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Chapter 173 The Moment of Life and Death
The German team had no time to heal the wounds, so they rushed to Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The final round of the group stage will be held on June 6 at the De Kuyp Stadium, home of the Eredivisie powerhouse Feyenoord.

Opponent Portugal's two-game winning streak has already qualified ahead of schedule, which may be good news for the German team.

And Nick is also very happy that he can finally make a comeback, Rui Costa, Luis Figo, come here, let me experience the demeanor of a world superstar!

But Nick's dream was shattered the day before the game. Riebeck announced that his name was not included in the team's starting list. Not only was there no Nick, but the other three players of Borussia Mönchengladbach also did not start.

"Your sister, what are you doing? I'm not here to travel!" Nick shouted angrily on the spot, kicking over the table in front of him.

The teammates were taken aback, and Riebeck was no exception.

After a long time, Riebeck said: "Nick, don't worry. We are bound to win this game. The Portuguese team has already qualified. They have no motivation to fight with us. Your role is to play in the second half of the game, trying to break the Portuguese defense by surprise and help the team score 3 points."

"Are you really sure that the Portuguese have no motivation? What if they are really qualified to play?" Nick still couldn't calm down and couldn't understand Ribeck's decision.

"Nick, you have to trust your teammates. They will definitely keep a clean sheet in the first half. As long as the Romanians get rid of the English, we will qualify." Riebeck is really good-tempered, and he can bear Nick losing his temper like this.

Nick stopped talking, but he secretly slandered your sister in his heart. I would never believe that the Portuguese would not fuck with you.

The game came on schedule.

The De Kuyp Stadium was full, although the German team was very difficult to appear, not only to beat the Portuguese, but also to lose the England team, and at the same time compare the goal difference with the Romanians.

German players still came to support their national team, and the "mud team" in the stands also came. They knew that Nick was back today, and Ye Tianlong personally led the team, ready to cheer for Nick.

But when the players from both sides walked out of the player tunnel, Ye Tianlong discovered that Nick was not on the starting list at all.

"My day, the head coach of the German national team is really awesome. He played like that in the first two games and didn't let Nick start. Do you want to commit suicide?" Ye Tianlong scolded with dissatisfaction.

The companions beside him all echoed: "That's right, that Riebeck is an idiot. Who else can save the German team except Nick?"

"Made, after traveling so far, I couldn't see Nick's game. Let's call Libeck out of class together!"

"Haha, it's nothing to do with us Chinese if Baker doesn't play the game. Don't let the German fans misunderstand."

"Hey, Prince Nick is not playing, we are really anxious."

The German fans also don't understand. Everyone has seen Nick's power in the qualifiers. Everyone is looking forward to Nick's comeback to inject vitality into the German team's midfield, but now they don't see Nick in the starting lineup.

"Nick didn't make a comeback? Did you see clearly? Didn't there be only 10 players in the starting lineup, and Nick is still behind?"

"No, Nick didn't start. We all saw it clearly. Is Erich joking with us?"

"Damn it, Erich really has a big heart. Even at this time, we haven't brought out our most powerful weapon. Do you want to keep it in the quarterfinals?"

"Tch, it's another matter if you can make it to the quarterfinals, so let's leave a fart."

On the other hand, Portugal's starting lineup is still the same as the previous two games, with Figo and Rui Costa still starting.

As soon as the game started, the German team found themselves being ruthlessly suppressed again.

Rui Costa used his personal skills to continuously create opportunities for Figo and Conceicao who overlapped.

In the 9th minute, Rui Costa's penetrating through ball allowed Figo to take the ball forward and face Kahn directly. Facing the rushing Kahn, Figo shot a low shot from the far corner.

But a head suddenly appeared in the penalty area, smashed the ball hard, and then the ball rolled into the empty goal.

"Damn it, it was Pauletta's follow-up shot. What should we do now?" Nick jumped up when he saw the ball go into the net. Although he knew the score of the Portuguese-German war in history, Nick still had some illusions.

But the reality shattered Nick's fantasies. Portugal's No. 18 striker Pauletta shot past the German team's gate, 0:1, and the German team fell behind in less than 10 minutes.

