Chapter 10: Once Again Entrusted in a Time of Crisis

The players of Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao and Kashima Antlers walked side by side out of the tunnel, stepping onto the pitch. The home fans at the Ibaraki Prefecture Kashima Soccer Stadium offered their passionate cheers to their own warriors.

On the field, the players remained unaffected by the spectacle in the stands, proceeding through the standard pre-match rituals. When all ceremonies had concluded and both teams had settled into their positions, they engaged in their final stretches.

With a sharp whistle from the referee, the match officially began.

Though Dai Zhiwei had made further strides in his abilities over the past week, having already acquired "Müller-style ball-carrying intelligence" and "Teppei Raisai's off-the-ball movement," his skills had transformed dramatically, as reflected in the Captain Tsubasa system’s data:

Attack: 80 (Good)
Defense: 32 (Poor)
Physical Balance: 70 (Average)
Left Foot: 74 (Average)
Right Foot: 82 (Good)
Stamina: 81 (Good)
Top Speed: 96 (Elite)
Acceleration: 94 (Excellent)
Reaction: 97 (Elite)
Agility: 88 (Good)
Dribbling Accuracy: 91 (Excellent)
Dribbling Speed: 86 (Good)
Short Pass Accuracy: 72 (Average)
Long Pass Accuracy: 64 (Average)
Shooting Accuracy: 73 (Average)
Shooting Power: 68 (Average)
Shooting Technique: 70 (Average)
Free Kicks: 56 (Amateur)
Turning: 82 (Good)
Heading Accuracy: 64 (Average)
Jumping: 92 (Excellent)
Skill: 83 (Good)
Goalkeeping: 40 (Amateur)
Teamwork: 83 (Good)
Health: 7 (Excellent)

Overall Rating: 73 (First-team player level)

Despite Dai Zhiwei’s remarkable growth, his rivals were Gao Lin, Goulart, and Elkeson. To shake the core positions held by this trio and earn the trust of head coach Cannavaro in such a short time was truly difficult.

Though Dai Zhiwei had once again made the squad for this AFC Champions League match, he could only sit patiently on the bench, awaiting his chance to step onto the field.

Just one minute into the game, Kashima Antlers launched a fierce attack at home. Huang Xihou sent in a cross from the right, and Mitsuo Ogasawara’s header in the box sailed over the bar.

In the 10th minute, a Kashima Antlers player fouled Gao Lin while defending, giving Evergrande a free kick on the right side of the attacking third. Huang Bowen took the kick, delivering the ball into the box. Goulart, lurking at the near post, leapt up, heading the ball into the corner of the net. Evergrande led 1–0 with a perfect start.

Evergrande's advantage did not last long. Fifteen minutes later, Kashima Antlers built up an attack on the right and delivered a cross. Shoji Doi rushed to the near post for a shot, but lacked power, allowing Li Shuai to dive and block the ball. However, Hiroyuki Takasaki was on hand to follow up, using his thigh to knock the ball into the empty net, leveling the score at 1–1.

Kashima Antlers' last chance in the first half came in the 44th minute. Mu Kanazaki sent the ball into the box, Takasaki flicked it with his head, and Shoji Doi fired a sharp-angle shot from the right side, narrowly missing the far post.

Back in the locker room, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao’s players were fairly satisfied with the halftime result, having played to their strengths. The referee’s decisions had shown no bias toward the home team.

Though Dai Zhiwei was eager to play, he was pleased to see his team leading Kashima Antlers.

He had patience to spare, being just twenty years old—he could afford to wait half a season or even a whole one.

Nevertheless, Kashima Antlers were playing at home. Everyone knew that Japanese teams’ home crowds were notoriously wild; with such “boosts” from their fans, these teams often performed beyond their actual strength.

After the break, Kashima Antlers launched wave after wave of attacks. Within three minutes, they mounted a quick counter. Yasushi Endo received a pass on the left upfield, adjusted slightly, and shot from the left edge of the box, sending the ball skimming the far post and out of play, causing Cannavaro to break into a cold sweat.

Five minutes later, Cannavaro’s fears materialized. Yasushi Endo dribbled in from the right, cut inside, and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the box. Li Shuai dove to save, but Shoji Doi, following up, headed the rebound into the empty net, giving Kashima Antlers a 2–1 lead.

Trailing, Evergrande had no choice but to go on the attack, and luck was on their side today.

Less than a hundred seconds after falling behind, Evergrande won a free kick on the right. Huang Bowen took it, sending the ball to the goal, where Elkeson rose to head it home, scoring his first goal of the season and leveling the match at 2–2.

In the 61st minute, Elkeson won a tackle near the center circle. Goulart picked up the ball and surged forward, unleashing a sudden shot from the arc, which struck the post and bounced out.

