During the halftime break, both television stations analyzed the first half of the match and predicted adjustments and changes for the second half.

In China, the studio guests questioned Gao Hongbo's player selection. At this point, they didn't mention the initial doubts that arose when Gao Hongbo brought in five new Olympic players all at once...

Over at the Japanese studio, the hosts and guests started by discussing the Asian Cup final from the previous year. The Chinese team in the Asian Cup final didn't have Zhou Yi, but they still made things difficult for the Japanese team. Why was it that with Zhou Yi in this match, the Chinese team couldn't cause any trouble for the Japanese team?

Did this mean that even with Zhou Yi, the Chinese team wasn't a very strong opponent and there was no need to be too nervous?

Some also mentioned the issue of the Olympic youngsters. He Ying's performance in the Olympics had left a very deep impression on the Japanese media. His counterattacks were sharp, he held the ball steadily, and his shots were decisive and accurate. But in the few times he had the ball in the first half today, none of these advantages were visible.

After discussing it, they felt that they had previously exaggerated the Chinese team's strength too much and had been intimidated by the Chinese team's performance in the Asian Cup and the Olympics. But in reality, in matches like the World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese team couldn't compete with a Japanese team that was going all out. The most important opponent for the Japanese team in this group was actually Australia.

The last guest said, "...We must know that although the Chinese team now has several players playing in Europe, which makes them seem strong, the other players on the Chinese team are all players who train and play domestically in China. Their individual abilities are constrained by the overall level of Chinese football, and their improvement is limited. And football is not a game that one or two people can decide the outcome of. It relies on teamwork. Even if China has an outstanding player like Zhou Yi, they don't have a team that can match him. This is actually the tragedy of Zhou Yi and Chinese football."

Particularly "humanistic care."

※※※

In the Chinese team's locker room, Gao Hongbo was making adjustments to the team. He was going to make a substitution.

But he didn't replace Li Fengwei, who had caused a goal to be conceded in the first half. Instead, he replaced the defensive midfielder, Lü Peng.

This substitution wasn't surprising. Even Lü Peng himself wasn't surprised.

Because although the goal conceded in the first half was scored by Kagawa Shinji breaking through Li Fengwei, if you traced it back to the source, it was actually because Lü Peng wasn't in his position at a crucial moment. And Kagawa Shinji's activity in the first half was also related to Lü Peng's insufficient restriction on him.

So if there was going to be an adjustment, the poorly performing Lü Peng would of course be replaced.

So who was going to be brought on?

Yang Muge.

This usually unassuming defensive midfielder had hit the jackpot. He was about to usher in the first official national team match of his career.

Back then, he was just a marginal figure in the youth team of his domestic club. His former club teammates and coaches probably never thought that the taciturn child, who they described as "lacking aggression and lethality," would have this day, right?

Yang Muge got the opportunity to represent the national team, but Guo Nu didn't.

Li Fengwei was not replaced. Gao Hongbo didn't make any personnel adjustments to the defense, but just told the players to echo each other, maintain unified action, not to be distracted, but also not to panic.

※※※

After the halftime break ended, Zhou Yi and Yang Muge walked towards the field together, exchanging information as they walked. Zhou Yi told Yang Muge what he had observed on the field, reminding him what to pay attention to in the match.

"...Don't just focus on Kagawa Shinji. They also have Hasebe Makoto, Honda Keisuke, and Okazaki Shinji in their midfield and frontcourt."

Yang Muge nodded, indicating that he understood.

As the two were talking, they met the Japanese team's players in the player tunnel. Kagawa Shinji and Honda Keisuke were also walking out while chatting.

After seeing Zhou Yi, Kagawa Shinji walked up to him and asked with a serious expression, "Zhou-san, why didn't you respond to my challenge?"

Zhou Yi grinned and lectured, "Have you watched too many shonen manga? Football matches aren't boxing matches, where two people one-on-one can decide the outcome of the match. Football is a team sport, a team sport, do you understand?"

Faced with Zhou Yi's lecture, Kagawa Shinji didn't get angry. Instead, he laughed, "As expected of the Zhou-san I know, still so calm. But Zhou-san, football also needs passion. Your performance in the first half was too lukewarm, including you."

Zhou Yi spread his hands, "Trash talk doesn't work on me, Kagawa. We'll see what happens in the second half."

After saying that, he walked away with Yang Muge.

"What was he saying to you?" Yang Muge asked, because Zhou Yi and Kagawa Shinji had been communicating in German the whole time, so he didn't understand.

"He wanted to play mind games with me, but I defused it. Hmph, am I someone who can be easily disturbed by him!" Zhou Yi said proudly.

Yang Muge nodded beside him, "That's right, your heart is so dark, who can play mind games better than you."

"Hey, Lao Yang, why are you also learning this from Pan Pan? You're influenced by your surroundings!"

"But Zhou Yi, geographically speaking, Schalke is the closest to Dortmund."

"..." Zhou Yi was choked by Yang Muge and couldn't say anything.

On the other side, Honda Keisuke, who couldn't understand German, was also asking Kagawa Shinji, "What were you saying?"