Ribeck's complexion suddenly changed. It was a thousand calculations, but they didn't expect that the Portuguese team would make such an effort. Don't they really plan to save some energy for the quarter-finals?
The German fans were also dumbfounded. It was only 10 minutes and another goal was scored. What happened to the steel defense of the German team?Is it rusty?Can't move?

Portuguese fans sang and danced, and their lyrics were full of satire on the German team.

"Great Portugal, run over that old car, sacrifice the flag with the defending champion, and you will finally reach the top of Europe."

Almost at the same time, another field also scored a goal. The England team received a pass from Beckham by veteran Shearer and knocked on Romania's door with a header. The current situation is quite unfavorable for the German team.

"Hey, cheer me up! If you don't want to go home, play well!" Nick rushed to the sidelines angrily and roared, embarrassing Riebeck on the coach's bench.

The fourth official came over, stopped Nick and said, "Young man, you interfered with the game, please sit back in your seat."

"Hey, sir, don't worry, I just have hemorrhoids, get up and move around." Nick responded with a smile on his face, then walked back to the bench and sat down.

"Who is that kid? Why is he better than the head coach?"

"That's right, the head coach of the German team sat still, this kid couldn't help it."

"Haha, the German team is in a hurry to lose on time. I heard that the British guy also scored a goal. The German guy can only go home."

"This kid is a bit bloody, but he just doesn't know how good he is."

Portuguese fans talked about it one after another.

The German fans erupted all of a sudden. Nick, as a substitute player, can be so bloody. Why are those grandchildren on the field so unsatisfactory?
"Run, run, we're going to see the goal!"

"There's no way out, they're all rushing forward!"

"Go on, there's no time, we don't want to go home, we want to go to Brussels!"

"Kill the Portuguese!"

Nick's roar and the shouts of the fans finally awakened the players of the German team. At this time when there was no way out, the German team's combat effectiveness finally broke out.

Saul suddenly exploded.

In the 13th minute, Sauer passed Cotto, Vidigal and George Costa in the frontcourt, broke into the penalty area and shot from a small angle. The ball was thrown by the Portuguese goalkeeper Baia and still flew towards the goal.

But just when the ball was about to cross the goal line, Figo appeared in a key position and kicked the ball out.

"I'm dizzy, the ball was actually destroyed by Figo's defense." Nick was just about to celebrate Sauer's goal, but found that Figo was too embarrassing.

The German fans also sighed, Sauer's breakthrough was really beautiful, but it was a pity that it was destroyed by Figo in the end, otherwise this goal would definitely become a classic goal of this European Cup.

The German team was also completely awakened by this wonderful breakthrough.

Schneider and Harman also came alive on both sides.

In the 18th minute, Schneider broke through the bottom line along the left side and made a dunk. After shaking the angle, he immediately made a pass. Captain Bierhoff jumped high, swung the ball with a header, and the ball went straight to the back corner of Portugal's goal.

But the Portuguese goalkeeper Baia seems to be in a particularly good state today. I saw him step back, then fly into the air, and with a single palm, the ball was lifted out of the crossbar.

"Oh, it's a pity, I didn't score this goal." There was a burst of regret from the German bench. Nick also felt that luck was a bit unlucky. Bierhoff's header was really good, and the angle of the ball was also very good, but Baier played too well.

The German team's offensive wave after wave, finally showed the demeanor of the world's top teams.

In the 24th minute, Harman took a long shot 30 meters away from the goal. The ball went straight to the dead corner. Baia also surrendered, but the ball flew out against the crossbar.

Then the Portuguese team also launched a counterattack. Figo also made a long-range shot from 28 meters away. This ball was also very threatening, but it was slightly higher than the crossbar.

Looking back, Sauer made a two-for-one cooperation with Kirsten in front of the penalty area of ​​the Portuguese team. Kirsten passed the overhead ball, Sauer flashed out of space and kept the ball and volleyed directly. The ball hit George Costa's arm and popped out of the baseline.

"Penalty kick! Penalty kick!" The German team jumped up happily on the bench, and even Riebeck smiled.

Sauer also rushed to the referee at the first time, signaling that the opponent had fouled with a handball.

