Chapter 154: Wholesale of English Talents! Who Can Stop Bayswater Chinese FC Now?
Since Matt Crock had already pushed Harry Kane in front of him, Yang Cheng officially stepped in to oversee Kane's development.
This was a player literally mentioned in the club anthem—it was only fitting to groom him as a future leader!
After all, the current captain was another one mentioned in the anthem.
Following the training session, Yang Cheng received a report from the sports science department on Harry Kane.
The kid really was well-rounded.
Well-rounded in "mediocrity."
Why the quotation marks around "mediocrity"?
Because that's only when compared to top-tier stars.
Why was Rooney considered a generational talent the moment he emerged?
Because he scored that goal that ended Arsenal's unbeaten run?
That was the result, not the reason.
The real reason was that, for his age, Rooney had qualities that perfectly aligned with what English fans adored.
Compared to his peers, Rooney had better footwork than most English players.
That made him look technically gifted in the Premier League and at Everton.
But most importantly, he had tremendous physicality and speed. When he got going with the ball, it was raw, unrelenting power.
Don't doubt it—English fans love that kind of brutish energy.
But in truth?
Forget comparing him to a technical genius like Messi—even within his own team, Tevez and Ronaldo had far superior foot skills.
That's why, in last season's front three of Rooney, Ronaldo, and Tevez, having Rooney in the central striker role always felt like a compromise.
If Rooney were truly a top-level No. 9, Manchester United wouldn't have needed to buy Saha or Berbatov.
That said, Rooney did have elite physical strength and combativeness.
"Fat Wayne" wasn't an unfair nickname.
Now, Harry Kane was taller than Rooney—and still growing.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Kane reached 1.88 meters—classic English striker build.
But when it came to pure physical gifts, Kane was clearly a step below Rooney.
He lacked speed, plain and simple.
Let's be honest—most "former fat kids" never truly develop explosive pace, even after slimming down.
Rooney had that aggressive, bulldog-like personality on the pitch, while Kane was more reserved.
And that kind of personality is generally more endearing in matches.
Look closely at a full-body photo of Harry Kane standing straight—you'll notice something.
Yes, he's tall—but his upper body is long, and his legs are relatively short.
Compare him to someone like Džeko, whose build is all long limbs and height.
But none of this is Kane's fault—it's just his natural body type.
In fact, if you handed Kane over to other Premier League academies, most probably wouldn't rate him highly.
At best, the scouting report would be lukewarm.
But Bayswater Chinese FC ran a possession-based system.
And while Kane didn't have any standout physical traits, he also didn't have glaring weaknesses.
Plus, his skill set was complete.
He'd been in the Bayswater academy for five years, training hard the whole time, and his technical development was obvious.
His touch and ball feel were far better than the Kane Yang Cheng remembered from his past life.
Which made him exceptional in his dribbling and passing during runs.
More importantly—he played smart.
He knew where his strengths lay, maintained superb stamina, had a large coverage area, and used efficient, simple techniques to achieve his goals.
His biggest advantage?
Game intelligence, off-the-ball movement, and instinct around the goal.
In other words—he had a very high football IQ.
That's why, even at just 15 years old, he had already been promoted to the U18s, and had even played in the UEFA Youth League for Bayswater.
...
"We have to be extra cautious with his development."
"Mess it up, and he'll end up average—stuck between roles and without a clear path."
Yang Cheng warned Matt Crock with a sharp, concise statement that pinpointed Kane's biggest challenge in the coming years.
Everyone around them nodded in agreement.
Don't let Yang Cheng's age fool you—when it came to youth development, he had one hell of an eye.
"Toughness and physical strength need to be gradually built up—strong legs, solid core. That's how he'll hold his ground, win duels, and stay up under pressure."
"Keep developing his stamina too. Like Drogba—if I can't break you, I'll wear you out!"
That last line had everyone laughing.
That was Drogba's true weapon—he exhausted defenders.
"Our arsenal has to be fully stocked. He needs to master his finishing techniques—he's two-footed already, so we'll train him to be proficient with both feet."
"But above all, he needs match experience. Grow his game awareness. Don't forget to polish his technique—especially that first touch."
"Got it," Matt Crock nodded, fully convinced.
Yang Cheng's advice wasn't just empty talk—it was a precise developmental roadmap tailored to Kane's current profile.
