Chapter Seventeen: Danger!

The ball shot straight toward the goal; if there were no goalkeeper, it would have been a beautiful score, but reality allowed no such 'if.' The Brazilian goalkeeper, Marcos, held his hands steady and caught the ball securely. The crowd erupted in exclamations, but there was no time for regret—Marcos had already kicked the ball far downfield!

“Brazil’s counterattack! Number 10, Rivaldo! Rivaldo doesn’t linger on the ball, sends a diagonal pass! Who’s there? Number 9! Number 9! Number 9, Ronaldo! Numbers 17, Du Wei, and 21, Xu Yunlong, surround number 9, Ronaldo, on the sideline!”

Mo Mo clenched his fists, compelled to praise once more—the Chinese national team of 2002, under the guidance of coach Bora Milutinovic, had a solid defense. Numbers 17, Du Wei, and 21, Xu Yunlong, marked tightly. Could Ronaldo perform his magic?

“Ronaldo keeps moving, 17, Du Wei, and 21, Xu Yunlong, don’t recklessly press forward. Ronaldo doesn’t—wait! Nutmeg! Ronaldo slips the ball between 17, Du Wei’s legs, but he can’t squeeze through between Du Wei and Xu Yunlong. Number 14, Li Weifeng, steps in to intercept and gains control of the ball!”

Chen Nu, for once, provided an orderly commentary. In truth, if he tried to keep up with Ronaldo’s usual alien-like breakthroughs, his words would lag behind Ronaldo’s movements. But Du Wei and Xu Yunlong’s defense was exemplary, closing ranks and forcing Ronaldo toward the sideline.

This forced Ronaldo to slow his pace. Their movements were steady, unfazed by Ronaldo’s feints. In this situation, Ronaldo struck quickly, sending the ball ahead before Xu Yunlong could react. Such skill—Ronaldo indeed!

But China’s defensive line held firm. Du Wei and Xu Yunlong didn’t panic; one turned to chase the ball, the other blocked Ronaldo’s position. Yet Li Weifeng was even quicker, stepping forward to control the ball.

“Brazilian players press forward! Two brush past each other; Li Weifeng barely keeps hold of the ball!”

Li Weifeng paused with the inside of his left foot, then nudged the ball forward with the tip of his right, heading toward the sideline. Ronaldo was nearby—he couldn’t risk a mistake. China began their counterattack. Brazil’s defenders moved swiftly and decisively. Li Weifeng started a wall-pass play with his teammates; after two passes, they broke through the advancing Brazilian defender.

“Li Weifeng advances quickly with the ball—oh? Out of bounds! What a pity!”

As Chen Nu was imagining what dazzling play might come next, Li Weifeng unexpectedly carried the ball over the sideline, leaving Chen Nu breathless with frustration.

“Brazil’s throw-in, quickly taken! China presses! No success, long pass! Backfield! Ronaldinho! He doesn’t turn, but flicks the ball behind him! Beautiful! Dangerous!”

The next scene left Chen Nu scrambling to keep up. Two passes, and the ball was sent directly into the backfield. Chinese defenders advanced, and Ronaldinho, with a simple stop and flick, sent the ball in a beautiful arc into the penalty area behind him!

It was a gorgeous lofted pass. China’s defensive line was momentarily flustered, but quickly made the right decision.

“Danger! Ronaldo! Ronaldo’s speed is incredible! None of China’s defenders can keep up! Ah!”

Chen Nu cried out in alarm! Luckily, everyone was watching the screen while listening to the commentary—otherwise, their minds might have conjured Ronaldo taking the ball, shooting, and scoring. But that was not the case; goalkeeper Jiang Jin rushed out in time and caught the ball.

---

“Beautiful! Jiang Jin abandoned the goal and rushed out, cutting off the attack!”

Mo Mo’s anxious heart finally relaxed, and Bora Milutinovic exhaled deeply. Ronaldinho’s performance had just been dazzling—chest control followed by a quick side kick, executed with perfect precision and power! He was like a magician on the pitch.

“Jiang Jin launches the ball forward, good, good! Beautiful! It’s a sliding pass! So brave—the receiver doesn’t linger, passes it again to Hao Haidong! Hao Haidong! Beautiful!”

