The allocation of players is too scarce, but the opposing head coach's arrangement, or the arrangements made by most teams, are understandable. This is likely due to the numerical limitations in football matches, where only 10 players are allowed on the field besides the goalkeeper.
In the 5th minute, Vieira advanced the ball in midfield and passed it. The reason he was unmarked was that Cao Baming single-handedly drew the attention of five opponents with his five goals.
After a few more passes, the ball reached the front. Cao Baming did not control it, merely glanced at the goal, and attracted a sixth defender.
The ball, however, sailed past him and landed at Messi's feet.
Messi, receiving the ball with his golden left foot, stepped into the box and took a shot!
Messi's left foot, inside the box, left no room for doubt.
"Arsenal leads by one goal to zero!"
The deadlock was broken in just five minutes.
Cao Baming felt an urge to laugh.
Previous teams had also paid him considerable attention, with players constantly shadowing him wherever he went to prevent any disruptive actions. But today, the attention seemed more intense than ever before.
It was as if these players only had eyes for him, and no one else existed.
But wouldn't that make it even more interesting?
Cao Baming's eyes flickered as he suppressed his smile, keeping his thoughts to himself and not letting it show on his face. After all, to burst into laughter at such a moment would be too mocking towards the opposition.
He didn't want to waste a single second, as that second could be used to create another goal.
After a brief celebration from his teammates, they quickly returned to the center circle, preparing for the restart.
At the referee's signal, the Southampton players kicked off again, employing their familiar passing tactics from training to move the ball back and maintain control.
They then reverted to a defensive stance. They seemed unsure how to handle possession, showing no inclination to commit to an all-out offensive push.
The ball was passed between a few defenders, and a gap soon appeared. The player who exploited this opening was none other than the great Henry.
After dispossessing the opponent, Henry charged forward without hesitation. Two players tried to pull and drag him back, but they couldn't stop him. As he was on the verge of a one-on-one, the last center-back finally made a tackle.
With a speculative attempt, he launched into a flying slide tackle. If he had missed the ball, it would have at least resulted in a red card!
However, luck was on his side that day. The tackle successfully connected with the ball. But due to the exaggerated and obvious nature of the foul, and the fact that he was the last defender preventing a clear path to goal, the foul had significant tactical implications.
For these reasons, the referee, witnessing the incident, unhesitatingly showed him a yellow card. Arsenal was then awarded a free kick in a dangerous position in front of the goal.
The spot was only two meters from the edge of the penalty area. Everyone suddenly recalled a practice match held on the training ground.
Arteta's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the two players.
Cao Baming and Messi, who in practice matches just a few days prior, could hit the crossbar from this very spot. The accuracy required to score a goal seemed almost too easy!
The only challenge was getting past the wall of players.
Soon, Cao Baming and Messi stepped forward. They exchanged a few hushed words, and in the end, Messi ceded the free-kick opportunity to Cao Baming.
Under the watchful gaze of everyone, Cao Baming and Messi stood before the ball, one on each side, both facing forward. The opposing players and goalkeeper had no way of knowing who would take the free kick.
In their eyes, both possessed world-class free-kick abilities, and either one taking the shot posed an indescribable threat.
The goalkeeper also genuinely felt the pressure. But honestly, he would have preferred Messi to take the free kick.
In simple terms, he could articulate the difference between the two.
Messi's shots often miraculously curved around his outstretched hands and nestled into a corner he couldn't possibly reach, leaving him to watch helplessly.
Cao Baming's shots, on the other hand, were more often powerful, direct strikes that were impossible to defend against even if you tried.
The goalkeeper had even donned specially designed protective padding for this match, but despite that, he was inwardly terrified.
A few seconds later, the referee blew his whistle. Messi feigned a run, and then Cao Baming stepped up to take the shot, unleashing a powerful kick.
The entire stadium held its breath, awaiting the outcome.
His teammates were equally expectant. With a clear view, they recalled the distorted goalpost from the training matches...
Even though the opposing players had formed a wall, how many of them would dare to jump?
However, the team had prepared for this. Their coach had repeatedly warned each player before the match that if they didn't jump for the free kick, they shouldn't bother playing for the team anymore.
They had no choice but to jump now, despite their fear!
All they could do was pray that Cao Baming's shot would soar over their heads. Every one of them was putting their lives on the line, and they were incredibly nervous!
However, to everyone's surprise.
Cao Baming's shot didn't soar high. Instead, it skimmed along the ground like a hidden arrow, zipping past the players' feet at lightning speed!
"Wow! It's a ground shot!"
Before the commentator could finish, the ball had already found the back of the net!
The goalkeeper looked bewildered again, then shook his head in resignation.
"It's okay, it's okay. Luckily, I wasn't hit by the ball. My luck is good today."
"In the eleventh minute, Arsenal leads by two goals to zero!"
"Cao Baming's astounding ground shot was so fast that no afterimages could be seen!"
Now, the Southampton players were probably also relieved that they had jumped. Otherwise, if the ball had been blocked by their feet, it might have ended up in the goal along with their legs.
It turned out the head coach had unknowingly saved their lives!
Facing a two-goal deficit, Southampton didn't seem disheartened, as if this was all within their expectations.
After all, it was only the eleventh minute of the match, just the beginning. No one wanted to suffer a crushing defeat like 8-0 or 9-0, as that would be deeply embarrassing.