Chapter 326 The Ambition of Small African Teams (55/134)

Chang Sheng is very aware of Mazembe's strength and tactical style, so in this game, his opponent is like a beautiful woman who has taken off her clothes in front of him. He has no cover at all, and he can see it clearly. m

So Chang Sheng thought that this game should be very easy to win.

If it was the Brazil international, he might still be a little worried.

But if it is Mazembe now... then the final is just a formality...

If nothing unexpected, the opponent should choose to stick to the game and try to drag it to a penalty shootout. This is the only way they can beat Lazio.

Therefore, Lazio's preparations are naturally aimed at how the opponent will break the defense if they want to defend it.

In fact, Lazio's coaching staff knows almost nothing about this team. It's better to know Seongnam Ilhwa, because at least Lazio played against South Korean teams in the summer, so they know more about the style of Korean football.

But for African teams, this is the first time for Lazio.

Although Chang Sheng knew this team was right, he knew more about this team through text, that is, media reports, rather than game pictures.

The only information available to the coaching staff is the video of Mazembe participating in the first two games of the Club World Cup.

They study tactics, formulate countermeasures, and what they show the players are videos of these two games.

This kind of encounter, generally speaking, the pre-match preparations can only reach this level.

But everyone is very relaxed.

Because it is obvious that Mazembe and Lazio are not at the same level at all, and their strengths are far apart.

You don't need to know too much information about this opponent, you just need to play according to your own rhythm.

Everyone believes. As long as Lazio plays normally, it will definitely be able to easily beat Mazembe.

Before the Club World Cup final, Chang Sheng simply gave his players half a day off and asked them to visit Abu Dhabi. See if there is anything you want to buy back as a Christmas present for your family.

When facing the reporter's camera, the Lazio players were all smiling and relaxed.

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What is completely different from Lazio is Mazembe's preparations.

Mazembe's head coach Ndiaye conducted closed training.

Declined interviews, declined visits by fans.

They are training hard on the training ground.

Naturally, there is only one purpose for such a hard work-to defeat the mighty Lazio in the final of the Club World Cup!

This is the ambition of this small Central African team.

But their closed training has only been ridiculed by the media.

Although Mazembe reached the final. The media cheered for them.

But this moment and that moment.

From the media's point of view, Mazembe's ability to reach the Club World Cup final and break the tradition of meeting European teams and South American teams in the final is already remarkable.

They are already winners.

But if they still want to beat Lazio, it is wishful thinking.

You know, how eager is Chang Sheng to win this Club World Cup?

His apprentice Guardiola has won the six crowns, but as a master, he has not yet won the six crowns. Wouldn't it be too shameful to say it?

So this championship, Lazio is bound to win.

Your small African team wants to eat it?

The tiger swallowed you in one bite!

Mazembe, who reached the final of the Club World Cup, is respected. But overwhelmed. Because I reached the finals, I started to think about getting more. That would make people feel a little... ignorant.

It is ridiculous for some media to ridicule Ndiaye for closed training.

"Your tactical reaction to Lazio can be guessed with your knees. What's the point of closed training? Will you still be able to attack Lazio by then?"

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time flies. The Club World Cup final between Lazio and Mazembe is coming in a blink of an eye.

before the game. Chang Sheng said to his players in the locker room: "Guys, we have won five championships this year, and we are short of the last championship, which is the six championships. Although this honor is not unprecedented, it is still The honor we want to pursue. For this honor, we have gone through a whole year. During this year, we faced various opponents, we played many games, we experienced difficult times, and we also enjoyed hearty With great victories, we have won the League Championship, the Italian Cup Championship, the Champions League Championship, the Italian Super Cup Championship and the European Super Cup Championship... Now, this long journey is about to come to the point. The Club World Cup championship is a year for us It will be a good reward for working hard. Now, let's get our reward!"

Chang Sheng's generous speech was very good for boosting the team's morale. After he finished speaking, the eyes of the Lazio players changed. Everyone screamed and couldn't wait to start the game.

Chang Sheng was satisfied with the players' response.