But the referee didn't seem to intend to award a penalty kick. George Costa did handball, but the action was quite hidden, and the referee didn't see it.

Seeing that the referee did not respond, the German players quit.

Bierhoff rushed up and shouted: "Sir, this is definitely a penalty kick. The opponent's No. 2 stretched out his hand to block this shot."

"Mr. Captain, please pay attention to your tone. I have the final say on whether it is a penalty or not. Continue the game!"

The referee ran away with a firm tone.

"Your sister, there is no penalty kick for this ball. European football also has black calls." Nick looked disbelieving, but the referee didn't give a penalty.

This penalty seems to have exhausted the luck of the German team. In the 33rd minute, Sauer suddenly fell to the ground when he broke through with the ball, and there were no Portuguese players beside him.

Sauer hugged his knee in pain, and Nick knew that Sauer's European Cup trip was over.

Riebeck signaled the team doctor to enter the field to check whether Sauer could continue the game.

After the team doctor checked, he shook his head at Ribeck, and the German team could only passively make substitutions.

Nick was ready for the first time, Sauer was injured, and it was time for Ribeck to play himself.

But Ribeck's substitution surprised Nick again, and he replaced Sauer with Paul Link.

"Old man, you seem to be possessed today, you just wait for retribution." Nick cursed in his heart.

Sure enough, Paul Link was intercepted by Cotto shortly after he came on the field, and Cotto then made a diagonal pass to find Figo.

Figo dribbled the ball for two steps, and suddenly passed the overhead ball. Pauletta came down with a volley from the back point with a very small angle. The ball hit Kahn's head and bounced directly into the goal!

2:0, the Portuguese team expanded the score.

The players of the German team are really dumbfounded at the moment, such a goal can be scored, isn't this a trick?But the ball is in the goal and there is no room for doubt.

"Go in again, this is troublesome." Nick has become numb to this. Riebeck refused to let himself go, and he was punished. He fell behind by 2 goals. It depends on how you play. Portugal is not a weak team, and it is not so easy to reverse.

What made Libeck painful was that Kahn was hit by the ball and had a concussion. He leaned against the goalpost for a long time and didn't react.

After the German team doctor checked for a while, Kahn could only be substituted. Before halftime, even two generals were injured. The German team's luck was extremely bad.

Enke is replaced, and the German team has one substitution left.

But the bad luck of the German team was not over yet. In the 44th minute, Rui Costa's long-range shot from outside the penalty area hit Pauletta's body and then flew into the German team's goal.

3: 0!

The Portuguese team scored a jaw-dropping score for the Germans.

Nick got into the player tunnel without looking back. It was so embarrassing, and Nick felt uncomfortable.

Ribeck looked bitter. The Portuguese team's three goals were all a bit of luck. The first was a supplementary shot, the second was a small angle, and the third was a change of direction. Ribeck deeply felt that his career as the head coach of the national team might come to an end.

The German fans were only silent for a few seconds before suddenly erupting.

"Mr. Riebeck, you are so stupid!"

"Let's get out of class, Mr. Riebeck, you are simply an amateur team coach!"

"Bastard! You fucking ruined the German team!"

"Nick! We want to see Nick!"

"Nick! Nick!!! Nick!!!"

Nick in the player tunnel was quite moved when he heard the fans' shouts. It seemed that he would be able to play in the second half. Riebeck made such a stupid decision that it was impossible to make up for it. It was 3:0.

At the end of halftime, the Portuguese team led 3:0.

There was a dead silence in the locker room of the German team, and neither the coach nor the teammates said a word.

After 10 minutes, Ribeck said: "Nick came on in the second half, replacing Jens Nowotny."

In a word, Riebeck is straightforward. What else can Riebeck say when the game is at this level?

Nick stood up with a 'squeak': "Give me the ball in the second half. We must not admit defeat until the last minute!"

"Okay, let's fight with them!" Enke punched the chair hard.

The teammates finally shouted: "Fight!"

"I have no way out, let's fight!"

"Damn it, even the little Portuguese team came to bully people, we must not let them go in the second half!"

(End of this chapter)