Chapter 244: Lifting the First Championship Trophy!
On March 8th, at Wembley Stadium in London, the first champion of the season in the top five European leagues will be decided. The finalists are Manchester City and Sunderland.
Due to the League Cup final clashing with league matches, Manchester City's 29th round match against Aston Villa has been postponed to May 8th.
With their deep bench and a bit of luck, Manchester City has battled through the League Cup to reach the final.
Their opponent today, Sunderland, may be a modest team, but their performance in the League Cup this season has been impressive.
Sunderland faced Chelsea and Manchester United in the knockout stages. Thanks to their outstanding home performances, they managed to defeat both teams and miraculously reach the final.
If they can defeat Manchester City in the final, they will break a historical record by winning the League Cup for the first time.
Sunderland's last significant trophy was the FA Cup in the 1972-1973 season, over 40 years ago.
So, the entire Sunderland team is desperate to win this trophy.
Coincidentally, so is Manchester City!
"Do you hear the cheers from Wembley Stadium?"
Before the match, in the locker room, Pellegrini gave a rare pre-match pep talk.
In Lin Quan's impression, Pellegrini wasn't much of a talker.
But today, he had a lot to say.
"That's the sound of over 90,000 fans cheering!"
"Tell me, do you want to win a championship on this sacred ground of English football and enjoy the cheers and applause of the entire stadium?"
The players all nodded. Although the League Cup isn't highly prestigious, winning any title is still an achievement. If they end up empty-handed in other competitions this season, at least the League Cup can provide some solace.
Moreover, having reached the final, how could they possibly let the championship slip away?
"Great, then go out there and show your desire to win through your actions!"
Kompany led the team in putting their hands together.
"Manchester City!"
"Go, go, go!"
...
As he stepped onto the turf of Wembley Stadium, Lin Quan took a deep breath and looked around.
Compared to Manchester City's home ground, the Etihad Stadium, Wembley is much larger, accommodating over 90,000 spectators.
And this is the new Wembley, which was rebuilt and can hold fewer people than the old Wembley, which could hold 120,000 fans.
The most impressive feature of the new Wembley is a 133-meter-tall arch, stretching 315 meters in total, secured by several steel cables holding up the north and south roof sections of the stadium.
This is quite different from the Camp Nou, where Lin Quan often went as a child. The Camp Nou is large but only has a roof on one side. On rainy days, most of the seats are exposed to the rain, making for a rather uncomfortable viewing experience.
Today, Wembley Stadium is packed. Fans from both teams and some neutral supporters have filled every seat.
Looking around, most of the stadium is filled with Manchester City fans wearing light blue.
By rough estimate, there are over 50,000 Manchester City fans in attendance.
In contrast, Sunderland fans wearing yellow jerseys are only about 20,000, with the remaining 20,000 being neutral fans.
Even before the match began, the fans from both sides were already engaged in their own battle.
Sunderland's fans started singing their team song "I'm On My Way."
Compared to Manchester City's more relaxed team song, Sunderland's is much more rousing.
The 20,000 Sunderland fans singing together created quite an atmosphere!
If Manchester City's fans had also sung their team song, it might not have been able to overpower Sunderland's fans.
However, Manchester City's fans didn't fall for it. Instead, over 50,000 City fans chanted the names of their players, one by one, as they appeared on the pitch.
This frustrated the Sunderland fans, as every few lines of their song were interrupted by the other side.
Moreover, with the names of Manchester City players being chanted by so many fans, the players seemed to be invigorated, looking lively and full of spirit.
On the other hand, Sunderland's players, entering the pitch with no such cheers, felt a bit dejected, as if they were up against the entire world.
The match hadn't even started, and already the morale between the two teams was noticeably different.
At 7 PM, with the referee's whistle, the match officially began.
Manchester City wasted no time and immediately launched an attack.
The two teams had recently met in the league, so they knew each other well, with no need for initial probing.
Manchester City set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with the front three initiating the first wave of attacks. If that didn't work, the three midfielders would launch a second wave.
The two fullbacks would join the attack, increasing the number of attacking players and options, aiming to maintain maximum control of the ball.
Manchester City's tactics weren't complicated; they planned to rely on their superior squad to dominate.
Sunderland may be a modest team, but Manchester City boasts a squad full of stars.
If these stars play to their potential, Sunderland is in for a tough match.
In the first ten minutes, the game was almost one-sided.
Manchester City managed four shots on goal within ten minutes, two of which were quite threatening.
If not for their goalkeeper's excellent performance, Sunderland might have already been behind.
They couldn't stay passive any longer; prolonged defense would inevitably lead to a goal, and Manchester City's next attack might change the scoreline.
Sunderland's coach, Steve Bruce, furrowed his brow, thinking hard about how to turn the tide.
Simply defending wasn't going to work. They needed to launch effective counterattacks to stop Manchester City's advances.
Finals are different from semifinals; it's a one-game decider.
These matches can be highly unpredictable, giving even underdog teams a chance to pull off an upset.