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Meanwhile in another dressing room, Mazembe's coach, Lamine Ndiaye, did not do the same. He stood in front of his tactical board with his players. Similarly, I was listening to a person speaking. This person is the club's chairman Katobi, and he is doing the final mobilization for his players.

At this kind of critical moment, it is natural for him to go out in person. You must know that he is also in charge of giving lectures during the intermission of every game...

"When we were training in isolation, I heard voices from the outside world. They said, 'A small team from Central Africa wants to compete with Lazio for the Club World Cup. It's delusional and shameful!'. So they said Our closed-door training is ridiculed. Of course, everyone is free to express their opinions, but everyone has a right and a wrong opinion. Obviously, what they say is wrong."

"I and you both know how much our opponents want to win this Club World Cup. Because just one more championship, they have six championships this season, in Europe. They call this 'six championships. '. This is the highest honor. So they will definitely not give up this championship. What about us? But we also have a reason to win the championship. Because this will be the best gift we can give to the entire African continent! Never in Africa No team can win the Club World Cup, they can't even reach the final! Whether it's North Africa, West Africa, or those teams in South Africa... no team can do it! But now, we We did it! We beat a strong Brazil international in the semi-final. We made it to the final! Why can't we fight for this title, lads?"

"Our opponent, Lazio's coach, used to say: 'I didn't come to the final to be runner-up', and the same applies to us. Since we're both in the final. Why can't we take a final? What about the champion? Before the game started, the media was full of talk that Lazio would become the six-time champion. Did they take us seriously?"

"But it doesn't matter, we will prove it to them with our actual performance on the court, so that they have to face us! We will use the championship to spread Mazembe's name throughout the world!!"

Katubi clenched his fists and roared hoarsely.

And the Mazembe players who had long been unable to hold back in the locker room also roared.

Then the players from both sides came out.

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In the first half of the game, as everyone knows, Mazembe did not choose such a stupid tactic against Lazio, but chose to defend.

Completely stick to it.

All of their players retreated to their own half.

Even forwards are no exception.

The goal is to defend until the end of the game, until the end of overtime, and until the penalty kick.

This is the only way Mazembe can beat Lazio.

Chang Sheng was also prepared for this. He asked the team to play according to the usual tactics against those defending teams.

Carry out large-scale transfers more. Try more long shots and various through balls. And encourage players to break through with the ball.

Anyway, Mazembe basically has no counterattack power and can't threaten Lazio's goal at all.

If possible, Chang Sheng felt that even the goalkeeper Handanovic would not be necessary.

The game begins. It was a one-sided situation, and Lazio was bombarding Mazembe's goal indiscriminately. Hope to score early.

As long as Lazio can score the first goal, there will be no suspense in this game. No matter the last few goals, as long as Lazio leads.

Therefore, Lazio's tactics and goals after the start of the game are all about scoring goals.

Optimistic Lazio fans believe that within ten minutes of the game, the little-known Mazembe will surrender, open their gates, and welcome Lazio to enter.

The self-proclaimed rational Lazio fans are not so optimistic. They think that Lazio can lead by one or two goals in the first half.

Even the players themselves think so. It may be difficult to score a goal in ten minutes, but it should be no problem to take the lead in the first half.

So they played as relaxed as the previous games.

Even a little... whatever you want.

They felt that in the first 30 minutes, no matter what, they could score a goal.

But thirty minutes later, the score was still 0:0.

Lazio had six shots in the 30 minutes, an average of one shot in five minutes.

Such performance cannot be said to be bad.

But the score has not changed.

Only then did the Lazio players realize that the situation was not as simple as they thought.

The optimistic Lazio fans in the stands and in front of the TV also fell silent.

The commentator has stopped saying "How well Lazio has performed", "Lazio has completely taken the initiative", "Lazio is in sight"... such good words.

They started to say "Mazembe's performance is very tenacious!" "Mazembe's defensive tactics are quite successful!" "Mazembe's players have high morale and energy..."

Chang Sheng off the court also frowned.

He guessed the tactics correctly, as did his understanding of the team.

But what he didn't expect was that this team's determination to win the championship was far more determined than he thought... firm!