At the Mestalla Stadium.
"There's not much time left for Sporting de Gijón," Dagestino said. "The first treble-winning team in Spanish football history is getting further and further away from Li Ang and Sporting de Gijón."
The camera was aimed at Li Ang, who stood on the sidelines with a solemn expression.
The game had been going on for eighty minutes, and the score on the field was 0: 1!
Real Betis scored a goal by their Brazilian striker, Oliveira, in the twenty-first minute of the first half of the game. They took the lead of 1: 0.
Then, Real Betis retreated with the intention of holding on to their one-goal lead.
Moreover, at present, Real Betis was only one step away from success. Sporting de Gijón besieged Real Betis' goal for an hour, but they were unable to score a goal.
Before the game, when the media was predicting the Copa del Rey final, they were generally optimistic about the league champions, Sporting de Gijón. When Li Ang was interviewed by the media, he smiled and said that Real Betis should not be underestimated. This team was able to get fourth place in the league and was strong.
When he said this, Li Ang's smug look was really asking for a beating. The league champion praising the strength of the fourth place in the league was fine if it came from someone else's mouth, but considering Li Ang's personality, this was …
Perhaps when Li Ang said those words proudly, he did not expect Real Betis to really create such a big problem for them in this game.
Now, in the Mestalla media seats, many reporters did not hide the smile on their faces. They had long been unhappy with Li Ang. If Sporting de Gijón really lost to Real Betis and lost the Copa del Rey title, they would definitely not mind adding insult to injury.
*****
Ivanovic passed a cross from the side, and Diego Milito lost to the Real Betis defender, Meli, in a scramble for a header. The football was headed out of the penalty area by Meli, and Modric tried a direct long shot from outside the penalty area. The football went high over the crossbar.
"Too impatient," Banderas said.
Li Ang was expressionless, but he was cursing Bettis's bus strategy in his heart. Real Betis was a dark horse in La Liga this season. The head coach, Ferrer, was a coach who advocated offense. The team played beautifully and was thriving.
No one thought that Real Betis would be so conservative in this game. After a successful sneak attack, they defended the whole game.
Li Ang deployed his troops one after another, replacing Albertini and Benzema with Modric and Dinatale. They kept attacking Real Betis from all sides, but they were unable to score a goal.
With a dead ball, Li Ang had no choice but to call Dinatale to the sidelines again. He reminded the team not to be anxious, not to blindly move their feet on the flank, and to be more careful. He asked Dinatale, Mata, and the others to try to break through Betis' defense line more often. They wanted to use their individual abilities to tear apart Betis' defense line and mobilize Betis' defense forces.
However, from the looks of it, there weren't any obvious effects yet.
*****
Real Betis had a ball in the goal, and their goalkeeper, Dopras, kicked the football towards the front field.
Betis went back to defend with only Oliveira in front. The Brazilian could not compete for the header and the football was headed back by Pepe.
After Juan Carlos received the ball, he passed it directly to Modric.
Modric did not choose to pass the ball. Instead, he suddenly dribbled the ball himself.
When he faced Joaquin in the middle, he made a feint. He first made a pass, then wrapped the football with his right foot, twisted his body, and dribbled the ball past Joaquin, who was pouncing in the opposite direction.
"Modric's breakthrough!" González shouted.
Modric followed closely and did not continue to dribble the ball in the middle. Real Betis' middle was now heavily guarded. He followed the pass past Joaquin and dribbled the football directly to the flank.
"Sporting de Gijón looks like they still have to take the flank! However, their passing from the flank today is not very effective, "Dagestino said, shaking his head.
Seeing Modric dribble the ball along the flank, Diego Milito and Di Natale both pounced to the front of the middle goal, intending to receive his pass.
Fernando came up to intercept Modric, but he was a step too slow. Modric passed the football out when he pounced.