Yang Cheng put a huge emphasis on football intelligence and technical foundation.
That's where English players often fell short.
England had so many so-called prodigies—why did so few pan out?
Aside from the media's reckless hype, there was a more fundamental issue—most English talents had fatal flaws.
They peaked the moment they debuted.
Sure, Shearer and Lineker thrived in an older era that suited English football, so leave them out of it.
But in the 21st century, Owen and Rooney were the most iconic examples.
They exploded early—but why didn't they meet expectations?
Some blame Owen's injuries.
But come on—Robben had more injuries and still delivered.
Owen fell off hard after leaving Liverpool. Why?
Because he wasn't equipped to play out wide and couldn't reinvent himself.
Same with Rooney.
When Ronaldo was at United, Rooney made sacrifices tactically.
But after Ronaldo left?
Look at how Benzema evolved post-Ronaldo—he went from "Benzecat" to "Benzedragon."
Why didn't Rooney go from "Fat Wayne" to "Monster Wayne"?
It all goes back to flaws in youth development.
Awareness, tactical understanding, technical limitations.
If you analyze the players with long, high-level careers, there's a common thread—they're all smart and technically sound.
And that's where Bayswater Chinese FC's academy differed from the rest of England.
While others trained fitness, strength, and muscle mass just to win youth matches, Bayswater focused on fundamentals, technique, and tactical intelligence.
It made them stand out, for better or worse.
Their results weren't bad—but not spectacular either.
Which made sense.
Physically gifted kids had a huge advantage at the youth level.
But if Yang Cheng had to define Harry Kane's developmental path?
He wanted him to have Teddy Sheringham's intelligent movement and predatory instinct…
Alan Shearer's lethal finishing...
And Henry's ball retention and control…
...
Since Kane had already come up, Yang Cheng didn't mind going on about a few more names.
All U18 players.
But most were decoys.
The ones he really wanted to talk about were Kanté and Pogba.
Both had already earned playing time with the U18s.
Pogba was the easy one—his talent was obvious.
Since Matt Crock had already brought Harry Kane to Yang Cheng's attention, Yang Cheng decided to personally oversee Kane's development.
This was a player whose name appeared in the club anthem—grooming him as a future leader was perfectly justified!
After all, the current team captain was another name from the anthem.
After watching the training session, Yang Cheng received a set of analytical reports on Harry Kane from the sports science department.
The kid was... remarkably well-rounded.
Well-rounded in "mediocrity."
Why the quotation marks?
Because the term was only "mediocre" compared to elite-level stars.
Why was Rooney hyped to the heavens when he first broke out?
Was it because of that one goal that ended Arsenal's unbeaten run?
That was the result—not the reason.
The reason was that Rooney, at that age, embodied everything English fans adored.
Compared to other English players around him, Rooney's technique stood out.
In the Premier League, especially at Everton, that made him look really good.
But more importantly, he had outstanding physical attributes and explosiveness. When he charged forward with the ball, he did it with raw, unfiltered aggression.
And make no mistake—English fans love that kind of reckless intensity.
But the reality?
Compared to Messi? Or even his own teammates at United—Tevez and Ronaldo—Rooney's technique wasn't even close.
That's why, in the Rooney-Ronaldo-Tevez trio, Rooney playing center-forward was always a compromise.
If Rooney were a real No. 9, why would United need Saha or Berbatov?
But what Rooney did have was incredible strength and physicality.
"Fat Wayne" was never a misnomer.
Now, Harry Kane was already taller than Rooney and still growing.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, he topped out at 1.88 meters—classic English striker build.
But purely on physical gifts? Kane lagged behind.
His lack of speed was noticeable.
And let's be honest: most "fat kids" who grow taller and slim down still don't develop elite pace.
Rooney's bulldog personality made him more intimidating on the pitch. Kane was more reserved by nature.
That kind of personality usually didn't catch the eye as easily in a game.
Plus, if you really looked at Kane's body proportions in full-length photos, you'd notice: he's tall, but it's mostly upper body. His legs weren't particularly long.
Compare that with someone like Džeko, who had those long-limbed, rangy strides.
None of that was Kane's fault. That's just how he was built.
If you tossed Kane into a different Premier League academy, most of them probably wouldn't have rated him very highly.
At best, they'd be lukewarm about his prospects.
But Bayswater Chinese FC played a pass-and-move style.
