During the halftime break, Millwall's players were communicating with each other in the locker room. From the tone of their conversation and their facial expressions, there was no sign of anxiety or shock.
It’s not like we never fell behind, and the game wasn’t over either.
No one will have negative thoughts in their head. On the contrary, there is only the determination and fighting spirit to defeat the opponent.
Breaking through intensive defense is an eternal problem in the football world. Valencia is one of the top three teams in Spain's top league and one of the top ten teams in Europe in the past two years. They have deployed intensive defense, and the strength of the fortress is self-evident.
Aldrich didn't say anything nonsense, he directly opened the tactical board and fine-tuned the team's tactics for the second half.
This fine-tuning is based on the changes made after Valencia scored an away goal. Valencia will be more conservative and defend against counterattacks more resolutely.
The players listened carefully to Aldrich's tactical adjustments, and when they understood, they all nodded and encouraged each other.
In their football dictionary, there is no word "give up" at all.
When walking out of the locker room, Aldridge first confessed to Pirlo. After hearing this, Pirlo nodded and walked out, and then he pulled Ronaldinho back.
Ronaldinho looked at Aldridge's mysterious appearance and was hesitant to speak. When he saw it, it turned out that a Valencia player was also walking out of the locker room. Aldridge seemed to be afraid of being overheard by his opponent.
Ronaldinho grinned, it was rare to see Aldrich's cautious look, and he found it interesting.
He pricked up his ears and leaned over and said, "Boss, if you have any whispers, just tell me. I'm listening."
Aldrich pushed his head away, not wanting him to "come here". He made sure there was no one around him and kept his words to himself. Aldrich said a few words to Ronaldinho, and Ronaldinho thought about it and nodded.
Said: "This is a good idea, let me try it."
Aldridge patted him on the back, and the two walked out of the tunnel together.
The cheers at the Lion King Stadium did not decrease but increased. A small number of fanatical fans simply took off their jerseys and waved them in their hands, cheering for the Mad Lions with crazy expressions on their faces.
"Since Valencia scored an away goal, there will definitely be no overtime in this game. There is only 45 minutes left for defending champion Millwall. Valencia has advanced to the semi-finals, and only 45 minutes are left.
At the beginning of the second half of the game, judging from Valencia’s formation after the start of the second half, they are determined to wear out Millwall!”
When Valencia has the ball, harsh boos will be heard at the Lion King Stadium to mock them for not committing offensive forces.
The entire Valencia team, from the coach to the players, and even the fans in the stands, chose to ignore the boos.
0:1 to 1:1. The total score is 2:1. The whole Valencia team has a unified mind. They are united and determined to defend the victory.
It doesn't matter whether it's ugly or anti-football, as long as it can advance to the semi-finals, the rest doesn't matter.
Millwall's offensive rhythm was adjusted in the second half. This was a change made by Aldridge's midfielder.
When attacking forward from the midfield, the team has a fast pace, but when it cannot find space or good opportunities to penetrate forward, the team will slow down the pace in front of the opponent's penalty area and patiently look for opportunities.
Valencia stepped up their pressing in front of the penalty area, but the Millwall players' superior ball control ability forced them to resort to fouls.
In the 51st minute, Millwall got a direct free kick opportunity about 36 yards in front of the penalty area.
Pirlo and Ronaldinho stood in front of the penalty spot, Valencia set up a wall, did a good job of man-to-man defense, and were ready!
Pirlo did not take a run-up, and he took all the free kicks in the first half. This time, it was Ronaldinho.
Ronaldinho kept the instructions given to him by Aldrich in his mind, observed the situation, and then started to hit the goal.
The ball flew up and looked like it was going to go around the wall, but it jumped up from the Valencia wall and headed for a clearance.
"Millwall had many direct free kick opportunities today, but the quality of the shots was not high. Either they could not pass through the wall, or they went over the wall and went over the crossbar. Pirlo failed to score any free kicks. Now it's Ronaldo.
Dinho, it seems that the effect is average. Maybe they should consider using free kicks to cooperate, so that at least there will be a surprise effect."
Time passed minute by minute, and Cooper stood on the sidelines watching with fear.
Millwall was in a critical situation, but the players carried out tactics in an orderly manner on the court without any trace of panic, and chose the ball calmly and decisively.
This opponent's mental quality on the field is so outrageous!
However, under the heavy pressure of Valencia, the game became more and more irritable. Albelda received a yellow card in the first half, and his foul in the second half was very dangerous.
In the 59th minute, Henry came out of the penalty area to catch the ball with his back. As soon as he took the ball and moved it horizontally, he was tripped to the ground by Baraja who turned around and was eager to steal the ball. The referee awarded Baraja a foul and also showed him a foul.
Got a yellow card.
Both Valencia midfielders received yellow cards!
Henry endured the pain and stood up, moved his ankles, and showed an okay expression to Larson, who was concerned about his condition.
Valencia once again put up a wall to defend. This free kick was about two meters outside the penalty area, close to the right side of the goal.
Canizares directed the wall to move and block the near corner. This distance was relatively close. It was extremely difficult to hit the ball around the wall and into the net. But Millwall's free kick masters really scored it.
, you have nothing to say.
Canizares moved to the other side and blocked the far corner of the goal.
Ronaldinho stood in front of the ball again, staring at Canizares with a serious expression, as if he wanted to have a direct conversation with Canizares.
With Aldridge's words of intermission echoing in his mind, Ronaldinho's eyes were determined and he took a run. The moment his foot touched the football, all the Valencia players in front jumped up and tried to block the ball.
