Chapter 347

After AZ and Tottenham Hotspur tested each other for ten minutes, Tottenham Hotspur still firmly contracted its defense and played a defensive counterattack. AZ had no choice but to press forward and force a positional attack.

Because Tottenham Hotspur had already won a victory and had a certain advantage in the group stage of the three qualifying places, it was completely acceptable to face the top team in the Eredivisie away from home.

But for AZ, which still has zero points, it is unacceptable.

The difference in confidence led to different tactics chosen by the two teams in this game. Tottenham Hotspur can play a defensive counterattack with peace of mind, but AZ cannot.

Seeing AZ start to press forward and launch a strong attack on Tottenham Hotspur, the cheers of more than 10,000 AZ fans at home suddenly became louder.

They all hope that their cheers can help AZ score as soon as possible, defeat Tottenham Hotspur from the Premier League, and win the first victory of the League Cup this season.

In fact, last season, Alkmaar also entered the UEFA Cup group stage, but in the end, they only achieved 1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses and 4 points in four games, ranking fourth in the group. It was a pity for the fans to stop in the group stage.

This season, Alkmaar has Jiang Xiaolin, a killer. Everyone hopes that Jiang Xiaolin can lead Alkmaar to go further and even win the championship in the end.

After all, no matter how good Alkmaar is, it is stronger than the Chinese Olympic team, right?

Jiang Xiaolin can lead the Chinese Olympic team to defeat Italy, Argentina and other world powers and win the Olympic championship. It is not unimaginable to lead the stronger Alkmaar to win the UEFA Cup.

Therefore, the fans have high expectations for Jiang Xiaolin's first UEFA Cup game after his return.

Although the opponent is a team from the Premier League, which is the most competitive among the five major leagues, the fans still cheer for the team desperately, hoping that the team can defeat the opponent, win the first victory in the group stage, and lay the foundation for qualifying for the group.

However, Alkmaar, with its formation pressing forward, still could not easily tear open the opponent's defense.

Not only that, Tottenham often used quick counterattacks on both sides and headers in the middle to threaten Alkmaar's goal.

Although this Tottenham team ranks last in the Premier League, its strength should not be underestimated.

In the 17th minute, Jiang Xiaolin finally broke through the side and cut inside to shoot.

As a result, before shooting, he was hit hard by the defender Aso Ekoto who rushed over, causing the shot to be inaccurate and slightly straight, and was saved by goalkeeper Shurelio Gomez.

The ball saved by Gomez fell into the penalty area. Hamdaoyi wanted to grab a shot, but Tottenham defender Kluka was faster.

Even Kluka did not rush to clear the ball with a big foot, but was bold and careful to dribble past Hamdaoyi who rushed over quickly and could not stop.

Then Kluka rushed out of the penalty area with the ball, and passed the ball when he was about to be intercepted by Alkmaar's right winger Stein Schars.

Immediately, Tottenham launched a quick counterattack.

Although Alkmaar's midfielders and backcourt players quickly returned to defense, Tottenham's counterattack speed was not slow.

Especially Tottenham's right winger Aaron Lennon, who had both speed and skills. The full-back Pocognoli was knocked to the ground by Lennon's bicycle kick at the first sight.

Then Lennon took the ball to the bottom and made a cross. The 188cm Tottenham center forward Pavlyuchenko rushed into the penalty area. He still successfully jumped up under the double defense of Hector Moreno and Ragnar Klavan, and grabbed the first header.

However, under the close interference and pulling of Alkmaar's two central defenders, Pavlyuchenko's header was a little higher and flew out of the bottom line along the top of the crossbar.

Although the ball didn't go in, Tottenham's counterattack really scared the players and fans of Alkmaar.

Whether it was Aaron Lennon's wing breakthrough speed and technique, or Pavlyuchenko's height and ability to grab points, Alkmaar had never encountered them in the Eredivisie, which was simply terrifying.

Many people couldn't help but ask in their hearts: "Are Premier League teams really that powerful?"

In fact, the lower-level Premier League teams are certainly not that powerful. Tottenham Hotspur is actually a traditional powerhouse in the Premier League.