Kane might not have elite athleticism, but he had no glaring weaknesses either.
And he was technically complete.
After five years in the academy, he had worked relentlessly. His ball control and touch had improved dramatically.
His feel for the ball was even better than what Yang Cheng had seen in his past life.
Which made his dribbling and passing on the move really stand out.
Most important of all—he played with intelligence.
He knew what his strengths were, had excellent stamina and a huge work rate, and used clean, efficient technique to achieve his goals.
His biggest edge?
His understanding of the game, his movement off the ball, and his killer instinct in front of goal.
Simply put—his football IQ was elite.
That's why, at just 15, he was already promoted to the U18s and had played for Bayswater Chinese FC in the UEFA Youth League.
...
"We've got to be careful with his development," Yang Cheng said.
"One wrong move and he'll end up average—neither here nor there."
That single sentence pinpointed Kane's biggest risk over the next few years.
Everyone nearby nodded in agreement.
Don't let his youth fool you—Yang Cheng's insight into talent development was elite.
"We've got to bulk him up. Lower body strength. Stronger core. That's how he'll hold position, win headers, and shield the ball."
"Keep that stamina high. Be like Drogba—if I can't beat you, I'll wear you down!"
That last line got everyone laughing.
Drogba was notorious for exhausting defenders to death.
"He needs a full toolkit. Finishing with both feet—he's already decent with either, so we train him to become proficient with both."
"But above all, we need him gaining match experience, sharpening his instincts. And don't forget technical refinement—especially his first touch."
"Understood," Matt Crock nodded earnestly.
Everything Yang Cheng had said was based on Kane's actual development needs. It was practical, long-term, and grounded in reality.
Yang Cheng had always prioritized football IQ and technical fundamentals.
That was the Achilles heel of English football.
How many "English prodigies" had failed to pan out?
It wasn't just the media hype.
The real reason was that so many of them had fatal flaws.
They peaked the moment they debuted.
Shearer and Lineker belonged to another era—built for the England of the past.
But in the modern game, Owen and Rooney were the best examples.
They rose early—yet failed to reach their full potential.
Some blamed Owen's injuries.
But Robben had more injuries than anyone and still delivered.
Owen fell off the map after leaving Liverpool. Why?
Because he couldn't play wide and lacked versatility.
Rooney? Same problem.
When Ronaldo was at United, Rooney sacrificed tactically.
But once Ronaldo left?
Benzema evolved into a beast at Madrid. Why didn't Rooney?
It all came back to poor youth development—limited tactical awareness, gaps in technique, and flawed fundamentals.
If you looked at the players who had long, successful careers, they were always smart, technical, and tactically sound.
That was the biggest difference between Bayswater's academy and everyone else's.
While others obsessed over physicality and strength, Bayswater drilled basics, technique, and tactical awareness.
That made them stand out in England.
Their results were decent—but not spectacular.
Because at the youth level, players with athletic advantages often dominated.
If Yang Cheng had to define Kane's ideal version?
It would be a striker with Sheringham's movement and instinct…
Shearer's finishing…
And Henry's ball protection and fluidity…
...
And while he was on the topic of Kane, Yang Cheng casually mentioned a few more U18 names.
Mostly red herrings.
The real ones he cared about? Kanté and Pogba.
Both were already playing in the U18 squad.
Pogba was the easier call—his talent was obvious.
In front of the media, Yang Cheng of course said nothing about it.
Many things simply shouldn't be said in front of the British public. They needed to be addressed at the right time, with the right setting, and at a slower pace.
But as a key figure in this project, Yang Cheng still represented Bayswater Chinese FC and stood next to Ken Livingstone, participating in the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony.
This £4 billion urban redevelopment project was sure to capture the attention of the entire UK—and even the whole of Europe.
Especially now, with the subprime mortgage crisis growing ever more severe.
...
After the ceremony, Yang Cheng stayed to chat with various stakeholders.
He even made time to give a group interview on-site to several media outlets, including the BBC, The Sun, The Times, and The Guardian, answering a few questions.
The messaging was consistent as always—playing the role of the underdog.
"We at Bayswater Chinese FC are so committed to supporting the London Olympics that we're willing to break the bank—sell everything short of our own children—just to help!"
"We absolutely won't let that scar on Queensway remain when the Olympics come around!"
