"Although Mahrez had physical contact with Carrick, he did not have control of the ball. If Vili had called that a penalty, Vili would definitely face immense pressure from public opinion after the match. Because if Carrick's initial stop and collision with Mahrez was a foul, then Manchester United would also have reason to be awarded penalties for the previous physical contact between Van Dijk and Rooney, and the collision between Lovren and Berbatov in the penalty area!"
"Vili is being fair now. Since he didn't give Manchester United a penalty before, Cambridge United should also accept it when a collision of the same magnitude occurs. Therefore, no penalty."
"Look, Manchester United's counterattack! This was originally a counterattack opportunity for Cambridge United, but now it has turned into a counterattack for Manchester United!"
Although De Vrij sprinted back to the defense, after Carrick passed the ball to Gary Neville, Manchester United's counterattacking momentum was already established. Neville's direct pass down the wing sent the ball to Nani's feet on the forward wing.
Nani was in a good position. It's unclear if he was too tired or had other reasons before, but when De Vrij intercepted the ball and advanced, Nani didn't chase back with full effort, instead slowly walking towards midfield. But before he even reached the halfway line, Manchester United's counterattack came again!
Nani, having had a short rest, stopped the ball this time and turned, dribbling forward with exceptional speed.
M'Vila immediately went to the wing to assist in defense, but to his embarrassment, Nani's dribble this time didn't unleash maximum speed all at once. Instead, he deliberately waited for him to come assist.
When M'Vila was about to close in, Nani suddenly accelerated to his peak, abruptly increasing his speed and dribbling past, causing M'Vila to miss his tackle!
The entire Park Stadium fell silent, as everyone gazed at Nani's sprint on the field with worried expressions!
After breaking through M'Vila's defense, Nani immediately cut inside and surged towards the penalty area.
Just as he reached the edge of the penalty area, Lovren had no choice but to block him, while Berbatov moved towards the far post. If Nani were to cross the ball to the far post, Van Dijk wouldn't have many opportunities to interfere with him.
Van Dijk, concerned about marking Berbatov, moved a few steps towards the far post with Berbatov. But this left the center of the penalty area open!
The gate was wide open!
As soon as Nani stepped into the penalty area, he casually passed the ball across to the penalty spot.
Rooney, surging from behind, sprinted into the penalty area. Before he entered the box, Kante clearly made a move to grab his jersey, but Rooney's frontal sprint was too fast, and Kante's reach failed to grab his opponent's jersey!
By the time Van Dijk reacted in the penalty area and moved to the penalty spot, it was too late.
Oblak rushed out of his goal towards the penalty spot. As Rooney arrived at the position to meet the ball and shoot, Oblak hadn't even run out of the six-yard box. Rooney, with a minimal right-footed pushing shot, struck the ball with no obvious backswing.
The football rolled quickly past Oblak. Oblak, who extended his leg to intercept after the ball had passed, could only turn his head and look back. When he saw the football roll into the bottom right corner of the goal, he fell backward onto the ground, closing his eyes in despair.
It's over!
They've been counter-reversed!
Park Stadium fell silent instantly. The moment Rooney shot the ball into Cambridge United's goal, many fans in the stands seemed to smell death!
Manchester United fans were practically rioting in the away section!
They were jumping up and down, countless people screaming themselves hoarse. Even Ferguson, almost losing his composure, raised both fists and ran a few steps onto the field. He was as happy as a child, as if he had regained his youth.
"Rooney! Rooney received Nani's pass and broke through Oblak's ten fingers! On the live standings, Manchester United has overtaken Chelsea by two points to rank first.
Crazy Manchester United, crazy match, crazy Premier League!
Will Cambridge United's efforts for more than half a season go to waste?
The pressure has completely shifted to the promoted team, Cambridge United!"
"Martin, Martin, Manchester United, despite being in poor form, has erupted with incredible fighting power. Does the heritage and temperament of a traditional powerhouse truly mean grassroots teams can only bow down?
With a packed schedule and strong opponents, will the strongest promoted team in history, Cambridge United, lose in the final sprint?
In fact, they have already performed astonishingly enough, but now, in a sense, Cambridge United is on the edge of a cliff!
Including injury time, there might be nearly 20 minutes left in the match. In these 20 minutes, can Cambridge United turn their fate around?"
Rooney, like a hero, enjoyed the enthusiastic cheers of Manchester United fans in the corner flag area of Park Stadium. The Cambridge United players, however, looked at each other, many feeling a tingling scalp, especially the deathly silence of the Cambridge United fans in the stands, which was like a virus, making people feel weak, as if foreshadowing disaster!