In the FA Cup and League Cup, many champions have been smaller teams due to the high degree of unpredictability.
Sunderland's players were desperate for this trophy. They hadn't won any significant silverware in a long time.
This desire could greatly boost their fighting spirit, but it could also increase their pressure, making them less free in their play.
In contrast, Manchester City was also competing for the league title and had a good chance of progressing in the Champions League. They might not focus all their energy on this relatively minor trophy.
So, if Sunderland could hold on and withstand Manchester City's initial onslaught, the game might become easier.
With this in mind, Steve Bruce shouted encouragement to his players, urging them to hang on a bit longer.
Steve was right; Manchester City's tactic was to go for an early goal.
If they succeeded, they would control the game, forcing the opponent to attack and then use their speed on the flanks to counter-attack, aiming to win with minimal effort.
When strong teams adopt a defensive counter-attacking approach, it's very difficult for weaker teams to beat them.
Manchester City had three more matches in the coming days: the FA Cup quarter-final on March 10th, the second leg of the Champions League knockout stage on March 13th, and the 30th round of the Premier League on March 15th.
Including today's match, they had to play four matches in a week.
Such a dense schedule would be tough even for the fittest players.
Therefore, they had to prioritize, and if Sunderland could withstand the initial barrage, they might have a chance to win the cup.
Hearing their coach's shouts, Sunderland's players also buckled down.
Their defense became more robust and decisive, with more aggressive actions.
This year is a World Cup year, and Sunderland doesn't have many international players, but Manchester City's squad is full of them.
This gave Sunderland's players an idea. By using rough fouls to intimidate their opponents, they could make them more cautious in their attacks, reducing their effectiveness.
They quickly put this plan into action, and Manchester City's players, especially those in the front, faced frequent fouls.
The most severe foul occurred in the 12th minute when David Silva, cutting inside with the ball, was brutally taken down by Sunderland defender Bardsley.
Manchester City's players were furious, rushing to confront Bardsley.
Protected by his teammates, Bardsley sneered, saying:
"This is a game for the brave. Cowards and wimps don't belong here. If you're afraid of getting hurt, go home and take care of your babies! Hahaha!"
After mocking Manchester City's players, Bardsley eagerly anticipated a confrontation: Come on, argue with me, or better yet, hit me! If you lose your temper and get sent off, the victory will be ours!
Lin Quan saw through his ploy. He stopped his angry teammates and quietly discussed something with a few of them, frequently glancing at Bardsley during the discussion.
Bardsley felt uneasy under Manchester City's players' scrutiny and shouted at Lin Quan: "Kid, watch your legs, or you might miss the World Cup!"
"Thanks for your concern. I advise you to buy a wheelchair, or you might need to be carried off the field later!"
Lin Quan responded calmly, looking at Bardsley as if he were already a dead man.
"Ref, this guy threatened me!"
Bardsley, scared by Lin Quan's fierce gaze, didn't dare to continue the confrontation and chose to complain to the referee.
The referee ignored Bardsley's complaint and gave him a yellow card for his foul.
The match resumed with a free kick for Manchester City.
Lin Quan glanced at the free kick spot, the position, and the distance to the goal. He decided to use the newly learned S-shaped free kick to take this one!
Seeing Lin Quan at the free kick spot, Manchester City fans perked up.
"Lin has scored at least four or five free kicks this season. Can he score this one?"
"It's a bit difficult, the free kick position isn't great!"
"The distance to the goal is too far, and it's on the left side of the field. This position can only be kicked with the right foot!"
"This spot is about 35 meters from the goal. Is this within Lin's free kick range?"
"It doesn't seem like we've seen him take a free kick from this far!"
Although Manchester City fans were very excited, they were not very optimistic about this free kick.
If it were Lin Quan's most familiar position, with his elevator kick's power, the chances of scoring would be high.
But from this position, there were limited options for a free kick, and the chances of scoring seemed slim.
Standing at the spot, Lin Quan estimated the distance.
He then stepped back seven or eight steps and stopped.
Here it comes!
This move must be the elevator kick!
Sunderland's goalkeeper thought so, having specifically studied Lin Quan's elevator kick before the game.
The elevator kick looks like it's going high, making you lower your guard, but then it suddenly dips near the goal, catching you off guard.
As long as you don't make this mistake, don't let your experience fool you, keep your eyes wide open and stay alert for that sudden dip, you should be able to save the shot!
However, just as he was determined to save Lin Quan's elevator kick.
He was surprised to find that Lin Quan didn't take an elevator kick but a simple curved shot.
Did he make a mistake?
Sunderland's goalkeeper was astonished; he rarely saw Lin Quan make mistakes.
Not that it never happened, but mistakes were very rare.
That's why many people called Lin Quan a ruthless machine.
Never mind, this curved shot's trajectory is easy to predict and save.
As long as you anticipate its path and make a standard save, you can easily stop it.
Just like this, and this!
