Reborn Liverpool

Chapter 412 Before the top 8 battle (thanks to zqcac6655 for the bimonthly ticket)

Returning to the Asian Cup, the national football team beat Thailand 7-1 and broke into the quarter-finals. Since the local Asian Cup in 2004, it has won the knockout stage for the first time.

Next, the national football team will usher in an 1-to-25 game in the early morning of January 8. The opponent is the powerful Persian cavalry-Iran team.

伊朗队2-0轻取阿曼晋级8强，与华国队在1／4决赛中提前上演亚洲新旧王者之战。

The national football team's record against the Iranian team was not satisfactory before, but the last two confrontations were the home and away games in the top 2018 of the 12 World Cup Asian Cup.

Under the leadership of Zhang Mai, the Huaguo team won both games strongly, blowing the clarion call to become the new king of Asia.

The Iranian team remained unbeaten in this Asian Cup with 3 wins and 1 draw, scoring 9 goals and not conceding a goal. The defense can be described as impregnable.

Compared with the powerful Iran, the Oman team looks much weaker. They only qualified for the final round of the group stage by beating Turkmenistan 3-1, so they have no chance of winning against Iran.

In the next game of the national football team facing the powerful Iran, the two ribs are likely to be seized by the opponent. This urgently requires coach Lippi to find a solution in this short period of less than 4 days.

On January 1, the 23-to-16 Asian Cup knockout match has ended all competition:

越南点球大战5-3淘汰约旦，中国队7-1大胜泰国，伊朗2-0胜阿曼，日本1-0小胜沙特；

澳大利亚点球大战4-2险胜乌兹别克斯坦，阿联酋3-2加时赛绝杀吉尔吉斯斯坦，韩国队加时2-1险胜巴林，卡塔尔1-0小胜伊拉克；
So far, all the top eight seats in this Asian Cup have been produced.

The Asian Cup will enter a one-day short offseason, and the quarter-finals will start on January 1:
January 1 at 24:21 Vietnam VS Japan
January 1 at 25:00 Huaguo VS Iran
South Korea VS Qatar at 1:25 on January 21

January 1 at 26:00 United Arab Emirates VS Australia
According to the rules of the AFC, starting from the 1/4 knockout round, the refereeing rules will be adjusted a lot, and the VAR video referee will be activated. This is the first time that the Asian Cup uses video referees.

In the previous Asian Cup group matches and the first round of knockout matches, the AFC only equipped two referees and two bottom-line referees. Starting from the quarter-finals, the AFC will officially launch video assistant referees. For this change , The Huaguo team also attaches great importance to it.

In response to this change in the penalty principle, the Huaguo team held a special meeting in the hotel on the 22nd to explain the issues that players should pay attention to in defense after using video referees.

At this meeting, a referee supervisor from the AFC explained the principled issues related to video referees.

Including the relevant rules of the video referee, when to watch the video and other details, etc., and then combined with the game video to illustrate the use of VAR with examples.

Because the Huachao has started to use video referees this season, the members of the Huaguo team are no strangers to the explanation of the AFC referee supervision.

"It's mainly offside, and it must be more detailed. In addition, penalty kicks and red cards will be judged by video referees."

A team member told reporters: "Our domestic Huachao has been using it for a year, and there is nothing special. Everyone is used to it."

1月22日中午，亚足联亚洲杯组委会敲定了本届杯赛1/4决赛的裁判员安排表，卡塔尔人贾西姆继执法小组赛中国队与韩国队比赛后，确认执法中国队与伊朗队的1/4决赛比赛。

Judging from the previous law enforcement situation, this gentleman has a mediocre image of the Hua Guo team, and judging from the disputes between different forces in the entire Asian football world, it is lucky that the Qatari referee does not cause trouble for the Hua Guo team.

When the Qatari referee enforces the national football match again, it may have some unfavorable psychological implications for the Huazu international players.

Therefore, when the national football team plays against the Iranian team, they also need to pay more attention to their foot movements and their attitude when encountering unfavorable penalties, and try their best to avoid applying for red and yellow cards.

In the first round of the knockout round, the Chinese team and the Iranian team both resolved the battle within 90 minutes. In comparison, the Huazu team's victory came more smoothly.

The Iranian team was sentenced to a penalty kick less than 1 minute into the game. Forward Azmoun and goalkeeper Beranwand cooperated tacitly to reject the opponent's penalty kick and scored two goals in 10 minutes to make it 2-0. After defeating the Oman team in the first round of the Asian Cup finals for three consecutive years, the Persian cavalry finally won a knockout match in the Asian Cup finals. They met in the quarter-finals of the Cup.

