The goalkeeper sent a long ball to launch a counter-attack!
Just then, as the camera followed the ball into Arsenal's half, a small figure stood out!
Salah, alone, had already positioned himself to wait. The goalkeeper had precisely sent the ball to his location for this counter-attack!
He controlled the ball with his thigh, took a step forward, and continued dribbling. The entire sequence of control and turn was fluid, earning admiration for his incredible ball feel.
Cao Baming was clearly too late to track back. In the backfield, only two defenders remained in front of Salah, with one having to watch the fast-advancing Firmino on the wing!
A counter-attack had directly created a huge threat!
Salah pushed forward with agile, rapid steps. White's forehead was beaded with sweat. Salah's classic, high-frequency stride pattern made him impossible to track, let alone predict his next move.
With a shoulder drop, a move similar to a "fried ball" dribble, he successfully left White behind. A single player couldn't defend him!
Although Cao Baming advanced quickly, he was still too late. He sighed in resignation.
This goal was inevitable.
Salah shot, hitting the back of the net!
Liverpool clawed one goal back!
"Beautiful!" Zhan Jun shouted excitedly.
Firmino also rushed over to celebrate. Although they hadn't directly combined, if Firmino hadn't actively moved to distract the defense, Salah might not have scored so easily!
Cao Baming finally managed to get back into position.
The spectators finally understood.
It seemed the few players in the back were of no use!
Technically, they couldn't compare to Liverpool's talented forwards, and it was all thanks to Cao Baming holding the line!
With this conceded goal, a hint of confidence seemed to appear on Salah's face, but it still wasn't enough.
Perhaps he was thinking that if he didn't get past Cao Baming himself in this match, it wouldn't be a true victory!
Soon, Cao Baming gave him that opportunity.
In the 56th minute, Liverpool's long ball went over the top. Salah, without breaking his stride after controlling the ball with his thigh, moved forward. This time, Cao Baming was in front of him.
He had already planned his next move: a nutmeg!
Because Cao Baming's defensive stance had previously left his legs relatively wide, if he could exploit that...
Cao Baming's expression was incredibly calm, seemingly unaware of Salah's intentions.
Cao Baming kept his eyes on the ball at Salah's feet while gesturing with his hand for his teammates not to panic.
After a feint with a shoulder drop and a change of direction, he swiftly used his toe to poke the ball through Cao Baming's legs. It actually worked!
Cao Baming knew that while his positioning was almost top-tier, his close control skills were still lacking. Realizing the problem, he immediately changed his strategy, ignoring Salah's intent and turning around!
He chased the ball while blocking Salah's advance!
The ball had already passed him. Salah's eyes lit up as he chased, but facing Cao Baming's back, he was completely unable to get past!
The presence in front of him wasn't like a defender, but more like a wall!
"The ball got past, and he thinks he can get past me too? How naive!" Cao Baming's inner monologue mocked.
Many strikers who had faced Cao Baming personally burst into laughter upon seeing this.
"He finally knows what it feels like!"
"It seems it wasn't my problem; even Salah is the same!"
Cao Baming got to the ball first, shielded it, and passed it back to the goalkeeper.
Only then did he relax.
Salah was on the verge of despair and sat down on the ground.
The people around looked over. Was he trying to get a penalty?
Salah waved his hand dismissively.
"No, just tired!"
He then stood up and walked back to his position dejectedly.
The goalkeeper sent a long ball, and the ball returned to midfield.
For a while after, possession changed hands frequently, and no significant opportunities arose.
Cao Baming was also mindful of Salah's position and didn't easily leave his defensive area. He was now sure his teammates couldn't defend Salah, and leaving his post again could lead to trouble.
Until the 82nd minute, an excellent opportunity arose. Cao Baming received the ball. Bright, straight lines appeared before his eyes. Despite numerous passing options, the brightest one was to carry the ball forward himself!
This was the first time he had encountered such a situation!
Even with his trust in the system, he had to try!
The result was surprisingly good. After a quick one-two with a teammate, Cao Baming completed the final shot himself. Before shooting, he deliberately checked the numbers in front of him, which flickered between 67 and 76.
But in the end, he failed to score.
The goalkeeper's fingertips grazed the ball, pushing it out of the goal. Arsenal earned a corner.
Cao Baming counted his shots in the match. After that goal, this was his third shot, all on target!
This meant his next shot would be a guaranteed goal!
For him, the next step was clear: he just needed to seize the opportunity to get the ball in the opponent's half while Salah was retreating. That would definitively kill any suspense in the match!
Corners were not their strong suit, and the ball was eventually cleared by Van Dijk.
Cao Baming quickly retreated to the defensive zone. Arteta, on the sidelines, shouted loudly to reinforce the defense. Clearly, he was satisfied with the score, and the match was nearing its end.
With only a few minutes left, a one-goal advantage made it a good decision to slow down the game and secure a steady victory. However, Cao Baming didn't think so.
Because he still had a guaranteed goal, and only he knew about it!
Seeing his teammates obediently retreat to defend, Cao Baming went against the grain and chose to leave his position!
He went on the offensive!
In the 87th minute, Firmino and De Bruyne combined to advance, and just as Cao Baming was about to press for a tackle, he suddenly remembered the system's task.
No, Salah was still one short!
He glanced sideways and, as expected, the "big brain" was already circling behind him!
Cao Baming didn't intercept but instead made a reverse run!
De Bruyne passed the ball, exactly as Cao Baming had anticipated. If he had wanted to intercept this pass, it would have been easy!
As soon as Salah received the ball, he immediately stepped in!
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission, rewarding 10 attribute points and one talent skill card!"
The system's voice immediately rang out as the ball reached his feet!
Salah let out a helpless sigh to the heavens, a cry of despair!
Afterward, Cao Baming took the ball himself, looking at the halfway line ahead. As long as he crossed it, he would have it!
At this moment, everything around seemed to disappear. Cao Baming unleashed his maximum speed and charged forward!
The match time had entered the final minute of regulation time!
Just then, a flying kick came from the side!
Fabinho threw caution to the wind, trying to prevent Cao Baming from advancing further. However, he missed the ball!
Cao Baming only felt a force on his side, his center of gravity barely affected. He lightly jumped and continued chasing the ball ahead.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the referee's whistle suddenly blew!