However, as he made his move, he was shocked to find that the ball, initially flying to his right, suddenly curved to the left.
This is!
An S-shaped free kick!
Sunderland's goalkeeper's eyes widened, but he was already in mid-air and powerless against this shot.
He could only watch as the ball flew past him and into the net with a swish!
"Oh my god, what did I just see? Juninho's signature move—the S-shaped free kick!"
In the commentary booth, Andy Gray was dumbfounded, speaking in a trembling voice.
Beside him, Martin Tyler wasn't as surprised:
"Hehe, I have some news to share with the audience. In the friendly match between Spain and Italy two days ago, facing the goal guarded by the world's number one goalkeeper Buffon, Lin Quan scored a fantastic S-shaped free kick. So, I'm not surprised he can take such high-quality free kicks today!"
Andy Gray gave his partner a surprised look; this guy even watched the Spain-Italy friendly?
How much does he like Lin Quan!
"Months ago, it seemed Lin's arsenal only had the elevator kick and falling leaf kick. Now, he has another killer move.
I think other teams should consider strictly limiting their fouls when facing Manchester City, not giving Lin Quan such easy scoring opportunities.
Although his direct free-kick scoring rate isn't as high as top free-kick masters, don't forget, his improvement rate is astonishingly fast. No one knows how high his free-kick ability will go!"
Martin Tyler increasingly appreciated this player, who seemed to bring new surprises every few months!
"Lin is amazing!"
"He can score even from this position, incredible!"
"Haha, the goalkeeper's expression was hilarious. He thought he was going the right way but was fooled by Lin!"
"Manchester City is ahead, is this game in the bag?"
"Most likely, Sunderland has to attack now, and once they do, they'll have too many gaps!"
The situation indeed unfolded as the fans predicted. Trailing in score, the Sunderland players, unwilling to lose, started to attack.
However, their pre-match strategy was defensive counter-attacks, with little preparation for positional play.
This made their attacks seem harmless, struggling even to enter Manchester City's dangerous thirty-meter zone.
Conversely, once Sunderland came forward, Manchester City capitalized on their defensive gaps to launch effective counter-attacks.
In the 29th minute, Manchester City launched another attack.
In a fast counter-attack, De Bruyne passed to David Silva, and Sunderland's full-back immediately moved to intercept.
Under intense pressure, David Silva made a mistake, sending a difficult pass.
He quickly gestured an apology and prepared to fall back.
Seeing a chance, Sunderland's defender Bardsley rushed forward.
Lin Quan initially planned to give up this chance but changed his mind seeing Bardsley rushing.
Bardsley, using his peripheral vision, saw Lin Quan approaching and quickly calculated:
Directly fouling Lin Quan would definitely draw a whistle, maybe even a card.
If he couldn't take Lin out of the game, giving him a free kick would be a huge threat to his goal.
But if he could take Lin out while contesting a 50-50 ball, he wouldn't get carded and could injure their star player!
Thinking this, Bardsley swung his leg with full force towards the ball.
Lin Quan, unafraid, struck at the same time.
With a loud thud, their legs clashed.
"Ah!"
Instantly, Bardsley felt a massive force travel through the ball to his ankle, a sharp pain piercing his heart, making him cry out.
He collapsed, clutching his ankle, writhing in agony.
The force of their clash also unbalanced Lin Quan, who fell to the ground.
The referee immediately rushed over, signaling for the medics and stretcher to handle the injured.
First, he looked at the screaming Sunderland defender, then at Lin Quan. Bardsley's ankle was visibly deformed, clearly badly injured.
Clashing with Lin Quan, the reaction force must have injured him too.
If he's more severely injured than Bardsley, he might be out for the rest of the season, missing the World Cup too.
What a waste of such talent and skill if he can't showcase himself on the World Cup stage.
Countless thoughts flashed through the referee's mind. But before he reached Lin Quan, Lin stood up, dusting off the grass as if nothing happened.
Manchester City's medic team, halfway there, and the referee froze in surprise.
"Lin, if you're hurt, you shouldn't move!"
Concerned he might be forcing himself, the referee kindly reminded.
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine!"
Lin Quan moved his feet, feeling good.
If not for his injury immunity talent, he wouldn't risk clashing with an opponent like this.
Bardsley hoped to take Lin out with this chance, unaware Lin had an ace up his sleeve!
For safety, the referee still had Manchester City's medics examine Lin.
After confirming he was uninjured, they left the field with their equipment.
Bardsley wasn't as lucky, carried off on a stretcher, wailing all the way.
Trailing in score, with a player injured, Sunderland's morale plummeted.
In contrast, Manchester City, led by Lin Quan, was brimming with confidence, launching wave after wave of fierce attacks.
In the 55th minute, Lin Quan assisted De Bruyne for another goal.
Manchester City sealed the victory with a 2:0 score.
Ultimately, with goals from Lin Quan and De Bruyne, Manchester City defeated Sunderland in the League Cup final, claiming their first trophy of the season!
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