Juninho shouted at his teammates, constantly raising his hands to boost morale.
"Guys, we haven't lost yet! This state isn't right! There's still time in the game, we must focus all our attention on the match!
Don't mind other factors, believe in yourselves, we can win!"
Juninho tirelessly encouraged every teammate. Soon, everyone cheered up again, their eyes firm as they walked back to their positions, preparing for the game to restart.
Huang Hao stood on the sidelines, his expression seemingly calm, but only he knew that his back was sweating and all the hairs on his body were standing on end!
Thump-thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump-thump.
His heartbeat, like a drumbeat, seemed to shake his very soul.
Huang Hao shook his head vigorously. He wanted to shift his thoughts, not to dwell on those terrible consequences!
He chose this path, there was no turning back!
The whole world was his enemy!
Even himself.
In this process, he was fighting all his enemies, and also fighting himself!
He couldn't be a loser!
He needed to focus on how to break the current deadlock. The lads were working very hard; come what may, none of the lads on the field had truly disappointed him. Now, what he had to do was help them, lead them to defeat Manchester United!
Huang Hao quickly reviewed the previous match in his mind, searching for Manchester United's weaknesses, and thinking about how to turn the entire situation around! After Cambridge United restarted the game, Huang Hao stood motionless on the sidelines, giving no instructions.
This made Ferguson, standing not far away, conclude that Huang Hao had run out of ideas!
Manchester United, now leading, focused more on defense, fighting for every inch in defensive tackles. If they couldn't stop Cambridge United, they fouled!
Cambridge United, on the other hand, played a systematic, fast, and fluid passing game, but struggled to create threats.
It wasn't until the 75th minute that Huang Hao suddenly seized the opportunity after Juninho's long-range shot went wide. He first shouted twice at the defensive players in the backfield, getting their attention, and then immediately gestured to them.
The adjustments he made to the backline were, first, M'Vila attacking more actively, going into the penalty area to act as a high target, and second, Kante dropping back to sweep in front of the penalty area.
Finally, Huang Hao's adjustments were for the attacking players. His gesture was very simple: he pointed to Mahrez on the far side, meaning it was clear: attack centered around Mahrez! Make Mahrez the attacking core and create opportunities for him!
Perhaps his attacking adjustment instructions were too obvious, even Manchester United's players understood them.
After making the attacking adjustments, Huang Hao turned and walked to the dugout and sat down. He thought to himself: Lads, I believe you understand my true adjustment intentions!
On the field, Juninho, upon receiving Huang Hao's instructions, looked thoughtful, then showed a look of sudden realization, casting a meaningful glance at Mahrez not far away, and then threw himself into the new round of battle.
Huang Hao, who had just sat down, received advice from Darren.
Darren said with a slightly worried expression, "How about bringing on Gotze to try?"
Huang Hao shook his head and said bluntly, "I'm not confident in his defense. His offense might indeed bring unexpected results, but right now, the competition on the field is not just about skill, but also the most important battlefield: mental willpower!"
Darren thought for a moment, speechless.
Because what Huang Hao said was irrefutable.
Cambridge United immediately executed Huang Hao's tactical adjustments after the changes.
In the 77th minute, Van Dijk advanced to the front, providing offensive width on the wing. Only by doing so could he allow Mahrez to leave the wing and boldly threaten Manchester United's goal.
Juninho also actively moved closer to the left wing in the attacking third, and even Vardy from the frontline actively pulled to the outside of the penalty area on this side.
As Van Dijk, Juninho, and Vardy completed a triangular pass, Manchester United's Gary Neville, Fletcher, Carrick, plus the retreating Nani immediately formed a cordon. Van Dijk suddenly passed the ball back to the center from the wing. Just past the halfway line, Kante stopped the ball and immediately made a direct pass to the central area in front of the penalty area.
Mahrez also surged past Carrick from behind. Carrick wanted to intercept the football, but he was a step too slow. Mahrez took the ball from behind him and immediately shot!
Vidić rushed up and blocked his shot with his body. The blocked ball flew to the left backfield.
The retreating Giggs controlled the ball and turned. Seeing the relatively large attacking space in front, he unhesitatingly passed the ball directly to the left wing in the attacking third.
