Lyon's goal did not make them shrink their defense, but instead aroused their desire to attack. After scoring one goal, they wanted to score another one. It was 2:0. Who wants to only defend 1:0?
Claude Puel's tactical intention is very clear - after seizing the lead, continue to apply pressure to score the second goal, then shrink the defense and use the numerical advantage to limit Zhang Kuang.
In the seventh minute, Lyon launched another attack. Govou broke through on the right and passed the ball. Sandro·López headed the ball towards the goal. The ball was saved by Sorin.
In the eighth minute, Bastos cut in from the left and took a long shot. The ball missed the crossbar and flew out of the baseline.
In the ninth minute, Pjanić picked up the ball at the top of the penalty area, swung away from the angle and shot. The ball was blocked by Grichting's body.
Lyon's offensive came one after another, and Auxerre's defense line was crumbling.
But Zhang Kuang didn't panic.
He roamed the frontcourt, observing every subtle change in Lyon's defense.
Lyon's center backs Cris and Boumsong are positioned very forward, almost pressing near the center circle. The double midfielders Toulalan and Makoun form a barrier at the front of the penalty area, blocking all Auxerre's mid-road penetration routes.
But Zhang Kuang noticed something.
Although Lyon's defense line is very high, the distance between the two center backs is very large. Boumsong is to the left, Cris is to the right, and the gap in the middle is seven to eight meters.
This space will not be exploited in normal games because ordinary forwards do not have the ability to directly threaten the goal from such a long distance.
But Zhang Kuang is no ordinary striker.
Eighth minute.
Auxerre steals the ball in the backcourt.
Grichting poked the ball away from the feet of Sandro·López at the front of the penalty area, and the ball rolled to the feet of Pedretti. Pedretti raised his head and glanced - Zhang Kuang was cruising near the center circle, with Toulalan following him.
Pedretti didn't hesitate.
A long pass.
The ball flew through the air, crossed a distance of forty meters, and fell near the arc of the center circle. Zhang Kuang caught Toulalan with his back and used his chest to remove the ball.
Toulalan came up from behind and stretched out his hand to pull Zhang Kuang's jersey.
Zhang Kuang ignored it.
The moment the ball hit the ground, he flicked the ball with his left foot and turned his body to the right - the ball passed.
Toulalan was shaken, and the center of gravity shifted. The hand holding Zhang Kuang's jersey also loosened. When he reached out to pull it again, he only caught a handful of air.
Zhang Kuang drives the ball forward.
Lyon's midfielder Makoun rushed up from the front, with his body center of gravity very low, ready for a frontal interception. Zhang Kuang did not slow down and moved the ball forward to the right with his right foot, and Makoun followed suit.
Then Zhang Kuang dunked the ball back with his left foot.
Makoun's center of gravity was shaken, and his body tilted slightly to the left.
It's this moment.
Zhang Kuang's right foot passed the ball from the outside of Makoun, and then he overtook the ball from the outside.
Makoun stretched out his hand to pull, but couldn't hold it.
Zhang Kuang has already rushed over.
Now there are only two central defenders of Lyon left in front of him-Cris and Boumsong.
The distance from the goal is about thirty-five meters.
Cris rushed up from the front, and Boumsong helped defend from behind.
Zhang Kuang didn't wait for them to form an encirclement.
He raised his right foot--
"Bang--!"
The sound of the shot made the fans in the front row of the stands shrink back unconsciously.
The ball was like a fired cannonball, dragging a straight trajectory towards the upper left corner of the goal.
Lyon Goalkeeper Lloris flew to save - his reaction was fast enough, and his body stretched to the limit.
But the ball speed was too fast.
The angle is too tricky.
The ball flew past his fingertips and hit the net hard.
1:1.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!"
Bart's voice exploded in the commentary box, "World wave! Another world wave! Zhang Kuang! A violent long-range shot about thirty-five meters away from the goal! Lloris has no chance!"
"In the eighth minute, Zhang Kuang equalized the score! This is his 31st goal in the league this season!"
Liu Jianhong's voice also exploded in CCTV-5's studio. "In! In! In! Zhang Kuang! A long shot from thirty-five meters away! World wave! Auxerre equalized the score!"
"This goal is so crucial!" Xu Yang shouted, "At the most difficult time for the team, Zhang Kuang stood up again! Lyon's high-position pressing and lightning goals - all the advantages were wiped out in front of Zhang Kuang's shot!"
Zhang Kuang did not do the "Siu" celebration.
He ran towards the corner flag area, facing the visiting team's stand - the red five-star red flag - and opened his arms, closed his eyes, and his chest heaved violently.
The red bleachers exploded.
"Zhang Kuang! Zhang Kuang! Zhang Kuang!"
The shouts of China fans overwhelmed the boos of more than 40,000 home fans and echoed in the sky above Gerland Stadium.
Auxerre players rushed over from all directions.
Grichting was the first to rush in front of him and jumped directly on him. Then Mignot, Oliech, Birsa, Pedretti - everyone formed a circle, surrounding Zhang Kuang in the middle.
On the sidelines, Fernandez waved his fist fiercely.
He didn't shout or applaud, he just stood on the sidelines with his fists clenched tightly.
Lyon's head coach, Claude Puel, stood on the other side of the court with his hands on his hips and his expression frozen.
He arranged defensive tactics for a whole week before the game - targeting Zhang Kuang's header, targeting Zhang Kuang's long shot, targeting Zhang Kuang's running position, targeting Zhang Kuang's side breakthrough.
But what he didn't expect was that Zhang Kuang was more brutal than he thought. His defensive strategy was completely useless against Zhang Kuang, especially the power of Zhang Kuang's long shot. Only by experiencing it in person can you understand how powerful it is.
This distance is called the "long-range blind spot" on the football field - it's not that you can't shoot, but the hit rate is extremely low. If an ordinary player shoots from this distance, nine out of ten shots will miss.
But Zhang Kuang is no ordinary player.
In the box, Platini leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked on the figure wearing the white jersey No. 33 on the court.
He has seen countless geniuses.
Platini himself is a genius. He has seen Maradona, he has seen Zidane, he has seen Ronaldo, he has seen Messi, he has seen Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Zhang Kuang - this China person - gave him a different feeling.
Maradona's extraordinary performance makes people dizzy, Zidane's ball control makes people intoxicated, Ronaldo's explosion makes people suffocate, Messi's agility makes people amazed, and Cristiano Ronaldo's power makes people shocked.
Some people say that Zhang Kuang is an enhanced version of Drogba, but Platini discovered that Zhang Kuang is a synthesis of all these.
He can shoot from long range, head the ball, break through, pass the ball, get the ball with his back, and overtake from the wing. He is not a certain type of player, he is a collection of all types.
Of course, apart from not being able to defend and instigate in the midfield, he is almost omnipotent.
He has never seen such a player.
Platini turned his head and glanced at France Football Federation Chairman Escalettes beside him, and the two exchanged glances.
There is one sentence written in Escalettes's eyes - "No matter what, we cannot let this player leave Ligue 1."
Platini shook his head slightly, but what was written in his eyes was-"Can't keep. Ligue 1 can't keep such a player."