Although it is not in the championship race, it has been in the top few leagues for a long time, otherwise it would not be able to play in the League Cup.

This season, Tottenham is now ranked at the bottom of the standings, which is a real surprise.

Now playing in the League Cup and European wars, the players' fighting spirit and morale have risen, and this kind of performance is Tottenham'sNormal level.

Another reason is that Alkmaar has always lacked foundation. After the players are used to playing in the Dutch Eredivisie, they are not used to the suddenly accelerated pace of the European war.

Although the Dutch Eredivisie is known as all-out attack and defense, how can there be real all-out attack and defense?

Even if there is, the players' physical strength can't stand the consumption!

In addition, there is the existence of Jiang Xiaolin, in fact, Alkmaar has easily won the games in the Dutch Eredivisie without running hard.

So this game seems a bit difficult for everyone!

Even Jiang Xiaolin, it is difficult to find any opportunities.

It's not that there is no chance at all. Jiang Xiaolin can still shoot a few long shots outside the penalty area. But Tottenham's defense is quite good and tough.

Even with Jiang Xiaolin's full physique and balance ability, it will be greatly affected. Sometimes the shot will deviate from the expected angle and route, either out of the goal or blocked by the goalkeeper.

In addition, Tottenham's counterattack in the 17th minute also frightened David Mendes, Yarriens and others in the midfield and backcourt, and they did not dare to press forward to assist easily.

Therefore, Alkmaar's positional attack has been delayed in bearing fruit.

It was not until the 28th minute that Jiang Xiaolin got a good chance to cut in from the wing and successfully hit the goal frame.

Unfortunately, under the interference of the opponent, although Jiang Xiaolin did not hit the ball crooked, because he chose to play an arc ball, the power was not strong, and the ball flew a little longer in the air, and was just saved by goalkeeper Gomez out of the bottom line, which caused a sigh from Alkmaar fans in the stands.

Alkmaar did not grab the first point in the subsequent corner kick, and was cleared by Tottenham's defender out of the penalty area.

Then, Jiang Xiaolin, who had been unable to score a goal, began to try to assist his teammates with his superb long and short passing skills.

As a result, in the 33rd minute, Jiang Xiaolin saw Hamdaoyi run into a good gap on the right side of the penalty area, so he passed the ball.

Jiang Xiaolin's full-value passing skills allowed him to successfully avoid the two Tottenham players who tried to intercept the ball in the middle, and rushed to Hamdaoyi.

As long as Hamdaoyi hit the ball right, it would be a very threatening shot.

As a result, it was astonishing that Hamdaoyi, who had been playing stably, kicked the ball over the crossbar under the pressure of the opponent's defender and flew high into the stands.

Wearing the No. 10 jersey, Hamdaoyi, who was the offensive core of Alkmaar before Jiang Xiaolin, actually shot a high-altitude cannon in the penalty area.

After completing the shot, Hamdaoyi himself couldn't believe that he had shot such a high-altitude cannon. He held the back of his head with both hands, looking at the ball flying into the sky, with a dull face.

What was even more depressing was that not long after, Tottenham, as the visiting team, actually scored the first goal.

In the 37th minute, Alkmaar was trying to pass and cut in the frontcourt, trying to tear open the Tottenham defense and merge into the opponent's penalty area.

But a pass error by winger Stein Schars gave Tottenham an opportunity.

Schars was originally going to pass the ball to the defensive midfielder David Mendes who was coming forward to make a transfer.

As a result, Schars' pass was slightly weaker and the route was not accurate, slightly off, giving the nearby Tottenham striker Darren Bent an opportunity.

Darren Bent made a flying tackle and intercepted the ball in the middle.

Mendes, who was closest, rushed over to counter-grab, but Bent, who was still on the ground, was even quicker. After intercepting the ball, he lay on the ground and swept the ball horizontally, and accurately sent the ball to the front midfielder Didier Zokora's feet.

Zokora quickly counterattacked with the ball and rushed to Alkmaar's penalty area.

Mendes turned and rushed to Zokora, and Schars, who had just made a mistake in passing, immediately returned to defense. However, none of them could catch up with Tottenham's counterattack speed.

Because Tottenham did not rely on Zokora alone to counterattack.

