Chapter 632: A Stunning Goal Breaks the Deadlock, Spain 1-0 Croatia
Piqué's pass was perfect—just the right strength and direction. Although his sportsmanship might be questioned, his skill was beyond dispute. As a classic ball-playing defender, Piqué's passing ability was outstanding, and his sense of attacking positioning was excellent, though sometimes leading to mistakes that forwards would capitalize on.
Lin Quan glanced at the ball's path and effortlessly received Piqué's pass without needing to slow down or turn. At that moment, most of the Croatian players hadn't realized the danger yet, as Lin was still in Spain's half, far from Croatia's goal.
However, Modrić and Rakitić, both seasoned La Liga players, immediately sensed the looming threat. Meanwhile, Croatia's young winger Ante Rebić, lacking the same awareness as his veteran teammates, moved up to press Lin Quan, following the pre-match tactics to cover for Mandžukić, who had been caught out of position.
"Don't go!"
"Come back!"
Both Modrić and Rakitić shouted almost simultaneously. Rebić hesitated upon hearing their warnings, but before he could react, a red blur streaked past him.
Modrić immediately knew something was wrong and rushed forward to block Lin Quan's path, preparing to work with Rakitić and right-back Vrsaljko to stop him.
Modrić positioned himself closer to the middle, leaving space on the wing, hoping to force Lin towards the sideline. If Lin was pushed wide, the Croatian defenders could trap him in the narrow space.
Modrić's plan was solid. Against most players, it would've worked. But Lin Quan wasn't just any player. While advancing with the ball, Lin had already analyzed the movements of all the Croatian players and plotted his route.
Rather than go wide, Lin opted for a central breakthrough, making Modrić the obstacle he needed to overcome.
Without slowing down, Lin's speed increased as he approached Modrić. It seemed like he was planning to go right through him.
Modrić, though a seasoned defender with vast experience in league, Champions League, and international play, had never faced someone who put as much pressure on him as Lin Quan did. In previous encounters between Real Madrid and Manchester City, Madrid couldn't stop Lin with a single defender. They always needed a group effort.
Now, Modrić was alone, with Rakitić still hurrying to help, while other teammates were busy covering other threats.
Modrić couldn't afford to dive in. Lin's footwork was too fast, and any mistake would result in a quick, unstoppable breakthrough. The moment Modrić committed, he wouldn't be able to adjust in time to recover.
So, he continued retreating cautiously, but his backward movement was much slower than Lin's forward charge. The distance between them rapidly shrank to less than two meters.
Modrić locked his eyes on the ball at Lin's feet, ready to react to any shift in his balance. But just as Modrić's left foot landed, Lin quickly flicked the ball to his right and burst forward, slipping past Modrić in a flash.
Modrić had anticipated this, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't stop moving backward without freezing up momentarily—just long enough for Lin to bypass him.
So, Modrić tried to turn and use his body to disrupt Lin's momentum. With Rakitić closing in, even a brief delay could give his teammate a chance to intercept.
It was a good plan, but Modrić underestimated Lin's physical strength. Weighing nearly 10 kilograms more than Modrić, Lin shrugged off the contact easily, and Modrić was sent tumbling to the ground like he'd run into a brick wall.
The crowd gasped in shock. To them, it looked like Modrić had initiated the challenge, only to be bounced off Lin as if he were a car hitting a wall.
With Modrić down, Rakitić rushed over, but Lin had already passed the ball to David Silva on the wing. Silva, fully understanding Lin's intent, immediately played a one-two pass, lofting the ball back to Lin.
With Modrić down and out of position, Rakitić was left alone to defend. Faced with a textbook one-two play, he was powerless to stop them. The fault wasn't his—it was Perišić who failed to mark Silva properly, allowing him to make the pass.
As Lin regained the ball at the edge of the box, only Croatia's backline stood between him and the goal.
In the stands, Croatian fans felt their hearts pounding, their anxiety building as they desperately prayed for their team to hold firm.
