Chapter 15: Knockout Match Format

It was not until before bedtime that Li Qi had time to pay attention to the situation of the team he was most concerned about: in the last round, the Chinese team still played passionately and won all three games, advancing to the top of the group! The opponent in the knockout round of the top 3 was the German team.

The third and final round of Group B of the 2005 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands ended at the Hagerwald Stadium in Utrecht.

华国U20代表队前两战先后以2比1击败欧青赛亚军土耳其，3比2挑落欧青赛季军乌克兰，本轮之前已经提前晋级16强，本场比赛只要再取一分即可确保以B组头名身份晋级，从而在1/8决赛中占据有利位置。（其实并不然……）

In this match, Cui Peng, who scored the winning goal in the previous game, was suspended due to two yellow cards, and Zhu Ting was also on suspension due to receiving a red card in the last game against Ukraine. Therefore, head coach Krauchen made adjustments to the starting lineup. Yuan Weiwei replaced Deng Tao as the left back, Zou Haibin and Lu Lin returned to the starting lineup, Wang Hongliang replaced Cui Peng and Zou Haibin as double defensive midfielders, Gao Lin played as the lone striker, and Cheng Tao, who previously played as right midfielder, changed to play as attacking midfielder.

Manchester United rising star Tong Fangzhuo, who was reported to be dissatisfied with not getting a chance to play before the game, did not appear in the starting lineup. Feng Xiaoting, who had a slight thigh muscle strain in the previous game, continued to start in the middle of the defense.

Panama lost both of its previous two matches, 1-3 to Ukraine and 0-1 to Turkey respectively. If they want to qualify, they must beat China by a large margin and also depend on the performance of the other two teams. It can be said that their chances of qualifying are very slim. Head coach Mendieta also made two adjustments to the starting lineup for this game.

Less than a minute into the first half, the Chinese team was in danger in front of the goal due to carelessness. Panamanian striker Aguilar stole the ball from Zou Haibin in the frontcourt and quickly passed it to another striker who was in a more advanced position, Salazar, who took the ball and shot directly, but unfortunately it went high.

In the 6th minute, the Chinese team sent the ball to Lu Lin after a small-scale cooperation in the middle. Lu Lin quickly advanced along the left, first deftly dribbled past the opponent's right-back's defense, and then crossed the ball to the middle on the left side of the penalty area. Zou Haibin arrived in time and fell to the ground, pushing the ball low with his right foot into the middle to break the deadlock, 1-0.

In the 12th minute, Hao Junmin passed the ball to Tan Wangsong who made an assist. The latter made a high cross, but Cheng Tao's header missed the target and Gao Lin blocked the ball in front of the goal and it went over the baseline.

After that, the Chinese team gradually took advantage of the ball and slowed down the tempo of the game. In the 15th minute, Panama got a free kick opportunity on the left side of the front court. Aguilar received the ball in the penalty area and shot with his left heel. The Chinese team goalkeeper Yang Cheng dived to get the ball.

Afterwards, the Chinese team still had a slight advantage on the field, but because Panama paid great attention to defense, especially guarding the two flanks, the Chinese team did not create any shooting opportunities. On the contrary, Panama seized the few opportunities...

In the 37th minute, Lu Lin committed a blocking foul on the left side of the backcourt, and Panama got a good free kick opportunity. Although the free kick taken by center back Buitrago was blocked by the wall and went out of the baseline; Buitrago continued to take the corner kick from the left side to the middle, and Panama center back Venegas made a header from the back row and jumped high. Although Yang Cheng, who was standing on the goal line, lifted the ball with his hand, the distance was too close and the ball still went into the net... Panama also tied the score to 1-1.

After the score was tied, the Chinese team did not panic; they regained the lead in the 40th minute: Wang Hongliang dribbled the ball from the midfield on the right and successfully completed a 2-on-1 wall pass with Hao Junmin, then made a high cross from the right side of the penalty area. The ball flew over the head of Panama center back Torres, and Gao Lin jumped up 6 meters away from the goal with no one guarding him, and easily scored with a header, helping the Chinese team to take the lead again.

In the first half of the game, the Chinese team led Panama 2-1 and went into the half-time break.

In the second half of the game, Panama made personnel adjustments at the start, stepped up its offense and gave it a go.

In the 47th minute, Buitrago's free kick from the left side of the front court missed the target. Two minutes later, Aguilar's shot from the front of the penalty area still missed the target. In the 2th minute, Panama's consecutive long shots were easily saved by goalkeeper Yang Cheng.

In the 51st minute, Gao Lin dribbled the ball at high speed on the left, resisted Panama's defense near the baseline and passed the ball low to the middle. Hao Junmin made a right-footed shot before the goalkeeper and defender to extend the score to 3-1.

In the 55th minute, Cheng Tao received a pass from Gao Lin and shot outside the penalty area, hitting Torres' body and bouncing out of the bottom line. Hao Junmin took a corner kick from the right side to the left side of the penalty area, and Yuan Weiwei shot with a long leg, but was blocked by Panama goalkeeper Calderon with one hand; Yuan Weiwei followed up with another shot, and the ball hit the left post and went out.

From the 50th minute to the 65th minute, the Chinese team besieged the Panamanian goal and created continuous shooting opportunities, but failed to break through the Panamanian goal again.