But once he returned to Bayswater Chinese FC's rented office building, Yang Cheng pulled Adam Crozier aside immediately.
"The PR department needs to get its act together. Their reaction was way too slow."
Adam Crozier nodded. "I already yelled at them. Gave them a heads-up. I'm thinking of poaching someone smart, with some good media connections—someone who'll know how to keep up."
"Get it done soon," Yang Cheng said.
If you don't speak up, you don't eat.
Yang Cheng wasn't naive.
They'd poured a mountain of money into this project and gave the London city government plenty of perks. If he didn't find a way to make some of it back through other channels, it just wouldn't sit right.
As for loans—yes, the UK interest rate was falling, but it wasn't the right time yet.
And they didn't need a loan immediately anyway.
Thanks to Xia Qing, who'd pulled funds from here and there, they'd managed to scrape together £150 million.
Knowing her, Yang Cheng figured she could probably come up with even more if she wanted to.
She was becoming more and more like a classic housekeeper—guarding every penny, but never letting money go out.
Back in the conference room, Yang Cheng sat at the head of the table.
To his left and right were Adam Crozier and Xia Qing. Down the table sat Omar Berrada, Chris Hunter, and the rest.
The first item on the agenda: Christmas.
It was still over two months away, but preparations needed to start early.
Adam Crozier suggested that, since the construction of the new stadium had caused significant disruption to local residents—noise, traffic, heavy machinery—the club should use Christmas as an opportunity to give back and smooth things over.
Xia Qing agreed, but stressed the importance of controlling the budget.
With money being spent everywhere, it was a delicate balance to give meaningful gifts to the community without blowing the bank.
This was something Adam and his team would have to figure out.
Yang Cheng didn't need to worry—he just needed to make the final call.
Then came the Christmas events themselves, including various charity activities that would require players' participation.
Adam Crozier brought up another topic: an invitation from a U.S. company for Bayswater Chinese FC to take part in the 2009 World Football Challenge, the inaugural edition.
The appearance fee was generous.
And since the club had already planned to tour the U.S. in 2009, Yang Cheng approved the proposal.
This event, Yang Cheng knew, was the precursor to what later became widely known as the International Champions Cup.
It was time to start preparing the tour schedule and match arrangements.
Then Adam Crozier brought up another matter.
"Now that the project details are mostly finalized, we've had several interested investors approach us—most from the hotel industry."
"Hotels?" Yang Cheng paused.
Not surprising.
North of Hyde Park, the Bayswater area was swarming with hotels.
You could practically say there was one every few steps.
And for good reason: the location was unbeatable.
From Queensway Station to Paddington was just one kilometer in a straight line—already home to two Hilton hotels, both four-star.
In fact, another DoubleTree by Hilton was supposedly being planned just 200 meters west along Bayswater Road.
If the big chains were this aggressive, it was no surprise smaller hotels were interested too.
Simply put, Bayswater had more hotels than Knightsbridge.
So interest from hotel investors in the Bayswater stadium project was totally expected.
"What do you think, Adam?" Yang Cheng asked, withholding his own opinion.
"There are four buildings on the four corners of the plot. One's our office, one we're keeping as a retail complex, and the other two are up for commercial use. My view is: better to have nothing than to have something low-quality. We need to aim upscale."
That clicked instantly in Yang Cheng's mind.
Adam Crozier was pushing the high-end hospitality strategy—just like the executive box upgrade plan.
Given the surrounding area, those two buildings would rent out easily.
The real challenge was how to use those rentals to elevate the stadium's value and prestige.
"What's your plan?" Yang Cheng smiled.
"I've heard whispers that Bulgari Hotels is looking to open a location in London."
Yang Cheng's eyes lit up.
Bulgari? That was luxury on another level.
At the time, there were only two Bulgari Hotels in the world—one in Milan, one in Bali.
Both were obscenely expensive and dream destinations for the wealthy elite.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Bulgari did open a third location in London—right in Knightsbridge.
Across from the iconic One Hyde Park, and not far from Harrods.
"I heard that too," Yang Cheng said casually. "But supposedly, their first choice is Knightsbridge."
Adam Crozier looked slightly stunned.
He hadn't expected Yang Cheng to be in the loop on this.
His boss always seemed to know things no one else did. Where did he even get his intel?
