On the night of the bright lights, many fans gathered in the sports bar, holding beer, staring intently at the big screen, the game is about to start, the air is filled with tension and excitement, this game against Turkey, has become an indispensable feast in the hearts of Welsh fans, since Bale announced his retirement, Welsh football seems to have lost its shine, the former glory seems to be gone, today's game seems to bring people a glimmer of hope, Wales after the new manager Rob · Page took over, Whether it can usher in a new rise is extremely exciting
The two teams of players on the screen entered the stadium one after another, with a whistle, the game officially began, the Welsh players pressed like hungry wolves, the new tactical concept was vividly displayed under the guidance of Page, the audience could not help but feel relieved by the team's renewed fighting spirit, every pressing on the field seemed merciless, as if to show - Wales, back, at that moment, the hearts of the fans were rekindled with hope, maybe their team finally ushered in a new chapter
Bale, who used to be mentioned as a man who successfully brought Wales to the World Cup with his brilliant personal achievements, has now put the team at a low ebb, and many commentators believe that the future of Welsh football seems to have been dashed along with Bale's greatness, and this sentiment has intensified in previous friendlies, with a 4-0 defeat to Slovakia like a bolt from the blue, and Page's arrival seems to have injected a shot in the arm for the team, bringing not only a change of tactics, but also a huge boost to the team's morale
"This team needs to find their soul again," Page admitted in his post-takeover speech, as he adjusted his tactics, the 352 formation that was originally built around Bale's single style was quickly abandoned and replaced by a more dynamic and aggressive 235 layout, and on the field, the speed and flexibility of new stars such as Brennan · Johnson and Ramsey on the flanks made opponents unguarded and rekindled the confidence of fans
In this draw with Turkey, the fans saw a situation in which the opponent was completely blocked, although the goal was not scored in the end, but it was like a visual feast of victory, showing the possibility of Wales' rebirth, Page quietly changed the whole situation with the tactics of pressing and running, the moment the players fought on the field, every look showed the desire to win, this spirit resonated in the comments of some fans: "This Wales team is back!" ”
The picture comes from the Internet
Even so, Wales' road to revival has not been smooth sailing, just when everyone is laughing and looking forward to it, the next thing to welcome is the strength of the Montenegrin team, Montenegro's players have shown strong physical confrontation and overall cooperation in the previous games, can Wales' current advantage continue? Once again, a trace of doubt rose in the hearts of the fans
Montenegro's preparation before the game was worrying, the absence of several key players due to injury made the team's backline look extremely fragile, cowardice did not bring any change, Page knew that this campaign would be another serious test of his tactics, the venue of the game was also changed for special reasons, to the Nikšić City Stadium, this is undoubtedly a big impact on Montenegro, but Wales need to show their quality on the field
As the game approached, imagining all kinds of pictures of this contest, fierce confrontations, wave after wave of attacks, whether the Montenegrin defense can withstand the impact of Wales, the hearts of the fans are full of questions, and the white-hot camp once again echoes with countless cheers, like a horn of rebirth, pinching the hearts of every fan, although the wheel of fate is rotating, but this strong football culture is still continuing and fermenting
In the second UEFA Nations League match, Wales must seize the opportunity, the team's run-in, the execution of technology, the use of new tactics, will be intertwined on this lawn into an epic, the back of the players seems to be full of light, that is the glory that countless people dream of, as the game is about to begin, the tension is getting stronger, countless expectations and dreams condense at this moment
As the whistle blew for the game, the competition between Wales and Montenegro officially began, the high-morale Welsh players showed a strong desire to win under the tactical guidance of Page, and the green lawn of the stadium was constantly torn apart by their sprints and alternations, as if to defeat every opponent, passionate shouts, echoing eyes, all revealed the team's regained self-confidence, everyone understood that this game was not just about victory
Montenegro seemed a little hesitant in the opening stages, in the face of Wales' high-intensity pressing, their passes were frequently wrong, and the several waves of passes intended to organize the attack were like building sandcastles on the beach, which were easily broken, and the Welsh team's positional sense on the field was extremely flexible, everyone was running fast, trying to find the best gap, this rhythm made the crowd feel the excitement they had not seen for a long time, and the expected goal seemed to be not far away
The picture comes from the Internet
