Looking at a somewhat dejected Moses, Warnock stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.
“This isn’t your fault. Cheer up, you still have 45 minutes.”
Moses slowly raised his head, looked at Warnock’s trusting gaze, and nodded vigorously.
“Everyone maintained a very good rhythm in the first half, but unfortunately, the finishing touch was a bit off. I hope in the second half, you can do better in that regard.”
Warnock scanned the players and didn’t make too many new deployments. After all, the team’s performance in the first half wasn’t bad. If it weren’t for Moses’s own goal, the first half would have been at least fifty-fifty, and Crystal Palace might even have had the upper hand.
The atmosphere on Huang Hao’s side was much more relaxed, as the unexpected joy of the first half had given the team the lead.
“Listen, Crystal Palace’s attack in the second half will definitely be more intense, because they are currently trailing,” Huang Hao said, clapping his hands and addressing the players.
“Cal deserves your good study and defense, and also Moses. Although he was on our side in the first half, I believe he will be Crystal Palace’s most determined player in the second half.”
After speaking, Huang Hao shrugged his shoulders, and the players also smiled knowingly.
“Maintain your good form today, score another goal, and surprise those who don’t favor us again!”
With that, Huang Hao clenched his fist and swung it vigorously towards the sky.
The second half began, and Crystal Palace indeed intensified their offense.
Moses, in particular, completely shook off the impact of the own goal and became exceptionally fierce! He continuously dribbled past Cambridge United players in the midfield!
Cambridge United’s players also raised their spirits, united as one, and withstood Crystal Palace’s opening onslaught.
Cal and Moses’s shots were either bravely blocked by Cambridge United players or went over the goal.
In the 50th minute, Cambridge United, having caught their breath, quickly advanced the ball to Crystal Palace’s front field.
May passed the ball to Bennett. After Bennett attracted two defenders, he passed the ball again to Sun Jihai, who was surging forward on the right. Sun Jihai crossed the ball!
Dzeko leaped high but headed the ball directly into Speroni’s arms!
In the 53rd minute, Clyne directly drove down the left flank to the Cambridge United penalty area’s byline and successfully crossed the ball to the far post!
Moses headed the ball!
After Pantilimon fumbled the catch, he reacted extremely quickly and immediately grabbed the ball!
In the 57th minute, O'Connor in the middle passed the ball to Bennett on the left. Bennett, at the edge of the penalty area, delivered a beautiful curling shot!
The ball bypassed all the defenders and appeared in front of the unmarked Vardy!
Vardy faced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
He launched a diving header!!!
Speroni punched the ball out for a corner! Cambridge United missed their best chance since the start of the second half!
In the 61st minute, Ayu once again found a good opportunity on the left and directly passed the ball into the penalty area!
Vardy’s header once again went wide of the goal!
In the 63rd minute, O'Connor gained possession in midfield and tried to pass the ball to the surging Adam May.
Moses, with a glance at May, slowly moved closer to him.
Just as O'Connor passed the ball, Moses suddenly surged forward, directly blocking between the two, and successfully intercepted the ball!
After two passes, the ball came to Cal’s feet!
Cal confidently passed the ball back to Moses in front. Moses didn’t hesitate and immediately sent it wide, passing the ball to John on the left! He then accelerated towards Cambridge United’s penalty area!
John dribbled the ball at high speed along the left flank!
The marking Bennett failed to stop his cross!
Although Moses in the penalty area had two defenders, Suxi and Lovren, by his side, he still accurately judged the ball’s landing spot! With almost no jump, Moses headed the ball from his spot! He looped the ball towards the goal!!!
The ball traced a parabolic arc, grazing the underside of the crossbar and falling into the goal!!!
1:1!!! Moses completed his redemption!!!
Over 22,300 Crystal Palace fans at Selhurst Park Stadium went wild!
Smith, who had been unable to stick to his judgment because Cambridge United had been leading, also regained his vitality.
“Aha! Moses with a beautiful header! Crystal Palace finally broke through Cambridge United’s defense in the 63rd minute!”
“There are still 30 minutes left in the match, which is enough for Crystal Palace!”
Cambridge United, after conceding the goal, did not collapse. They continued to organize their attacks in an orderly manner.
And Crystal Palace, after equalizing, also had their morale greatly boosted. For a time, the two teams were once again locked in a stalemate.
In the 70th minute, the substitute Lewandowski twice broke into the penalty area, but both his shots were directly blocked by Ward’s body!
In the 72nd minute, John’s shot from a tight angle also hit Cambridge United’s side netting.
The two teams attacked without reservation, engaging in an open and expansive duel, which made the spectators on the field cheer with excitement and enjoy it to the fullest! Although Cambridge United had several corner opportunities, O'Connor was replaced by Huang Hao due to fatigue from continuous matches, and Cambridge United’s set-piece offense was greatly reduced.
The match entered its final ten-plus minutes. Due to the two teams’ relentless pressing without regard for stamina, both sides’ players showed a clear decline in physical fitness, and errors on the field gradually increased.
Huang Hao had already used all three substitution slots, while Warnock thought for a moment and substituted the excellent Cal, replacing him with Schlupp.
Huang Hao stroked his chin. It seemed Warnock was not satisfied with a draw! In the 87th minute, Joel Ward dribbled along the left flank, evaded Sun Jihai, and directly lofted the ball into the penalty area!
After Clayton received the ball, Lovren and Suxi simultaneously closed in on him!
Helplessly, Clayton could only try to pass the ball to a teammate in the big penalty area, but unexpectedly, the ball directly hit Cambridge United’s Cole and rebounded towards the goal!!!
