Should Zhang Kuang focus his energy on Europe? Are Asian final-20 matches not worth his time?

Hong Kong Media has been having some troubles with happiness lately.

The 3:0 victory of Workers' Stadium on November 11 was still lingering. The front page of the newspaper had not even had time to write about Zhang Kuang's hat trick. The fifth round group stage match against Jordan at home on November 15 was already imminent.

There are two consecutive World Cup qualifiers games, and two "big battles" that determine the fate of qualifying. Hong Kong fans have not enjoyed this kind of treatment for decades.

"South China Morning Post" sports edition headlines:

"At 8pm on the 15th, Hong Kong Stadium and China Hong Kong Team faced off against the second-placed Jordan in the group. Coach Troussier said frankly: 'We will accept the test of Jordan Team at any time.'"

The subtitle is: Nuclear weapon Zhang Kuang is in good condition, Hong Kong Team is aiming for first place in the group and qualifying ahead of schedule.

The title of "Ming Pao" is more direct. "Zhang Kuang takes the lead, Hong Kong Team will hit the top spot in the group on the evening of the 15th! Coach Jordan showed weakness before the game, which may be psychological warfare."

The sports commentary of "Apple Daily" had mixed emotions. "Forty thousand fans will witness one of the most important battles in the history of Hong Kong Hong Kong Football Team football.

When was the last time Hong Kong Team won four consecutive games in the World Cup qualifiers group stage? The answer is: never. Troussier's team has already made history, but tonight they are going to make history even more glorious."

In the Mainland, CCTV and "Sports Morning News" reported on the other side, "On the evening of the 15th, in the fifth round of Group A of the top 20 competition in World Cup qualifiers Asia, China Hong Kong Team, who has already qualified in advance, will face Jordan Team at home.

China National Team, who has missed the top ten competition, can only sit on the sidelines, while Hong Kong Team and Zhang Kuang will continue to use practical actions to prove the value of the world's number one shooter."

On the 14th, a pre-match press conference was held in the press hall of Hong Kong Stadium. Nearly a hundred reporters packed the entire room.

Troussier wore a dark blue windbreaker and sat in the main seat with a relaxed expression.

"In this game, there is no room for failure for Jordan Team, and the same goes for Hong Kong Team, because we have to keep first place in the group.

We will not respond conservatively, let alone allow our opponents to succeed easily. The morale of the team is high and the players are very confident, especially Zhang Kuang, who scored five more goals in training yesterday and is in very good condition."

Reporter: "Mr. Troussier, now that Manchester United has lost the top spot in the league, are you worried that Ferguson will ask Zhang Kuang to restrain himself appropriately and maintain good condition to fight Premier League?"

Troussier raised his eyebrows and said with a playful smile, "Haha, I have never heard of Sir Ferguson having similar requirements for any player. He is a proud person and will not have such thoughts.

This is like a student who is ranked first in the class every time and will never ask other students to lower their scores just because they have a cold."

The audience burst into laughter, and the flashlights lit up.

Reporter: "Hong Kong Team has qualified early. Will you rotate some main players in this game to prepare for the top ten games?"

Troussier said sternly, "We will not respond conservatively. We will qualify as the first in the group. This is not only for honor, but also to establish a team culture of 'always fighting for first' for Hong Kong Team."

Reporter: "How do you evaluate Jordan Team's possible play style?"

Troussier: "Jordan Team is a very disciplined team. Their defensive organization is very tight and their counterattack speed is very fast.

But they have a problem: they lack a stable scoring point, which will be fatal in the Asia arena. We have Zhang Kuang, and they... don't."

Afterwards, Jordan coach Adnan Hamad walked up to the stage of the release meeting, his face already not very good. He did not speak first, but sat down and took a drink of water before speaking:

"Hong Kong Team has already got the right to qualify. I don't think they need to fight so hard. In fact, first and second place are not important. It doesn't mean that winning the first place can avoid the strong teams.

Asia For the four qualifying places, the four World Cup teams from the last competition will be divided equally into two groups, so what is the difference between the first and second place in the top 20 group?"

He paused and added, "Zhang Kuang's energy should be focused on Europe. Manchester United fell to second place in the league, so the game between Premier League and UEFA Champions League is where he should exert his efforts. He should rest in games like the top 20 group stage."

As soon as this sentence came out, the reporters in the audience looked at each other: This sounds like "reducing the burden" on Hong Kong Team, but in fact it is implying "Don't work too hard, don't ruin my good deeds."

After all, Jordan is now ranked second in the group with 6 points, and Iraq is ranked third with 3 points. If Jordan cannot score points against Hong Kong Team, and Iraq defeats China National Team and gets another three points, then the qualifying situation will be completely messed up.

