On the afternoon of March 28, Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran.

This is the most critical game in Group A so far in the top 12 matches. The first Chinese team in the group challenged Iran, the second in the group, away, and the points gap between the two teams reached five points.

As the number one team in Asia, Iran has played 25 games in total at the Azadi Stadium since 2010, winning 19 wins, draws and three losses, scoring 69 goals and conceding nine goals. The record is extremely impressive. If it is only considered a formal game, only Uzbekistan has taken three points from here in the Brazil World Cup qualifiers.

It is precisely because of this that Iran is full of confidence in the Sino-Iran battle at the Azadi Stadium. Before the game, it announced that it would be exempted from tickets, attracting more than 100,000 fans to the scene and creating great momentum.

Not only that, after the Chinese team arrived in Iran early, the home team also created many problems off the court.

First, the Chinese team was arranged to train on a field with poor hardware conditions, and then deliberately made things difficult for the pre-match press conference schedule, with the purpose of affecting the preparations of the Chinese team.

As the team's head coach, Gao Han held back the training ground, but refused to participate in the pre-match press conference and publicly criticized the preparations of the Iranian Football Association, believing that it was quite amateur and very ungraceful thing.

The bombardment from Gao Han immediately attracted the attention of media around the world, and the public opinion in Iran was even more uproaring, which made the game attract unprecedented attention. In addition, the Football Association announced that the tickets were free, so on the day of the game, the Azadi Stadium was crowded.

Not only were the stadium stands crowded with people, but even the walls were covered with Iranian fans.

Looking at the grand occasion, I guess there were more than 100,000 fans present.

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After defeating South Korea at home with three to zero, the Chinese team won all the applause, and at the same time they also showed their energy in this game, especially the tactical execution shown by the team, which was recognized by Gao Han.

Regarding the away challenge to Iran, Gao Han expressed that he hoped to continue his performance and mental outlook when he was against South Korea.

But at the same time, Gao Han repeatedly called on players not to be under pressure, let go of their hands and feet, show their best, and fight to the end.

Especially in the locker room before the game, Gao Han specially played a video specially edited by a technical team from the first six games of the Top 12 games, with the focus highlighting two points: one is the players' hard work and tenacity on the court, and the other is the joy and carnival after the team won.

"Before I go on the court, I hope everyone will think about how we got to where we are today?"

Gao Han's words made the locker room silent for five minutes.

Every national player is immersed in memories and thoughts. They are all thinking about what made the national football team, which was like a rat crossing the street, transformed into the national hero of today, and made them admired by more than one billion people?

Are they super strong?

Obviously not!

Although the video has been edited, those scenes evoke their memories, letting them know how they bleed and sweated in these games, struggled all the way, and worked hard to fight.

Their ability to get to this day depends on a fighting spirit that never gives up!

"Six consecutive victories have brought us closer to the World Cup, but we haven't gotten that ticket yet."

"In the past decades of football history of Chinese football, there has never been a shortage of black experiences of losing everything at the last moment. I sincerely hope that we will not repeat the mistakes of our predecessors."

"This game is very important. I hope that each of you can do your best and not give up any hope. Even if we fight to the last minute and second, we must do our best to try our best to get three points away from the away game and ensure that we qualify for next year's World Cup in advance."

"I don't know, in your hearts, the weight of the World Cup is heavy or light, and it's no point in saying it. You can only show me on the court and show everyone!"

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Although it was a away game, Gao Han still insisted on the team's 433 formation.

The goalkeeper is Zeng Cheng, the defense is Jiang Zhipeng, Feng Xiaoting, Mei Fang and Zhang Linfan, the three midfielders are Wu Xi, Zheng Zhi and Huang Baiwen, and the front court is Wu Lei, Zhang Yuning and Gao Lin.

It is not difficult to see from the opening tactics of the Chinese team that Gao Han did not give up on the offense, nor was he blindly conservative, but still hoped to suppress the Iranian team through offense. However, at the same time, he arranged three players with better defensive abilities in the midfield to ensure the defensive quality and thickness of the midfield.

This is a game that doesn't require mobilization at all.

Every player was doing his best on the court and ran continuously from the beginning to cover.

Iran is at home and has even set up a strong offensive formation from the beginning. The Persian Legion obviously wants to directly capture the Chinese team with the help of home court. It must not only play the strength of Asia's number one, but also teach China a lesson to avenge the first one in Shenyang.

The home team's offense is still determined to go to the wings and the ribs. With the advantage of physical strength confrontation, the Iranian team's small team also played well, and from the very beginning, suppressing the Chinese team in a very embarrassing manner.

The Chinese team still adopts a defensive stance, and the three lines are kept very tight.

Especially in the midfield, Wu Xi, Zheng Zhi and Huang Baiwen took parallel positions to jointly protect the two wings and ribs. The three offensive players in the frontcourt also actively participated in the frontcourt pressing and oppression, and even returned to the midfield to participate in the assisted defense.

In the previous twenty minutes of the game, the Iranian team attacked the Chinese team's defense again and again, focusing on all artillery fire, aiming at the left wing where Jiang Zhipeng was located, and launched a fierce attack, forcing China's left side to shrink its defense.

Not to mention Wu Xi in the midfield, even Wu Lei in the frontcourt had to frequently retreat to defend.

Gao Han was mentally prepared for this. Jiang Zhipeng had a strong attack and weak defense. This was a problem he had long realized, so he also arranged targeted strategies to defend the opponent's offense and adjusted frequently during the game.

The Chinese team's defense seems to be in turmoil, but it always holds on for a last breath without venting.