When Darren Bent flew to intercept the ball passed by Schars to Mendes, Tottenham's striker Pavlyuchenko, two wingers Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale had already rushed along the side to Alkmaar's bottom line at the fastest speed.

Aaron Lennon is more famous than Gareth Bale, so he was more closely marked.

As a result, Didier Zokora was intercepted in the middle, but he passed the ball to Gareth Bale on the left.

Bale, who is only 19 years old, can be selected as a candidate for the European Golden Boy Award. Naturally, he has his own advantages.

Gareth Bale's biggest weapon is speed.

Although not as fast as Jiang Xiaolin, Jiang Xiaolin is a unique existence in the football world and cannot be compared.

Compared with other people in the football world, Bale's speed is already very fast.After receiving the pass from Zokora and taking a few steps, Bale faced the interception of Alkmaar captain and right back Yarence, and directly kicked the ball past Yarence's feet, then instantly accelerated and rushed past Yarence.

The 29-year-old Alkmaar captain Yarence was eaten alive by the 19-year-old Gareth Bale with his speed.

Yarence was a little unprepared for Bale's speed and reacted a little slower.

When he wanted to collide with Bale and knock Bale down, it was too late.

Bale rushed past him like the wind, and suddenly the road was flat.

There are only 11 people on each team on the football field. Except for players like Jiang Xiaolin who can't be defended by one person, others generally adopt a one-on-one policy.

Otherwise, if there are two-on-one here and two-on-one there, won't there be no one to watch the opponent's players?

That is also quite dangerous.

Therefore, in fact, the only person who blocked Gareth Bale on the wing of Alkmaar was captain Yarence.

And everyone was very confident in him, after all, he was the old captain with rich experience.

Who would have thought that today the old captain would be pecked in the eye by a new swallow, and was eaten alive by the 19-year-old young man Gareth Bale at a glance.

Alkmaar's defense was immediately broken.

There were only three defenders left who were closer to Bale than Alkmaar's goal.

But the other side's full-back Pocognoli had to mark Tottenham's other wing forward Aaron Lennon, and the central defenders Hector Moreno and Ragnar Klavan had to mark Tottenham's striker Pavlyuchenko and the attacking midfielder Didier Zokora who had just passed the ball to Gareth Bale and ran towards the Alkmaar penalty area without the ball.

After Gareth Bale unexpectedly broke through Yarians, Tottenham immediately formed a favorable situation of four against three in the frontcourt.

Although Yarence was desperately chasing after Bale, Bale's speed talent was unparalleled. Although he was not as fast as Jiang Xiaolin, he had no problem crushing Yarence.

Even with the ball, Bale's speed was still not slower than Yarence, and Yarence tried his best but failed to close the distance with Bale.

Moreover, Bale cut inside while dribbling the ball and rushed to the corner of Alkmaar's penalty area.

There was no way, Hector Moreno, who was originally marking Zokora in the middle, had to give up his target and move to the side to intercept Bale.

Otherwise, if Bale entered the penalty area and shot, the threat would be quite large.

As a result, just a few steps after Hector Moreno moved, Gareth Bale took a long shot from about 20 meters away from the goal outside the penalty area.

The ball drew a parabola in the air and fell to the far corner of Alkmaar.

Sergio Romero thought that Bale would pass the ball to Zokora after the opponent's front midfielder was unguarded.

Unexpectedly, Bale suddenly took a long shot from outside the penalty area.

Moreover, Bale's shot was very lucky, and the angle was quite tricky, almost going straight to the dead corner at the back of the goal.

Romero took two steps back, and when he saw that the ball was almost above his head, he had no way to retreat, so he could only jump up with all his strength and try to flick the ball over the crossbar.

However, Romero's efforts failed.

The ball finally passed his fingers and went into the goal along the bottom edge of the crossbar.

In the 37th minute of the first half, Tottenham Hotspur, who played away, took advantage of a counterattack opportunity created by a sudden interception. The 19-year-old young player Gareth Bale took the ball to the front court and shot the ball from outside the penalty area into the goal of Alkmaar.

The score on the big screen at the scene became 0-1, and Tottenham Hotspur, who played away, led by one goal.