A reporter asked, "Mr. Hamad, if Hong Kong Team sends all the main players in this game, are you sure you can score points?"

Hamad was silent for a few seconds. "Football is round."

Three words with profound meaning.

A Hong Kong reporter in the audience couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Hamad, coach Troussier just said that he will do his best to qualify first. Have you planned how to prevent Zhang Kuang this time?"

Hamad's expression froze for a moment, and then he said, "Yes, we have a plan, but players like Zhang Kuang cannot be defended by just trying to defend them."

Reporter: "..."

--

At six o'clock in the evening on November 15, Hong Kong Stadium was already crowded with people.

The stadium with 40,000 people was packed with seats, the stands were all red, and uniform singing echoed through the night sky.

In the east stand, a giant banner was pulled up, with white letters on a blue background reading:

"Hong Kong, always fighting for the first place, here we come!"

The North Stand is where the Jordan fans are. They are not many in number, but their voices are loud. A white Jordan flag is flapping in the cold wind.

Hong Kong The November night was only about ten degrees, but the stadium was already warmed by the heat of the fans.

At the entrance of Hong Kong Stadium, security personnel were checking the fans' belongings one by one. Fans from the two teams were guided to different entrances to enter the stadium to avoid conflicts.

The person in charge of security told reporters, "The fans of both teams are very cooperative and no safety hazards have been found so far. We have prepared sufficient security forces to deal with any emergencies."

Outside the stadium, scalpers shuttled among the crowd. A ticket originally priced at HK$100 has been sold for HK$800, and demand still exceeds supply.

"Do you have any tickets? Do you have any tickets? East stand location, 800 Hong Kong dollars each!" a scalper asked when he saw someone.

"800? Why don't you go and grab it?" A young man frowned.

"Look what kind of game this is! World Cup qualifiers! Zhang Kuang! Do you know how much a game of his playing is worth? 800 Hong Kong dollars to watch the world's number one striker play, it's worth it! If I didn't sell you 8,000, it's already a reasonable price." The scalper was confident.

The young man hesitated for a moment, then took out his wallet.

Interesting anecdote from the stands: Twenty minutes before the kickoff, a commotion suddenly broke out in the east stand.

It turned out that several Hong Kong fans spelled out the word "WAH" (Hong Kong Team's nickname) with glow sticks, which shone brightly under the lights.

Several Jordan fans nearby also took out their light sticks and tried to spell "JOR", but they fell apart halfway through, causing the surrounding Hong Kong fans to burst into laughter.

In the VIP box of the west stand, several middle-aged men in suits were chatting while holding goblets.

One of them pointed at Zhang Kuang who was warming up on the field, said something to the people around him, and then several people laughed together.

The fans in the stands did not pay attention to these details: they were too busy cheering for every touch of Zhang Kuang to A Bola.

Jordan fans in the North Stand held a Jordan flag with the words: "Always be proud of our motherland!"

At 7:50, after the players from both sides returned to the locker room to prepare again, the starting players came to the tunnel to line up.

The light in the tunnel is dim, and the players' expressions are different in the dim light.

The referee Mohammed·Al·Hilali (Oman) stood between the two teams, holding a football in his hand and confirming the time.

Assistant referees Khalid Al Mahmoud and Salim Al O Mali stood on both sides of the tunnel and checked the general situation of the players of the two teams.

Hilali The referee was wearing a black referee uniform with a whistle hanging on his chest. He looked seriously at the players of both teams to confirm that no one was wearing illegal equipment.

The caddies were all well-behaved and cute, silent and seemed relatively calm.

The fourth official stood at the exit of the passage, holding a substitution sign with nothing on it.

No one spoke in the passage, only the sound of breathing and the sound of sneakers scraping against the ground.

Occasionally, a player clears his throat or coughs, which is particularly clear in the quiet passage.

The entrance music sounds.

Hilali The referee turned back to signal the two teams to follow. Fan Chun-yip took the first step, and Zhang Kuang followed behind him.

Jordan Team Chief Anas Haji also took steps, and the players from the two teams walked to the green lawn step by step in the same rhythm.

The moment the two teams stepped onto the lawn, the sound of 40,000 people exploded instantly: applause, cheers, songs, and whistles, all gathered together and poured from the stands to the center of the stadium like a tsunami.

The light shines on the lawn, and the emerald green turf shines under the illumination of the night light, like a piece of emerald that has been polished countless times.

Electronic screens around the stadium displayed the starting lineups and team emblems of the two teams: Hong Kong Team's emblem here is a blue and red dragon and lion pattern, Jordan Team's emblem is a white Jordan national flag pattern.

The team flags of the two teams fluttered in the wind on the flagpole in the center of the stadium, blue and white intertwined in the night wind.

