Chapter 15: The Super Celestial Orb Reappears! Lin Hao’s Explosive Performance! (Please continue reading)
The match had resumed.
Within ten minutes, Schalke 04 scored two consecutive goals, and under the guidance of their veteran coach at the sidelines, they launched an all-out assault on Bayern Munich.
Of course, as a world-class master tactician, Van Gaal on the other side was not sitting idly by.
Seeing Schalke 04’s increasingly fierce attacks, Van Gaal quickly substituted in his favorite central warrior, Jermoshchuk, replacing Hamit Altintop, who had been completely overwhelmed by Lin Hao.
“Oh! They’re bringing in Jermoshchuk right away!”
“This substitution is clearly targeted at Lin Hao!”
“Eighteen years old, debut match, one goal and one assist, and he’s already forced Bayern to make tactical adjustments!”
“Regardless of the final outcome, with just these few facts, Lin Hao’s name is bound to echo throughout all of Germany!”
— “Haha, that’s true! Did you see Van Gaal’s frustrated expression on the camera just now?”
— “Hamit Altintop simply can’t keep up with Lin Hao. I don’t know why, Lin Hao doesn’t seem fast, but his dribbling... he can get past anyone!”
— “Absolutely! Not just Altintop, even Schweinsteiger has been beaten multiple times!”
— “Haha, it’s so satisfying! Staying up late was worth it. Who would have thought that China would produce such a phenomenal young talent?”
— “I predicted Lin Hao would shine in the Asian Youth Championship, and look—after this match, his value is bound to multiply several times over!”
...
Back home, fans were already fantasizing about Lin Hao’s skyrocketing market value, but at that moment on the pitch, Lin Hao found himself in trouble.
Indeed!
After Van Gaal brought on Jermoshchuk and gestured with both hands for Bayern to retreat and defend, Lin Hao—who had been playing with ease—suddenly realized he was completely surrounded by Bayern players.
Schweinsteiger, Jermoshchuk...
Even Van Buyten in the back was constantly watching him.
Under such almost obsessive encirclement, Lin Hao was completely frozen out.
No matter how many supernatural buffs Lin Hao possessed, he simply couldn't break through the triple marking by Bayern’s stars.
With Lin Hao silenced, Rakitic could only place his hopes on Raul.
But as soon as Raul received the ball, Bayern immediately closed in on him with fierce pressure.
With Bayern retreating fully and applying relentless marking, time was running out.
Yet, Bayern was still Bayern. After firmly stabilizing their defense, they occasionally launched counterattacks through Ribéry that made Schalke 04’s fans’ hearts skip a beat.
At the 75th minute!
Despite Schalke 04 having an attacking opportunity, when Rakitic passed to Lin Hao intending a one-two, Bayern’s captain Van Bommel—who had been lurking beside Rakitic—executed a perfectly timed sliding tackle.
With that tackle, Van Bommel intercepted the pass before it reached Lin Hao.
“Oh! Rakitic was a bit careless there!”
“Van Bommel got up quickly and immediately passed to the already sprinting Ribéry!”
“Ribéry received the ball!”
“Baumjohann is chasing back!”
On the pitch!
The moment Ribéry received the ball, tens of thousands of Bayern fans erupted into a roar.
Fueled by the crowd’s cheers, Ribéry charged fiercely into Schalke 04’s defensive zone.
Because he had a card, Baumjohann dared not make a hard challenge immediately, so with just a feint, Ribéry bypassed him and penetrated deep into Schalke 04’s territory.
With Baumjohann beaten, Schalke 04’s midfield opened up like a freeway.
Moreover, Ribéry was not alone; once he accelerated, Klose, Van Bommel, and even Schweinsteiger—who had been shadowing Lin Hao—quickly followed in big strides.
In under three seconds!
The situation reversed completely.
Schalke 04 scrambled to recover after Bayern’s full-scale counterattack.
But compared to Bayern’s rapid advance, Schalke 04’s defense was clearly in jeopardy.
“Bayern’s counterattack!”
“Very fast forward movement!”
“Baumjohann is chasing hard!”
“Howedes is back!”
“Ribéry doesn’t try to force his way through, he taps with his right foot!”
“Ribéry passes to Klose, who is running alongside!”
“Klose receives and pushes the ball forward!”
“One-two pass!”
“Beautiful play!”
“Howedes beaten!!!”
“Ribéry!!!”
“About to enter the penalty area!!!”
On the pitch!
Ribéry and Klose’s one-two had torn apart Schalke 04’s last defensive line.
Now only Metzelder, trailing behind, stood before Ribéry.
With nowhere to retreat, Metzelder gritted his teeth and lunged at Ribéry.
However, Metzelder was nowhere near the future star he would become.
His desperate tackle had no effect.
In peak form, Ribéry merely nudged the ball aside and changed direction with a dazzling dribble, leaving Metzelder far behind.
“Ribéry!”
“Past Metzelder!”
“One-on-one!!!”
“No way!”
“No way!!!”
“Ribéry shoots!”
“Neuer rushes out!”
“Slides to block!”
“Ribéry chooses to chip!”
“The ball sails over Neuer!”
At Pulse Stadium!
Seeing Ribéry chip the ball over Neuer, the Schalke coach closed his eyes in despair.
Yes!
More than seventy minutes into the game, conceding now would be game over.
The coach quietly awaited the final whistle.
But seconds passed, and the whistle never came.
Instead, the Schalke 04 fans behind him suddenly erupted in a wild cheer.
He blinked, confused.
What was going on? Sensing something was wrong, he opened his eyes.
There, in his own penalty area, he saw Hao Junmin—who had been battered by Bayern—surrounded by his teammates.
“Beautiful!”
“Beautiful!”
“Hao Junmin!”
“Hao Junmin comes to the rescue!!!”
“Ribéry’s chip sailed over Neuer, but just before the ball crossed the goal line, Hao Junmin, who had been trailing Ribéry all along, executed an overhead clearance!”
“That clearance saved Schalke 04 from the brink of death!”
In the commentary box!
Seeing Hao Junmin’s clutch moment, He Wei shouted excitedly.
Meanwhile, the Schalke players who had rushed back surrounded Hao Junmin, exchanging chest bumps and celebrations.
Especially Neuer!
He looked like he wanted to pick Hao Junmin up and hug him.
A counterattack that had terrified Schalke 04 fans was thwarted.
However, after this Bayern counterattack, Schalke 04—who had been pressing hard to equalize—suddenly fell silent.
No choice; Bayern’s counterattacks were truly frightening.
This hesitation among Schalke 04 players made the match enter a strange phase.
The leading Bayern, troubled by Lin Hao’s presence, remained deep in their own half, while Schalke 04, fearing Bayern’s counterattack, dared not commit too many players forward.
Thus, the match, like a classic stalemate, drifted into the final ten minutes.
After the eightieth minute, the Schalke coach finally took a desperate gamble, waving his hands for the whole team to push forward.
He knew if they didn’t press now, their chances were gone.
Yet, even with Schalke 04 advancing under his command, they couldn’t mount any threatening attacks against Bayern’s full defensive line.
Raul was exhausted; standing upfront was sheer willpower.
As for Lin Hao?
Trapped in Bayern’s sea of defenders, he had no opportunities.
At the 84th minute!
Unable to penetrate the center, Rakitic shifted the ball wide.
After a quick one-two with Schmitz, