St Andrew's Stadium boils instantly.
After the opening, Birmingham did not shrink its defense, but instead took the initiative to press.
Gardner and Bowyer stick to Zhang Kuang like two plasters, barely giving him any space to catch the ball comfortably.
In the 3rd minute, Carrick tried to pass the ball to Zhang Kuang on the left. Gardner predicted the passing route in advance, stretched out his foot to block, and the ball changed direction.
Bowyer immediately attacked and Zhang Kuang barely passed the ball back, but Bowyer's spikes rubbed his ankle.
Zhang Kuang staggered and looked down at his ankle. Fortunately, he was fine. He spread his hands towards the referee Li Mason, and Mason signaled that the game should continue.
Zhang Kuang curled his lips and said in a low voice, "Okay, cruel enough."
Rooney ran over from the right, and when passing by Zhang Kuang, he shouted, "They are just here to kick people, don't be polite to them."
Zhang Kuang nodded and gave a thumbs up to Rooney.
Martin·Tyler: "In the first three minutes, Gardner and Bowyer have already given Zhang Kuang a decisive blow. Birmingham's tactical intention is very clear, not letting Zhang Kuang get the ball comfortably and not letting him turn around. But the question is, how long can you hold on?"
Rob·Hawthorn: "Zhang Kuang's physical fitness and running ability are top-notch. Gardner and Bowyer are so defensive, which will consume a lot of money. When their physical fitness drops in the second half, Zhang Kuang's opportunity will come."
In the first ten minutes of the game, the two sides started a fierce stranglehold in the midfield.
Although Gibson has been away from the team for a long time, he has performed quite actively. His running coverage in the midfield has taken a lot of pressure off Carrick.
Birmingham's offense mainly relies on Larsson's breakthroughs and crosses from the right, but Rafael's defense is quite solid, and several crosses were blocked by him.
In the 9th minute, Ferdinand picked up the ball in the backcourt, looked up, and made a precise long pass to Anderson near the center circle.
Anderson stopped the ball and turned around, Birmingham two midfielders immediately surrounded him.
Anderson protected the ball, kicked the ball in the gap, and pushed it to Zhang Kuang on the left.
Zhang Kuang caught the ball on the left rib, about thirty yards away from the goal.
Gardner has already posted up, and Bowyer is also helping to defend from the right side. The two of them block Zhang Kuang's forward path, one on the left and the other on the right. Gardner has even stretched out his hand to pull the jersey.
Zhang Kuang did not stop the ball.
He turned sideways to meet the ball and lifted the instep of his right foot. The ball followed a strong outward rotation arc, crossed a distance of nearly fifteen meters, and landed accurately at the feet of Berbatov at the edge of the penalty area.
This pass instantly passed through the space between the three defensive players Birmingham. Dann and Johnson did not even realize how the ball passed through.
Martin: "Wow, Zhang showed super pass penetration ability, which is an ability that a top midfielder should have, but Zhang Kuang has already mastered such threatening passes."
Rob: "Yes, among wingers, we only see such top-notch passing and threatening ability in Messi. Zhang's progress is visible to the naked eye.
Before Auxerre in Ligue 1, he was just a kid who could shoot and header from long range. Later he became a master of grabbing points, and then he used his speed to become a master of wing breakthroughs.
After that, his dribbling skills developed very quickly, and he became a top-level forward who can pass people, attack and shoot with all kinds of skills.
Now Zhang Kuang has developed a super ability to pass the threatening ball on the original basis. His threatening ball passing is very pleasing to the eye..."
Berbatov stopped the ball to adjust, Dann had already pounced to block the shooting angle.
But Berba didn't wait for Dann to reach the position, and hit the ball with a volley shot.
The ball flew quickly against the turf and went straight to the lower right corner of the goal. Foster flew to save it. It was no use that he was familiar with the shooting habits of his former teammate Manchester United. The angle of the ball was too awkward. His fingertips touched the ball, but he could not change the direction.
The ball went in.
1:0.
Martin·Tyler: "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! Berbatov! Manchester United broke the deadlock in the 9th minute!
Zhang Kuang's passing was like a scalpel, and the pass over fifteen meters was horribly accurate! Gardner and Bowyer double-teamed Lonely, and Zhang Kuang passed the ball without even stopping!"
Rob·Hawthorn: "This is top-notch talent. You double-team him? He doesn't take the ball. You guard him? He kicks the ball."
When Gardner and Bowyer came around, Zhang Kuang had already calculated Berbatov's running route in his mind, and his footwork was just like measuring it with a ruler. You can't guard this kind of player."
Berbatov ran to the corner flag area and made an elegant "hat off" celebration. Zhang Kuang ran over and gave him a high-five. "This volley kick is so cool."
Berba said slowly, "You pass the ball well, I can kick it in with my eyes closed."
Rooney ran over from the right. "What about the goal I promised? You're ahead, what should I do?"
Berba glanced at him. "Who told you?"
Zhang Kuang laughed loudly and waved towards the Expeditionary Force stand. Manchester United The fans' singing overwhelmed the shouts of the home team's fans.
He Wei: "Zhang Kuang's instep pass is a work of art! At the moment when he was double-teamed, he did not choose to force a breakthrough, but used a precise long pass of more than fifteen meters to tear apart Birmingham's entire defense line.
Berbatov's volley shot was equally wonderful, and the tacit understanding between the two has reached the point where there is no need to think."
Xu Yang: "Gardner and Bowyer's double-teaming was actually done well. The two blocked all Zhang Kuang's breakthrough routes.
But they didn't expect that Zhang Kuang didn't need to break through at all, and solved all the problems with one pass. This is the difference between top players and ordinary players, vision and decision-making speed are not in the same dimension."
Birmingham Coach McLeish stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips and a solemn expression.
His carefully arranged double-team tactic before the game was broken in the 9th minute by Zhang Kuang's "non-stop pass with an instep".
He walked to the sidelines and yelled at Gardner, asking for a tighter double-team and not allowing Zhang Kuang any room to take a step.
But four minutes later, Zhang Kuang disappointed him again.
In the 13th minute, Carrick sent a precise overhead long pass in the midfield. Rooney succeeded in countering offside from the right, stopped the ball in the penalty area and volleyed directly.
Dann flew to block the ball and the ball hit his leg and bounced out.
Rooney reacted very quickly and passed the ball crosswise to the center of the penalty area before Johnson could before the ball landed.
Zhang Kuang was originally closely guarded by Gardner, but at the moment Rooney started to shoot, he suddenly stopped and changed direction, kicked hard with his left foot, shook off Gardner's pull, and cut into the middle from the left rib of the penalty area.
Gardner was shaken by this move and his center of gravity was unsteady. He staggered two steps before he could barely keep up, but it was already too late.
When the ball rolled to Zhang Kuang's feet, only goalkeeper Foster was left in front of him.
Zhang Kuang didn't hesitate, and made a push with his right foot like a billiard putter. The ball passed through Foster's armpit and rolled into the net.
2:0.
After scoring the goal, Zhang Kuang did not run away immediately.
He looked back at Gardner who was lying on the ground, slightly curled his lips, and then turned around and rushed towards the corner flag area.
Leap high, turn around and wave your arms, a signature celebration.
Manchester United Expeditionary Force is crazy.
Nearly three thousand fans shouted in unison, "SuperZhang! SuperZhang! SuperZhang!"
Martin·Tyler: "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! Zhang Kuang! Manchester United scored two goals in 4 minutes!
Zhang Kuang's movement was like a ghost, Gardner completely lost track of him! This sudden stop and change of direction was so beautiful, Gardner was shaken and lost its center of gravity."
Rob·Hawthorn: "Watch this replay, Zhang Kuang was still on the left rib cage the moment before Rooney shot, and was pressed against Gardner."
But the moment Rooney's shot was blocked, Zhang Kuang made an emergency stop and changed direction and cut into the middle. Gardner couldn't keep up at all. This sense of smell in front of the goal and perception of space are innate.
Rooney's cross pass was helpless because all his shooting directions were blocked. He was able to choose to pass to Zhang Kuang who was in a better position in a very short period of time. This is also a top-notch ability."
Martin·Tyler: "This is the scary thing about the Manchester United trident. All three of them have finishing ability, and they are all willing to play ball for their teammates.
Rooney's assists have reached double figures this season, and Zhang Kuang is the top scorer and assists list. Birmingham's defense is being pulled back and forth by the three of them, and they don't know who to guard at all."
In the stands, the banner of the Expeditionary Force fans was particularly eye-catching under the lights. "The golden boy has arrived, Birmingham retreats."
The camera showed Foster, standing on the goal line with his hands on his hips, with a complicated expression.
As a former Manchester United goalkeeper, it was not a pleasant experience to have his former teammates score two goals in front of him.
He yelled at Dann and Johnson, asking for stronger defense.
He Wei: "Two goals in a row! Zhang Kuang scored two goals in a row in just four minutes! Rooney's cross pass was accurate, and Zhang Kuang's push shot was calm and deadly.
Birmingham's double-teaming tactic was completely bankrupt, and Gardner was almost split apart by Zhang Kuang's sudden stop and change of direction."
Xu Yang: "Gardner has worked very hard. His defensive actions were not fouled. He was simply thrown away by the change of rhythm of Zhang Kuang.
Zhang Kuang's ability to move without the ball in the penalty area is world-class, and defensive players can't figure out where he is going next.
You stick to him and he suddenly changes direction, you let go and he shoots directly. This kind of player is unsolvable."
Birmingham Coach McLeish stood on the sidelines, his face ashen.
He originally thought that relying on former Manchester United goalkeeper Foster's familiarity with his old teammates and the fierce double-teaming and pressing, he could at least hold on to the first half.
As a result, two goals were conceded in 13 minutes, both of which were directly involved by Zhang Kuang.
He glanced at the bench, where Žigić was sitting there rubbing his hands, and Hleb was also moving his ankles. But McLeish hesitated and did not change immediately.
The substitution was made only 13 minutes into the game, which was too early.
Ferguson was sitting on the coach's bench, chewing gum slowly and without much emotion. But the smile lines at the corners of his eyes gave him away.
In the 22nd minute, Birmingham finally made its first threatening attack.
Larsson got the ball on the right, cut inside, swung away Evra, and took a long shot.
The ball flew towards the upper left corner of the goal, and Van der Sar easily confiscated it.
The veteran held the ball firmly and made a "press it down" gesture to his teammates.
In the 26th minute, the smell of gunpowder suddenly arose on the court.
Gardner made a frontal tackle in midfield and stepped directly on Anderson's ankle.
Anderson screamed and fell to the ground. The referee Mason immediately blew the whistle and showed Gardner a yellow card.
Anderson got up from the ground, pushed Gardner away, and hit him in the chest.
The two of them were talking trash to each other with their heads in the air.
Mason immediately intervened and also showed Anderson a yellow card.
Ferguson shouted at the fourth official from the sidelines, "That's a red card! His feet are off the ground!"
But Mason insisted on giving only a yellow card.
Zhang Kuang ran over and pulled Anderson away. "Calm down, brother, don't fall into the trap. They just want to anger you."
Anderson gasped and nodded. Gardner showed a sneer and retreated to the midfield.
Zhang Kuang turned his head and glanced at Gardner, his eyes were calm and he said nothing.
In the 29th minute, Bowyer made another black kick.
He tackled Gibson from behind, and the spikes hit Gibson's heels. Mason blew the whistle again and showed Bowyer a yellow card.
Gibson rolled twice on the ground and limped when he got up, but still persisted in the game.
Martin·Tyler: "Birmingham's tactics are very dirty. Gardner and Bowyer are both veterans in this area.
They know that their skills are inferior to others, so they want to use physical confrontation and fouls to disrupt Manchester United's rhythm. This is a typical home game style of a relegation team."
Rob·Hawthorn: "But this is also a double-edged sword. They have already received two yellow cards. If they receive one more, they will be dismissed. There will definitely be concerns about their actions in the second half."
In the 30th minute, Birmingham counterattacked.
Jerome rushed forward alone, Vidić chased from behind and knocked down Jerome on the edge of the penalty area.
Mason decisively showed the yellow card.
Jerome covered his face after falling to the ground. Vidić bent down and apologized to him. Jerome spread his hands to show his understanding.
When Zhang Kuang saw this scene, Fuer said to Rooney, "Birmingham people are really tough, they foul hard, and they don't act even if they get fouled."
Rooney nodded. "Teams in the relegation zone are like this, every point counts."
At the 33rd minute, a scene appeared on the court that made the whole audience burst into laughter.
Larsson takes the ball on the right, and there are no Manchester United players on the front, back, left or right to press him, so there is a huge space.
Facing Manchester United's defense, he chose a pass back.
As a result, the kick was inexplicably hit directly in the abdomen of midfielder Barry·Ferguson.
Barry·Ferguson held his stomach and bent down, and the ball rolled out of the sideline.
St Andrew's Stadium was quiet for a second, and then burst into loud laughter.
Even the Manchester United players couldn't help but laugh.
Zhang Kuang put his hands on his hips on the left wing and shouted to Larsson, "Good shot!"
Larsson raised his hand with embarrassment on his face to indicate that it was his mistake.
At halftime, Manchester United walked into the locker room with a 2-0 advantage.
Ferguson stood in the middle of the locker room. Instead of praising him, he said with a straight face, "Birmingham will definitely fight back in the second half. On their bench are Žigić and Hleb. McLeish will definitely replace them in about sixty minutes."
Ferdinand, Vidić, pay attention to Žigić's high-altitude ball. Rafael, Evra, Hleb have strong breakthrough ability, so don't take it easily."
He paused and looked at Zhang Kuang and Rooney: "When you counterattack, hit them behind. Dann and Johnson turn slowly, seize this point."
Zhang Kuang took a sip of water and nodded.
In the second half, the team changed sides and fought again.
In the 58th minute, Manchester United almost expanded the score.
Anderson passed through the middle, Berbatov caught the ball at the top of the penalty area and shot low from an angle.
The ball missed the left post and Berba held his head in his hands, looking annoyed.
Carrick and Rooney covered their faces simultaneously with uniform movements. Giggs on the bench laughed out loud when he saw this scene.
Zhang Kuang ran over and patted Berba on the back. "Kick in the door next time."
Berba rolled his eyes at him. "You said it lightly, try it."
At the 60th minute, Birmingham began to mobilize troops.
In the 70th minute, Larsson was replaced by Hleb, and Birmingham strengthened the side breakthrough.
Immediately after the 73rd minute, Ferguson replaced Anderson with Fletcher in order to strengthen the midfield.
The appearance of Hleb really caused trouble for the Manchester United defense.
In the 72nd minute, Hleb broke through from the right and passed a cross. Beausejour shot in front of the goal, and Rafael flew to block the baseline.
In the 81st minute, Hleb broke into the penalty area and was knocked down by Rafael. The Birmingham bench stood up in protest, but the referee Mason indicated that there was no foul.
In the 83rd minute, Manchester United got a corner kick opportunity.
Giggs took a corner kick, Zhang Kuang headed the ball in the penalty area, Foster flew up and made the ultimate save with one palm... He didn't save it, the ball went in.
3:0!
Zhang Kuang ran to the corner flag area, then stood there with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky.
He Wei: "It's in, it's in, it's in, Zhang Kuang's header has gone in! He jumped through the clouds, and his iron head broke open the defensive wall. Even though thousands of troops couldn't stop him, the ball fell into the net and shocked the whole audience.
