Shot missed and turned into a pass? Tang Long is playing at a high level!

Why was Sneijder appearing at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza?

Born in 1984, Sneijder was cast out by Real Madrid in 2009 and transferred to Inter Milan for a fee of 15 million euros.

A tree moved dies, but a man moved lives!

The Dutch midfielder spent three and a half glorious years at Inter, and in 2010, he became the absolute core midfielder for that treble-winning Inter side that dominated European football!

However, good times do not last forever.

After 2011, Inter owner Moratti gradually reduced his unconditional investment in the club, and the heroes of the treble-winning squad were purged.

The high-earning Sneijder also transferred to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig in 2013.

Logically speaking, the Turkish Super Lig was currently in session.

Sneijder should not have been in Milan to watch a match.

However, he had suffered a knee injury, and the local medical facilities in Turkey were mediocre.

Sneijder chose to return to Milan to receive treatment.

He decided to visit his old club while he was at it and return to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to watch a game.

Although he had left Inter, Sneijder's relationship with his old club remained quite good.

They not only took the initiative to help him contact local doctors in Milan but also invited him to watch a Serie A match from the VIP box and meet the fans who loved him.

Sneijder had thought that with Inter's strength, beating Genoa would be more than enough!

But having been gone for over a year, Sneijder, sitting in the box tonight, let out the exact same lament as the new Inter manager, Mancini:

"How has Inter become so weak? Do this bunch of players on the pitch even deserve to play for Inter?"

The time reached the 80th minute.

Inter was still trailing 0-1.

Some home fans chose to leave early in protest.

Meanwhile, the few thousand visiting Genoa fans were cheering and waving flags for their team!

Being able to take three points away from the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza was a massive morale boost for their survival campaign this season!

On the sidelines.

Mancini stood with his hands on his hips, his head practically steaming!

In the 72nd minute of the match, he had substituted off the wing-back Jonathan and brought on the tall center-forward Bonazzoli, who had been promoted from the youth team half a season ago.

He was going for a desperate final push!

But the effect was not obvious.

Whether it was Bonazzoli or Palacio.

Neither had many opportunities to get the ball inside the opponent's penalty area.

Assistant coach Herrera said to Mancini, hitting the nail on the head:

"Boss, hurry up and take that number 99 kid from the youth team off; we're playing 10 against 11 right now!"

Mancini's face was gloomy, and he gave no indication of agreement.

How could he not know that his assistant was right?

Mancini had seen it long ago: Tang Long did not have the trust of his teammates!

And it was no wonder.

Tang Long had never played in a professional league, nor had he ever trained with the first team even once.

Coming straight on to replace the former regime's key player Guarin in midfield.

His teammates naturally harbored doubts.

What's more, Tang Long was playing truly poorly.

From the few times he had the ball, dribbled, turned, or trapped it, it was obvious.

His fundamental skills were clearly not on the same level as the other Inter players.

In the world of Italian professional football, he was at best at the level of Serie C!

"No, this number 99 cannot be substituted. Take Alvarez off and bring Icardi on!"

"But boss, Icardi hasn't fully recovered from his injury; our team doctors don't recommend him playing!"

"Hurry up, don't dawdle, there isn't much time left!"

The proud and arrogant Mancini would not substitute Tang Long off.

This number 99 from the youth team had been brought on at halftime specifically to establish his authority.

If he were to substitute him off again at the end of the match.

Wouldn't that be a slap in his own face!

Mancini would not do it.

A new official taking office must make an example of someone to establish authority!

"Even if we lose this match, I'll accept it..." Mancini gritted his teeth and said.

In the 82nd minute of the second half, Icardi returned to the pitch.

His entrance was met with a roar of cheers from the Inter Milan fans!

Now, Inter Milan had three strikers on the field!

Stacking forwards for a desperate gamble when trailing—this was the Mancini-style Inter Milan the fans were familiar with.

In the VIP box, Sneijder's eyes lit up as he said to his friend:

"Although I only played half a season with him at Inter Milan, this kid is a natural-born striker. His positioning and shooting technique are absolutely top-tier in Serie A."

"It's just a pity," Sneijder smiled helplessly, "with me not on the pitch, who can deliver those beautiful through balls to him?"

Icardi's arrival forced the Genoa defensive line to drop even deeper.

They immediately substituted a forward for a tall defender, pulling everyone back to defend with full force.

The penalty area was almost entirely packed with their players!

Tang Long was still waiting for the opportunity to arrive.

He knew that the more strikers Inter Milan had making runs, the greater the chance he would have to deliver a lethal pass.

"Give it to me, I'm open here!"

A large area of space opened up in front of Tang Long, and he quickly signaled to the wing-back Nagatomo Yuto.

Perhaps because of a previous miscommunication with Tang Long, or perhaps because they were both Asian, Nagatomo Yuto decisively passed the ball to Tang Long this time.

"Hey! Don't hold onto the ball, give it to me!"

Kovacic hurried toward Tang Long, reaching out for the ball, fearing that Tang Long would waste the little time they had left.

However, this time, Tang Long had his own plan!

Detected that the opponent's three center-backs are in disarray and the defensive midfielder is out of position. Passing the ball from the flank into the half-space of the penalty area has a 90.67% probability of creating a one-on-one threat!

In the heat map constructed in Tang Long's mind.

Among the three strikers, Palacio and Bonazzoli had not made any lateral movements.

Only Icardi had taken a step, showing an intention to move laterally!

"Icardi, whether this ball reaches you depends on your movement!"

Following the passing route designed by the AI, Tang Long tilted his torso by 30 degrees, raised his arm, swung his leg, locked his eyes on the ball, and struck the center of the ball hard with his instep!

Boom!

The ball skimmed across the grass, whistling through the air—

It successfully pierced through the area vacated by the defenders, rolling through the gap between the two center-backs and into the penalty area!

"Holy!"

Icardi was startled and immediately accelerated his pace!

Tang Long's route was excellent, but the pass was hit with far too much power!

The force was as strong as a shot!

Icardi used every ounce of his strength, stumbling and nearly falling, before he finally managed to intercept the ball!

Before he could even think for half a second, a shadow loomed over him from behind.

A striker's instinct told Icardi that it was the covering center-back rushing in!

With his back to the goal, Icardi flicked and dragged the ball, creating space with a feint—

He fired a shot with the inside of his left foot!

The ball grazed the opponent's toe, tracing a bizarre arc through the air, and tucked straight into the top-left corner of the goal!

"Beautiful!!!!"

A gasp of shock swept through Stadio Giuseppe Meazza!

The fans never expected that Icardi, having just returned from injury, would pull off such a world-class goal!

The score was finally leveled!

Icardi pushed away the teammates running to celebrate with him and sprinted into the net to retrieve the ball.

"Five minutes left, we still have time!"

No one paid any attention to Tang Long.

Nagatomo Yuto did walk over, however, and patted Tang Long on the shoulder.

"Good luck, kid. Your shot went wide and turned into an assist, haha!"

Tang Long was stunned, only then realizing what had happened.

So, his passing trajectory had been correct all along, and it was perfectly placed.

It was just that his passing skill was mediocre, and he had used too much power.

To the point that his teammates all thought he was taking a shot!

Then, by a stroke of luck, Icardi intercepted the ball midway, and his shot turned into an assist.

Everyone thought exactly that!

Even Mancini on the sidelines was repeatedly telling his assistant coach how lucky they had been just now!

However.

As Icardi held the ball and ran quickly past Tang Long.

He suddenly turned his head to look at him.