The Iranian team and the Chinese team are the teams with the first and third most appearances in the Asian Cup finals. It can be seen that they both have rich competition experience.

However, the national football team is the team that played the most games in the Asian Cup but still failed to win the championship, and it also ranked "top" in the finals with 19 losses. It can be said that the success experience is limited.

The Iranian team, which won the championship three times in the 60s and 70s, has always occupied the top position in the FIFA Asian list in recent years, but was pulled down after Zhang Mai entered the Hua Guo team.

The Persian cavalry can lead Asia most of the time, which is directly related to the good results led by the Portuguese coach Queiroz for a long time.

In comparison, the Hua Guo team, which has successfully entered the semi-finals of the World Cup, is more like the fastest rising upstart in Asia.

本场比赛将是华国队与伊朗队的第23次国际A级比赛交锋，此前国足以6胜6平110负进23球失36球处于绝对劣势。

In the 2018 Russia World Cup Asian Cup qualifiers, the two teams were in the same group. At that time, the Chinese team won the "two cards" and joined the thrashing of the Persian cavalry, establishing the status of the new Asian hegemony.

Judging from the four games before the current Asian Cup of the Iranian team, the team led by Queiroz not only has strong personal abilities, but also has a sense of cooperation among the players. They and the Qatar team have still been able to keep a clean sheet so far. team.

From the 9 goals achieved so far, it can be simply concluded that the Iranian team's organization and instigation on the right side is better than that on the left side, and the other is that it has a strong ability to score from set kicks.

Therefore, for the Huaguo team, special attention should be paid to the defense on the left and the defense of the set ball. Do not easily foul the front of the penalty area and send a free kick that threatens the area. There can be no relaxation at all.

In this campaign, the Hua Guo team is strong and strong, and the "two Zhangs" are still there. Wu Lei's minor injury will not affect the formation of the frontcourt. They should face Iran with the strongest lineup.

Iran's midfielder Amiri was fined and suspended, and Gedos or Nororahi have the opportunity to fill this position.

Entering the knockout stage, for each team, every game may be the last battle in this Asian Cup.

It cannot be denied that the Hua Guo team still has one or another deficiency, but with "two cards" on the field, the Chinese are full of confidence in defeating Iran again and again.

If you want to move on, in addition to letting go of the burden and playing easily, the Huaguo team must handle the details and grasp the opportunity to defeat Iran.

After defeating the Thai team on January 1 and advancing to the quarter-finals of this Asian Cup, the Hua Guo team left Al Ain overnight and rushed back to their base camp in Abu Dhabi.

Two of the first four games of the Huaguo team were played in Al Ain, and the Huaguo team won the final victory both times.

The semi-finals of the upper half of this Asian Cup will continue in Al Ain on the 28th. To come here for the third time, the Chinese team needs to defeat the Iranian team in the quarter-finals on the evening of the 24th.

In addition to harvesting victories, the national football players who performed well in the Asian Cup also won some personal records.

Yu Dabao, who came off the bench, scored an equalizer for the Hua Guo team. This is the first goal since the start of this Asian Cup. After the game, the organizing committee gave Yu Dabao the game ball as a souvenir.

The injured veteran saluted the fans after scoring a goal, which was touching: "Playing for the national team is the highest honor, and a little injury is nothing."

Among all the gains, the most "beneficial" is the status of the seed team for the 2022 World Cup Asian qualifiers brought about by the Hua Guo team's breakthrough into the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup.

In the current FIFA rankings, the Chinese team ranks No.1917 with 16 points and first in Asia.

Advancement to the quarter-finals means that the national football team can secure a seed team qualification before the world preliminaries draw, so as to avoid premature encounters with other strong Asian teams.

The defeat against the South Korean team in the group stage has already shown that the Huaguo team has no decline in strength after the "two cards". Even Lippi is somewhat helpless in the face of the absolute gap in strength.

In the quarter-finals, facing the Iranian team, which is currently ranked second in Asia, the national football team must show its best form from the first minute.

In the 1/8 finals against Thailand, the three key players Zheng Zhi, Yu Dabao and Gao Lin were all veterans over 3 years old.

In this Asian Cup, the Hua Guo team is also the team with the oldest average age.Lippi bluntly said that the age of the lineup will bring problems to the development of Huaguo football in the next few years.