The Iranian team was eager to take revenge, but it was unable to capture it for a long time. Coupled with the on-site witness of more than 100,000 fans at home, they all began to become more violent. Twenty minutes later, they soon launched a more fierce offensive, especially the right attack led by Gavry, Masud Shaojie and Jahanbahsh, which even formed an absolute suppression on the Chinese team's left.

There was a panic in the penalty area, and the goal was in danger in front of the goal, and the goal was even more in danger. However, the Chinese team had to withstand the Iranian team's continuous offensive. The players still implemented Gao Han's tactical arrangements in an orderly manner. Each player tried his best to block within the 30-meter zone, causing Iran's offense to return in vain again and again.

Gradually, Iranian players began to become anxious.

They began to feel that no matter how they increase the offensive or speed up the pace, they could not change the defensive formation and rhythm changes of the Chinese team. The Chinese team was like an unbreakable city wall, and they always stood in front of the goal without the wind and rain.

They began to panic.

Thirty minutes later, the Chinese team's two counterattacks created two yellow cards from the opponent, which undoubtedly exposed the mood of Iranian players and made everyone realize the opportunity.

Unfortunately, the chances of free kicks from the frontcourt were not very good and they failed to create a threat.

But the counterattack from the Chinese team made Iran even more impatient.

There were more than 100,000 fans watching the scene. If they couldn't win the Chinese team, each person would be enough to drown them.

In this anxiety, both the Iranian team and the Chinese team are struggling to support each other, waiting for the opponent to make the first mistake.

Soon, the Chinese team made its first serious mistake in the 36th minute. Zheng Zhi slipped under his feet during a clearance, his body lost his balance, failed to successfully clear the ball, and was seized by the opponent, and passed directly behind him, and shot from close range in front of Azmon in front of the goal.

As a result, this goal that was bound to be won was saved by goalkeeper Zeng Cheng from close range.

Iran was like a bloodthirsty shark, quickly surrounding it and bombarding the Chinese team.

But the Chinese team quickly adjusted, quickly organized a tight offensive, and quickly launched a counterattack three minutes later.

After Wu Lei received a pass from Zhang Yuning on the left, he dribbled the ball to the left of the penalty area alone, and was fouled by the opponent, winning a chance for a free kick in the frontcourt for the Chinese team.

Unlike the previous few times, this time the location is better.

Both sides attached great importance to it. Huang Baiwen took the penalty himself, five Chinese players were in the penalty area, two were ambushing on the outside, and the Iranian team also gathered ten players to retreat into the penalty area to defend.

But in a mess, when the Iranian team was staring at Feng Xiaoting, Gao Lin and Mei Fang, they missed Zhang Yuning at the front point. The latter headed the ball and the ball hung in a far corner. The Iranian goalkeeper was powerless to do anything about this.

One to zero!

Not long after conceding the ball, the first half also ended.

After the side change again in the second half, Gao Han made another substitution and continued to strengthen the defense. The Iranian team also made substitutions and strengthened the offense. The two sides fought in full swing, which was very tragic.

After one goal in hand, the Chinese team saw hope for victory and held on to his last breath. It didn't give Iran a chance to take advantage of it. Iran made a series of substitutions, especially in the last twenty minutes, which almost desperately pushed the fight.

But this time, the Chinese team did not give Iran any chance from beginning to end. The almost iron-clad defense made Iran's offensive come back again and again.

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Gao Han stood in front of the visiting team coach's seat and watched the game silently.

Now it is the stoppage time phase, and the score is still zero to one.

With the free kick score with a little luck in the first half, the Chinese team took the lead away.

It is said to be a lucky one, mainly because it is not within Gao Han's plan, but the free kick tactics are something the Chinese team has been practicing and are also a powerful tool for scoring. Several set-piece opportunities in this game have created a threat, and it is a pity to score only one goal.

But what made him most happy was the performance of the players on the court and the overall performance of the team.

Iran's strength is roughly equivalent to that of a second-rate European team, and it must be much higher than that of the Chinese team. However, facing such a team, especially in today's game, the Chinese team did not reveal any fatal flaws in the whole game except for Zheng Zhi's mistake.

It is not difficult to find out from this that the tactical execution and focus of the international players have made great progress compared to before.

Only the Chinese team today is a real team.

Only in this way can this team have hope of scoring goals and scoring points in the World Cup.

News just came from South Korea that South Korea drew 1-1 at home, and the absence of red cards from two international players, Huang Xican and Lee Rong, had some impact on the South Korean team. In addition, the coach changes last time, the South Korean team ultimately failed to score three-pointers at home, which was quite unfavorable to their next top 12 games.

But for China, it is the most beneficial.

As long as you keep this goal, the Chinese team will get the right to qualify in advance, and South Korea may not even be able to keep the third in the group.

If South Korea really can't get a ticket to the World Cup, the grudge between China and South Korea will probably become deeper and deeper.

However, Gao Han was happy to see this.

On the court, both sides have completed three substitutions and made all adjustments. Whether it is Gao Han or Queiroz, there is no way to change the situation. Everything can only depend on the performance of the players on the court.

After 90 minutes of attack, Iranian players were exhausted physically and mentally.

On the other hand, Chinese players all seemed inexplicably excited.

For them, this is not just a game, but also a ticket to the World Cup.

Chinese football has been waiting for this for more than ten years, and they have been waiting for this for a lifetime.

When the referee blew the whistle at the end of the game, the originally tense emotions and atmosphere disappeared in an instant.

After being replaced, the captain Zheng Zhi, who had been standing behind Gao Han, suddenly said: "Boss, we won!"
To be continued...