Tajikistan is considered one of the weakest teams in the Asian Cup, and the China Team has a good chance to get off to a winning start.
In the 12th minute of the match, the China Team took a throw-in from the right side of the opponent's half, and Gao Nuo pulled wide to receive it.
The opponent's defenders were under a lot of pressure today. Gao Nuo's tall stature and minor fame made him a key target for almost every team. Among Tajikistan's defenders, one player marked Gao Nuo throughout the match, sticking close to him no matter where the ball was.
Gao Nuo received the throw-in, with his back to the defender, and executed a brilliant pull-back turn, getting past one defender. Then, facing the onrushing center-back, he passed the ball to Xu Xin, who was supporting in midfield.
After receiving the ball, Xu Xin glanced at the situation in the penalty area. All the defenders were concentrated in the right-hand side, clearly drawn by Gao Nuo. He then hesitated for a moment, not shooting directly, and continued to lay the ball off to the left.
Tajikistan's defense quickly converged towards the center, but the pass was even faster. Captain Wu Xi received the ball at the top of the penalty arc, facing a somewhat open goal, and directly curled a shot. The ball arced into the goal.
The China Team led 1-0. The China Team fans in the stadium were ecstatic, shouting at Wu Xi, who had come to the sidelines: "Awesome!", "Go, go, go!", "One more!"
After taking the lead, the National Football Team played more relaxed. Gao Nuo alone disrupted the opponent's formation, making it somewhat disorganized, while Wu Lei also waited on the side for an opportunity.
In the 26th minute of the match, Gao Nuo simply used his speed to beat his opponent on the right flank. After cutting into the penalty area, he held off the center-back's defense, accelerated to the left for a step, creating a little space, and then directly shot. The ball was blocked by the center-back's outstretched leg, deflected, and flew towards the center of the goal, where the goalkeeper easily gathered it. Gao Nuo returned empty-handed.
Commentator He Wei said with some regret, "Gao Nuo's breakthrough was brilliant, but his shot was a bit forced. He could have passed to Wu Lei on the left; Wu Lei is still trustworthy, and he had an open space in front of him. Of course, there's nothing wrong with Gao Nuo shooting directly. Tajikistan was lucky; the ball's position after the deflection was too central, posing no threat to the goalkeeper."
On the field, the goalkeeper who had gathered the ball immediately kicked it long, attempting a quick transition from defense to offense. However, the landing spot was not ideal, and Zhang Linpeng directly collected it.
The attack and defense switched again. Zhang Linpeng also sent a long pass to the front. Gao Nuo, who had just retreated halfway, executed a stop-and-go move. He faced the incoming ball, and the moment it touched his foot, he used the outside of his left foot to flick it behind him. The ball rolled past the left side of the defender behind him, and Gao Nuo then turned and sprinted forward at high speed from the defender's right side, stopping the ball and splitting the man.
To the defenders' shock, Gao Nuo caught up to the ball in a few strides. Only one defender remained in front of the goalkeeper. Perhaps he heard He Wei's commentary, but this time Gao Nuo chose not to shoot, attracting the opponent's attention, and then passed it to the left side of the goal.
Wu Lei, who had been sprinting furiously during the counter-attack, appeared on the left at the right time. Facing Gao Nuo's pass, he made a series of quick adjustments with his feet, then pushed the ball towards the far corner of the goal.
Facing such a pull, the goalkeeper could only try his best to block the near post. At this moment, he could only turn his head and watch the ball fly towards the goal.
"Oh no!" The fans in the stadium let out a cry of disappointment. Wu Lei's shot was too precise in its angle; the ball grazed the post and flew out of bounds.
It was a very quick counter-attack. He Wei had just finished speaking, and his expression suddenly became a bit awkward. He bit the bullet and continued, "Gao Nuo's handling of that ball was incredibly calm. Not only was his stop-and-go move earlier brilliant, but his final pass to the wing was also very accurate. It's a shame about Wu Lei's shot; he wanted to score too much, and he aimed for an angle that was too tricky. It went straight past the post. If it had even a slight curve, that ball would have gone in. However, we can see that the China Team's offense is flowing very smoothly. If they keep this up, they will definitely score again."
Fans in the bullet comment section were also actively discussing.
National Football Team Hater for Life: "That ball didn't go in? Wu Lei, wake up!"
National Football Team Big Hater: "Wu Lei has been playing back in China for a year, how come he can't score even that ball?"
Da Ai Gao Nuo: "Gao Nuo's dribble was too flashy, a bit like Neymar."
Football Youth: "No matter what, support the National Team!"
Refund Brother: "I'm here live! Don't worry, everyone, we have the upper hand. The fans here are very enthusiastic, and the drums are about to start. Let's cheer on the China Team together!"
Wasting good opportunities inevitably led to some disappointment, but as professional players, everyone quickly adjusted their mindset and continued to control the game.
In the 43rd minute of the match, Wu Xi's through ball successfully found Gao Nuo. Facing the goalkeeper one-on-one, Gao Nuo made no extra movements. He pushed off with his right foot, rapidly swung his left leg, and powerfully struck the ball into the goal. Before he could celebrate, the Referee's whistle blew: offside. The goal was disallowed.
The China Team's protests had no effect. In the replay, Gao Nuo was indeed half a body length offside.
The first half of the match ended. Jankovic encouraged the players in the locker room, hoping the team would score another goal in the second half to establish a more stable lead.
In the live broadcast room, He Wei was summarizing the first half of the match, "Dear viewers, the first half of the match has ended. The China Team leads Tajikistan 1-0. We played very well in the first half, especially Gao Nuo, who has returned from playing abroad. He created several scoring opportunities, but unfortunately, our National Football Team players had a bit of bad luck today."
"Through the data, we learned that Gao Nuo was offside multiple times in the first half. It seems that this Manchester United starting striker is not yet fully adapted to the rhythm of the National Football Team's matches, and his passing and receiving with his teammates are not yet fully in sync."
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Unlike the commentator's official statements, the fans in the live broadcast room spoke more directly.
Rich and Carefree: "What do you mean 'not fully in sync'? Gao Nuo is clearly a level above everyone else."
Cling to the Thigh: "The big brother upstairs is right, look at Gao Nuo's several breakthroughs, they're a joy to watch!"
Luneng Graduate: "I play football, and I think the passes to Gao Nuo from midfield are a bit slow. Several times now, Gao Nuo's positioning has been great, but the ball just doesn't reach him."
National Football Team Hater for Life: "Gao Nuo's passes are very accurate, and he gives enough lead. This isn't about synergy; the overall standard is still poor."
Rise, National Football Team: "They're playing alright, at least their spirit is good. Once they get the match rhythm down, Gao Nuo's threat will be even greater! Rise! Rise!"
Gao Nuo, who was recovering his stamina, was also summarizing his own performance: "The first half wasn't very comfortable. Although the defensive pressure on me wasn't high, forcing shots wasn't a good idea. There were too many people in the opponent's penalty area. I need to find a way to create space. Anti-offside isn't working; the passes are too slow. I still need to drop back more to receive the ball and let Brother Lei attack the goal."
True to his principle of acting on what he thinks, Gao Nuo walked over to Wu Lei and whispered in his ear, "Brother Lei, I want to make an adjustment. In the second half, I'll create space for you. You make more runs behind the defense. Don't worry, the man will be there with the ball."
Wu Lei had wasted an excellent opportunity in the first half and was feeling a bit down. "Okay, let's stick to the coach's tactics first. If there's an opportunity, I'll try the anti-offside run."
The two strikers, who had played in the top five Leagues, had a similar understanding of the game. It remained to be seen if they could achieve something in the second half.
