap on the field and tied the score at the last minute, dragging the game into extra time.
In the extra time, players from both sides were fighting fiercely in the midfield according to the coach's instructions. Gaitan was no longer underestimating Wu Lei after being beaten by him; while Wu Lei also couldn't gain much advantage against Gaitan, who was not weaker than himself.
The first half of extra time passed in fierce midfield control, and after the referee's whistle, both players immediately lay down on the grass to be massaged by their teammates. Some players had already exhausted their physical strength after more than 100 minutes of intense battle, lying on the lawn panting heavily.
"Come on, there are 15 minutes left! Hold on!" Martínez was encouraging his teammates at Marítimo.
"Wu Yu, take a long shot whenever you have the chance. It's already very difficult to break through into the penalty area now." Martens instructed beside Wu Yu.
Wu Yu nodded, indicating understanding.
It was already past 10pm in Portugal, and the fans who had been watching the match for over two hours at the Estádio do Drag?o were not feeling tired at all. Instead, they became increasingly tense as the final moments approached.
Neither Benfica nor Maritimo fans have confidence in guaranteeing their team's final victory, as neither side has been able to determine an advantage on the field and neither has grasped the opportunity to break through the opponent's goal.
Although the score was 1-1, the game process was thrilling and wonderful.
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After a few minutes of rest, the second half of the overtime match began. Wu Yu tried two long shots under Martens' instructions, but unfortunately neither could break Benfica's goal. Benfica, led by Gaitan, also organized several counterattacks, but they were all resolved by the defensive line led by Gao Wei.
Both sides spent too much energy on midfield control and solid defense, and failed to settle the battle within 120 minutes.
The match has gone into penalty shootout!
Martins and the coaching staff walked into the field from the substitute bench, arranging the penalty shootout order while the players rested.
"Ricardo, you kick first," Martínez said to Quaresma.
"Alright, hand it over." Quaresma said firmly.
Although he was not the first penalty taker in many teams, he still had a lot of experience in taking penalties throughout his more than ten-year career. In the entire Maritimo team, he has the richest big game experience and the greatest pressure in the penalty shootout, so it is undoubtedly the most correct choice for him to take the first shot.
"Come on Dick O, you take the second penalty." Martins looked at young Dick O.
"Alright, I can," Dick said confidently.
"Arthur third, Dili fourth, and the fifth..." Martins quickly determined the order of the first four free throws, and at the equally critical moment of the fifth free throw, his eyes fell on Wu Yu.
"Wu Yu, you come and take the fifth penalty kick, can you?" Martens asked, although it was a question, but his tone was firm.
"Alright." Wu Yu said briefly and firmly.
He stared at the opponent's goal, and didn't say much, just one sentence was enough to show his attitude. In Fuli Youth Team, he was the first penalty taker in the team. The hard life since childhood had cultivated his perseverance, no matter what kind of opponents he faced, he would not waver, as long as he stood on the penalty spot, he would end the game.
Looking at Wu Yus firm expression, Martins nodded in satisfaction and quickly confirmed the order of the next free throw, handing over the list to the chief referee.
The final of the Portuguese League Cup is about to start with a penalty shootout!
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