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Chapter 762: Cherishing the Present
In the third round of the Premier League, Manchester City hosted West Ham United. After the match, the football world entered a two-week international break, with national teams from around the world competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup in Russia.
The Chinese team was no exception. The Asian qualifiers officially began on September 1st. They were grouped with South Korea, Iran, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Qatar. To ensure nothing went wrong, Wang Feng naturally joined the team.
West Ham United, also known as the "Hammers," is located in the East London district of Newham. They have never won the English Premier League title but have won the FA Cup three times.
The team originated from the Thames Ironworks Football Club, founded by workers from the Thames Ironworks factory, which quickly transitioned from amateur to professional.
In the nineteenth century, due to operational and financial issues, the club was officially dissolved and reestablished under the name West Ham United. However, the image of the hammer used by the ironworkers was retained in the club badge.
Their arch-rivals, Millwall, are also a team from a steel factory, and the rivalry between the two clubs extends from commercial competition to football.
In recent years, West Ham United has been hovering in the middle and lower reaches of the league, with survival being their main goal. Facing the powerful Manchester City, no one thought they had any chance.
However, no one expected the away team to lose so badly, 7-0! The Sky Blues swept the Hammers with a big score.
In the first half, Wang Feng contributed his first hat-trick since joining the Premier League and assisted Sterling and Fernandinho to score goals.
In addition, David Silva and substitute De Bruyne each scored a goal, resulting in this massacre.
Everyone could see that the Manchester City players were in excellent form, with their fighting spirit and desire for victory reaching its peak.
"We are stronger than ever before!" Kompany said excitedly in an interview after the match.
So far, the teams in the Premier League with a perfect record are Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
The most exciting match of this round was the showdown between Arsenal and Liverpool. After a fierce battle of 90 minutes, Arsenal suffered a 3-4 defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Setting off from Manchester, Wang Feng flew directly to Seoul to join the national team. After nearly 20 hours of flying, he finally arrived at his destination on the day of the match.
As soon as he got off the plane, he was surrounded by domestic reporters. "Wang Feng, you finally arrived. Will you be able to represent the team in today's match?"
"Will the long journey affect your performance? How do you ensure smooth cooperation with your teammates?"
"If you can't play, what is your prediction for the outcome of the match?"
Having experienced the shadow of losing in the previous World Cup qualifiers, no one wanted to repeat the same mistakes. The Chinese superstar naturally became a reassuring presence for everyone.
Wang Feng helplessly waved his hand, indicating everyone to calm down and listen to him. "Thank you all for your concern. Yes, I feel a bit tired, which is inevitable."
"But I believe it won't affect my performance. As for whether I can play or not, it depends on the coaching staff's arrangement. I unconditionally support any decision they make."
"And I believe that even if I'm not on the field, my teammates can still contribute to an exciting match. They are all excellent warriors who have fought in European football."
"Now please make way for me, I want to join the team as soon as possible. Time is precious!"
Hearing Wang Feng's words, the reporters didn't dare to delay and consciously stepped aside, watching Wang Feng leave in a special car.
"As long as Wang is there, we won't panic." Zhang Yunxin, a reporter from "Sports Weekly," couldn't help but sigh. His colleagues around him all nodded in agreement.
However, amidst the relaxation, there was still some worry. When the Chinese superstar turns 35 in 2018, it will probably be his last World Cup. Who will then take up the flag for the national team?
The uncertainty of the future made people feel fearful, so they cherished the present even more, cherishing every game Wang Feng played in.
In the end, Coach Lippi did not let the Chinese superstar start the game. He sent Huang Hu and Wu Lei to lead the attack, and the veteran Dong Fangzhuo sat on the bench.
The biggest star on the South Korean side was undoubtedly the 24-year-old forward Son Heung-min, who joined Tottenham Hotspur last year. To ensure victory at home, they included him in the starting lineup.
Coach Lippi's strategy in this game was relatively simple, focusing on defense to ensure stability and seizing opportunities to counterattack.
Therefore, the South Korean team had the upper hand on the field. Young Son Heung-min repeatedly relied on his individual ability to break through the wings and create threats. If it weren't for the tight defensive formation of the Chinese team, they would have conceded long ago.
"Ah, youth is good. I used to have this kind of speed." After Son Heung-min made a breakthrough and crossed, Dong Fangzhuo, sitting on the bench, couldn't help but sigh.
"We can't keep being surrounded like this. Zheng Zhi and Zhang Fanlin can't stop Son at all. I think you need to go on the field to give the opponents enough deterrence, so they won't easily push forward." He said to Wang Feng beside him.
The Chinese superstar glanced at the coach. "Lippi has his own considerations and arrangements. Listen to the coach. Don't forget that we have a showdown with Iran at home next."
"Perhaps it's difficult to deal with Son Heung-min one-on-two right now, but it consumes a lot of his physical energy. I believe he can't hold on for long."
Sure enough, after the Chinese team defended for nearly 30 minutes, the South Korean team's offensive gradually slowed down. Seizing this opportunity, the away team quickly strengthened their offensive rhythm.
Midfielder Feng Miao suddenly forced a steal, then sent a ground pass to the backline. Huang Hu quickly inserted from the high-speed side, received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, bypassed the defensive players and the goalkeeper, and scored a goal into the empty net, giving the team the lead.
"Beautiful! Truly my successor!" Dong Fangzhuo jumped up excitedly, waving his fists.
In the recent friendly matches, Bayern had repeatedly put Huang Hu on the bench. Therefore, many fans thought that the coach's decision was a failure and that he could no longer receive attention from the club, and perhaps he would gradually fade away from the public eye in the future.
However, Dong Fangzhuo knew how hardworking and dedicated this kid was. He also believed that the young Chinese player would definitely become his successor.
The first half ended with the Chinese team temporarily leading. After the break, the South Korean team quickly equalized using their star's skills. Son Heung-min finally scored after multiple attempts, shooting from outside the penalty area and hitting the dead corner of the goal.
After that, neither side managed to score again until the 75th minute, when Lippi approached Wang Feng and said, "Wang, go warm up. Go on and make a push. It's best if you can score, but it's okay if you can't. Consider it as warming up for the next game."
Five minutes later, taking advantage of a throw-in opportunity, the Chinese superstar took to the field. At this moment, the South Korean TV commentator said, "Isn't it a bit too late to send Wang Feng now?"
"Even he can't secure a victory in such a short time. A draw is acceptable for both sides. In recent years, the Chinese team has maintained a strong position in Asia, but with Wang aging and Son rising, the future will definitely belong to South Korea!"
Before the passionate words could even settle down, the stadium erupted into cheers. Wang Feng scored! Less than a minute after coming on!
Unfortunately, the camera didn't cut to the live broadcast booth, otherwise, all South Korean fans would have seen their own commentator stunned, with his mouth wide open, in a comical scene.