Chapter 103 Hero Pierces Pasic's Crotch!

When Sokratis Papastathopoulos ran onto the field to begin the second half, he was filled with smug satisfaction.

His performance in the first half had been outstanding, and he had been praised by Coach Gasperini in the locker room, which only inflated his ego further.

Chen Yingxiong's momentum last season had been so fierce that even Zlatan Ibrahimović couldn't compete with him, losing out in the race for the league's top scorer. At the time, many people were exclaiming, "Who can stop this giant bear!" It seemed as if the entire Serie A couldn't find a defender capable of containing Chen Yingxiong.

The person you couldn't defend, I've now frozen! The center-back, the same age as Chen Yingxiong, was overjoyed. He could almost see how the media would report his glorious deeds tomorrow.

Surely, all sorts of praise would come flooding in?

He wondered if his performance would attract the attention of those powerhouse teams?

Genoa was just a small team after all. He was only twenty-one years old, and going to a major club was the goal he should be pursuing!

Papastathopoulos eagerly awaited the start of the second half, ready to continue demonstrating his prowess, completely crushing the previous season's Serie A top scorer! He'd make him so afraid that he'd have to take a detour whenever he saw him!

As he was daydreaming, he saw the Napoli players emerging from the tunnel, Chen Yingxiong among them, chatting with Cassano as he walked.

The Genoa fans in the stands also spotted Chen Yingxiong – he'd only been in Serie A for one season, but his flamboyant reputation had already spread throughout Italy, naturally making him the focus of attention.

Seeing him appear, the Genoa fans started to heckle.

"Ooooh! Look who's here?"

"It's the bear with no balls!!"

"Must have gone for a testicle removal surgery during halftime, right?"

"Since you don't have any balls, give us your women!!"

"There's someone, he has no balls! Who is it? Who is it?"

Then a group of fans shouted in unison, "Chen Yingxiong!!"

Listening to the fans' shouts, Papastathopoulos couldn't help but laugh. These fans were so creative!

Of course, Chen Yingxiong heard these taunts – the whole stadium was chanting, how could he not?

His teammates also raised their heads, glaring angrily at the stands.

These Genoa fans were so mean!

But Chen Yingxiong just chuckled.

You'll be crying later!

※※※

At the start of the second half, Genoa continued to approach Napoli with the same mindset and tactics as in the first half. In Napoli's current state, they weren't really afraid of being two goals ahead!

But just three minutes into the half, Chen Yingxiong unleashed a powerful long-range shot from outside the box, a real wake-up call!

Genoa's goalkeeper Marco Amelia couldn't react in time. When the ball hit his chest, his hands were still open, not retracted in time. The ball bounced up and struck his chin, then shot straight out!

A fumble!

A fumble at this moment was deadly!

Cassano was in the penalty area!

Fortunately, Amelia's reaction was quick enough. Still on the ground, he sprang up like a fish and swatted the ball away!

Almost by a hair's breadth, Cassano's foot also swept in, but because Amelia had pushed the ball away first, Cassano only kicked air.

At the same time, center-back Ivan Fatić turned and kicked the ball out of bounds – he didn't know exactly what was happening, but kicking the ball out of play was the safest option, even if it meant giving the opponent a corner kick...

These actions all happened almost instantaneously, starting from Chen Yingxiong's sudden long-range shot from outside the box. Everything happened in a flash.

Chen Yingxiong received a pass from Arshavin, without even looking up, he shot directly. The ball hugged the ground, flying low like a shooting star, reaching Amelia in an instant. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have had time to make a save? He was a goalkeeper who had been selected for the Italian national team, he shouldn't be completely helpless, should he?

It could only be said that the ball… was too fast!

Only now did Amelia have time to feel a wave of fear – he hadn't been prepared at all, and the opponent had suddenly taken a long shot. If the ball had gone in, he would have been entirely to blame!

Cassano held his head in his hands, regretting his missed opportunity.

The others looked dazed, some still hadn't reacted.

Too fast!

※※※

"Hero's long shot –! Fumbled… close call! Corner kick!"

For the commentator, that whole sequence was just a few words. But the danger involved couldn't be summed up by a simple "close call."

The television broadcast showed a close-up of Amelia, his face still showing signs of shock, despite trying to appear calm. His heart was racing, a mixture of relief and helplessness.

The television broadcast then showed a close-up of Chen Yingxiong. Chen Yingxiong was gnashing his teeth, regretting that his shot hadn't gone in.

Some people sensed something unusual.

Some of the Napoli fans in the stands cheered, celebrating Chen Yingxiong's resurgence.

Papastathopoulos turned to stare at Chen Yingxiong.

To his surprise, Chen Yingxiong seemed different from his performance in the first half. He hadn't used such a fast and accurate long shot even once in the first half.