Evergrande’s momentum was rising, and Kashima Antlers were unwilling to be outdone. Substitute Yoshihide Umebo dribbled past defenders on the right side of the Evergrande box and crossed. Fellow substitute Masashi Motoyama leapt in the middle of the area for a header, his effort just grazing the post before flying wide.

“Hiss!”

Cannavaro saw Motoyama's header miss and wiped the cold sweat from his brow, quickly calling over the warming-up Dai Zhiwei.

“Dai, get ready to go on! You'll be up front on the right side; swap positions with Goulart whenever needed!”

“Understood!” Dai Zhiwei flashed an “ok” gesture.

He was used to receiving last-minute orders.

Taking advantage of a stoppage, Cannavaro substituted Dai Zhiwei for Gao Lin.

Dai Zhiwei took a deep breath, embraced Gao Lin, and ran onto the grass of the Ibaraki Prefecture Kashima Soccer Stadium.

Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao’s super sub was on the pitch once again!

Seeing Evergrande bring on a young striker, Kashima Antlers’ head coach showed no reaction, confident in his defense.

In fact, Asian Champions League teams rarely paid much attention to locally produced “homegrown” attackers, often believing Evergrande’s success lay in handing the offense to foreign players while domestic players focused solely on defense.

Facing Kashima Antlers’ siege, Evergrande finally got a counterattack opportunity in Dai Zhiwei’s first minute on the field.

Evergrande’s central defender Kim Young-kwon cleared the ball out of the box, and Zhao Xuri immediately passed it to Dai Zhiwei on the right upfield.

Dai Zhiwei braced himself against Daigo Nishi behind him, ready to receive the ball. The heavy breathing and violent rise and fall of Nishi’s chest told Dai Zhiwei that his opponent was exhausted.

Thus, Dai Zhiwei didn’t attempt any tricks; he simply tapped the ball behind him with his left foot, spun quickly, and forced a breakthrough.

Nishi had already predicted Dai Zhiwei’s move, but his depleted stamina slowed his reaction. Still, he managed a stubborn sliding tackle, his toes flicking the ball.

This desperate tackle pushed the ball just out of Dai Zhiwei’s control. As he tried to regain possession, Kashima’s other defender, Gen Shoji, hurried over and booted the ball deep into Evergrande’s attacking half.

Dai Zhiwei’s near miss in the counterattack made Daigo Nishi wary, sticking close to him even as Dai Zhiwei returned to his own half.

As time ticked away, Kashima Antlers’ attacks grew more urgent.

Having come from 0–1 down to 2–2, they clearly aimed to retake the lead, secure three points at home, and complete a comeback.

For a time, Kashima Antlers besieged Evergrande once more. The pressure in front of Evergrande’s goal was immense, but Dai Zhiwei heeded Cannavaro’s instructions, staying up on the right side of Kashima’s half.

Moreover, his utterly dismal defensive skills meant even if he tried to track back, he could contribute little and risk disrupting his teammates’ positioning.

Kashima Antlers pressed on, driven by sheer determination, while Evergrande’s defenders responded to each threat as it came.

Even goalkeeper Li Shuai was now soaked through, his breathing growing heavy.

Under Kashima's relentless onslaught, Evergrande’s defenders were clearly becoming fatigued.

As the match entered the final five minutes, Cannavaro called back Liao Lisheng, preparing to use his last substitution and make a final gamble.

Perhaps, with a bit of luck, the bicycle would turn into a motorcycle.

But no stoppage occurred. Each failed Antlers attack saw the ball return to their feet, over and over, leaving Cannavaro on the sidelines to smile wryly and shake his head.

Should he instruct his players to simply boot the ball out of play?

The Evergrande fans who had traveled far were anxious too. Every Kashima attack seemed a potential goal threat, and they dreaded seeing their team snatched at the death.

In the 85th minute, Kashima Antlers attacked. Motoyama passed at the edge of the box, and substitute Caio received it at the front, turned, found space, and fired.

The ball deflected off Evergrande midfielder Huang Bowen, changing direction. The shot had power, but the deflection sent it straight at Li Shuai.

Faced with such a fierce shot, Li Shuai dared not be careless; he punched the ball out of the box, and it landed at Feng Xiaoting’s feet.

Feng Xiaoting, known for his long passes, glanced upfield and swung his leg, sending the ball deep.

Whether it would reach its target, Feng Xiaoting couldn’t be sure.

By chance, Feng Xiaoting’s long pass landed perfectly in Dai Zhiwei’s path as he sprinted forward.

With this serendipitous pass, Dai Zhiwei braced himself against Daigo Nishi behind him.

Because Feng Xiaoting had struck the ball with such force, it traveled quickly. As Dai Zhiwei faced the incoming ball, a wild idea flashed through his mind. The only issue was the uncertain success rate—even in practice matches, failures outnumbered successes.

Should he gamble, or not?