"Come on, hold the line! Don't let them score!"
Diego Costa, true to his reputation as a troublemaker in the box, immediately pressed Croatia's defenders, drawing them deeper into the penalty area.
With Lin so close, Croatia's center-backs, Lovren and Vida, couldn't risk pushing forward for an offside trap, as it could easily backfire and give Costa a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper.
But as Lin approached the penalty area, they couldn't keep retreating indefinitely, or it would give him the space for a long-range shot. Lovren stepped forward to confront Lin.
It was a tricky situation. Lovren had to engage Lin directly, knowing that any mistake could be costly.
He kept a safe distance, wary of getting beaten by Lin's speed. If Lin tried to sprint past him, he'd need to accelerate further, and although Lin could beat him for pace, Lovren knew that if he could force him wide, the angle for a shot would be tight, making it easier for the goalkeeper to save.
As Lin feinted to the right, Lovren prepared to follow. But instead of accelerating for a breakaway, Lin flicked the ball to the right with the outside of his foot, curling it toward the far post.
The choice took everyone by surprise—not just Lovren, but also Croatia's goalkeeper, Subašić. Expecting Lin to drive into the box, Subašić had shifted his position slightly to cover the near post, leaving the far side exposed.
By the time Subašić realized what was happening, it was too late. He leaped across his goal, but the ball was already on its way, curling into the top corner, nestling perfectly between the post and the crossbar.
The angle was so precise that even if Subašić had been positioned correctly, he still wouldn't have been able to stop it.
A wave of cheers and gasps rippled through the stadium. Spanish fans erupted into celebration, while neutral and Croatian fans stood in stunned silence, amazed by Lin's unbelievable shot.
"Let's take a look at that again—Lin Quan just bypassed Modrić!"
"A one-two play, then… a long-range shot!"
"It's in! What a beauty!"
"In the 22nd minute of the first half, Lin Quan scores the opening goal of the match! Spain now leads 1-0!"
"That was an incredible finish from Lin Quan. He completely outsmarted the defenders and the goalkeeper. Just when everyone thought he'd continue dribbling, he caught them off guard with a brilliant long shot."
"Haha, it seems like Lin Quan really knows how to use the art of misdirection, just like the famous tactic from The Art of War. What a perfect example of 'attack where they are unprepared'!"
The Chinese commentators were full of praise. Lin Quan's finish was superb, but his entire decision-making process during the attack had been flawless. He didn't waste a single opportunity.
Even though Croatia hadn't made any glaring mistakes, Lin had exploited the smallest of openings and turned it into a goal.
"People have always wondered how far Lin Quan could go in his career. At 18, he was already a World Cup champion, with skills many thought had reached their peak. How much higher could he climb?"
"But over the years, Lin has refined his game. His ability to read the game, spot mistakes, and exploit them has only grown stronger."
"Where once he relied solely on raw talent to overwhelm opponents, he now plays with both skill and intelligence. Every move, every decision he makes on the pitch seems calculated and precise."
"At just 22 years old, he's entering the prime of his career. It's exciting to think about how much more he can achieve in the years to come."
"For football fans of this era, witnessing a player like Lin Quan in action is truly a privilege."
While the commentators continued their analysis, fans watching the live broadcast were equally impressed.
"Whoa, I wasn't even planning to watch this match, but after hearing all this praise for Lin, how could I not?"
Lin Quan's goal had completely changed the match's dynamic, bringing relief to Spain's coach Del Bosque, who had grown anxious as the first half progressed without a goal. Now, he could finally breathe easy.
Meanwhile, Croatia's coach was the one feeling the pressure. Croatia's strategy had been to hold Spain scoreless in the first half, but with nearly 30 minutes still to play, they had already conceded.
If Spain managed to score another before halftime, Croatia's chances of a comeback—even with Spain tiring in the second half—would be slim.
As Croatia's fans watched in disbelief, they could only hope their team could find a way to respond.
(End of chapter)