Thank you to "Dong Dong Qiang _ 80" and "Samsara 9999" for their tips!
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From the beginning of the second half of the game, there was a completely different style change from the first half.
In the first half, the pace was fast, and the transition between offense and defense was quick. The confrontation was intense, and although it was difficult to say that they were evenly matched, at least they were attacking each other.
However, in the second half, AC Milan seemed to have returned to the first half of the first round of the two teams' confrontation. The pace was slow, and the offensive combination weakened the initiative to attack.
Comain made adjustments, and so did Ancelotti. In such a game, Ancelotti had a huge advantage due to the lead in the first half.
In Ajax's eyes, the game with AC Milan should be a fierce battle!
However, would AC Milan think the same?
No, a proud king wouldn't put the Jax Empire on the same level as him.
In their eyes, this competition was like a lion hunting a rabbit. It was a competition to see if they had to give it their all.
Comain did not let the team attack the penalty area again. Instead, he focused the direction of attack on the periphery.
The offensive effect in the first half showed that it was extremely difficult for Ajax to create an opportunity to kill his opponent in the penalty area!
Nesta and Maldini were too stable!
They were like two insurmountable mountains that stood tall in the forbidden area.
Therefore, Ajax had to look for opportunities in the periphery in the second half to threaten AC Milan with a simple and crude method: a long shot.
AC Milan's adjustment was to control the game and shape the situation. It was similar to the method Ajax used on Alkmaar in the previous game.
Seedorf, Kaka, and Pirlo. The three-man combination's ability to control the game was beyond doubt.
Under their control through passing and coordination, the shape of the situation was clear at a glance.
Ajax's attacking players in the front field. Are they going to snatch? Are they going to retreat?
Are they not going to snatch? Are they not going to retreat?
Alright, let's take our time to advance!
AC Milan had enough confidence to destroy Ajax's defense in the process of the interlocking triangle and the spiral advancement!
Qin Xiong retreated!
He had to retreat!
Even if Siddarth, Pirlo, and Kaka didn't have to consider their one-on-one abilities, Ajax's defensive midfielders would have no choice but to surrender if the three of them slowly pushed forward!
Therefore, Qin Xiong had to retreat. That was not enough. Snede and Van Der Vaart also had to retreat!
Moreover, he had to retreat first and could not chase after his opponent from behind. If he chased, he would never be able to catch up!
Under such circumstances, the artists in AC Milan's midfield used their advantage in possession of the ball to force Ajax to retreat. And then? They might not attack. Instead, they would slowly organize their offense and ensure that their defensive positions would not allow Ajax to launch a fatal counterattack when they switched between offense and defense. Then, if there was an opportunity, they would pass it to Andriy Shevchenko or Tomasson to shoot. If there was no opportunity, it did not matter. Their defensive formation was even tighter than in the first half!
Ajax would never get a chance to attack or counterattack!
Just like how Ajax did not want to overexert himself in the previous game, AC Milan's role on the stage of the Champions League also made the club pay less attention to the Champions League group stage.
As a world-class powerhouse, they were worried about whether they could advance in the group stage? Do their best in every game?
What a joke!
Moreover, AC Milan's own situation also made them pay more attention to the domestic league this season.
AC Milan had not won the league title for a full four years since 1999!
They had to conserve their energy for the cruel Serie A battle. As for the Champions League, they just had to win at the lowest cost. In the minds of this group of world-class players, the real battle in the Champions League was definitely in the knockout stage.
AC Milan's play in the second half made Ajax lose further hope of equalizing the score.
First, they weakened the extent of risky attacks. Behind the attacks, the risks of the defense would increase. In this way, AC Milan could ensure that there were no major problems in the defense.
Secondly, Pirlo's control in the midfield, shaping the situation, and long-term possession of the ball also imperceptibly reduced the number of chances for Ajax to create attacks!
There was only one ball.
Ajax could not get the ball, so of course, he could not organize an attack.
Every time Qin Xiong organized an attack, it would be launched from the backfield. Ajax's play in the second half was Snede and Van Der Vaart close to Qin Xiong. Ibrahimovic retreated slightly to act as the fulcrum of the attack. The defenders on both sides took risks to press forward, but at most, they came to the area of the side midfielders and did not dare to rashly go to the bottom.
The center of the teammates' service was Snede, Qin Xiong, and Van Der Vaart, one in front and one behind.
