Today, I will explode once more!
Once more.
-----
Sonke did not have any rapport with the main attacking group. Furthermore, he and Ibrahimovic were center forwards with very different characteristics. If he were to play, the other three attacking players would have to change their attacking strategies.
It was understandable that they did not play Sonke.
But O 'Brien did not have much rapport with the main players of the First Team either. But perhaps Comain's reasoning for choosing him was that defensive players only needed to disrupt the opponent's offense!
One more person, one more strength. Perhaps.
O 'Brien did not expect to play in this match. After hastily warming up, he put on his gear and went on the field. His first touch of the ball made everyone's jaws drop.
A mistake in stopping the ball!
This was not an ordinary match. It was the Champions League semi-final, and Ajax was playing in an away game!
To begin with, O 'Brien hadn't had a single high quality match in a season. Thus, it was understandable that he would be nervous.
But perhaps it was unacceptable!
Qin Xiong felt that Comain might as well have sent Pienaar. That way, the midfielders would be able to pass the ball together, and the effect of stalling for time would be better.
The reason he thought so was because O 'Brien had made a mistake in stopping the ball. He had almost allowed Kierkes to shoot a long shot in front of the penalty area and break through Lobonte's fingers.
As a teammate, he did not dare to pass the ball to O 'Brien without worry.
With one less attacking player in the front field, it was difficult for Ajax to display the power of his counterattacks. Even if there was space, the distance between his teammates was too far. Even if Monaco's two full backs frequently assisted, they were still able to actively run and defend against Ajax's attacking system.
After Ibrahimovic was injured and left the field, Ajax's substitution was a failure!
They did not expect the player to be a perfect replacement for Ibrahimovic, but at the very least, he had to play a positive role.
But O 'Brien had the opposite effect. In defense, he did not perform at his usual level. Perhaps it was because he was not in the mood for the match, or perhaps it was because Monaco's crazy momentum to equalize the score was too frightening. In defense, he was simply a troublemaker for his own side's defensive line.
Ajax's defensive line was surrounded by danger. From the 78th minute to the 85th minute, Monaco had continuously launched threatening attacks. Along with the unbridled support from both sides of the defence, Roten and Giuly's role seemed to have recovered.
In the 86th minute, Lotton and Evra made an exquisite combination on the flank of the front field. Lotton cut across the end line into the penalty area, and Evra passed the ball to him. O 'Brien went back to defend and intercept Lotton. Since he had gone, the other teammates went to mark other targets and guard the danger zone.
But O 'Brien had hastily rushed forward to snatch the ball and easily lost his center of gravity, allowing Luo Teng to nimbly smash the ball past him.
When Qin Xiong and De Rong saw this, they went to block Luo Teng at the same time, but it was too late. Luo Teng suddenly raised his leg and shot at the goal from a narrow angle!
The powerful shot tested Lobonte. He blocked the near post of the goal, but the ball flew to the top corner of the near post!
Lobonte raised his hand to block. The football refracted and hit the junction between the crossbar and the column and bounced out!
The football that rebounded in the penalty area was immediately shot by Morientes!
Morientes did not have many options for the angle of the shot in the narrow space. The football actually hit Lobonte directly and bounced out again!
It was chaos in the penalty area. Qin Xiong could not do anything. His eyes could not catch the trajectory of the football. He looked around to find where the football was. When he saw it, Bernardi had raised his leg on the penalty area line!
Another shot was fired.
Bernardi seemed to be shooting with his eyes closed. The trajectory was actually the same as Morientes' shot. It looked like they were both using Lobonte as the goal!
Surprisingly, on the flight path of the half-high ball, Heitinga stretched out his leg to relieve the situation, but the football brushed past his foot and refracted!
Lobonte was stunned. He had already stood up and was ready to save, but the football actually refracted in front of his eyes, shuttled past his head and went straight into the goal behind him!
Heitinga raised his hand and grabbed his hair with a dull face. He did not expect that his good intentions would backfire. Not only did he not relieve the situation, but he also interfered with his own goalkeeper's almost 100% chance of a successful save.
