28: The ultimate move of the "Ice Prince"

Inside the Hartlepool United changing room, steam slowly rose from the players' bodies.

Vardy sat in the corner, his hands clenched into fists.

The missed one-on-one opportunity in the first half still churned in his heart.

"If that shot had gone in..."

His voice was soft, but his teammates could all hear him.

Schmeichel walked over and patted Vardy on the shoulder.

"Jamie, you've done well enough."

The Danish goalkeeper's voice was deep and powerful.

"There are still forty-five minutes left in the second half, enough for us to create a miracle."

Old John stood in front of the tactics board, a marker pen in his hand.

But his gaze was fixed on the door.

Lin Feng's figure appeared at the changing room entrance.

The young Chinese owner walked in, his eyes sweeping over every player.

"You've done very well."

Lin Feng's voice was calm and firm.

"Everton is more anxious than us right now."

He walked towards the tactics board and picked up the marker pen.

"In the second half, we will continue to execute the original plan."

"For the first sixty minutes, we will continue to wear down their stamina and patience."

"Then..."

Lin Feng's gaze fell on a quiet Sigurdsson on the bench.

"Lure the snake out of its hole, and strike later."

The Icelandic teenager looked up, his eyes clear and firm.

There was no hint of nervousness on his sixteen-year-old face.

Instead, he carried a composure beyond his age.

Old John diligently recorded every detail beside him.

His admiration for Lin Feng had deeply permeated him.

This young man could always make the most accurate judgments at critical moments.

"Gylfi, are you ready?"

Lin Feng's voice was very soft.

Sigurdsson nodded.

"I've been waiting for a long time."

His voice was equally soft, but his tone revealed absolute confidence.

Simpson silently strapped on his shin guards nearby.

Having come from Manchester United's youth academy, he knew the importance of such a match.

Every touch of the ball could change history.

Snodgrass, meanwhile, was doing stretching exercises in the corner.

The Scotsman had an excited smile on his face.

"Brothers, we've pushed Everton to the brink."

His words elicited a chuckle.

The atmosphere in the changing room began to lighten.

The mental adjustment capabilities of these young men far exceeded everyone's expectations.

The whistle for the second half sounded.

The rain at Victoria Park stadium had slightly subsided.

But the enthusiasm of the fans in the stands remained undiminished.

Nearly ten thousand fans cheered in unison, their shouts echoing to the sky.

Everton clearly intensified their attack.

David Moyes's pep talk had taken effect.

The Toffees' faces were filled with urgency and unwillingness.

In the 48th minute, Arteta received the ball at the edge of the penalty area.

The Spaniard's footwork was still exquisite.

But subtle changes in his mentality began to affect his performance.

This long-range shot was clearly lacking in power and was easily collected by Schmeichel.

Cahill made frequent runs inside the penalty area.

The Australian's stamina began to decline.

Every jump was no longer as powerful.

Andy Johnson's breakthroughs on the right wing also became impatient.

Facing Hartlepool United's tight defense, the English international seemed helpless.

In the 55th minute, James McFadden attempted a long-range shot.

The ball went at least two meters over the crossbar.

The Scottish forward shook his head in frustration.

He couldn't understand why it was so difficult to play.

Hartlepool United's defensive system began to show its power.

Every player strictly executed the tactics set by Lin Feng.

Not giving the opponent any easy chances to shoot.

In the 60th minute, the critical moment arrived.

Lin Feng slowly rose in the box.

His fingers tapped the armrest, a steady and powerful rhythm.

[System Notification: Opponent's stamina has significantly decreased, and their mentality has fluctuated]

[Suggestion: Immediately execute the second phase of tactics]

[Tian Ji's Horse Racing strategy enters a critical juncture]

Old John received the instruction and immediately walked to the sideline.

He held up the substitution board.

Number 10 Joel Porter off.

Number 1 Gylfi Sigurðsson on.

Victoria Park stadium erupted in warm applause.

The fans all knew the ability of this Icelandic teenager.

Sigurdsson slowly ran onto the field.

His eyes were as calm as ice.

At sixteen years old, he possessed a composure beyond his age.

"He's here."

Vardy said softly in the front field.

He could feel his teammates' excitement.

The arrival of this Icelandic teenager meant that the counterattack was about to begin.

In the 68th minute, Sigurdsson touched the ball for the first time.

He received a pass in midfield, facing Phil Neville's press.

The Icelandic teenager showed no panic.

After two consecutive feints, he easily evaded the defense.

Then he delivered a precise horizontal pass.

The ball accurately found Snodgrass's feet.

The Scottish winger smiled knowingly.

This understanding was precisely what they had cultivated in training.

Everton's players began to feel the threat.

This Icelandic teenager's passing vision and technique clearly surpassed that of other Hartlepool United players.

In the 72nd minute, Sigurdsson successfully intercepted in midfield.

He dispossessed Arteta of the ball and immediately organized a counterattack.

A through ball found Vardy in the front field.

Although this counterattack did not result in a shot, the threat was already evident.

David Moyes frowned on the sideline.

He sensed the subtle change in the match's dynamic.

The arrival of this Icelandic teenager significantly boosted Hartlepool United's midfield control.

In the 75th minute, danger arose.

Everton earned a free kick opportunity in the front field.