Leap overhead and fly around the wall towards the goal.
But when they jumped up, their expressions changed.
Surprise, shock, fear, and outrage!
Got fooled!
Ronaldinho's free kick did not fly up, but flew forward very quickly against the turf, just in time to roll past the foot of the jumping wall.
The players who put up the wall in Valencia all regret it. They all desperately hope that gravity will be stronger!
Put us down!
When their feet landed, everyone turned around and looked in the direction of the goal.
Their pupils shrank, and they saw Canizares hurriedly moving towards the near corner of the goal, falling to the ground and throwing himself, his long arms with the momentum of turning the tide, trying to block the ball from the goal line.
But, it's too late!
The ball rubbed the inside of the post and rolled into the goal. When Canizares stretched out his arm, the ball had already crossed the line.
Thunder erupted from the ground at Lion King Stadium. Lions fans waved their arms in the stands, and their cheers shook all directions, as if the ground was shaking!
"Ronaldinho scored a classic free kick! Although the flight path of this free kick was unremarkable, Ronaldinho's choice was full of imagination and creativity, which is absolutely amazing.
Unexpected! He actually sent the ball into the goal with a ground ball.
After Valencia's wall jumped, the ball just rolled past his feet! It was so wonderful, so unbelievable! 2:1, Millwall took the lead again in this game, but the total score was still 2:2. Valencia
West Asia takes the lead thanks to the away goal advantage, and there is still half an hour left in the game!"
This ball stunned all the Valencia players. They stood there and looked at Ronaldinho like a monster.
If the goal is scored, Ronaldinho's reputation will definitely increase again.
However, if the ball doesn't go in, if someone can't jump from the wall with such a kick, it's a big joke, it's a mess!
It has to be said that Ronaldinho's free kick to score the goal is truly audacious for a skilled man.
Ronaldinho jumped on the spot after seeing the goal. In front of him, Nedved had already run into the goal, hugged the ball and ran back. Ronaldinho turned around and high-fived Pirlo to celebrate, and then raised his eyebrows towards Aldridge on the sidelines.
Thumbs up, iconic gesture.
Aldridge did not celebrate, but just nodded and applauded the players on the court, shouting loudly for them to keep working hard, especially the pressure on Valencia should not drop.
This free kick was indeed something Aldridge reminded Ronaldinho during the halftime break.
Valencia committed many fouls today, and Millwall also received many free kick opportunities.
In the first half, Pirlo took the penalty, and Aldrich noticed a detail. Valencia's wall would take off every time it defended, trying to expand the defensive area in the air to avoid free kicks going over the head and then falling into the goal.
In the second half, Ronaldinho was replaced to take the free kick. Aldrich told him that for long-distance free kicks, he must shoot high-altitude and falling. For close-range free kicks, if the penalty spot is to the side of the goal, observe the situation and choose the ground ball appropriately.
Scored from the near corner.
Ronaldinho has the ability to deceive the wall and hit the ground, but he is not the absolute candidate to take free kicks at Millwall, so he has never shown it before.
When Cooper saw the team losing the ball, he nervously asked the substitutes to warm up. He began to consider substituting players to strengthen defense, especially since there were too many players with yellow cards on the court in Valencia.
There are scruples, and local flaws may easily occur.
Aldridge also asked the substitutes to warm up. If he could not score the third goal in the 70th minute of the game, he would risk his life.
The game became intense, even a little brutal, and Valencia's half was filled with smoke.
Since Valencia's score became 1:1 in the first half, they have cut down on counterattacks that were not very threatening. At this stage, the players who were supposed to attack have become in a dilemma.
I am afraid that my offensive investment will bring hidden dangers to the defense line, and if I do not attack resolutely, the result will be that Millwall will attack even more unscrupulously!
In the 66th minute, Valencia made a clearance in the backcourt and the ball fell in front of Aimar. He picked up the ball with his back turned. As soon as his foot touched the ball, someone rushed up to steal it from behind and poked the ball away from him. Gatto
Ask!
Gattuso, who was moving like the wind, stretched out his foot to steal the ball and immediately rushed forward to launch an attack. He had just passed Aimar, but Aimar, who was in a hurry, reached out and held his shoulder. His center of gravity was unstable. Gattuso staggered and fell to the ground.
.
The Lions fans in the stands of the Lion King Stadium were furious. They stood up and pointed in Aimar's direction. All the pressure caused by the noise was to accuse Aimar of fouling!
The referee stopped the game and walked towards Aimar step by step. At the same time, he put his hand into the pocket where the cards were placed.
Baraja rushed up to the referee and spread his hands to explain, interceding for Aimar. In the first half, Aimar received a yellow card.
Pirlo and Nedvěd were close to the scene of the incident. They also walked to the referee and signaled that Aimar had committed a tactical foul, and it was definitely not the first offense and must be given a card.
Aimar kept raising his hands, as if he was making an innocent defense.
The referee had to take the card. Not counting Aimar's foul in the first half, this was his third foul in the second half, and the foul was really ugly.
If you are trying to add Tusuo to collide with the opponent and destroy the attack, you will be knocked down, but you can actually pull the opponent down directly from behind with your hands!
The referee walked up to Aimar, showed an unselfish face, took out a yellow card and held it up high.
Aimar roared angrily, then put his head in his hands and turned away, unable to accept it.
Behind him, the referee continued to take out another color card.
Hold it high in your hand, and everyone will pay attention.