"Sure, Knightsbridge is posh," Adam replied, "but it's also extremely limited. Land is insanely expensive—not ideal for a hotel."
"Here, we've got Queensway, Notting Hill, Hyde Park, and great transit links. And don't forget—our entire project is being designed by Norman Foster."
Yang Cheng almost laughed.
Was Crozier trying to squeeze every drop of PR value out of Norman Foster?
"But next to the stadium, there'll be massive foot traffic on matchdays," Yang Cheng pointed out. "It'll be chaotic."
"True, but Knightsbridge isn't exactly quiet either. Being close to the stadium—it's a double-edged sword. But this stadium will be one of Foster's signature works, a new London landmark."
Yang Cheng began weighing his options.
If they could lure Bulgari away from Knightsbridge, it would massively boost the area's prestige.
And the city of London would surely throw their support behind it.
After all, Yang Cheng had never even stepped inside a Bulgari Hotel in his past life—just one night could cost £2,000.
But there was no denying—it would skyrocket the value of the entire project.
"Start making contact," Yang Cheng nodded.
Xia Qing then presented a report she'd prepared.
She estimated the current return on investment for commercial and hotel real estate was around 5–10%.
Given the new stadium's location, she believed the minimum return should be 8%.
So, each of the four properties should generate at least £8 million in annual rental income.
That kind of return meant the investment could pay itself back in just over a decade.
Don't scoff at rental income just because it seems modest.
This was a long-term game.
If bringing in Bulgari Hotels could elevate the area's profile and drive up property values overall, then who cared if the rent was a little lower?
"I've already put out some feelers through third-party channels," said Adam Crozier. "Once construction officially starts, I'm sure more high-end hotel groups will approach us—not just Bulgari."
Clearly, Crozier was very optimistic about the project's potential.
Yang Cheng, meanwhile, recalled his father's suggestion: to turn this place into a home base for Chinese tourists visiting the UK.
Recently, his father's real estate ventures back home were booming, and his sportswear business was also thriving. Who knew if he still had that kind of interest?
...
After two weeks of international fixtures, the players gradually returned to the club.
Yang Cheng let out a long sigh of relief.
Apart from Maicon coming back with a minor injury, everyone else returned in good shape.
And even for Maicon, it was just a knock that would heal in two or three days.
This meant Yang Cheng could finally relax.
With the players back, the team prepared for Round 8 of the Premier League—at home against Sunderland.
A club fighting relegation this season.
But their manager was none other than former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.
Before the match, Keane boldly declared that he would "teach Bayswater Chinese FC a lesson" at Wembley.
They were riding high after holding Arsenal to a 1–1 draw at home the previous week.
Sunderland were feeling confident.
But Bayswater Chinese FC delivered a crushing blow right out of the gate.
Less than a minute in, Maicon's cross from the right was deflected out for a corner by Sunderland center-back McCartney.
Bayswater earned their first corner of the match almost immediately.
Modrić didn't whip it straight into the box. Instead, he went short—tactical corner.
When Maicon crossed it back in, the ball ricocheted off Sunderland right-back Chimbonda and bounced out of the area.
Rakitić controlled it and fired a direct pass into the box.
Walcott fired from the right edge of the six-yard box—saved by keeper Fulop.
But José Fonte pounced on the rebound and tapped it into the empty net.
1–0!
The clock had just ticked past 60 seconds.
With the opening goal in the bag, Bayswater kept pushing forward, launching wave after wave of attacks.
Roy Keane had been a tough player—but as a manager, his tactical skills were mediocre at best.
And he had a temper.
In the 16th minute, Walcott passed laterally from the right wing.
Yaya Touré, arriving late from midfield, unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the box, smashing the ball past Fulop.
2–0!
Just 7 minutes later, Gareth Bale made a run down the left, cut into the box, and crossed to Džeko, who headed the ball off Fulop's leg and into the net.
3–0!
Less than 30 minutes in, Bayswater Chinese FC had already scored three.
But they didn't stop there.
In the 30th minute, Walcott won a free kick on the right flank.
Modrić delivered the cross.
Fulop rushed off his line—but misjudged it.
José Fonte rose and flicked the ball with his head, and Džeko tapped it in at the far post.
4–0!
Wembley erupted!
Usually, international breaks disrupted the team's rhythm.
But this time, they had picked up exactly where they left off.