Paige stood on the sidelines, staring at the whole scene behind a pair of sunglasses, his hands were conducting from time to time, as if he was conducting a grand symphony, he knew that every adjustment could take the team to a higher peak, and he hoped that the players could continue this power, pass it on to every supporter on the sidelines, every fan who was expecting superstition, and the imaginary victory seemed to be waiting to be revealed in the ups and downs of the game
As the game progressed, Wales controlled more of the ball, but Montenegro still performed well defensively, although they were scrambling due to the absence of the main team, but as the hosts, the players gradually regained their confidence in the passionate shouts, Wales' attack was blocked many times, until the 30th minute, to create a wonderful chance, Johnson on the right side of the fast cut, burst into the penalty area and got up, but the Montenegro goalkeeper made a sideways save, almost suffocating the fans
"This one will eventually be the test of time!" With the shouts of the fans, the hearts of the crowd also soared, the tight and fierce rhythm on the field of play was suffocating, every scramble of the players was like dancing on the tip of a knife, every attack of Wales was permeated with their desire to win, and the cheers of the fans echoed throughout the stadium to cheer the players on
In the 45th minute, finally, an opportunity emerged, Wales tore through the Montenegrin defense through a precise pass, Ramsey's volley after receiving the ball almost broke the deadlock for the team, the ball flew out of the goal frame, and the fans on the sidelines sighed, the moment that belonged to them, it seemed to be ahead, but it drifted away meaningfully, Page clenched his fists, his eyes were blazing, he believed that the opportunity would not pass so easily, and every moment could be a turning point
After half-time adjustments, Wales continued to exert their strength, and at the beginning of the second half of the game, their formation became more and more forward, intending to find a flaw in the dense defensive line
It is striking that Page is no longer just a conductor, he has become an integral part of this team, he is gearing up on the sidelines, sometimes encouraging, sometimes reproaching, every tactical adjustment is like he is fighting, the Welsh face is shining in the light, sweat is dripping, every beat is telling people that they are no longer the same team they used to be
The picture comes from the Internet
In the 67th minute, a deafening cheer erupted on the pitch, Johnson rushed into the box like lightning, shook the defenders with agile steps, and met the goalkeeper's save, his right foot kicked sharply, the ball came in, and the crowd couldn't help but cheer, and the frustration instantly turned into endless excitement
"Wales, 1-0! And they did! The cheers resounded in the sky, the laughter of the fans fluttered over the stadium, becoming like a wave, at this time, the expressions on the faces of the Montenegrin players began to become nervous, the original confidence became shaky, in this difficult battle, despite the difficult situation, the belief that Page brought to the table made each player refreshed, they inspired each other, chasing bigger goals
At this point, the tactical board in Page's hand was no longer the only combat tool, he carefully fine-tuned the formation on the field, allowing the players to be flexible to deal with the upcoming challenges, Montenegro had to increase the attack, trying to equalize the score, the atmosphere became more and more tense at this moment, the fans clasped their hands and watched every corner intently
Since then, the Welsh team's defense has also begun to be tested, frequently squeezed Montenegro, they are eager for the opportunity to counterattack, whenever the opponent advances, the whole Welsh team is like an alert cheetah, ready to tear everything that comes, in this huge struggle, the Welsh team's back line appears to be more and more solid, with tacit defense, and gradually resolve the opponent's attack
In the 80th minute, Montenegro finally found a chance in the tough defense of Wales, but the goalkeeper calmly saved, and the fierce battle continued. Never stop! "Encouraging the players on the touchline and looking forward to my team continuing to keep going
In the final moments of the game, Montenegro's pressing attacks became more and more frequent, their counter-attacks were surging like a tide, and the success of every attempt and tackle was hanging in the hearts of the fans, the pressure on the Welsh backline was unprecedented, and the players tried their best to chase their dreams
The picture comes from the Internet
In the end, a long whistle blew and Wales won 1-0 against Montenegro, and the cheers of the whole audience poured like a tide, and the excited people hugged and danced like a carnival dance, and Page stood on the sidelines, looking relieved, knowing that this victory was not only a success on the field, but also a rebirth after a difficult period in the past
There was a tumult on the pitch and the chatter of the players as if to tell the story of a game like no other, and at that moment, it was clear to everyone that the hope of a rebirth of Welsh football was emerging, and that the future would be brighter