The match day arrived in the blink of an eye!
Arsenal visited the Old Trafford stadium to challenge the Red Devils, Manchester United!
"Both teams are traditional powerhouses in the Premier League! The attention on this match is unprecedented. Before the game even started, fans were already engaged in fierce online debates, cheering for their respective teams!"
"Last season, Manchester United achieved an impressive ninth place in the league. Both their offense and defense performed exceptionally well. With a new head coach this season, will their form improve further? Let's wait and see!"
"Arsenal's performance was not weak, but their final ranking, merely a runner-up in the league, was still a bit unsatisfactory! This season, they've signed Messi. Although he won't be starting today, the connection between Cao and Henry is still something to look forward to!"
The fans, brimming with excitement, arrived at the stadium!
"Actually, there's another point of interest. Messi and Ronaldo, arch-rivals from two eras. Although neither is in the starting lineup, both have made the squad for this match!"
"That's right, they are both on the bench and could potentially come on at any moment! It all depends on whether the coach can fulfill a small wish of ours, the fans! I believe there are still a lot of fans here today specifically to see them!"
"Messi and Ronaldo competing on the same field, an opportunity we haven't had in years!"
As he spoke, the commentator on duty revealed a playful smile.
Before the match even began, the commentators were analyzing the past records of both teams for the audience watching via live broadcast.
Meanwhile, the players from both teams were also preparing to take the field!
Cao Baiming's eyes gleamed with resolute determination. Although Ronaldo was his idol in the past, he was determined to defeat him head-on today!
Wait, Ronaldo isn't in the starting lineup!
...
Soon, the scheduled match time arrived. Under the guidance of the staff at the entrance, both teams began to form lines and walk onto the field.
"Alright, we can see both teams are now entering the field!"
As seen on camera, the players at the very back of each team's line were Messi and Ronaldo. They wore substitute jerseys, and as they walked through the tunnel, though they didn't look directly at each other, their peripheral glances exchanged volumes of unspoken communication!
Cao Baiming had already planned his strategy: as soon as he got the ball, he would directly use the Supreme Treasure, exchanging five thousand points for a goal! This would be a show of dominance right from the start, making the rest of the match much easier!
This was a lesson he had learned in the previous match. Messing with the opponent's mentality was probably the most ruthless and cunning tactic on the field!
Approaching the center circle, the referees lined up, ready to blow the whistle. After brief preparations, the chief referee raised his left hand. With a sharp blast, the entire match began!
"With the chief referee's whistle, the match is on!"
The commentators' enthusiasm today was particularly high, their voices filled with excitement.
As a fan of both Manchester United and Arsenal, no matter who won today, he wouldn't lose out!
"Good evening to our viewers! The match today is Arsenal away against Manchester United. Manchester United, in their home red jerseys, will attack from left to right on your screen, while Arsenal, in their away white jerseys, will attack from right to..."
Just then, a dull thud echoed from the field, making everyone's heart skip a beat!
Their gazes darted forward, and they saw the football flying towards the goal at an incredible speed from midfield!
"... Damn it! What the hell!"
The commentator let out a curse!
"Goal!!!"
The entire stadium erupted in an uproar!
Fans screamed and jumped with excitement!
However, many coaches and senior officials sitting in the front rows of the spectator stands fell silent...
What in the world was that? A goal already?
Many fans even grumbled that they hadn't even found their seats yet and had already missed the main event!
"Again!"
Fans from both sides roared.
"Congratulations to the host for completing the goal, earning 1000 points!"
Cao Baiming watched the ball roll along the edge of the goal and into the net, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
"12 seconds!! A goal in 12 seconds! A long-range shot from Cao Baiming!"
"Assisted by Henry, Cao Baiming broke through on his own, unleashing a thunderous shot from thirty-five meters away from the goal! Even a god couldn't have saved that one!"
The Manchester United players were all stunned, and even the goalkeeper, De Gea, looked bewildered, completely unaware of what had happened!
After the kickoff, Henry had intended to pass back to organize the rhythm of the play. But seeing Cao Baiming suddenly charge forward like a madman, he made a subtle pass. He hadn't expected Cao Baiming to take two steps and then unleash a long-range shot to score!
Busquets from La Liga silently gave a like to the live broadcast!
It seemed Henry understood how to provide assists!
Using this Supreme Treasure, costing five thousand points, to earn a goal and the respect of the opponents and fans alike, it was worth it!
Soon, the players returned to their starting positions.
The Manchester United fans wore expressions of pain. After such a start, the rest of the match looked uncertain!
Their opponents had won unfairly! They hadn't even been ready!
The rules of the game wouldn't listen to their complaints. The goal was valid, and the score was now one-nil, with Arsenal taking the lead.
Subsequently, it was Manchester United's turn to control the ball. Despite their declining form, their ball control skills were still intact!
Manchester United's captain, Maguire, instructed his teammates to mark Cao Baiming in advance.
After a quick search, they discovered that Cao Baiming had quietly moved to the left-back area. Several players immediately rushed over.
Martial received the ball, drove to the byline, and sent in a cross that curved dangerously, almost going directly into the net.
However, thankfully, White was in position to clear the ball in time.
Manchester United lacked a tall central forward to act as a focal point, as well as a player with finishing ability!
The fans chanted Ronaldo's name, and he, sitting on the bench, watched the game with the gaze of a president.
The two teams gradually found their rhythm. In the first ten minutes, possession was almost equally divided, with Arsenal holding a slight lead but not by much.
Cao Baiming wasn't in a hurry to demand possession today; instead, he focused on consolidating the defense.
His objective for this match was another season task: to complete 10 crucial tackles within 10 minutes!
Therefore, he tried his best to encourage the opponent to push forward and create threats, giving him opportunities to accumulate statistics.
However, up to this point, there had only been three threatening attacks from the opponent in the entire ten minutes. The rest had been stopped in midfield.
Unsatisfactory!
He had expected more from Manchester United!
On the sidelines, Arteta also noticed something unusual about Cao Baiming's condition today. While he performed well defensively, he lacked initiative.
Cao Baiming sighed helplessly and then his eyes flickered with renewed light, glancing towards the other side of the field.
Since the opponent's offense was so lackluster today and there were no real opportunities, he decided to proceed as planned!
Suddenly, Cao Baiming began to accelerate!