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Chapter 70: League championship
In the Freethiel Stadium, Beveren, East Flanders Province, Belgium, the 33rd round of the Jupiler Pro League is underway, with Beveren facing off against Genk.
For Genk, this game is crucial because it determines whether the team can clinch the title in advance. Earlier in this game, Anderlecht tasted their fourth defeat of the season, losing 1-2 to Beerschot. Despite playing one game less, Genk still leads by two points.
Due to Genk's superior goal difference, if they draw this game, they will win the league title for the 00-01 season! In that case, they can afford to skip the final round and focus on preparing for the Europa League final.
But if they fail to defeat their opponents, they will have to face the disadvantage of back-to-back matches in a week. All Genk players and fans dread this scenario, and even most of the Belgian media do not approve of such scheduling.
Belgium hasn't had a team reach the Europa League final for many years. The last time was in the 1982-1983 season when Anderlecht lifted the UEFA Cup.
There are even calls for the football association to reschedule the final round if Genk fails to clinch the title early, allowing them ample preparation time for the Europa League final. It's said that senior officials in the football association are considering the feasibility of this proposal.
For most people, Genk winning the title early is the best outcome. However, Anderlecht's players and fans obviously don't think so. They are nervously watching the game, praying for Genk's defeat to give them hope for a comeback.
The Beveren players on the field clearly don't want to give in. Although the team is not under pressure for results, they adhere to the spirit of sportsmanship and give their all. Not only do they tightly mark Wang Feng from the beginning, but they also launch several threatening attacks.
However, the Genk players' skills are evidently superior, gradually taking control of the game. In the 23rd minute, Genk launched a swift counterattack. Christian Civu lofted a high ball from the back to the midfield, but Karl Bess had difficulty controlling it under defensive pressure. He cleverly pushed it forward and then broke free from the defense, catching up to the ball and passing it to Gareth Barry in the front.
Barry quickly passed the ball to the right defensive line, where Wang Feng surged forward near the baseline, dribbled past with his right foot, then sent a through pass with his left foot to the edge of the penalty area.
Jason Aldridge, coming from the backline, timed his run poorly and couldn't reach the optimal point. So he improvised by kicking the ball with a backheel, sending it straight towards the far post of the goal. Beveren's goalkeeper was caught off guard and could only watch as the ball went into the net.
1-0, Genk took the lead! The league championship trophy seems to be getting closer and closer to them.
The first half ended with Genk leading by one goal, and the players in the dressing room were all smiles, not as subdued as they were in the previous match against Liverpool. Aldridge even suggested opening champagne to celebrate.
Wang Feng quickly stopped him. Although he didn't know why, he had a feeling that premature champagne celebrations might not be a good omen. Captain Aaron Abigail also spoke up, saying, "Everyone, we've touched the corner of the league trophy, but football is unpredictable. There are still forty-five minutes of challenge ahead of us."
"We don't have the right to be complacent. After the game, you can celebrate however you want, but now is not the time." Abigail's usually authoritative presence in the team made everyone listen to him, and they rallied themselves for the second half.
After the break, Beveren still showed great resilience, but the Genk players were determined to win this game, maintaining their advantage.
As time passed, Anderlecht's players and fans watched anxiously, their hearts sinking gradually. It was painful to pin their hopes on the opponent and see those hopes slowly being dashed.
In the 78th minute, Barry passed to Aldridge on the left, who dribbled into the penalty area but couldn't shake off the defenders after a few feints. So he passed to Bess, who didn't stop the ball but instead chipped it to the middle. Wang Feng jumped with his back to the goal, lifted his right foot, and scored with a bicycle kick.
"Bess passes to the middle, shot! It's a goal, goooooooooooal! Beautiful! In the 78th minute, Wang Feng secures the victory for Genk with a fantastic bicycle kick."
"This is Wang Feng's 40th goal of the season, scoring 40 goals in 33 league matches, leading the second-placed Jan Koller by 6 goals. He almost locks in the Jupiler Pro League Golden Boot this season. Let's congratulate Wang Feng again."
"At the same time, Wang Feng also breaks the record for the most goals scored in a single season in the Jupiler Pro League and the record for the youngest player to win the Golden Boot in the Jupiler Pro League. It's believed that this record will stand for a long time."
"It's worth mentioning that Wang Feng also contributed 12 assists this season, ranking fifth in the assist list. That means Wang Feng is involved in more than two-thirds of Genk's goals this season. Wang Feng's contribution is indispensable to Genk winning the league trophy this season."
Wang Feng's heroic performance also earned the respect of the home fans. When Wang Feng celebrated his goal, many Beveren fans spontaneously stood up to applaud this young but hot player.
If he can bring back a UEFA Cup for the Jupiler Pro League, it will be a glory for all Belgian football fans. So at this moment, they hope intensely that Wang Feng can maintain this positive momentum on the stage of the Europa League final.
This goal completely shattered Anderlecht's dream of defending their title. Many fans shed tears at home, and Jan Koller stared blankly at the TV, remembering the brash words from last year.
"'I won't lose next time.' It's not just next time, he doesn't want to lose any time at all. 'Even my last glory in the Jupiler Pro League must be taken away from me. You're really greedy,' Jan Koller muttered to himself.
But this also ignited his fighting spirit. Wherever Wang Feng goes in the future, it's still the top five leagues. He can't fall too far behind him. This 28-year-old "veteran" seems to have found a second wind.
When the final whistle blew, the Beveren players voluntarily shook hands with the Genk players to congratulate them. As they were away, Genk didn't celebrate wildly either. However, Aldridge's wish for champagne in the locker room was fulfilled. After the second goal, the team staff specially bought a few bottles from a nearby supermarket.
Naturally, Wang Feng was the center of attention. He didn't manage to grab a bottle; they were all taken by other players, who even aimed the sprays at him, leaving him laughing and crying.
After some playful banter and a shower, they hurried back to Genk overnight.