Of course, they also had the ability to control the ball at their feet. They pushed the attack to the front of the penalty area through short passes on the ground. Then, they created the conditions for the players with the best chances to shoot a long shot!
In the 54th minute, Qin Xiong and Snede suddenly transferred the ball to the right after cooperating on the left flank. Van Der Vaart dribbled the ball and pretended to cut inside before passing the ball back to the triangle. Qin Xiong received the ball and shot angrily. Gattuso came in with a flying tackle, and Qin Xiong immediately dodged after shooting. The long shot hit Maldini. The referee called Gattuso's dangerous tackle and awarded a free kick. Van Der Vaart's kick deviated from the goal.
In the 59th minute, Snede passed the ball to the retreating Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the left flank. Ibrahimovic passed the ball to Qin Xiong with his heel under Gattuso and Nesta's double team. Qin Xiong forced a long shot under Seedorf's interference, and Dida made a heroic save to block the ball.
In the 66th minute, Qin Xiong and Van Der Vaart crossed and changed positions. In front of Kaladze, Qin Xiong passed the ball horizontally to Van Der Vaart, who unexpectedly faced the dense encirclement. Snede shot the ball from the left side of the penalty area into the lower left corner of the goal. The football hit the post and bounced out!
The Ajax fans in the stands looked forward to it and were disappointed again and again, while the AC Milan fans always felt that it was a false alarm.
On the sidelines, Ancelotti's heart was pounding.
He could see that Ajax had changed their offensive methods and no longer tried to create a fatal blow in the penalty area. Instead, they looked for a long shot from the periphery. They had the capital to do so!
And they also had a good long shot player.
But every change in attack and the appearance of a long shot in the space was actively guided by Qin Xiong, causing the small offensive coordination to appear in a pattern that AC Milan could not adapt to or get used to.
The diligent China player left a deep impression on Ancelotti. So much so that no one would ignore him as long as they watched him play on the field.
His small technique of getting rid of the ball in a small area was elegant and neat, his shots were decisive, and his field of vision was wide.
Was he really only 18 years old?
Although AC Milan also had a good offensive, they were, after all, playing against many with fewer people. They could create a threat, but they also lacked some luck.
Tomasson's push in the penalty area was narrowly saved by Grygera in front of the goal line. De Rong used a foul to block Kaka's two threatening dribbling breakthroughs. Andriy Shevchenko's shot after bypassing Heitinga hit the crossbar and bounced off!
If the first half of the game still had some taste of close combat, then the second half became a mutual sneak attack!
Ajax's long shot was not the last resort. His real goal was to force AC Milan's defensive line to press forward and give the players in the back more space. However, AC Milan was still too steady in the end. They would not be frightened by long shots. They had experienced all kinds of storms, so how could they be nervous?
In the 71st minute, Qin Xiong had to experiment with the power of plugging in from the back in advance. Perhaps not developing an offensive attack in the penalty area for a long time would also numb AC Milan and cause them to let down their guard?
However, his thinking was still naive.
When he passed the ball to Snede in front of the penalty area, and then Snede dribbled the ball to cut across and looked like he was going to do a long shot, Ibrahimovic was also outside the penalty area. Qin Xiong suddenly plugged in at lightning speed.
Snede passed the ball into the penalty area to find Qin Xiong!
When he rushed into the penalty area to the penalty spot, Qin Xiong looked at the falling football and jumped bravely. He wanted to do a header to attack the goal and achieve the effect of a hanging shot from the dead corner as much as possible!
However, before he could head the ball, he suffered a huge impact and fell to the ground spinning. Nesta's header came to the rescue!
Although Ajax's fans in the stands were clamoring for a penalty, Qin Xiong immediately got up in the penalty area. He knelt on one knee and shook his head. He was a little stunned from the collision!
A hand appeared in front of him. It was from Nesta.
Qin Xiong was pulled up by the other side. Then, Nesta withdrew his hand and did not say a word. He did not look at Qin Xiong anymore and focused on the game.
Ancelotti shook his head slightly on the sidelines.
It can't go on like this!
God knows what kind of attack Ajax will make next!
Qin Xiong was a bomb in his eyes that could explode at any time!
Now, the bomb's explosive device must be removed.
In the 73rd minute of the game, AC Milan made a substitution.
Ambrosini came on and replaced Tomasson!
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