Hao Haidong received the ball, feigned a shot, and the cries of Chinese fans echoed across the stadium, seeming to affect the Brazilian defenders. He hesitated for a moment, but Hao Haidong’s acceleration was lightning-fast; he instantly pulled the ball aside, aiming to break through from the flank.

“Hao Haidong’s fake move! Ah! The Brazilian defenders react swiftly, momentarily fooled but quickly recover. Hao Haidong passes! Number 4, Wu Chengying!”

Brazil lived up to their name; their defenders responded with exceptional speed. Hao Haidong missed the chance to break through, blocked by several Brazilian defenders like an impenetrable wall, and passed the ball to Wu Chengying.

“Wu Chengying!”

Chen Nu suddenly shouted, needing to speak up, because Wu Chengying didn’t pause. He shot directly! But the Brazilian defenders covered in time, and the ball rebounded off them and went out.

“Again, number 2, Marcos Cafu! He’s truly worthy of being Brazil’s captain, having neutralized several dangerous attacks, using his body to block the ball!”

There was an indescribable emotion in Chen Nu’s voice. He was unsure how to express it. After all, the shot had been taken inside the penalty area—though the chance was slim, it was still a chance.

“There’s still an opportunity! Wu Chengying throws it in, teammate passes back, Wu Chengying attempts a nutmeg, the ball is hindered, but with a quick leg, Wu Chengying keeps control! Will he continue to break through? No—he passes! Who is it?”

After the throw-in, under pressure from Brazilian defenders, the teammate quickly passed back. Wu Chengying attempted a nutmeg, but the Brazilian player reacted quickly and blocked the ball.

In this situation, Wu Chengying, sharp-eyed and quick-footed, hooked the ball from behind the Brazilian defender. As another defender advanced, he angled himself and sent a pass! He fell to the ground, but it didn’t matter!

Everyone watched that pass—its curve was excellent, the angle was perfect, the speed and power just right!

“The goalkeeper comes out! Brazilian defenders block the space, no one can reach the ball! I dearly miss Mo Mo now.”

Chen Nu’s voice sounded wistful; Mo Mo’s positioning was always spot-on, always finding the ball’s drop point when the opponents relaxed.

Hao Haidong and others raised their hands to applaud Wu Chengying, and Mo Mo joined in, but the match continued—Brazil’s goal kick.

---

“Brazil slows down! Ah! Ah, ah, ah! What is this?”

Brazil’s tempo suddenly slackened. Chen Nu steadied himself, preparing to analyze, but Brazil suddenly sped up—a precise long pass from their backfield, flying over midfield, reaching Ronaldo at the edge of the penalty area!

“Ronaldo! It’s Ronaldo! He doesn’t do anything unnecessary; it’s almost not a long pass but a lob, the ball sticking to him as if glued! Two Chinese players move in to tackle! Hmm?”

Chen Nu looked on, bewildered, and Mo Mo was surprised too. Ronaldo let the ball linger, then advanced, drawing two defenders toward him. Two midfielders arrived as well, and a Chinese defender made a decisive move to intercept.

“Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!”

As a Chinese player tackled, Ronaldo could handle it, but another was right behind. Seeing Ronaldo evade the first challenge, the second pressed forward, and now a third Chinese player appeared, unhesitatingly stepping in.

Under pressure from three Chinese defenders, Ronaldo couldn’t control the ball, and it slipped between his legs!

“No! Ronaldinho!”

Chen Nu’s heart, just settled, leapt again. At that moment, Ronaldinho, who had been lurking nearby like a shark sensing blood, pounced—no one was marking him!

“Danger! Danger! Ronaldinho breaks into the penalty area!”

Ronaldinho moved with lightning speed, snatching the ball before the Chinese defenders could fully turn. Two Chinese players stood ready nearby, and Jiang Jin came out of the goal to block Ronaldinho’s angle!

“Danger! Danger!”

Chen Nu could say nothing else! Mo Mo rushed to the sidelines, astonished at what he saw. Ronaldinho, like a magician, slipped between the two Chinese defenders; as one turned, Ronaldinho slipped the ball between his legs.

“Ronaldinho! Danger!”