"I wanted to stimulate Zhou-san, but he didn't fall for it." Kagawa Shinji said honestly. "If he stays calm, it's not good for us."

"Zhou Yi is indeed strong, but I don't think the Chinese team can rely on him alone. The others on their team are too far apart from Zhou Yi. They're not on the same level, their channels aren't aligned." Honda Keisuke still respected Zhou Yi, but he was somewhat disdainful of the other Chinese team players in his words.

"You can't say that, Honda-san." Kagawa Shinji shook his head, disagreeing. "Did you see the player who was standing next to Zhou-san just now?"

"I saw him, what was his name... anyway, he was a defensive midfielder." Honda said dismissively.

"Don't underestimate him, or you'll be in trouble."

"Yes, yes, yes, I understand." Honda Keisuke still said in a dismissive tone.

Kagawa Shinji knew that no matter what he said now, Honda Keisuke probably wouldn't believe him. Then let football tell him the answer.

※※※

Before the second half of the match started, the players from both sides were already standing on the field. The fourth official walked to the sideline and held up the sign, indicating that the Chinese team was making a substitution. But no one was standing next to him. The substitution had already been made. Now, holding up the sign was like making a note.

At the same time, the substitution information for the Chinese team was also displayed on the television broadcast screen.

"The Chinese team made an adjustment during the halftime break, replacing the defensive midfielder Lü Peng, making a like-for-like substitution. The player who came on is also a defensive midfielder, the young player Yang Muge, who currently plays for Schalke 04," Liu Hong introduced to the audience in front of the television.

At the same time, the Japanese commentator was also introducing Yang Muge: "Yang Muge plays for Schalke 04. He is currently Schalke 04's main defensive midfielder. I think Gao Hongbo's substitution is an adjustment made in response to the Chinese team's relatively passive midfield in the first half... But I think it's just a simple like-for-like substitution, and I'm afraid it won't achieve the effect he wants to achieve. In terms of numbers, the Chinese team still has four people in midfield, and there is no numerical advantage. Even if Yang Muge is outstanding in strength, it is difficult to completely cover the entire area in front of their defense. I think they should replace the poorly performing He Ying, so that there are five people in midfield, and two of them are defensive midfielders who specialize in defense. Only in this way can they somewhat curb our midfield..."

The Japanese have always had a psychological advantage in terms of their midfield strength, because Japan produces many high-level midfield players.

On the domestic internet, although Chinese fans were happy about Yang Muge's appearance, they also had a question: "Why not replace Li Fengwei and let Guo Nu come on?"

"Poor Guo Nu, forgotten!"

Because Yang Muge was already on the field, there was no need to wait for the players to exchange. After holding up the sign, the fourth official returned to his position, and the referee blew the whistle to start the second half of the match.

※※※

After the match started, the Japanese team continued to use the tactics from the first half, using their home advantage and midfield advantage to launch a fierce attack on the Chinese team's penalty area.

In the eyes of Japanese reporters, the only player the Chinese team can rely on to compete with the Japanese team in midfield is Zhou Yi. No matter how strong Zhou Yi is, he can't compete against so many outstanding midfield players from our Japanese team on his own, right?

Endo Yasuhito's defense against Zhou Yi in the first half was successful, which is very telling.

But not long after the second half started, the Japanese team noticed that the situation had changed.

Whether it was passing and organizing in midfield, or using offense to threaten the Chinese team's goal, it had become not so easy.

Why was this?

It was very simple, because a low-key but tenacious defensive midfielder had come up for the Chinese team.

Yang Muge brought his own characteristics to the extreme. He kept running in the midfield, always appearing in the most critical position, and then using his slightly faster foot speed than his opponents to poke the ball away from the Japanese players' feet.

The Japanese commentator previously believed that Yang Muge, a converted defensive midfielder, could not cover the entire area in front of the Chinese team's defense.

But ten minutes after Yang Muge came on, he saw how Yang Muge covered every angle.

His body didn't look strong, but his running ability was very outstanding. It seemed that there was no area in the backcourt that he couldn't cover.

The Japanese team's midfield players also learned how powerful Yang Muge was.

Honda Keisuke was the first to bear the brunt.

Because Kagawa Shinji knew how powerful Yang Muge was, he tried to reduce the amount of time he had the ball at his feet. But Honda Keisuke relied on his personal ability and frequently dribbled the ball to attack the Chinese team's defense, hoping to disrupt the Chinese team's defense and then pass the ball to a fatal area. His assist to Kagawa Shinji in the first half came about in this way.

But when he ran into Yang Muge, he found that his dribbling was difficult to be threatening. The sharp knife seemed to be wrapped in a soft but tough net. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't cut through the net. On the contrary, the more he exerted himself, the tighter the net wrapped around him, until he couldn't move at all.

And every time he stumbled on Yang Muge's side and felt frustrated, when he looked at Yang Muge's expression, it was calm and tranquil, as if nothing had happened. From his face, you couldn't see any excitement after stopping the Japanese team's attack, as if everything was taken for granted.

This poker face really made Honda Keisuke feel uncomfortable.