"Except for Zhang Mai and Zhang Yulin, we don't have too many young players to choose from, and they don't have the level of old players yet."

Lippi said. The 38-year-old captain Zheng Zhi played the whole game: "This will be my last Asian Cup, and I hope more young players will come to the top."

……

In the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup, the national football team will face Iran, and various football celebrities have made suggestions for the national football team.

CCTV reporter Wang Tao talked about this game and pointed out that defense is the most important thing for the national football team, and being able to drag Iran into the penalty shootout is also a success:
"Will the national football team break Iran's golden body without conceding a goal? The opponent is not invulnerable. The key is whether we find and seize the opponent's loopholes; of course, what is more important is how we defend and prevent the opponent from scoring. If you can guarantee 120 minutes without conceding a goal, then the penalty shootout is luck. Therefore, for the national football team, defense is the first in this game. The loopholes in the defense must be eliminated, and the integrity of the defense must be more complete. So everyone's attention and thoughts must be unified and concentrated."

Then Wang Tao said that the national football team may have a 5-3-2 formation in this game:
"For the national football team, it is more realistic to play a defensive counterattack tactic. Lippi will first form a 5-3-2 formation. If the opponent scores first, it can be changed to 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation; the midfield must be 3 technical players Wu Xi, Zhang Mai and Zheng Zhi. Substitute at any time. It is also the strongest lineup that the national football team can form; young talents like Wei Shihao still have a chance to appear on the field, after all, his body has reached the level where he can compete."

Shao Shengyi, another CCTV sports reporter, talked about the game.It means that the national football team needs to overcome its own complacency if it wants to advance, and anything can happen in the knockout round.

Shao Shengyi said that if the national football team wants to advance, they must bring out their best energy:

"Iran has played 4 games without conceding a goal. This in itself can show that their defense has very few loopholes and the team's defensive ability is very strong. For this crucial knockout match, we must first use our best The energy is released. Lippi also said at the press conference that the national football team will mobilize the best technical and tactical levels, and will also take out all the ammunition in the arsenal. The national football team will open up all offensive firepower."

Shao Shengyi talked about the mentality that the national football team needs to correct:
"As an old Jianghu, Lippi said something very frankly. Today's national football team still needs some luck while doing their best. First of all, we must correct our mentality and enter the game with the mentality of fighting the opponent with all our strength. Among them. In the knockout round of the cup, there are too many chances to decide the game. Like 1/8 of the 8 games, it is not easy. Who would have thought that the South Korean team would be dragged into overtime by Bahrain, and who would have thought that the host would face In Kyrgyzstan, it will be equalized by the opponent in the last minute of regulation. It will enter overtime, so everything is possible."

Shao Shengyi also said that the most important thing for the national football team to be themselves:

"The national football team must first be good at themselves. When opportunities arise, they must grasp them and improve their scoring efficiency. They must try their best to fight against their opponents. Don't set a track for themselves before the game. Because the game of football doesn't go the way you expect it to."

Shao Shengyi mentioned that Lippi may switch the formation according to the situation during the game:

"Marippi is a very experienced coach. Will he adjust the formation in today's game? In this Asian Cup, the national football team, including the formation of three central defenders and four defenders, will be flexible in a game. This game may adopt a style of play such as three central defenders and five defenders. For a team like Iran with strong offensive firepower and overall balance, the defense of the national football team is not just a matter of four or five players in the back line, but It should be the defense of the whole team. We should still show the momentum of the second half of the Thai team, intercepting and fighting for the opponent from the center and front, so that it is possible to gain some advantages in the competition for the ball. Because if we completely control the The danger of giving the ball to the opponent and retreating to one's own defense zone is also quite high."

……

On January 1, Iranian coach Queiroz accepted an exclusive interview with the AFC. When talking about his next opponent, Hua Guo, Queiroz affirmed that his opponent, who lost twice, has made great progress recently.

Queiroz first commented on the match between Iran and Oman yesterday. He said that he encountered the fastest penalty kick in his coaching career, but thanks to the excellent performance of the goalkeeper, the morale of the team was improved.

Regarding the next opponent, Hua Guo Team, Queiroz believes that under the leadership of Lippi, Hua Guo Team has made great progress, and the title of "Asia's No. [-]" is indeed what everyone expects.

For the upcoming game, Queiroz hopes that the players can contain the "two cards" on the field, and the team will score goals as soon as possible so that they can control the game and actively kill the game.

(End of this chapter)