In the 67th minute, Panama winger Gallardo made a breakthrough on the left and crossed the ball. The Chinese team cleared the ball not far away and the ball returned to Gallardo's feet. The latter passed it to the middle, and Aguilar shot at 9 meters away without being guarded! Unfortunately, the angle was too straight and was blocked by Yang Cheng's leg.

Then the Chinese team created threats one after another and fought back: In the 64th minute, Lu Lin had a single shot on the right side of the front court and shot low from the right side of the penalty area, but the Panamanian goalkeeper blocked it with his legs. In the 70th minute, Wang Hongliang made a clever transfer from the left side of the front court to the right side. Tan Wangsong got the ball and dodged Gallardo's defense and then shot with his left foot. Calderon blocked the ball with a side dive, and Gao Lin's supplementary shot was high.

However, the Chinese team scored again in the final moments... In the 78th minute, Gallardo was forced to foul Cheng Tao on the right side of the frontcourt after his exquisite pass. Lu Lin took the free kick from 27 meters away and shot directly with his left foot. The ball flew over the wall of players in a beautiful arc and hit the inside of the right post into the goal, scoring a world-class goal!

The Chinese youth team secured the victory with a score of 4 to 1.

The Chinese team won all three group matches, all of which were goal-scoring battles. The scenes were exciting and left a deep impression on fans, opponents and coaches; however, it also exposed the team's characteristics, strengths and weaknesses prematurely.

In addition, as Li Qi analyzed before, the three group matches also consumed a lot of energy and physical strength of the main lineup of the Chinese U3 youth team, especially entering the excitement period too early and failing to get effective rotation adjustments; therefore, entering the knockout stage with an exhausted body to face Germany, which has rich experience in major competitions, is likely to be a disaster.

……

Final ranking of Group A:

1. Netherlands, 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses, 6 goals scored, 1 goal conceded, goal difference 5, points 9; advanced!

2. Japan, 0 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 3 goals scored, 4 goals conceded, goal difference -1, points 2; advanced!

3. Benin, 0 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 2 goals scored, 3 goals conceded, goal difference -1, points 2; eliminated...

4. Australia, 0 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 2 goals scored, 5 goals conceded, goal difference -3, points 2; eliminated...

Final ranking of Group B:

1. China, 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses, 9 goals scored, 4 goals conceded, goal difference 5, points 9; advanced!

2. Ukraine, 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, 7 goals scored, 6 goals conceded, goal difference 1, points 4; advanced!

3. Turkey, 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, 4 goals scored, 4 goals conceded, goal difference 0, points 2; the third place in the group with the best results advanced!

4. Panama, 0 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses, 2 goals scored, 8 goals conceded, goal difference -6, points 0; eliminated...

Final ranking of Group C:

1. Spain, 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses, 13 goals scored, 1 goal conceded, goal difference 12, points 9; advanced!

2. Morocco, 2 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss, 7 goals scored, 3 goals conceded, goal difference 4, points 6; advanced!

3. Chile, 1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses, 7 goals scored, 8 goals conceded, goal difference -1, 3 points; the third place in the group with the best results advanced!

4. Honduras, 0 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses, 0 goals scored, 15 goals conceded, goal difference -15, points 0; eliminated...

The final ranking of Group D can be found in the previous chapter;

The final ranking of Group E can be found in the previous chapter;

Final ranking of Group F:

1. Brazil, 2 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses, 3 goals scored, 0 goals conceded, goal difference 3, points 7; advanced!

2. Nigeria, 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, 4 goals scored, 2 goals conceded, goal difference 2, points 4; advanced!

3. South Korea, 1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses, 3 goals scored, 5 goals conceded, goal difference -2, points 3; the third place in the group with the best results advanced!

4. Switzerland, 1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses, 2 goals scored, 5 goals conceded, goal difference -3, points 3; eliminated...

Therefore, the matchups for the round of 16 knockout matches have also been released!

Enschede Division:

6月21日17:30分，D1美国vs韩国F3；

6月21日20:30分，C2摩洛哥vs日本A2；

Tilburg Division:

6月21日17:30分，F1巴西vs哥伦比亚E2；

6月21日20:30分，B1中国vs德国D3；

Doetinchem Division:

6月22日17:30分，F2尼日利亚vs乌克兰B2；

6月22日20:30分，A1荷兰vs智利C3；

Emmen Division:

6月22日17:30分，E1意大利vs阿根廷D2；

6月22日20:30分，C1西班牙vs土耳其B3；

……

Damn, the group leader also has to change the venue?! The next morning, Li Qi was shocked when the coaching staff organized him to change the base! Miscalculated... Still thinking of waiting for the opportunity? Fortunately, Argentina also has to go through Enschede...

But I just missed the chance to get an autograph from the Chinese team. I heard that in less than 10 years, several young men will have an annual salary of tens of millions, live in a mansion with a river view worth over million (RMB), and easily reach the peak of their lives!

……

But that's not right. Italy is from Tilburg, which is close to the southernmost tip of the Netherlands, to Emmen, which is almost the northernmost tip of the Netherlands. Although the Netherlands is not big, it takes more than 2 hours to take a train...

But it only takes less than an hour by train from Enschede, where the Argentine team is based, to Emmen!

Ricardo, who discovered the problem, absolutely couldn't bear it, but he only dared to secretly gesture in his heart:

"Organizing Committee, please come out and explain to me who is the first in the group?!"

"Come out! I promise I can't kill you..."

……