The 70,000+ fans at Wembley were ecstatic—it felt like a festival.
At least today's ticket was more than worth the price.
Just before halftime, Bayswater pulled off a stunning passing sequence.
Walcott, Modrić, Rakitić, and Gareth Bale combined with a flurry of one-touch passes, switching from right to left.
Bale laid it off to the middle, where Džeko, completely unmarked, calmly tapped in.
5–0!
Another hat trick for Džeko!
At halftime, Bayswater Chinese FC were leading 5–0.
...
After an all-out first half, Yang Cheng rotated the squad in the second to conserve energy for the midweek Champions League match.
It was part of his pre-match plan.
And the players delivered—5 goals in the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, no more goals came from Bayswater. In fact, they conceded one in the 67th minute.
A through ball broke the offside trap, and substitute Djibril Cissé—on loan from Marseille—scored a one-on-one against the keeper.
But Bayswater's youngsters responded in the 76th minute.
Marcelo whipped in a cross from the left, and Lambert headed it in from inside the box.
6–1!
Bayswater Chinese FC routed Sunderland at home.
In the same round:
Chelsea destroyed Middlesbrough 5–0 away.
Arsenal came from behind to beat Everton 3–1 at home.
Liverpool pulled off another comeback, winning 3–2 over Wigan at Anfield.
Manchester United demolished West Brom 4–0 at Old Trafford.
Manchester City drew 2–2 away at Newcastle—their defense still a major liability.
Yang Cheng and Bayswater Chinese FC remained top of the league with this latest win.
Džeko had now scored hat tricks in two straight league matches.
Ten goals in eight Premier League games—his form was unstoppable.
He was involved in almost every goal the team scored.
The Bosnian striker was winning unanimous praise—and even starting to eclipse Ibrahimović in the media.
With Džeko in this kind of form and Bayswater flying high, journalists were asking the question more frequently:
Who can stop Bayswater Chinese FC?
...
Three days later—Wembley Stadium, London.
Bayswater Chinese FC were red-hot, and Marseille had no choice but to play it safe.
Coach Eric Gerets lined up in a 4-2-3-1 to face Bayswater's 4-3-3.
From the opening whistle, Marseille parked the bus, leaving only Mamadou Niang up top for counters.
And for a while, it worked—they stifled Bayswater's rhythm.
But only temporarily.
In the 71st minute, Rakitić took a corner.
Džeko headed it in from eight meters out.
1–0!
In the 85th minute, Modrić threaded a brilliant pass down the right.
Di María beat his man on the dribble, reached the end line, and—Rabona cross.
The ball curled toward the near post.
Džeko shielded off his defender and calmly finished with a side-footed shot.
2–0!
Another brace for the Bosnian striker.
Five goals in just four days!
Džeko's form had gone beyond red-hot—it was terrifying.
Meanwhile, over in Madrid, Atlético and Inter Milan played to a 1–1 draw.
Mourinho's side failed to break down the Spanish side.
...
October 26th—Premier League Round 9.
Bayswater Chinese FC traveled to face Portsmouth.
Against Pompey's rigid 4-5-1, the team's scoring spree finally slowed.
Džeko, too, was momentarily contained.
Especially him.
The Bosnian striker, after a stretch of continuous starts, was clearly showing signs of fatigue. In this match, he struggled under the tight marking of Distin and Kaboul and wasn't nearly as lively as before.
And for a team with the strongest defense this season, Bayswater Chinese FC conceded a goal in the 51st minute.
A quick counterattack led to a free kick created by Defoe, and Crouch headed it past the Bayswater goalkeeper.
From that point on, Portsmouth parked the bus even harder.
"They were practically dying to shove all 11 players into their own six-yard box!"
But instead of getting angry, Yang Cheng immediately turned to his bench.
Lewandowski came on for Yaya Touré.
The formation shifted instantly into a 4-4-2.
Lewandowski and Džeko formed a double-striker partnership, with Di María and Walcott stretching the pitch from the wings.
Yang Cheng stood at the touchline, urging his team to push up and go all out.
In the 71st minute, he made his second substitution.
Hazard replaced Walcott.
The Belgian took over on the right wing, tasked mainly with dribbling and penetration.
Maicon pushed higher as well to stretch the width even further.
Portsmouth weren't just parking the bus; they had done their homework on set-piece defense, blocking every Bayswater free kick from getting near the net.