*****
Mata had just taken the ball when Edu came up to interfere. The latter kicked Mata's heel from behind very covertly, which made Mata almost fall. However, the staggering Mata still tenaciously controlled the ball under his feet.
Seeing that his little trick was unable to stop Mata, Edu continued to pester him. He was just about to reach out and pull Mata down, but he hesitated when he remembered that he already had a yellow card on him.
Edu's moment of hesitation gave Mata a chance. He sped up and got rid of the pursuers.
"Stop him!" Real Betis's goalkeeper, Dopras, shouted.
Real Betis's full-back, Juanito, and midfielder, Arzu, both pounced on Mata. They wanted to close the door on him.
Mata glanced at the interceptors in front of him and decided to force a breakthrough and rush out with the ball before the other side closed the door.
But he was one step too slow.
He went over, but the football was left behind by Arzu.
"It's broken! What a pity! "Sporting de Gijón's commentator was anxious and shouted anxiously.
"Well done!" Betis's commentator shouted. Every time Sporting de Gijón attacked, the Betis people were terrified. They were really worried that they would lose the ball at any moment.
"F * ck!" Li Ang saw the scene below and cursed unhappily.
*****
Arzu, who had intercepted the ball, looked up to observe the situation. He intended to control the football a little.
"Be careful!" Juanito's voice was frightened.
Arzu felt the danger and was about to kick the football out.
Carlos's fierce slide tackle came. He raised his right foot and touched the football. The football bounced up and hit Arzu, rolling to the side.
Then, Carlos almost rolled and crawled as he rushed up and swept the football with his left foot.
The football flew over the head of Juanito, who was in a difficult position to grab the ball, and flew forward!
After playing for more than eighty minutes, Mata's stamina also had problems. Just after he lost the football, he put his hands on his hips and gasped for breath. Then he saw the ball in the air.
Without time to care about why the football came back, Mata stopped the ball with his chest and dribbled the ball straight inside!
Juanito raised his arm high and signaled that Mata was offside.
"Offside?!"
"It's not offside. The referee didn't say anything!"
Arzu also got up from the ground. He fiercely pounced on Mata. He had to stop this man.
At the same time, in the penalty area, the Real Betis center back, Rivas, rushed out and pounced on Mata.
At the same time, the Real Betis goalkeeper, Dopras, yelled and directed the other players to quickly cover the defense.
*****
Diego Milito rushed to the front of the goal with his arm raised high. Merry followed closely beside him.
Ribéry also rushed into the penalty area, which caused chaos in Betis' defensive line.
Mata looked in front of the goal. He knew he had to make a decision immediately. Should he continue to dribble the ball or pass the ball? Who should he pass to?!
A red figure flashed by.
Mata's eyes lit up. He had no time to think. His left foot kicked the football and drew an arc.
It was not a high ball!
It was a half-high ball!
The football swept past Merry's side, and Mata, who had just passed the football, was knocked to the ground by Arzu behind him.
Everyone looked into the penalty area.
Diego Milito tried to rush forward a little, but Merry cleverly blocked his position in advance.
Li Ang leaned forward and stared at the goal. He even felt his heart beating so fast.
*****
A red figure rushed to the goal, like a sharp sword cutting through the night sky!
Di Natale sprinted desperately. He rushed up, but he found that he had overrun.
The brilliance of talent bloomed at this moment!
Di Natale's left foot, which was dragging behind, brushed to the outside in an unconventional posture.
The football touched the inside of his foot.
Then he jumped up and crossed the white goal line with a light posture.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the goal. At this moment, time seemed to stand still …
Then a huge cheer exploded in an instant.
Li Ang stared at the goal. He saw the football in the net. At this moment, he could not even feel his own heartbeat. He even forgot to make a celebratory gesture.
Di Natale got up from the ground and ran wildly to celebrate.
On the sidelines, his manager waved his fists vigorously to celebrate … wildly.
One to one!
In the 83rd minute of the game, Sporting de Gijón equalized the score.
PS: First update.
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