Wang Yi kept scanning from left to right, studying Japan's back line while measuring his own routes and the timing for a potential burst forward.
In the past, he would've dropped deeper to receive the ball.
But with Kai now anchoring China's midfield, he no longer needed to. He could stay higher, press the defensive line, and threaten them directly.
He also stayed alert for any opening to make a run.
He knew Kai would see it too.
Suddenly, Wang Yi noticed Chen Man drifting wide. Yuto Nagatomo followed him instinctively, leaving a small pocket of space between himself and centre-back Masato Morishige.
Wang Yi seized the moment, darting diagonally from behind Maya Yoshida.
Yoshida's pulse spiked. He prepared to recover and glanced forward—but a cluster of bodies blocked his view of Kai.
Even so, a streak of white flashed across his peripheral vision.
"Through ball!!" Duan Xuan shouted.
Yoshida froze for half a second, then raised his hand for offside.
But the referee pointed forward—play on.
"Damn it!" Yoshida dropped his arm and sprinted back.
By then, Wang Yi was already four or five strides ahead. Yoshida had the advantage of a straight-line sprint, while Wang Yi ran diagonally, but the gap was still dangerous.
Wang Yi accelerated into the box.
Yoshida caught up enough to challenge—just in time to see Wang Yi slow down and shape for a shot.
Yoshida threw himself into a slide tackle.
But Wang Yi hooked the ball away with a gentle touch, watched Yoshida slide past, took an extra step to adjust, and curled the ball left-footed toward the far post.
Eiji Kawashima flung himself across the goal, brushing the ball with his fingertips—but it still nestled in the corner.
China led 2–0.
"Goal!! Wang Yi!!"
"What a run! And what a pass!" Duan Xuan yelled, practically lifting off his seat.
It was hard to believe a China match could produce such a clean, incisive combination.
But when it came from Kai and Wang Yi, it suddenly made perfect sense.
Tao Wei let out a sigh of admiration. "Kai's pass was inch-perfect. Wang Yi's timing was brilliant. And Chen Man's wide run created the whole chain reaction. These players were completely in sync. One misstep and this chance wouldn't have existed. Amazing!"
China was leading a full-strength Japan side 2–0. Even in a friendly match, it felt surreal.
But the biggest shock was Kai.
He was different.
The tempo, the transition speed, the spatial awareness, the execution—everything felt upgraded.
This was not a version of the China Team anyone had seen before.
This was what a true midfield core brought to a team.
In the technical area, Coach Liu Hongbo clenched his fist, barely containing his excitement.
This goal thrilled him more than the first. The first goal highlighted Kai's personal ability. This one showcased the team's tactical cohesion—and the feasibility of Liu's blueprint.
Win the ball, break quickly.
Even though they took two extra passes, those passes created the opening. And once the opening appeared, Wang Yi and Kai didn't hesitate.
One pass. One finish.
A direct strike straight through Japan's defence.
"It's working!" Liu Hongbo broke into a broad smile, then turned toward the bench to prepare substitutions.
At the 28th minute, China made a full rotation. Japan rotated as well.
With the second batch on the field, Japan's rhythm improved. China's mixed lineup showed signs of fatigue and inconsistency.
Once Wang Yi and Chen Man exited, Kai had to link up more with Jia Zhenhua. Ouyang Fei also tried to shoulder responsibility.
The kid clearly had talent, but his tactical sense and match reading were still raw. Experience was something only time could fix.
Kai didn't give up on him. It was a warm-up match, after all, so he kept feeding Ouyang Fei the ball. You never knew—sometimes a young player adapted suddenly and exploded.
Football was unpredictable.
Kai kept encouraging him, passing, supporting, pushing him to find rhythm.
But youth was youth.
In the 68th minute, Japan pulled one back through a brilliant long-range strike from Keisuke Honda, arrowed straight into the top corner.
No one could stop that.
Minutes ticked away.
Chinese supporters had already begun singing the national anthem, their faces glowing with pride.
Football was just a sport, yet somehow more than that.
When your national team stepped onto the World Cup stage, carrying the hopes of millions, every victory in preparation heightened that shared pride.
That feeling didn't belong to one person, or a small group—it belonged to a nation.
Honor wasn't something you talked up—it was something built, match by match.
And on the national stage, nothing symbolized it more than playing in the World Cup.
As the anthem echoed, the sense of unity was overwhelming.
The match eventually ended: China 2, Japan 1.
It was a result most were delighted with.
At the post-match press conference, Coach Liu Hongbo smiled brightly. "The result exceeded my expectations. The boys did very well, and their execution matched what we've been training for.
"As for Kai… I originally hoped he wouldn't attract too much attention—but today he was outstanding."
He chuckled. "He played just like he did in the Premier League. In midfield, he can tackle, he can pass—he does both the clean and tough work."
Then he laughed. "I think our 'weak midfield' problem has finally been solved."
Chinese reporters burst into relieved laughter.
They had suffered from this issue for years.
With players like Wang Yi, Chen Man, and Fernando Kairui emerging abroad, the team finally had talent up front and on the wings. But the midfield had always lagged.
Kai's rise changed everything.
Fans had watched him grow ever since he joined Arsenal—transforming from a pure defensive sweeper into a core midfielder in just three years.
He had become the solution to China's biggest weakness.
China finally had its tough midfield general.
That night, headlines exploded:
Football News
"China 2–1 Japan! Victory in the first warm-up match!"
Titan Sports Weekly
"Kai with a goal and an assist — a perfect national-team debut."
Xinhua Sports
"Wang Yi links up with Kai — China's new midfield-to-forward connection is born."
People's Daily – Sports Edition
"Brazil World Cup, we're coming!"
The match video went viral, pulling in even non-football fans and inspiring many to plan a trip to Brazil.
The World Cup group stage would start on June 13.
On May 20, China would depart for Europe for two final warm-up matches before heading to Brazil for the World Cup.
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