The referee's whistle blew, and the second half began.
This time, there would be no more surprises. Regardless of the outcome, this was the final fifteen minutes of the match.
It all came down to whether or not there would be a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Everyone watched the pitch with bated breath, a sliver of hope still alive.
In the third minute, Wu Lei, on the flank, managed to seize a counter-attack opportunity. He sprinted over forty meters with the ball alone, but it was eventually intercepted.
Without a word, he immediately turned back to defend, sprinting another forty meters in the opposite direction!
Such spirit was truly commendable!
Yet, the game remained deadlocked. The Tang Guo team, without Cao Baming and playing with one less man, found themselves evenly matched with the French team!
Soon, time was running out.
"We note that there are only three minutes left in the entire match!"
"This is not the end of the first half, nor the end of the second half. It's the end of the full one hundred and twenty minutes, including extra time and injury time, the final three minutes of this World Cup!"
"The Tang Guo team has given us a spectacular encounter, a match with ten goals. I believe everyone will want to rewatch it. We have made history, thanks to Cao Baming and every member of the Tang Guo team, their sweat and effort."
"In the final extra time, the score remains surprisingly tied. We hoped for someone to step up in this desperate situation, but alas, that person is currently off the field."
"There's no more time. This match is about to enter a thrilling penalty shootout!"
...
As the commentator spoke, another minute passed. With the end of regular time, the players and coaching staff from both sides began to strategize for the penalties.
It was a shame that the two offensive tactics prepared by the Tang Guo team never got a chance to be used.
But in the final moments, everyone still wanted to give it one last push.
Cao Baming stood on the sidelines, a newfound composure in his eyes. Looking at the situation, the Tang Guo team's chances in a penalty shootout were indeed very low!
Just as the entire stadium sank into a low mood, a commotion suddenly erupted on the field.
In the final minute, Mbappe unleashed a powerful shot at the goal, attempting a spectacular last-minute winner like Zidane had just done!
However, he struck the post, the crossbar that occupied less than one-fiftieth of the entire goal frame!
The entire stadium stirred with excitement, then immediately cooled down. This time, even Zidane's magic had fizzled out.
At this moment, everyone's eyes lit up again. Amidst the chaos in front of the goal, the ball that had just hit the crossbar flew high vertically. It didn't go out of bounds, and after a few brief seconds, it began to descend rapidly!
Everyone in front of the goal watched the sky, preparing to contest the header.
From a timing perspective, this seemed to be the last chance for a winner, albeit not an easy one!
The goalkeeper raised his arms. The landing spot was undoubtedly within his reach. Everyone jumped high, and with their arm's advantage, it seemed no one else stood a chance.
However, as the ball descended, Benzema shoved from behind. The slender Tang Guo goalkeeper actually failed to jump properly and missed!
Benzema tried to shield the ball with his body, waiting for it to land at his feet, but there were quite a few Tang Guo players who immediately pushed him aside!
The scene was chaotic! And the match-ending whistle blew!
Then, another person appeared from behind and unleashed a fierce strike with their foot!
Although no one clearly saw who took the final shot, everyone saw the entire net tremble the moment the ball entered the goal!
"A winner!!!"
...
...
The air suddenly fell silent...
Not for the French fans, of course.
But for everyone associated with the Tang Guo team, all the fans, the outside world was silent.
So quiet.
Had they lost?
Li Gang was still discussing the penalty order with his assistant coach, worrying about who would take the first shot. Names were scribbled on his tablet-sized notebook and his notebook-sized tablet.
Hearing the commotion behind him, he suddenly turned his head. What did he see!
The notebook and tablet in his hands, along with the pink pen used for recording, slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground.
Everyone's expressions froze.
Cao Baming was no exception.
...
After a long while, the sound from outside finally registered. The crowd was already in a frenzy, with French fans cheering wildly. The referee on the field blew the final whistle, and the French players on the pitch ran around as if they had lost all control, venting their immense excitement.
The poor Tang Guo players were mostly collapsed on the field.
"Mbappe's last-second winner. We ultimately couldn't overcome this hurdle!"
"The entire match has concluded, and the final score is six to five, with France scoring six and Tang Guo scoring five."
"Six to five, what an unbelievable score! Anyone who hadn't watched this match would surely think it went to penalties, perhaps even a shootout, but all these goals were scored within the grueling one hundred and twenty minutes!"
"Every goal was spectacular, and they truly represented our Tang Guo football with pride. We lost without any shame!"
"We have failed, and yet we have triumphed."
"The Tang Guo team has secured the runner-up position in this World Cup!"
Almost everyone was in tears.
The French players on the field and those from the bench rushed onto the pitch, allowing them one final moment of frenzy.
At this moment, Cao Baming looked at the field, his heart filled with emotion. An old friend approached with a stride and extended a hand.
Cao Baming turned and saw Henry. He was also wearing a substitute's jersey. The match had ended, and he hadn't immediately embraced his victorious teammates, but instead had sought out Cao Baming.
The two embraced tightly, a moment captured by the cameras.
Ultimately, they couldn't bring the World Cup trophy back to Tang Guo. It was indeed a pity, and not just a little bit!
It was a frustrating helplessness, a discomfort that made one want to lash out but had no target.
The fans, at this moment, could only offer silent companionship.
"Please don't leave yet, the World Cup awards ceremony will begin shortly!"
The commentator, as planned, still had to deliver this line, though it wouldn't be them ascending the stage to receive awards.
Not only would they not get to hold the World Cup trophy, but they would also serve as a backdrop for the runner-up ceremony. A medal, after all, carried much less weight.
To say they weren't envious would be a lie.