Reborn Liverpool

Chapter 334
6月30日22:00，2018年世界杯1/8决赛第一场比赛在喀山竞技场展开角逐，法国对阵阿根廷。

The big screen on the sidelines displayed the starting lists of both sides very early:
Huaguo (4-3-2-1):

1- Zeng Cheng;

2-Bi Jinhao, 6-Cai Huikang, 5-Zhang Linfan, 3-Feng Xiaoting;
10-Zheng Zhi, 4-Liu Jianye, 18-Yin Hongbo;
13-Zhang Mai, 15-Wu Xi;

11- Zhang Yulin.

Argentina (4-3-3):

12 - Armani;
2-Mecado, 17-Otamendi, 16-Rojo, 3-Tagliafico;
15-Enzo Perez, 14-Javier Mascherano, 7-Banega;
22-Pavon, 10-Messi, 11-Di Maria.

Huaguo formed a "4-3-2-1" formation, with Zheng Zhizhuan focusing on Messi among the three defensive midfielders, and Liu Jianye and Yin Hongbo whoever was closer to support;
Zhang Mai and Wu Xi are the Hua Guo team's first line of defense. Wu Lei, who is weak in defense and poor in breakthrough, is given up, and Zhang Yulin is thriving in front.

Lippi's tactics for the Hua Guo team in this game are 80% defense + 20% counterattack. The "fast, accurate, and very" counterattack requires only Zhang Mai to do it, and other players including single forward Zhang Yulin They are all aids for playing the ball or running positions. The first priority of the heavy troops hoarded in the backcourt is to limit Messi.

The whole world knows that the most critical point in the game against Argentina is how to limit Messi. If this is done successfully, then half of the game is basically completed.

In the group stage, Iceland, Croatia, and Nigeria all adopted different methods to restrict the Argentine star, which made Argentina falter in the group stage.

The most successful of them is undoubtedly Croatia. In fact, it is due to the strong personal ability of the midfielder (Rakitic-Modric) and the fact that they are very familiar with Messi.

The same is true for Lippi in this campaign, and he also spent a lot of thought on Messi's defense.

Messi moves in the middle or right most of the time, so the Hua Guo team's defensive focus is basically concentrated on this side.

First of all, the Hua Guo team must ensure that there are four players covering the midfield when defending, so that Zheng Zhi can follow up to defend Messi; The connection between Messi.

When Messi holds the ball on the right, Zheng Zhi stays in the middle, and Yin Hongbo will take over and keep close guard. Even sending a corner kick will not allow Messi to gain space to accelerate forward.

In defense, Zhang Mai and Wu Xi are responsible for cutting off the connection between other people and Messi. Even if it is difficult to completely cut off, they must restrict Enzo Perez, Mascherano and Banega when attacking. Support for Messi.

In a word, no matter who the team is, they have to lower their posture and defend, and first tighten their iron barrels.

Argentina advanced after defeating Nigeria in the final round. They still played without a striker and only used Pavon to replace Higuain.

Before the game started, Sampaoli's arrangement for the Argentine team fell into the trap of the Silver Fox.

How to break the Hua Guo team's defensive iron barrel formation when Messi is marked, a powerful striker is the best choice!And Aguero and Higuain were still on the bench in Argentina.

The game officially started. After the opening, both sides appeared cautious in defense, and Zhang Mai even withdrew to the back of the center circle arc.

Argentina took the lead in attacking, and Messi was caught in the double-teaming of Chinese players as expected. Argentina's first two attacks ended without a problem.

In the 9th minute, Argentina, who launched an attack again, nearly scored. Feng Xiao stopped Di Maria before the penalty area, and Messi shot directly from a free kick from 25 yards and hit the crossbar.

Then the Huaguo team launched a quick counterattack. Wu Xi failed to break through Tagliafico after receiving a long pass from Zhang Mai on the left, and the ball returned to Argentina.

Argentina's offense is still looking for Messi first, Mascherano quickly passed the ball to Messi in the middle under Zhang Mai's pressure.

Seeing that Messi had controlled the ball well and was flanked by Zheng Zhi and Liu Jianye, Zhang Mai did not return to the center to help defend, but made a signal with Zhang Yulin in front of him and moved closer to the right.

According to the tactical thinking arranged by the Hua Guo team before the game, stabilizing the defense is the key, and the counterattack must be accurate!

此役华国队的阵型基本在4-3-2-1与4-4-2之间切换，变阵的节点在于张迈的位置，在阵地防守时他要回撤保护中场右侧，同时可以让郑志拉到左路进一步限制梅西。

The Hua Guo team's stance in this campaign is very low, and Lippi's tactical thinking of defensive counterattack is relatively clear, which is also a move of the Hua Guo team to maximize their strengths and avoid weaknesses.

Compared with Argentina, the Hua Guo team's advantage lies in the speed and explosive power of the two players, and the speed of offensive and defensive transitions is very fast. The disadvantage is that the frontcourt is too small to conduct positional warfare.

So stabilize the defense first, and find an opportunity to play behind the Argentine defense line. Zhang Mai is predicting that the Hua Guo team's midfielder can stop Messi at this time.