Arteta took the shot, and the ball flew straight towards the top corner of the goal.

Schmeichel once again displayed world-class goalkeeping ability.

He flew to save, tipping the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

The entire stadium once again erupted in thunderous applause.

But the real turning point came in the 78th minute.

Simpson intercepted Nuno Valente's pass on the right wing.

The full-back, a product of Manchester United's youth academy, did not hesitate.

He immediately passed the ball to Sigurdsson in the middle.

The moment the Icelandic teenager received the ball, the air in the entire stadium froze.

Phil Neville stepped forward to press.

Sigurdsson executed two consecutive feints with his feet.

The English midfielder was completely wrong-footed.

Thirty meters from the goal.

Sigurdsson suddenly shot!

The ball, with strong spin, whistled towards the top right corner of the goal.

The trajectory was perfect, and the power was immense.

Tim Howard flew to save.

But it was too late.

The ball precisely nestled into the top corner of the net.

1-0!

Victoria Park stadium exploded instantly!

The fans descended into complete madness!

Sigurdsson ran towards the stands, arms outstretched.

A pure smile adorned his sixteen-year-old face.

His teammates wildly embraced the Icelandic prodigy.

Vardy leaped high, tightly hugging Sigurdsson.

"Gylfi! You are a genius!"

His voice trembled with excitement.

Schmeichel raised his arms and cheered in the back field.

The Danish goalkeeper's voice drowned out the shouts of the entire stadium.

In the commentary box, Martin Tyler had completely lost his composure.

"Goal! Gooooooooal!"

His voice pierced through the rain and echoed throughout the stadium.

"Gylfi Sigurðsson! A world-class strike!"

"Hartlepool United leads Premier League team Everton!"

"This is incredible!"

Alan Smith took the microphone, his voice also trembling.

"This young Icelandic player has ignited the entire stadium with a thunderous long-range shot!"

"The quality of this goal... it's simply a work of art!"

Everton's players looked at each other.

They couldn't accept such a result.

A sixteen-year-old Icelandic teenager had actually defeated them with a world-class shot.

Arteta buried his face in his hands, his eyes full of unwillingness.

Cahill, meanwhile, paced back and forth near the center circle.

The Australian's face was ashen.

David Moyes frantically waved his arms on the sideline.

But at this moment, any tactical adjustment seemed pale and powerless.

In the box, Lin Feng slowly applauded.

A satisfied smile graced his face.

Everything was going according to plan.

Tian Ji's Horse Racing strategy had achieved a perfect outcome.

[System Message: Key goal achieved]

[Tactical execution perfection: 98%]

[Player performance exceeded expectations]

Old John was so excited on the sideline that he was incoherent.

He couldn't believe any of this was real.

An hour ago, they were being pressured by Everton.

Now, they were actually leading a Premier League powerhouse.

The remaining time felt exceptionally long.

Everton launched a furious counterattack.

They committed all their forces to the front field.

But Hartlepool United's defense, under Schmeichel's command, was as solid as a rock.

In the 85th minute, Cahill's header was heroically saved by Schmeichel.

In the 88th minute, Johnson's shot hit the post and rebounded.

In the 90th minute, Arteta's long-range shot went over the crossbar.

Every dangerous moment made the fans in the stands' hearts race.

But Hartlepool United's defense never collapsed.

The referee raised his hand to signal three minutes of injury time.

The final three minutes became an agony.

Everton players' faces were filled with impatience.

Meanwhile, Hartlepool United's players became increasingly calm.

Sigurdsson calmly controlled possession in midfield.

Every time he got the ball, he could defuse Everton's attacks.

In the 2nd minute of injury time, the final crisis arrived.

McFadden received a cross inside the penalty area.

The Scottish forward adjusted his step and then fired a direct shot.

Schmeichel once again displayed superhuman reactions.

He flew to save, firmly holding the ball with both hands.

The final whistle blew.

The match ended!

Hartlepool United 1-0 eliminated Everton!

Victoria Park stadium completely erupted!

Fans rushed out of the stands and onto the field.

They couldn't control their inner ecstasy.

Another Premier League giant had fallen here!

The players hugged each other tightly.

Sigurdsson was hoisted high by his teammates.

The Icelandic teenager's face was beaming with the joy of victory.

Vardy roared to the sky, releasing all his emotions.

Schmeichel, meanwhile, stood quietly in front of the goal.

The Danish goalkeeper's eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

Old John was so excited on the sideline that tears streamed down his face.

He couldn't believe everything that had happened this night.

The title of "Giant Killer" was firmly established!

In the media box, reporters frantically typed on their keyboards.

This would be the headline news of all sports newspapers tomorrow.

Sophie Green gripped her pen.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

This night would be a milestone in her career.

Everton's players left the field in silence.

Their faces were filled with frustration and unwillingness.

David Moyes stood motionless on the sideline for a long time.

The Scottish manager couldn't accept such a result.

In the box, Lin Feng slowly rose.

He walked to the window, his gaze piercing through the glass and falling on the jubilant stadium.

The rain still fell, but it couldn't conceal the glow of victory.

This was just the beginning.

A bigger stage awaited these monstrous talents.

[System Message: Historic victory achieved]

[Club reputation significantly increased]

[New task unlocked: League Cup Fourth Round]