Not only Suta, but all four charged at Cao Baming simultaneously, only to miss completely.
Top defenders always maintain a cautious stance; they wouldn't rashly attempt a tackle without absolute certainty, lest they lose their positional advantage.
However, Cao Baming had deceived them all.
Facing the goal, Cao Baming's eyes lit up. He estimated the distance to be about seven or eight meters. This was a god-given opportunity!
Regardless of whether it was task A or task B, at such a close range, he had to try. It couldn't possibly miss, could it?
The entire stadium held its breath. As Cao Baming continued to run, he entered the penalty area, directly facing the goalkeeper. Castagne, beside him, no longer had a positional advantage, clinging to Cao Baming's jersey with one hand to signal that the defense hadn't completely failed and he hadn't been fully beaten!
Yet, such interference meant nothing to Cao Baming.
Was there a fly on his sleeve? He felt something moving.
Castagne's strength, as Cao Baming felt it now, was practically nonexistent.
The football remained firmly under his control, with no one capable of taking it away.
The next second, Cao Baming gathered his strength and swept across the surface of the ball with lightning speed! His shoe had not made contact with the ball!
This time, unlike the previous match, there was absolutely no contact whatsoever! With sufficient power, the ball soared directly towards the goal!
The surrounding players looked bewildered, struggling to comprehend. It was a cognitive dissonance; they had expected to hear a distinct "thump" when Cao Baming shot.
But there was no sound, and yet when they looked up, the ball had already flown away!
The goalkeeper's reaction was a beat slow!
It wasn't until the ball was mere centimeters from the goal that his brain finally registered. What use was a reaction now? He was helpless!
From an outsider's perspective, the goalkeeper stood frozen, making virtually no move!
Then, in the next moment, a loud "bang"! The football struck the crossbar and was then sent high into the air, going out for a goal kick!
Even as it flew, the arc remained, and the ball's spin didn't stop, like a flying top.
What the...?
Everyone was stunned, and Cao Baming felt immense regret.
It didn't go in, and it even hit the crossbar!
The fans also sighed, lamenting that if not for the crossbar, this would have been a contender for the goal of the year award!
The curve, the power, and the unique ability to impart such spin with almost no contact—only Cao Baming could achieve this.
Since the ball went out for a goal kick, the referee naturally signaled for it. A new ball was thrown onto the field, and the goalkeeper caught it.
Fortunately, the ball hadn't gone in, and he was filled with relief. As a goalkeeper with years of experience, the goalpost was his best friend!
The crossbar had performed admirably today; he would have to reward it handsomely later!
Despite the missed goal, the fans on the sidelines still offered their applause. The entire play, from beginning to end, had been spectacular, and whether the ball went in or not had become secondary!
The game had just begun, and there would be plenty more opportunities!
Cao Baming silently set a goal for himself: at the very least, he had to complete this task in the first half.
The game began to subtly shift. As time wore on, Leicester City gradually began to gain possession in midfield.
For a moment, everyone, including themselves, was astonished. They hadn't seen Chelsea achieve this in the previous match!
However, this situation wouldn't last long, as it was ultimately an illusion.
In the 14th minute, Tete received a brilliant through ball from a teammate and began to sprint into an open space. Vardy moved to receive it, but Cao Baming directly intercepted what looked like a promising attack.
A beautiful tackle, relying entirely on anticipation, rendered their coordinated effort meaningless. Nottingham Forest's counterattack began!
Observing the passing lanes, Cao Baming quickly locked onto an opportunity, indicated by a number flashing between sixty-something and seventy-something, and sent the ball away.
Simultaneously, he began to sprint towards the front lines.
The technical ability of the Nottingham Forest players was naturally not comparable to that of Arsenal's earlier squad, so the numbers were consistently lower. This was not entirely unexpected.
Yet, the recurring sense of disappointment still required some adjustment!
In an instant, Cao Baming recalled when he used to personally organize plays from the back. Whether it was Messi or Henry up front, the passing lanes were always crystal clear, registering in the eighties or nineties. As long as the ball was successfully delivered, it was usually a goal.
Things were not as easy now.
The football sped across the pitch, seemingly skimming the grass, but in reality, it didn't touch the ground at all, its passage flattening a swathe of green blades.
A precise, stealthy, and highly penetrating pass, like a scalpel!
"Gibbs-White is at the receiving point! No, it's a cross-over move between him and Awoniyi! The defenders have been drawn away!"
"Look at this chance!!"
Awoniyi's run was timely, and he successfully received Cao Baming's pass! There was no hint of offside!
Suta remained in position, not rushing to tackle, waiting for Awoniyi to make his first move.
However, Johnson closed in. In the next second, Awoniyi glanced sideways and saw his teammate nearby. With the outside of his foot, he nudged the ball forward, landing about one to two meters in front of the rapidly running Johnson.
This was too perfect! Johnson didn't hesitate, taking a couple of small steps to adjust, and then unleashed a powerful shot!
The ball flew straight into the net!! The goalkeeper's fingertips brushed it, but he couldn't change its trajectory!
"Congratulations to Johnson! Congratulations to Nottingham Forest! They've scored their first goal of the match, taking a 1-0 lead over Leicester City!!"
"A perfect combination, showcasing Nottingham Forest's formidable attacking organization, buildup, and finishing ability!"
The commentator shouted excitedly as the goal celebration began.
This shot had immense power, prioritizing brute force and a straightforward finish over finesse or intricate angles.
Cao Baming had already sprinted to Johnson's side. Johnson could have passed earlier, but perhaps he was unaccustomed to it. The ball had been sent by Cao Baming; how had he managed to reach the front from the back so quickly?