Rooney pulled to the left wing to receive the ball. By the time he controlled the ball, adjusted, and faced Cambridge United's penalty area, Kante had already retreated to the front of the box. Rooney dribbled into the penalty area. Facing De Vrij, who had dropped into the box to defend, he feinted and dribbled one step towards the byline, then immediately passed the ball across.
Although the ball rolled past De Vrij from behind, there were still two defenders in the penalty area, Lovren and Van Dijk. The two were double-teaming Berbatov, so Lovren naturally had a better chance to clear the ball. He rushed forward first and used the inside of his foot to block the ball out of the penalty area.
Kante stopped the ball outside the penalty area, turned, and then organized another attack.
After three passes and two turnovers, the ball once again went to the left wing in the attacking third.
However, this time Tadić and Juninho made a cross-over exchange, confusing Manchester United's defense. Immediately after, Juninho passed the ball to Vardy on the left in front of the penalty area. The latter, in front of Gary Neville, feigned a horizontal dribble, but as Gary Neville moved horizontally to block his cutting line, he knocked the ball back to the outside.
Mahrez sprinted down the wing at top speed. No one could interfere with his pass, and at this moment, Lewandowski was already moving towards the front post of the penalty area.
Mahrez looked up to observe the situation in the penalty area and decisively crossed the ball immediately.
The ball flew to the front post of the penalty area, precisely on Lewandowski's running line.
At this moment, Ferdinand and Vidić immediately went to block Lewandowski's point of impact, but Lewandowski's excellent jumping ability still made them feel somewhat powerless. The three almost converged at the same point. Lewandowski jumped up from the front and headed the ball!
The ball flew towards Manchester United's goal, making everyone in Manchester United break out in a cold sweat.
Even goalkeeper Van der Sar was a bit nervous. Fortunately, Lewandowski's header was very central. Van der Sar hastily blocked the ball directly, then ran one step forward and embraced the ball.
A sigh of disappointment echoed through Park Stadium.
Some psychologically fragile Cambridge United fans even looked like they were about to cry.
They couldn't believe that such a strong attack still couldn't break Manchester United's defense!
Ferguson swallowed hard on the sidelines. He was now somewhat afraid of Huang Hao. Even though his team was leading, Huang Hao's adjustments clearly brought an attacking advantage to Cambridge United!
Attacking the left wing heavily? This is the right way to use troops to create opportunities for Lewandowski!
It was easy to see through, but with all of Cambridge United's good players gathered on the left wing, Manchester United simply couldn't defend them!
But Huang Hao sat on the dugout with a grim expression, seemingly unmoved by Lewandowski's shot.
In the 82nd minute, Manchester United launched another threatening attack. Nani received Carrick's long diagonal pass from the back on the right wing, and in a sprint, he defeated Tadić, who had made several sprints earlier.
He advanced the attack all the way towards the byline. When he saw Berbatov and Rooney both surge into the penalty area, he wanted to send in a cross, but Cambridge United had three defenders in the box tightly marking them, which made Nani hesitate. At this moment, Fletcher from the center rushed up, and Nani immediately passed the ball to Fletcher.
Just as the ball rolled to Fletcher's feet, Kante rushed up first and made a fierce sliding tackle!
Fletcher was agile, though, and at the moment of touching the ball, he poked it and changed direction, dodging Kante's tackle. But just as he made the poking motion, M'Vila started faster than Fletcher expected.
When Fletcher next touched the ball, he and M'Vila clashed feet, and the ball changed direction between them, making it look as if the ball at Fletcher's feet had been dispossessed by M'Vila.
And the ball he dispossessed rolled right to Kante. Kante immediately stood up, and before he was fully upright, he poked the ball forward. The counter-pressing Fletcher missed his tackle, and Kante dribbled forward two steps before sending a diagonal pass to Mahrez on the left wing in midfield.
Mahrez immediately dribbled the ball forward along the wing. Lewandowski went directly to the front edge of the left rib of the penalty area, always ready to cut inside, while Vardy actively pulled to the left wing. At this moment, Gary Neville and Carrick both ran to defend, and Ferdinand and Vidić also subconsciously moved towards Lewandowski, to completely block Lewandowski.
Mahrez had not yet advanced the ball into the dangerous attacking zone when he felt a tingling scalp. At this moment, the defense on Manchester United's side was simply impenetrable!
Is attacking this side really the right choice?
Huang Hao's gaze, as he stared at Manchester United's half from the dugout on the sidelines, was profound, seeming to hold a meaning that others could not fathom. It was a complex gaze, confident yet expectant, anxious yet uneasy.