"And now, for the starting lineups!"
"Donning the red kit is the Chinese national team. Perrin has opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Starting in goal is..."
"It's largely as we predicted, though Feng Xiaoting has been left on the bench today; Perrin likely wants to test out different combinations in the heart of the defense. Furthermore, David Qin, currently plying his trade for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, starts as the left midfielder—the same position he occupies for his club. It's a clear move by Perrin to help him acclimate as quickly as possible."
"As for New Zealand, they've set up in a 4-5-1. Starting in goal..."
"You can tell they mean business today. Winston Reid of West Ham and Chris Wood, Leicester City's main man up top, are both in the starting XI. Wood is the one to watch—he was already standing at 180cm by age fourteen, and last season, he was keeping the likes of Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane on the bench. He is a classic poacher, perfectly suited for the 'long ball' English style. After several loan spells at clubs like Barnsley and Brighton, he's accumulated a wealth of experience in the art of the target man."
As He Wei wrapped up the introductions, the online forums were already a hive of activity.
@TacticalGnome1: New Zealand's squad is terrifying. They've got Durant and James starting? Are they trying to drop a hundred points on us?
@HoopsnGoals: A hundred? Be bold—we're looking at triple digits.
@BundesligaBanter: Back to reality: New Zealand plays that classic heavy-metal English football. I feel like Feng Xiaoting would have been a better choice alongside Zhang Linpeng; they have that club chemistry from Evergrande.
@CFA_Skeptic: Feng is too soft for a physical battle like this.
@DragonFan88: Where's our 'Fifty Million Man' Yu Dabao?
@PerrinLover: Perrin said he isn't calling up players who treat the pitch like a Sunday stroll.
@StrikersWoe: Starting Yu Hai as a lone striker is risky. He's great with his feet, but we need a focal point—a true target man.
@GrassrootsTruth: Problem is, we don't have any. China hasn't produced a proper target man in years.
@RedArmy_Zu: Gao Lin could do it. He's got the height and the frame to hold the ball and bring others into play. Just... as long as he doesn't actually have to shoot.
Back on the pitch, the atmosphere was electric.
Peep—!
The referee blew the whistle, and the match began. China's ball.
Perrin's philosophy leaned heavily toward possession, but with a twist: he viewed keeping the ball not just as an offensive tool, but as the ultimate defense. This was why he encouraged his players to maintain possession even in non-threatening areas.
After a quick succession of passes, the ball found its way to David Qin's feet. After a few days of training, the squad had already come to recognize David's caliber. It was impossible not to be impressed. Even when they pushed themselves to the limit, they struggled to match his tempo, and his creative solutions on the ball were a constant revelation. With the backing of Perrin and Zheng Zhi, David's status within the team had skyrocketed in less than a week; he had already become the de facto tactical engine.
"Don't dive in!" the New Zealand fullback muttered, lowering his center of gravity and keeping his eyes glued to David. Their manager, Anthony Hudson, had been crystal clear: foul him if you have to, but do not let him turn you. If they could paralyze China's wings, the rest of the team would pose little threat.
"Wu Lei!"
The moment David saw the Kiwi midfielder, James, drifting toward the flank to help, he snapped a pass into the heart of the New Zealand defense. Wu Lei was playing as a shadow striker today—not to playmake, but to launch vertical raids alongside Yu Hai.
Snap! Wu Lei collected the ball and ignited his boosters. As Andrew Durante closed in to press, Wu Lei slipped a diagonal through-ball into the channel.
"It's not for Yu Hai!" He Wei shouted. "It's David Qin charging from the wing! He's left Smith for dead—look at that explosive pace!"
Tommy Smith, currently with Ipswich Town, was a massive fullback standing nearly 190cm. Such height is rare for a wide defender in the top flights because it often comes at the cost of agility and raw speed. Smith usually relied on his frame and positioning to bully wingers, but today, he realized with a shock that he couldn't even get close enough to David to initiate contact.
"I've got him!" Winston Reid bellowed.
As West Ham's defensive anchor, Reid was known for his uncompromising, rugged style. He moved to intercept, but the moment he shifted his weight, another shadow darted into the box.
The near post was covered by the keeper; the far post was blocked by Reid. David's mind whirred through the variables. In a flash, he made his move. He chopped the ball to a dead stop before exploding again, creating just enough daylight for a cross.
Clack! He wrapped his trailing leg behind his standing leg—a perfectly executed rabona cross toward the near post.
"Wu Lei! The header!"
"Oh, so close! The ball just grazed his scalp! An inch lower and that was a certain goal!"
"A fantastic opportunity created by the Chinese side in the 13th minute!"
Wu Lei slammed his fists into the turf in frustration before scrambling up to give David a nod. "My bad, my bad."
"No worries," David replied calmly. "I put a lot of pace on that. Your movement was spot on." David knew the standard of the domestic league; he couldn't hold his national teammates to the same punishing standards as De Bruyne or Perišić. Demanding the impossible would only breed resentment.
"Next one, I'll be there," Wu Lei said, rubbing his face with determination.
"David is a massive threat out wide," Perrin murmured to his assistant. "Perhaps for the Asian Cup, we should... station our primary playmaker on the wing. A 'wide playmaker'—like a young Zidane, Ronaldinho at Barça, or even Messi."
But Perrin quickly checked himself. "No, David's organizational play isn't quite there yet. He needs more time to grow. I'm getting ahead of myself."
By the 21st minute, New Zealand reclaimed possession and immediately reverted to their "route one" roots. The midfielder James launched a massive long ball that traversed half the pitch, seeking out Chris Wood.
"Good grief, he's a house!" Zhang Linpeng grunted as the physical contact knocked the wind out of him. He frantically waved for Ren Hang to double up. Wood won the header, knocking it down before turning and dragging Zhang into a wide area to create space.
"Barbarouses with the through-ball!"
"Brockie is clean through—is this a one-on-one?"
"No! Wang Dalei! A bold, proactive starting position allows him to sweep up the danger and hoof it back into the midfield!"
The stadium erupted in cheers as the ball soared toward Zheng Zhi. The Chinese captain was a rock, holding off Marco Rojas to win the header. "Consistent" was his middle name. In a world where fame brought endless distractions, Zheng Zhi remained the ultimate professional. No nightlife, no smoking, no drinking—every calorie calculated. It sounds simple, but doing it for over a decade is a feat few can match.
As the ball dropped to the wing, David Qin watched Smith charging toward him again. David controlled it with his chest and immediately flicked it over the defender's head with his right foot—a "rainbow" flick that left Smith spinning. Smith tried to recover, only to be met by a second flick over his head.
Dizzy and embarrassed, Smith was still turning when David brought the ball down and spotted Ji Xiang sprinting down the right wing.
Clack! A crisp, long-range switch of play sent the ball spiraling toward the far flank.
Ji Xiang—the man who held the record for the fastest goal in Chinese football history—possessed elite CSL speed. According to Perrin's blueprint, when David drew the defense to the left, the opposite winger had to exploit the resulting shift.
Ji Xiang found himself in acres of space, cushioning the ball with professional ease.
"Ji Xiang is driving into the box!"
"Wu Lei and Yu Hai are charging in! China has torn them open on the right!"
"The low cross finds Wu Lei at the near post!"
"The flick! Wu Lei doesn't miss this time! He beats Durante to the ball and stabs it home!"
"Beautiful!"
"China takes the lead! 1-0!"
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