Could it be a fluke, just a one-off?

Chen Yingxiong quickly let him know that it was definitely not a fluke!

※※※

Seeing Chen Yingxiong revive, the Napoli players were delighted. Chen Yingxiong was the center forward, and what was a center forward? Someone who stood at the front, responsible for guiding the team's attack and giving them confidence!

Napoli's offensive momentum suddenly intensified.

"Hamsik passes the ball, Arshavin crosses… Hero—"

The commentator shouted.

Chen Yingxiong soared into the air, facing off against Papastathopoulos in a head-to-head battle!

In terms of heading ability, Papastathopoulos was no match for Chen Yingxiong…

So he didn't even reach Chen Yingxiong's chin, and was pushed down by Chen Yingxiong. Then Chen Yingxiong headed the ball towards the goal!

A diving header!

This time, Amelia didn't make any silly mistakes. When Arshavin crossed the ball, he had already locked onto Chen Yingxiong, tensing his body in preparation for a save.

When Chen Yingxiong headed the ball towards the goal, he judged the direction correctly, leaped up with a roar, and caught the ball out of the air with both hands!

"Great save! Amelia protects Genoa's goal!"

"Amelia deserves credit for that! If it weren't for him, Napoli would probably have equalized..."

Amelia held the ball tightly, not rushing to kick it out, but waiting for Papastathopoulos to get up – in the previous contest with Chen Yingxiong, the not-so-strong center-back had been directly pushed down, lost his footing, and fallen to the ground.

He looked a bit disheveled...

The confident swagger that Papastathopoulos had in the first half, when he kept Chen Yingxiong in a daze, was completely gone.

But how could he easily admit defeat?

He got up from the ground, clutching a handful of grass in each hand, which he had grabbed when he stood up.

※※※

The wronged have their avengers, the debtors have their creditors. His dismal performance in the first half, which had led to the Genoa fans mocking him in every possible way, who was to blame? Wasn't it this bastard?

He grabbed his balls, defending so viciously, and then accused him of faking a fall. He was already very well-mannered not to have kicked him directly!

So Chen Yingxiong was determined to completely crush the arrogant Papastathopoulos today.

Papastathopoulos, clenching his fists and intending to fight Chen Yingxiong to the end, didn't know that he had become a dish in someone else's eyes.

※※※

Mazzarri stood on the sidelines, and had been there since the start of the second half, not returning to his seat.

Falling behind by two goals in the first half was a truly critical situation. So he had to score as soon as possible in the second half, otherwise the longer it dragged on, the more it would benefit the opponent.

He focused all his attention on Chen Yingxiong.

Just like he had said during halftime, he wanted to see a normal Chen Yingxiong. He didn't say anything about an outstanding Chen Yingxiong. Because he felt that a normal Chen Yingxiong was enough to deal with Genoa.

Sure enough, judging from his performance in the second half, Chen Yingxiong hadn't disappointed him.

His form was rapidly recovering. However…

The thought that this kid had been in poor form because he was worried about his lower body's happiness was really exasperating.

Even though he was already twenty-one years old, he still gave the impression of being a child… wondering what was going on in his head all day long.

Oh well, as long as he obediently scored goals on the field, trained properly, and caused him less trouble…

Mazzarri shook his head slightly.

He suddenly heard the noise from the Genoa fans suddenly rise!

Had Genoa launched a counterattack?

He realized that he had been distracted just now, and when he turned his gaze back to the field, he didn't see any danger in his own half, instead, the crowd was concentrated in Genoa's half!

※※※

Hamsik got the ball in the center, and Arshavin didn't go to the wing to wait for a pass, but instead cut inside directly into the penalty area, forcing Genoa's full-back Emiliano Moretti, who was defending him, to retreat into the box.

At the same time, Napoli's right-back Maggio charged up the wing like a rocket.

Hamsik had already passed the ball over, just as Arshavin took Moretti away from the wing, leaving a gap there.

Giving plenty of lead, Maggio didn't need to slow down, he just needed to accelerate, accelerate, and accelerate again, sprint forward, and after catching up with the ball… he swung his foot and crossed it directly!

The ball wasn't going towards Chen Yingxiong, it was shorter, aimed straight at the near post!

Arshavin charged over.

Moretti and Fatić sandwiched him from the front and back, trying to head the ball out.

But under Arshavin's interference, Moretti at the near post didn't head it cleanly. He grazed it with the top of his head, and the ball flew diagonally behind him!

There was the far post of the goal, who was there?

※※※

"Hero!"

The commentator exclaimed.

Chen Yingxiong controlled the ball perfectly with his foot!

Because he stepped on the ball firmly.

In other places, this kind of ball control might be criticized by many people for stopping the ball dead, making it difficult to make the next move.