Pantilimon broke out in a cold sweat, making a desperate diving save to push the ball out for a corner!
Warnock on the sidelines also kicked the turf forcefully, full of regret!
As Lewandowski’s shot once again hit a Crystal Palace player’s body and went out for a corner, the 90 minutes of regular time were almost over.
The fourth official on the sidelines held up the 3-minute board, indicating that the match had officially entered injury time.
Cambridge United’s corner kick was once again directly cleared by Crystal Palace, with the ball being kicked directly from the penalty area to midfield.
After John gained possession, he sprinted directly from the right flank towards Cambridge United’s penalty area!
Suxi and Sun Jihai ran at high speed through the middle, trying their best to defend!
Ultimately, John’s cross hit Sun Jihai’s leg and went out for a corner, giving Crystal Palace a corner kick.
Schlupp’s corner kick was directly caught by Pantilimon, who leaped high to pluck it out of the air!
The match had already entered the 91st minute.
Pantilimon made a powerful throw, directly sending the ball to Mahrez on the right flank.
Mahrez immediately passed the ball to Crystal Palace’s front field!
Joel Ward once again got to the ball before Lewandowski, kicking it to Speroni. Speroni cleared the ball with a big kick back to midfield!
May won the ball and transferred it to Dzeko. Dzeko immediately sent it wide, passing the ball to Enzo Robise on the right flank!
Joel Ward once again surged forward, kicking the ball back to the center!
“Both teams don’t have very good opportunities. It seems Huang Hao’s team will still be lucky to force a draw with Crystal Palace away from home, securing a valuable point. I have to say, this… Cambridge United has a golden opportunity!!!”
Just as Smith was about to declare the match a draw, he suddenly braked!
Robise shielded Schlupp, and in the air, he kicked Ward’s cleared ball back into the Crystal Palace penalty area! Lewandowski suddenly accelerated from behind Panzo, overtaking him at the edge of the penalty area to get the ball!
Facing the rushing Speroni, Lewandowski quickly swung his lower leg with force!
The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net!!!
91 minutes and 57 seconds! Cambridge United completed the decisive goal!!!
Smith’s open mouth remained agape for a long time. He couldn’t understand why he was so unlucky, always getting slapped in the face by Huang Hao’s team.
“Alright, it seems I’ve once again lost to Huang’s team. They completed their… against Crystal Palace at the very end of the match… Let’s wait and see!!!”
“Lawrence gets the ball in the Cambridge United penalty area and passes it to Schlupp in the middle!!!”
“Schlupp shoots!!!”
“Goal!!! Crystal Palace!!! Schlupp!!! Reversal!!!”
“Crystal Palace, in the dying seconds of the match, scored through substitute Schlupp, once again equalizing the score!!!”
Smith, in the commentary box, pounded the table repeatedly, going mad!
Looking at the wildly celebrating Warnock, Huang Hao sighed deeply, “Alas! Just a little bit more!”
The referee didn’t even allow Cambridge United to kick off, directly blowing the final whistle.
Warnock walked straight to Huang Hao with a smile, and soon their hands met.
“Your team is great,” Warnock said with a smile.
“Thank you. See you next game.”
This time, Huang Hao’s response was more confident.
Warnock was stunned for a moment, then smiled even more broadly:
“Haha, no problem!”
With that, the two turned and walked towards their respective teams.
Two days had passed since the match against Crystal Palace, and the dramatic three-minute reversal at the end of the game was still being talked about by the media.
Cambridge United also gained another wave of popularity in China due to the report by “Football World.”
Especially the two Chinese characters “Huili” on their chests, which were particularly eye-catching.
After this match, Cambridge United remained firmly in third place in the League standings. The League had now completed 5 rounds, and this small team, which everyone had expected to be relegated back to League One before the season, was gradually gaining recognition.
Four days later, Cambridge United hosted Derby County at Abbey Stadium, facing their strongest opponent of the season.
As a relegated Premier League team, Derby County retained most of their key players, but after 5 League rounds, they had only managed one win, one draw, and three losses, putting their coach Paul Jewell under great pressure.
Cambridge United had a very smooth start to this match, taking the lead in just the 16th minute.
The one who scored for Cambridge United was once again O'Connor. His corner kick landed precisely on the head of defender Lovren, who did not disappoint his teammates, heading the ball directly into the net, giving Cambridge United a 1-0 lead over Derby County at home!
However, one minute later, the situation on the field suddenly changed!
After Derby County kicked off from midfield, they quickly transferred the ball to Cambridge United’s left flank. Savage received the ball with his back to the goal and, before he could even turn around, was directly tackled from behind by Sun Jihai!
Referee Andy Davis immediately blew his whistle for a foul! He then ran straight to Sun Jihai and, without hesitation, showed him a red card!
Huang Hao looked at the dejected Sun Jihai, his face full of disbelief.
They were all veterans; didn’t they know where to foul and where to just hold their position?
Facing Cambridge United, who were now playing with 10 men, Jewell would not miss this opportunity!
After Cambridge United stubbornly defended for 30 minutes, Derby County won a free kick on the right side of the penalty area.
Green delivered a curving shot, and the ball landed perfectly on the head of tall striker Howard!
Howard headed it like a lion, directly equalizing the score for Derby County!
In the second half, Huang Hao reluctantly brought on Bola and May to strengthen the defense, and ultimately, they tenaciously forced a draw with Derby County.
Huang Hao sighed deeply, “Why is it that when we face teams like Crystal Palace or Derby County, whom everyone expected us to beat, Cambridge United struggles so much?”