Chapter 25: Success in Love Does Not Make One Weak-Kneed

Dai Zhiwei’s two goals left Seongnam FC utterly stunned, unable to recover their composure. With a 2-0 lead, Evergrande returned triumphantly to the locker room at halftime.

During the break, major media outlets reviewed the first half and analyzed the prospects for the second, while smaller and online media shifted their focus to Zhong Luchun. Dai Zhiwei, a sudden breakout star this season, possessed not only outstanding skills and a striking image but was also free from any negative rumors. He was currently leading the Chinese Super League’s scoring chart, making him the most prominent figure in domestic football. Until now, Dai Zhiwei had stayed clear of gossip columns, so the sudden emergence of this sensational news had editors everywhere in a frenzy.

Zhong Luchun was no stranger to the public either. She had previously participated in the Huaxia TV model competition and this year appeared on the internet show “Falling for Supermodel,” which became an instant hit, making her a goddess among many male netizens.

Before the second half even began, various online platforms were already flooded with headlines like “Dai Zhiwei’s Girlfriend Revealed,” “Top Scorer Dominates Both the Pitch and Romance,” and “With Such a Girlfriend, Can Dai Zhiwei Keep Scoring?”

Dai Zhiwei, however, was oblivious to all this. Even if he knew, he would have treated it as nothing more than amusing gossip.

After a 15-minute break, the match resumed.

Having conceded two goals, Seongnam FC now trailed by two both in the match and on aggregate. Under this pressure, they launched a fierce assault on Evergrande’s goal. It was well known that while South Korean teams might not be the most technically gifted, their stamina and determination were never to be underestimated.

Evergrande found themselves pressed back into their own half, unable to break out. Despite their tight defense limiting Seongnam’s opportunities, only the occasional long-range efforts from Jorginho and Bueno posed real threats to their goal.

Bueno, in particular, Seongnam’s leading striker, was a constant menace for Evergrande during this period.

At last, Seongnam’s relentless counterattacks bore fruit. In the 17th minute of the second half, the few Seongnam fans in attendance erupted with thunderous cheers. Jorginho, after outmaneuvering Mei Fang on the left wing, slipped the ball to the edge of the penalty area, where Bueno unleashed a stunning long-range shot that left Zeng Cheng powerless.

2-1!

In the 62nd minute, Seongnam FC clawed one back through Bueno's strike.

With the aggregate now at 4-3, Seongnam only needed one more goal in the next thirty minutes, provided they kept their own net intact, to push Evergrande into extra time.

Now it was the South Korean reporters’ turn to gloat before their Chinese counterparts.

To be fair, Bueno’s goal owed a bit to luck. As he took his shot, Zeng Cheng’s view was blocked by the onrushing Feng Xiaoting. By the time the ball whisked past Feng, Zeng Cheng only spotted it at the last moment, but it was too late— the ball grazed his fingertips and sailed into the net.

The match continued. Being breached by Seongnam FC was no surprise to the Evergrande players— they knew all too well the vulnerabilities of their backline this season.

Still, with the lead intact, there was no panic among Evergrande’s ranks. In contrast, after pulling one back, Seongnam’s players grew impatient, eager to level the score at once. This left their formation stretched, and Evergrande seized the moment to control the tempo.

Fear of Korean opposition was something reserved for the national team. At the club level, especially for Evergrande, there was no such apprehension— if anything, they held a psychological edge.

As the match rhythm slipped from their grasp, Seongnam’s players realized their mindset was off, but by then, regaining control was no easy task.

Under the orchestration of their midfield maestro Zheng Zhi, Evergrande did not rush forward, instead calmly cycling the ball in midfield, probing for openings in Seongnam’s defense.

Evergrande’s offense grew increasingly fluid— although they had yet to threaten with a clear-cut chance, the pressure on Park Jun-hyuk mounted with every passing minute. The next attack could well be the decisive one.

Clearly, Evergrande was the more seasoned side.

At this point, Dai Zhiwei began making runs all over the edge of Seongnam’s penalty area without the ball, forcing Seongnam’s defenders to chase him relentlessly, stretching their defensive lines.