The arc falling from high altitude contained murderous intent. Zhang Kuang in the crowd bucked the trend and soared into the air, receiving the pass with his forehead. All the defenders were half a beat slower. This headbutt was strong and steady, and it was the most passionate answer in the high-altitude confrontation."
Xu Yang: "It's awesome, it's awesome. Everyone knows that Zhang Kuang's header is awesome, but he just can't prevent it. This is too awesome."
"..."
In the 85th minute, Birmingham continued to make substitutions. Žigić, who was 2.02 meters tall, replaced Beausejour, and Kevin·Phillips replaced Jerome.
The purpose was clear: high-altitude bombing.
In the 86th minute, Žigić flew the header, Phillips poked the ball from close range, and Van der Sar got down to the ground to save it.
In the 89th minute, Roger Johnson picked up the ball near the backcourt sideline and observed the Manchester United defense. Ferdinand and Vidić were both pressing higher, and there was a huge gap between them.
Johnson directly made a long pass from a distance of 40 meters, and accurately lobbed it towards the middle of the penalty area of Manchester United.
Žigić takes off in front of Ferdinand to fight for the top.
His height advantage of 2.02 meters is so obvious that Ferdinand cannot suppress him at all.
Žigić accidentally touched the ball with his arm when he was taking off. The ball changed its flight trajectory, and then he used his chest to ferry the ball forward to the goal of the small penalty area.
Li·Bowyer advanced from the back row of the midfield at high speed. Vidić and Ferdinand focused all their attention on Žigić, completely missing Bowyer behind them.
Bowyer shot with his right foot from close range on the right side of the small penalty area, and the ball went into the net from Van der Sar's armpit.
3:1.
St Andrew's Stadium exploded.
The home fans burst into cheers like a tsunami, as if they saw hope of a comeback.
Bowyer picked up the ball from the net, ran back to the center circle, and roared to encourage his teammates.
Of course, they knew that there was no real hope of a comeback, but they were still quite excited.
Ferguson stopped chewing gum for a moment, then walked to the sidelines and shouted to the court, "Hold on! Don't panic!"
Rooney stood in the middle circle with his hands on his hips and shook his head.
Zhang Kuang walked up to Van der Sar and patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Edwin, they can't make waves, we will definitely win."
Van der Sar gritted his teeth and nodded.
In injury time, Gibson was replaced by Park Ji-sung.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Giggs continued to protest to the referee Mason about Žigić's handball before Bowyer scored. Mason was given a verbal warning and a yellow card.
Finally, at the end of the game, Manchester United defeated Birmingham 3-1 away from home. Zhang Kuang scored twice and contributed one assist, Berbatov scored one goal, and Rooney assisted one goal.
After the game, Zhang Kuang was voted the best player in the game.
He had a calm expression when being interviewed in the mixed zone. "Birmingham's home court is difficult. They put a lot of pressure on us in the second half. But the whole team withstood it. These three points are crucial."
The reporter asked, "Gardner and Bowyer pressed you very fiercely. What do you think?"
Zhang Kuang smiled, "Their defense is very tough, but it shows that they respect me. On the football field, the more fierce your opponents are to you, the more they are afraid of you."
This answer was rated as "a beautiful answer" by "The Guardian".
The front page title of "Manchester Evening News" the next day was. "Zhang Kuang two goals and one assist, Manchester United three goals, St Andrew's fortress was breached".
After 20 rounds, Manchester United has accumulated 58 points, leading the second place Arsenal by 22 points. The suspense of Premier League's championship has almost disappeared.
But for Zhang Kuang, the season continues.
Three days later there will be a home game against West Brom, then Football Association Cup, UEFA Champions League knockout games... and World Cup qualifiers Asia district games starting next March.
Zhang Kuang leaned on the seat of the team bus, looking at the Birmingham night view outside the window, with the corners of his mouth raised slightly.