At this time, Messi's hastily kicked the ball in the encirclement and was caught by Zhang Linfan. The Hui boy went straight to the right front field with a big foot...

Zhang Yulin rushed in the middle and took away the Argentine defender Otamendi. Zhang Mai got the ball in the mid-court battle with Mecado and threw the latter away towards the Argentine goal.

Zhang Mai advanced forward with the ball at high speed, directly wading through the entire left defense of the Argentine team, and then Rojo, who was thrown away in the penalty area, had to foul him and bring him down.

The referee whistled a penalty kick and showed a yellow card to the Manchester United defender. Zhang Mai personally took the penalty and shot a low shot into the net to help the Huaguo team open the scoring.

1-0！华国队第13分钟时暂时领先阿根廷，占全场观众总数近2∕3的华国球迷是一片欢腾。

You know, in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Argentine team basically controlled the rhythm, but the Hua Guo team was quickly "beaten back to its original shape" after only one counterattack. This is of course due to Zhang Mai's personal ability, but it also reflects Argentina more The tactics were defeated by Lippi.

The game continued, and the leading Hua Guo team returned to the "4-3-2-1" formation, handing over possession of the ball to Argentina.

Argentina, which fell behind in the score, still insisted on playing Messi, and the two sides naturally fell into the offensive and defensive battle of the Hua Guo team in the half court.

Zhang Mai also pays attention to changing positions with Zhang Yulin, and adjusts his defensive position at any time according to changes in the situation on the field.

When defending the position, Zhang Mai and Zhang Yulin often switched positions. The former retreated to the midfield to assist in the defense, while the latter began to stay in the front more and prepare to counterattack.

Obviously, this move was also deliberately arranged by Lippi. The passer (Zhang Mai) was used as the starting point of the counterattack, and Zhang Yulin was used as the blasting point of the counterattack, in order to quickly catch the Argentine team's low defensive rate and return speed. The problem of slowness launched an impact.

It's a pity that the Huaguo team has no qualified midfielder and backcourt passer except for Zhang Mai, otherwise Zhang Mai can also be used as another point for a quick counterattack in the frontcourt.

In the 20th minute, Zhang Mai made a quick free kick from the backcourt. Zhang Yulin was tripped by Tagliafico from the edge of the penalty area.

In the 27th minute, Mascherano made a direct pass. When Enzo Perez chased the ball, he slapped Cai Huikang on the face with a backhand. Zeng Cheng attacked in time and confiscated it first.

In the 31st minute, Argentina was intercepted in the frontcourt. Zheng Zhi made a direct pass. Zhang Maihuang passed Rojo and cut into the penalty area to pass from the right side. Armani confiscated the ball before Zhang Yulin.

In the 34th minute, Mercado made a cross from the right side of the penalty area and hit Feng Xiaoting's left hand in front of him. The referee ignored it and did not even award a corner kick to Argentina.

In the 38th minute, Messi took the ball in the middle and broke into the left side of the penalty area. He fell under Zhang Mai's defense, but the referee still ignored it.

In the 41st minute, the Huaguo team got another chance to counterattack. After Wu Xi and Zhang Mai kicked the wall to cooperate, they made a cross from the right edge of the penalty area, but Zhang Yulin's rush to the top from the edge of the small penalty area failed.

Everything is divided into two. Although Messi's restriction has sharply reduced the offensive power of the Argentine team, Messi has created space for other players to move forward.

Di Maria on the right side of Argentina seemed very free, and was almost always emptied by the defensive players of the Hua Guo team.

In the previous period of time, the Argentine midfielders who revolved around Messi had no time to pay attention to Di Maria, and after being unable to attack for a long time, they started to have new ideas.

In the 44th minute, at the last moment of the first half, Argentine left forward Banega couldn't find a chance to pass the ball to Messi, so he had to transfer his big foot to Di Maria on the right.

To a large extent, Huaguo's defensive center of gravity was concentrated on the side where Messi and others were. Di Maria, who was shifted to the right, was almost unmarked. Maria had plenty of time to think and adjust.

The Argentine team also has positive significance when Messi is restricted. After he restrains the defense and attracts some defensive attention, he can create space for others to advance.The time has come to test the abilities of other Argentine players. Unfortunately, Di Maria is an experienced player and did not waste this offensive opportunity.

Before the Huaguo players had time to step forward to block, the unguarded Di Maria volleyed into the upper right corner from 30 yards. The tricky shooting angle made Zeng Cheng look forward to the ball and sigh.

1-1!Argentina equalized the score at the last moment of the first half, and the quiet Argentine fans began to waver.

"Messi! Messi!..."

"Great San Di Maria! Great Argentina..."

"Sampaoli is an idiot, the mighty Argentina doesn't have a real striker, thanks to Di Maria..."

The mixed cheers and rants from the Argentine fans created a strange atmosphere in the Kazan Arena.

"Hey, we wish we could have one more passer, it's too precarious to lead with one goal!"

Zhang Mai also had to look at the Argentine player in front of him celebrating the goal with regret. He knew that the game in the second half would be more intense.

Shortly afterwards, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half, and the players from both sides returned to the locker room to rest with a 1-1 draw.

(End of this chapter)