Evergrande made excellent use of the pitch’s width, with Zheng Zhi and Huang Bowen frequently switching play to the flanks, drawing most of the opposition’s resources. Now, all they lacked was a single opportunity.

Opportunities are always forged. As the match approached the 80th minute, Evergrande, with Dai Zhiwei at the helm, suddenly transformed their patient possession into a lightning assault!

Feng Xiaoting slipped the ball down the right, where Rong Hao surged forward, collecting it at the edge of the box but refraining from crossing immediately. Instead, he deftly cut back and then lofted the ball toward Dai Zhiwei making a run.

Mei Fang had intended this play to deliver a low, half-volley to Dai Zhiwei, allowing for a spectacular first-time shot.

If it went in, at least he could claim credit as the architect of a brilliant goal.

Unfortunately, Rong Hao’s touch was off, and the ball sailed too high. Dai Zhiwei had no choice but to beat Jorginho to it and nod it ahead to Gao Lin, who was slightly ahead and to the side.

While Gao Lin had often displayed amateurish touches with the national team, at club level he was prone to moments of genius. This was one such moment— under pressure from Kim Cheol-ho, he flicked the ball with his right heel in midair, executing a beautiful one-two.

Dai Zhiwei, momentarily stunned, didn’t lose a step. He darted past Kim Cheol-ho, and when faced with the last defender, used his right foot to roll the ball forward and his left to nudge it past, using his body to shield off Seongnam’s center-back as the ball slipped behind him.

He was through on goal!

Facing the onrushing Park Jun-hyuk, Dai Zhiwei merely tapped it lightly. Park lunged desperately, but even his speed could not block a shot from such point-blank range.

The ball rolled under Park’s arm and into the net. 3-1!

In the 81st minute, Evergrande extended their lead again!

After scoring, Dai Zhiwei dashed excitedly towards Zhong Luchun’s direction.

He raised a hand, hesitating slightly.

“Blowing a kiss and making a heart with both hands—did those already... Perhaps a finger-heart with index and thumb?”

“No, that looks too much like counting money. If the referee misunderstands and sends me off, that would be embarrassing.”

“A heart above my head with both hands?”

“No, no, far too cheesy.”

“So what celebration should I do…”

While Dai Zhiwei jogged slowly towards Zhong Luchun’s section, pondering his celebration, Gao Lin and the others caught up and pushed him down from behind…

“Oh come on!”

Handsome, but only for three seconds!

“Hee-hee!” Watching Dai Zhiwei scramble up with his hair a mess like a chicken’s nest, Zhong Luchun couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Dai Zhiwei’s third goal shattered Seongnam’s fighting spirit. With less than fifteen minutes remaining including stoppage time, Seongnam no longer believed they could score twice against this Evergrande side.

In the end, thanks to Dai Zhiwei’s hat-trick, Evergrande overcame the tough challenge of Seongnam FC with a 3-1 victory, advancing to the quarter-finals of this season’s AFC Champions League.

After this match, Dai Zhiwei topped the tournament’s scoring chart with seven goals, achieving the remarkable feat of leading both the Chinese Super League and the AFC Champions League in goals scored.

It’s worth noting that this season, four South Korean teams made it to the East Asian quarterfinals— meaning none were eliminated after the group stage. However, by the semifinals, only Jeonbuk Hyundai remained, joined by Evergrande, Gamba Osaka, and Kashiwa Reysol.

As for Jeonbuk, it’s important to note that for the past three seasons they had always been drawn in the same group as Evergrande, only to meet with repeated disappointment.

Evergrande, meanwhile, after this match, set a new record— becoming the first team since the Champions League’s reorganization to reach the quarter-finals four years in a row.

So far, only Evergrande in all of Asia has accomplished this feat. The UAE’s Al Ain could barely compare, but their achievement was aided by the earlier, more forgiving format, making their four consecutive quarterfinals less significant.

Moreover, Evergrande had only participated in the Champions League for four seasons and reached the quarter-finals every year, maintaining a 100% success rate— a record unmatched in Asia.

Yet, the most-viewed photo on sports websites that night was not of Evergrande’s goals or match action, but a candid shot of Dai Zhiwei holding Zhong Luchun's hand as they left the parking lot after the match.