The thrill of the sports arena is always a wonderful moment that makes us addicted. In the knockout stages of the Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, it seems that a football version of the "cold face killer" drama has been staged. Let's unveil this football feast full of passion and tears.
First of all, it was a good start, or a black start, for the defending champions Senegal to lose the first round by Ivory Coast. This is really a ridiculous show, last year's overlord has now suffered a painful elimination. Who would have thought? It's like when you finally wait for the weekend movie, only to find out that it ended in tragedy, and it's hard to let go.
Senegal was once the "emperor" of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the momentum of winning the championship last time was unbeatable. However, this time they met Ivory Coast, the "little power" of the Africa Cup of Nations, although the group stage performance was not good, but when it came to the knockout round, they suddenly transformed into the football version of the "face king". Although Senegal won all three of their group games and were in full swing, they were defeated against Ivory Coast. It's like the invincible hero in the movie, but he was killed by an inconspicuous supporting role at the last moment, which is really ridiculous.
Ivory Coast, a team that was originally seen as a foil, was once questioned after repeated defeats in the group stage. However, against Senegal, they transformed themselves into the Africa Cup of Nations version of "Heroes of the World" and sent the defending champions to the knockout list with a counter-attack victory. It reminds me of those underrated heroes who always step up at the most crucial moments, like nobodies in the movies, but achieve an epic victory.
In the game, Senegal showed strong attacking firepower at the beginning, like the climax of the opening of the movie, you thought this was the end, but you didn't expect Ivory Coast to equalize in the 86th minute, like a reversal of the plot of the movie, which caught people off guard. In the end, it went to the penalty shootout, and Ivory Coast successfully counterattacked without a manager, relying on Kessie's penalty kick, and sent Senegal on the train home. This game is like a Hollywood blockbuster, seemingly an ordinary story, but it contains endless suspense and twists and turns, which makes people's blood boil.
At the other end of the Asian Cup, we also witnessed an embarrassing scene. The Egyptian team has always been a banner of African football, and it reached the final last year, and this Asian Cup is also attracting attention. However, they faced Democratic Congo in the first round of the knockout round, and lost on penalties to end their Asian Cup journey early. It's like a long-awaited movie finally coming out, but the ending makes people sigh and regret a little.
In the group stage, Egypt drew with Ghana and Salah went off early due to injury, causing concern among fans. Although he returned in the knockout round, he suffered a defeat in the penalty shootout, which is reminiscent of the hero of the movie, who was once omnipotent, but had no choice but to leave the field at a critical moment. Egypt's defeat can't help but be embarrassing, like the comedy that makes you laugh, but it brings tears to your eyes in the final episode.
The joys and sorrows on the football field always make people fall into contemplation. Defending champions Senegal and favourites Egypt both bid farewell in the knockout rounds in what is a football's version of a "battle of the power". On the field, there is no absolute powerhouse, and every team has the potential to become a dark horse, and this uncertainty is like a reversal plot in a movie, which is unpredictable.
In this football feast, Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo, two originally underrated teams, proved their presence with practical actions. Just like the supporting characters in the movie, they come to prominence at key moments and add a lot to the whole story. The success of the Ivory Coast's comeback is even more applauding, as they defeated the defending champions without a manager, which is reminiscent of the classic plot of "no name of the hero" in the movie.
Football is an unbeatable battle, and every team has the opportunity to be the focus and the protagonist of this wonderful drama. It's like a movie, every turn is full of unknowns, and the players are the main stars in this scene, presenting us with gripping scenes.
Finally, let's look forward to the next games, look forward to more tears and laughter, and look forward to more surprises and excitement. In this football arena, there is never a shortage of stories and no shortage of heroes. Let's applaud them together and add more brilliance to this football feast!