"Keep pushing!"
"We still have time! Don't lose hope!"
Yang Cheng's voice rang out loudly from the sideline.
Modrić and Rakitić handled the build-up and passing duties in midfield, but the moment there was an opening, they surged forward to support the attack.
Bayswater threw everything forward.
By the 80th minute, even the full-backs were bombing up.
In the 77th and 81st minutes, Portsmouth midfielder Diop and left-back Belhadj were both booked.
Both fouls were on Hazard.
Diop, operating on the left side of midfield, and Belhadj, the left-back—both getting yellow cards for challenges on the same player proved that Hazard was doing damage down that flank.
"Luka."
Yang Cheng glanced at the clock. Not much time left.
Modrić jogged over during a stoppage.
"Exploit that space on their left. Pressure them even harder!"
"They're on the ropes!"
Modrić nodded.
Meanwhile, around the league:
Manchester United drew 1–1 away at Everton.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 1–0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to an early own goal.
Manchester City trounced Stoke City 3–0 at home—Robinho scored a hat trick.
Arsenal won 2–0 away at West Ham.
If Bayswater didn't win this, they'd lose their grip on the top spot.
Liverpool, with no European commitments this season, were performing strongly in the league.
Yang Cheng refused to give his rivals that kind of chance!
"Push up! Everyone forward!" he bellowed from the touchline, waving his right arm emphatically.
In the 87th minute, the ball landed once more at Hazard's feet.
Without waiting for Belhadj to close down, the Belgian shifted into his dribble, instantly accelerating.
Belhadj, already on a yellow and defending on the edge of his own box, didn't dare challenge too hard—he could only watch as Hazard sped past.
Hazard reached the top of the box and faced Diop, who was rushing to cover. With a sudden stepover, he feinted and cut inside into the box.
Portsmouth had packed their penalty area with defenders.
But Hazard had already drawn two men to him.
Inside the box, neither dared make a rash tackle—just trying to force him wide.
The Belgian was too quick, too agile, his footwork too sharp. He feinted again, shifted the ball to his left, and calmly slipped a short pass between the two defenders.
The ball rolled behind them.
Distin lunged, trying to clear.
But a flash of red darted in first—just ahead of him.
With his right foot, the figure dragged the ball left, narrowly avoiding Distin's tackle.
As he recovered his balance, his left foot whipped a low strike—a flicked shot through a sea of legs.
Before David James could even react, the ball had already slipped into the left side of the net.
Only then did the crowd erupt.
But Modrić didn't celebrate.
He sprinted straight to the goal, scooped up the ball, and ran it back toward the center circle.
As he ran, he called out:
"Back! Get back!"
"Six minutes left!"
Normally quiet and reserved, Modrić rarely raised his voice.
But when he did, it carried weight.
Hearing him, the entire team instinctively followed.
They sprinted back to their half.
The ball was placed on the center dot.
Bayswater Chinese FC stood poised.
Portsmouth were stunned.
It was already the 88th minute!
Bayswater had spent nearly the entire match chasing this equalizer.
And now, instead of sitting on the draw, they wanted to go again?
The way they stared across the pitch—Portsmouth's players began to panic.
This opponent was terrifying!
Unshakable resilience.
No matter the setback, no matter the pressure, they kept charging forward without fear.
And when Portsmouth kicked off again, they quickly lost possession.
Bayswater pressed high and won the ball back.
Modrić again conducted the play.
He passed to Hazard on the right.
The Belgian tried to dribble again—but this time Diop and Belhadj doubled up and dispossessed him.
The ball bounced loose.
Maicon arrived first, intercepting it on the run.
He glanced at the box, tracking the runs of Džeko and Lewandowski.
Maicon advanced down the flank, then whipped in a sharp diagonal cross.
Džeko made the first move, darting toward the near post, dragging Distin and Kaboul with him.
Lewandowski hung back half a step—timing his run to perfection, darting toward the far post.
As Maicon's cross dipped in, Lewandowski launched himself—a diving header!
He felt the solid contact on his forehead, and instinctively knew—this was going in.
Džeko had pulled the defenders and even distracted the keeper.
The ball sailed low and hard into the left side of Portsmouth's net.
Lewandowski landed face-first near the six-yard line.
But as he hit the ground, he pounded the turf in celebration.
Goal!
Comeback complete!
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