But in the penalty area, this narrow but fiercely contested space, there was no better way to control the ball than to keep it firmly under your feet.

Standing in front of Chen Yingxiong was Papastathopoulos.

He hadn't gone to defend Arshavin, because he had been keeping an eye on Chen Yingxiong from the start.

When Chen Yingxiong stopped the ball firmly, he appeared in front of Chen Yingxiong.

He didn't know what Chen Yingxiong was going to do, but he knew what he should do – stand in front of him, not be fooled by his feints, not be overwhelmed by his aura. As a center-back, he had to be the last solid wall in front of the goalkeeper!

He stood in front of Chen Yingxiong with a solemn expression, his eyes fixed on Chen Yingxiong's feet and the ball under his feet.

At this moment in the penalty area, everyone else had been attracted to the near post by Arshavin. This was a contest between Chen Yingxiong and himself, and he had to block this shot to prove that his performance in the first half wasn't a fluke – the people you can't defend, I can!

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Chen Yingxiong suddenly raise his right foot.

What was he trying to do?

Papastathopoulos wanted to reach out and poke the ball away, but he was afraid that it was just a feint, and that he would poke the ball away, creating an opening for a shot.

After all, he was standing directly in front of him, at such a close distance, which meant that he was blocking his shooting angle. It wouldn't be easy to score directly…

That's right, he definitely couldn't shoot directly, because he had blocked his shooting angle. The most likely chance to score would be to hit his body. As long as the ball didn't go in, what did it matter if he got hit? Hey! Defend his feint!

He swayed his body, as if to induce Chen Yingxiong to use a feint, so that he could intercept the ball.

Just as he was thinking this, he saw the opposite calf suddenly twitch!

Then a black shadow flashed before his eyes!

A sudden chill between his legs!

※※※

Chen Yingxiong raised his right leg, but didn't shoot directly, instead pausing for a moment. This change in rhythm made Papastathopoulos think that he was going to go past him. So he stood still, didn't come up to intercept the ball, but just shook his body, as if he had been hit by a cold wind and shivered.

At this moment, his own right leg whipped down like a whip, kicking the ball.

The ball flew up with a whoosh, flying between Papastathopoulos's legs.

This idiot, blocking the angle was right, but you also had to see how far away the goal was behind you, right? Being so close to the goal, with your vertical body, how much space could you block?

There was space all around!

If he missed this opportunity, he would really be letting down his generosity!

※※※

No one expected Chen Yingxiong to raise his foot and shoot directly in the penalty area, without any warning!

Shooting from a standing position, without a run-up, and not even making a full shooting motion.

But the ball he shot was like a cannonball, a thump followed by a swish!

It was the sound of the ball hitting the net.

Goalkeeper Amelia stood on the goal line, turning his head and staring blankly at the ball entangled in the net…

"Goal… goal! Goal!!"

"Chen Yingxiong blasts it in from the spot!"

"He almost kicked through the Genoa net!"

"Too fast! Goalkeeper Amelia and defender Papastathopoulos, who was defending him, didn't have time to react at all! Papastathopoulos looked like a decoration, he didn't even make a symbolic attempt to block the shot from close range..."

The commentators were stunned for a moment, then shouted in unison.

※※※

After scoring, Chen Yingxiong rarely didn't turn around and sprint wildly, taking off his shirt as he ran, and by the time he reached the camera, he was already shirtless.

This time, he faced Papastathopoulos, who was still standing dumbfounded in front of him, not yet having reacted, and slowly opened his arms.

Chen Yingxiong held his head high, looking down at Papastathopoulos, who was shorter than him, with a disdainful sneer on his face.

He didn't say anything, just turned around, leaving an arrogant and swaggering back to Papastathopoulos.

Then he slowly walked out of the penalty area.

He was putting on quite a show!

Arshavin had already rushed up and hugged him tightly.

Even so, Chen Yingxiong maintained the same posture, without changing.

Scoring a goal against your Genoa was just taking something out of a pocket, no need to be too excited.

You Papastathopoulos, and those Genoa fans… in my eyes, you are all just chickens and dogs, worthless!

※※※

Still maintaining his defending posture, Papastathopoulos's eyes were still on Chen Yingxiong, even though he had been hugged by Arshavin and Cassano.

This was the Serie A top scorer!

This was the guy who had been in a daze in the first half and ridiculed?

The people you can't defend, I can!

Now, thinking of that sentence, he suddenly felt like he had been slapped in the face, burning hot…

※※※

ps, don't you think Chen Yingxiong is especially domineering and awesome?

In ancient times, Guan Gong warmed wine to kill Hua Xiong, now Hero pierces Pasic's crotch with a spear!

Come on, give me your monthly tickets!!