novelraw Chapter 859 - 595: Six-Goal Miracle—Tang Long Crushes C Luo to Claim the European Golden Boot Alone! (Part 4)
Chapter 859 - 595: Six-Goal Miracle—Tang Long Crushes C Luo to Claim the European Golden Boot Alone! (Part 4)
"I've provided three assists; my mission is complete. I'm telling you, Armenian, if you get on the field and don't give Tang at least one assist, I will..."
As the two were exchanging positions on the field, Mkhitaryan gently patted Diego's cheek, signaling him to shut up.
"Just watch how I play when I'm on, stop nagging, and have a good rest!"
Tang Long kept running, and the Manchester City players around him were focusing on him, continuously supplying him with firepower.
This scene ignited a peculiar notion in C Luo's mind.
"Is Manchester City really that confident? Aren't they afraid of us, Real Madrid?"
In C Luo's subconscious, Guardiola and the rest of the Manchester City team would surely think that the European Golden Boot is just Tang Long's personal honor, while the upcoming FA Cup and Champions League finals are far more important for the club.
From a macro perspective, Guardiola would surely substitute Tang Long early in this match, but there were no signs of that happening yet.
What C Luo couldn't understand is that to Manchester City players, or the club as a whole, Tang Long winning the European Golden Boot is not just an individual honor; it is a glory shared by all players and the entire club!
Manchester City is not Real Madrid; in their history, they've never had a player who has won the European Golden Boot.
The club doesn't want Tang Long and C Luo to share the European Golden Boot. The best striker in the world can only be one!
Mkhitaryan's entry soon made an impact.
Although the Armenian doesn't have great speed and isn't tall, his dribbling skills are adept, his technique is intricate, and his footwork is quick.
Compared to Diego, who has a broader view and better on-field coordination, Mkhitaryan excels in small-range maneuvering.
At the 75th minute of the second half, Tang Long and Mkhitaryan collaborated.
The pass was a bit heavy; Mkhitaryan barely managed to stop the ball and was about to pass when two Sunderland players surrounded him in an instant.
Mkhitaryan had a brainwave and shielded the ball with a sidestep. Although the ball wasn't passed out, he was knocked down from behind, and the referee awarded a free kick in front of the penalty box.
All eyes turned to Tang Long!
Even Messi, watching by the TV, had his eyes light up, thinking, "Left side, about 24 meters from the goal, just perfect for a right-footed player like Tang to take the shot."
Tang Long received the ball from Mkhitaryan, and without any exchange of words, they were filled with mutual affirmation.
Mkhitaryan patted Tang Long on the shoulder, said nothing, and walked into the penalty area.
Tang Long placed the ball and rotated the Premier League emblem lion until it faced him.
As he set the ball, the previously boisterous Etihad Stadium fell into complete silence, as if everyone's mouths had been pressed with a pause button.
Everyone held their breath, fearing the slightest noise might affect Tang Long's judgment.
Sitting at the front side of the stands, Dilata covered her mouth with her hands.
When she heard her own heartbeat pounding, she instantly used both hands to cover her chest, fearing that the sound might be too loud and reach Tang Long's ears.
Amid the utter quiet, the referee's whistle had a particularly piercing sound, like a crane's call breaking through the sky!
"JU——"
Tang Long didn't rush his approach. He paused, took a deep breath, and then slowly started moving after a three-second pause.
His run wasn't fast; the first two steps were almost a walk, but the last three steps suddenly accelerated, with the last step pounding his left foot forward onto the ground.
The stomp was so forceful that it caused the ball set on the ground to bounce up slightly by a centimeter!
"Bang!"
Tang Long shot!
The goalkeeper assumed Tang Long would use a curve ball to aim for the near corner, so as Tang Long connected with the ball, the goalkeeper took a step to his own right — but this shift helped Tang Long score his sixth goal of the match!
Tang Long went against expectations!
He didn't use a curving ball targeting the conventional near corner but struck the center of the ball with his instep, aiming directly for the far corner!
If the goalkeeper hadn't moved, he might have had a chance to reach for the ball, no matter how powerful the shot. But with an early shift and disrupted balance, how could he defend against such a shot?
With a clanging sound, the ball, carrying the piercing sound of cutting through the air, hit the intersection of the crossbar and goalpost, then rebounded into the net!
Six goals, a perfect score!
Tang Long, in the Premier League's finale, scored six goals!
Tang Long spread his arms open to the Manchester sky.
All around him was a shift from dead silence to an eruptive cheer from the fans.
The rain in Manchester poured harder and harder, the rain mixed with sweat, steam rising from his head, everything enveloping him in the center of the field...