Both sides lined up to stand and the ceremony of playing the national anthem began.

Hong Kong's national anthem "March of the Volunteers" sounded. Zhang Kuang and other Hong Kong players looked at the national flag and put their right hand on their left chest.

The Jordan national anthem then sounded, and the Jordan players sang in unison, with several players' eyes red.

The voice of He Wei appeared in the CCTV live broadcast room at the right time:

"China Central Television, China Central Television, what you are watching now is 2014 Brazil World Cup Asia is the home match between China Hong Kong Team and Jordan Team in the fifth round of Group A of the top 20 regional qualifiers. I am He Wei, and the person commentating with me today is still the coach Zhang Lu."

Zhang Lu: "Hey, there is actually no suspense about this game. As long as Hong Kong Team does not lose, the first place in the group will basically be stable. But Jordan Team must score points in this game, so their mentality will be more anxious."

He Wei: "Yes, we also pay attention to the status of Zhang Kuang. He completed a hat trick in the last game against the national team, and after the game he also mentioned that he will do his best to help Manchester United regain the top spot. Let's see if he can continue this hot status today."

Zhang Lu: "That's for sure. I have watched him play for two or three years, and I have never seen him in a particularly bad state. I feel like he is like an engine that never stops."

He Wei: "Okay, both sides have lined up and the national anthem playing ceremony has just ended. Let's take a look at the starting lineups of both sides.

Hong Kong Team is still in the 4231 formation today, with goalkeeper Fan Chun-yip, and the defense line from left to right is Poon Yiu-cheuk, Shane·Lowry, Chan Wai-ho, Lee Chi-ho.

Double back midfielder Leung Chun-pong and Jack Xu, attack line Li Weilian right, Cris Kang front midfielder, Zheng Shaowei left, single arrow Zhang Kuang."

Zhang Lu: "This lineup is exactly the same as the one against the national team in the last game. Troussier trusts this lineup very much and has not made any adjustments. This is wise, because this lineup has been adjusted very well."

He Wei: "Jordan Team, today's formation is 442, goalkeeper Shafi·Abu·Salih, defense Mohammed·Amin, Bashar·Bani Yassin, Omar·Mahmood, Talal·Abu·Al·Salam.

Midfielders Amir Bani Hussain, Hassan·Abdel Fattah, Ahmed·Hayel, Mustafa·Abu·Ain, forwards Hamza·Dawood and Anas Haji."

Zhang Lu: "Jordan Team has changed someone, Hamza·Dawood replaced Sabah Al·Hamad in the last game against Hong Kong Team.

Hamza has speed and can rush, but his ankle is injured, so I don't know if he can last the entire game."

He Wei: "In addition, we noticed that Jordan Team's captain Anas Haji started today. He is the spiritual leader of Jordan Team and plays a very important role."

In Hong Kong Stadium's commentary seat, Chung Chi-kwong's voice was filled with iconic Cantonese enthusiasm:

"Good evening, dear viewers! Welcome to TVB's live broadcast of 2014 Brazil World Cup Asia District Qualifiers Top 20 Group A fifth round, China Hong Kong Team's home game against Jordan Team! I am Chung Chi-kwong, and the person I am explaining to you today is the coach Wong Hing-kwai!"

Wong Hing-kwai: "Yeah, this wave is so interesting! Hong Kong Team has already qualified, but Troussier wants to take first place in the group, so Zhang Kuang starts.

Jordan Team is in trouble here. If you don't win, you can't win, but if you lose, you will have a high chance of being squeezed out by Iraq. The mentality of the two teams is completely different. Hong Kong Team is relaxed, while Jordan Team is under great pressure."

Chung Chi-kwong: "Okay, the players from both teams have finished shaking hands, the referee Kim Dong-jin blew the whistle, and the game officially begins!"

"Beep--!"

With the referee's whistle, the game officially started.

Jordan Team takes the lead in kicking off the ball.

Hamza·Dawood passes the ball back to Anas·Haji, Jordan Team starts organizing from the backcourt.

Hong Kong Team did not rush forward, but firmly held its position.

Troussier's tactics are very clear, don't be anxious, be determined.

He Wei: "The game has begun! Jordan Team took the lead to kick off, and they chose to organize in the backcourt. Hong Kong Team did not rush to attack. It seems that Troussier's tactics are very clear: maintain formation and wait for opportunities."

Zhang Lu: "Yes, Hong Kong Team is not in a hurry to press out and play today. They are more willing to look for counterattack opportunities in defense.

It is inevitable for Jordan Team to press out, because they must win. In this way, the space behind them will become larger and larger, which happens to be Zhang Kuang's favorite position."

In the 3rd minute, Jordan Team passed several shots in the midfield. Amir Bani Hussain got the ball in the middle and distributed it to Mustafa·Abu Ain on the right.

Mustafa dribbled the ball down the wing. Facing Poon Yiu-cheuk's defense, he did not force a breakthrough. Instead, he responded to Ahmed·Hayel who was on the side.

Hayel made a pass and the ball flew to Anas Haji in the penalty area.

Chan Wai-ho jumped high and headed the ball to clear the ball.

He Wei: "Jordan Team's first attack, the cross was cleared by Chan Wai-ho. Jordan Team did not rush to attack after the start, but patiently conducted the ball, looking for gaps in Hong Kong Team's defense."

Zhang Lu: "This style of play is normal. Jordan Team knows that Hong Kong Team will hold back, so they are testing Hong Kong Team's defensive strength. You can see their series of cooperation before passing the cross. They are very patient and not in a hurry."

Chung Chi-kwong: "Jordan Team's first pass was pushed out by Chan Wai-ho. Hong Kong Team's defensive position was so solid that Jordan Team didn't have any space."

Wong Hing-kwai: "Yes, Chan Wai-ho is in good condition today, and his header is very stable. However, Jordan Team is actually a little anxious about the cross. If you want to play tactics, it is not easy to pass it directly. This kind of cross is very easy for the Hong Kong Team central defender to handle."

In the 9th minute, Jack·Xu intercepted Jordan Team's pass in the backcourt. He did not rush to release the ball, but controlled the rhythm.

The moment Jordan Team's formation began to press forward, a long diagonal pass found Li Weilian on the right.

Li Weilian stopped the ball and advanced along the sideline at high speed. Facing the defense of Jordan left back Talal Abu Al Salam, he did not force a breakthrough, but returned the ball to Lee Chi-ho who was on the sidelines.

Lee Chi-ho made a pass and the ball flew to the back of the penalty area, where Zhang Kuang was already waiting.

Bashar·Bani Yassin defended closely, Zhang Kuang used his body to hold the opponent and took off to head the ball towards the goal.

But Bashar pushed Zhang Kuang the moment Zhang Kuang headed the ball, causing his force to be a little skewed.

The ball missed the crossbar and flew out.

He Wei: "Zhang Kuang's header! It was a little off! This was Hong Kong Team's first attack, and Zhang Kuang almost scored!"

Lee Chi-ho's cross was of high quality, and Zhang Kuang's take-off completely suppressed Bashar. Unfortunately, the ball was a little too high!"

Zhang Lu: "Hey, although it didn't go in, this ball has already demonstrated the power of Hong Kong Team's counterattack. It was only passed with three legs from beginning to end.

Jack·Xu's steal, Lee Chi-ho's rimming, Li Weilian's push, and then a shot. Jordan Team must be careful, they are pressing too far forward, and there are gaps behind them."

Chung Chi-kwong: "Wow! Zhang Kuang's header hit the crossbar and flew out! What a risk! Lee Chi-ho's cross was so accurate, and Zhang Kuang's take-off completely suppressed Bashar! It was almost in!"

Wong Hing-kwai: "The quality of this header is so high! Zhang Kuang has very good control over his movement and timing of his jump. Bashar was completely suppressed and his jump height was not high enough.

However, this attack also illustrates the fact that as soon as Hong Kong Team's counterattack is launched, Jordan Team's defense line will become very nervous."

In the online live broadcast room, fans on the MyScore platform have already started discussing:

"Zhang Kuang can hit the ball well, but I'm just a bit unlucky."

"It hit the post. If this ball had scored, Jordan Team would have lost his mentality."

"Look at Jordan Team, the central defender, being jumped on Zhang Kuang's back. He can't stand it at all."

"This is the first time I hit the goal, Zhang Kuang's foot is so hard."

"Am I the only one who saw Jordan's team push Zhang Kuang?"

"Ah? A foul? Why didn't Zhang Kuang appeal?"

"Oh, Zhang Kuang seldom gets involved in these things, he is an honest person."

"..."

In the 12th minute, Hong Kong Team got a corner kick.

Cris Kang stood in the right corner flag area and looked up at his position in the penalty area.

Zhang Kuang is standing at the front point, Li Weilian is standing at the back point, and Leung Chun-pong is cruising near the penalty spot.

Chan Wai-ho and Shane·Lowry both moved forward into the penalty area to participate in the attack.

Cris·Kang took a running approach and made an inswinging ball with his right foot.

The ball drew a beautiful parabola and went straight to the front point.

Zhang Kuang broke out diagonally from the crowd, jumped high under the close defense of Jordan defender Bashar, and accurately hit the ball with his forehead.