It had been a long time since the Stade Louis II erupted in cheers. The Monaco fans saw hope!
"Bernardi equalizes the score for Monaco! 2:2！ Haha, Ajax underestimated Monaco. They thought that they had a 2: 1 victory in their hands. They were so wrong! They paid the price for being too conservative too early! Look at their defensive line in the last ten minutes. If they can't threaten Monaco's defensive line with offense and give Monaco a chance to attack unscrupulously, then they will definitely regret it! "
Yes, if Qin Xiong could hear the commentator's comments, he would also nod in agreement.
To be honest, Ajax's defense was very solid. Even if it was a defensive system with two defensive midfielders, it might not be able to really repel the enemy!
Even if they wanted to preserve the fruits of victory and conservatively take the game, they should also play to Ajax's strengths.
The first was the speed of switching between offense and defense, which was to use counterattacks to deter the opponent.
The second was to control the game through the cooperation of the group and the players' skills.
If it was simply to pile up the defensive players to defend, sorry, Ajax was not good at it at all!
They were not an Italian team!
In the process of their growth and baptism, the attacking factor was constantly mobilized and activated by the club's managers.
If one day Ajax's defense seemed to be solid and unbreakable, it was definitely not achieved by pure defense, but because they were using offense as defense!
Using offense to suppress the opponent, so that the opponent would weaken the offense and not dare to over-invest in the offense. Using offense as defense!
Qin Xiong silently walked out of the penalty area. Although there was not much time left in the game, Ajax continued to let the opponent attack wildly and there was constant chaos in the penalty area. Who dared to say that Monaco would not score another goal? Score another two goals?
Manchester United had already told the world that even in a Champions League final, it would take no more than three minutes to score two goals!
Moreover, Monaco's situation now was much better than Manchester United's at that time. The score was a draw and they were not on the verge of death.
A change had to be made!
Control the game?
It was difficult and dangerous.
If they controlled the ball in the middle and back of the field, once they lost the ball, it could lead to a disaster.
They had to play a counterattack threat!
Van Der Vaart and Snede were ready to kick off in the center circle. Qin Xiong walked up and asked in a low voice, "How is your fitness? Can a 30-meter sprint work? "
The field was very big, but to achieve a counterattack effect, a 30-meter sprint from the midfield line was basically entering the area with a high shooting percentage. Therefore, football players also paid attention to the speed of the 30-meter sprint, not the speed of the 100-meter sprint.
There was no need to hide anything between teammates. Everyone was doing it for the team's benefit.
Van Der Vaart shook his head frankly and Snede did the same.
Both of their fitness were spent at this stage. They might be able to control the ball and get rid of it, but sprinting 30 meters to ensure that their skills were not out of whack was a little difficult.
Qin Xiong nodded and said to the two men, "Then you go back to defend and pass the ball to me. I feel okay."
The two men nodded gently and agreed to Qin Xiong's suggestion.
After the restart, Ajax did not press heavily. Since they could not rush, they naturally could not return to defend.
Monaco was full of vigor and hoped to win the game in the remaining time.
The full-backs came up. With Ajax's two wingers retreating, Monaco's midfield line also pressed up.
It felt like Monaco was a ferocious beast roaring at the gate of Jax.
But perhaps because there was not much time left, the mentality of the Monaco players changed. They were more anxious for success and did not have enough patience in their offense. They did not create good opportunities. It was more like they were trying their luck, hoping that Ajax would make a mistake in the chaos.
Before injury stoppage time, Deschamps gambled by removing a midfielder and replacing him with a striker. Adebayor from Africa came on and rushed directly into Ajax's penalty area to increase their attack points in the penalty area.
However, Kerman didn't dare to make any changes. He knew that it was a mistake to bring O 'Brien in, and if he made another change now, it might disrupt the defense system of the Jax Empire that was on the verge of collapsing.
Qin Xiong was waiting for an opportunity. He noticed that as time was running out, the Monaco players frantically piled up attacks in the front field. Ajax had a very wide space to counterattack. He only needed someone to pass the ball out!
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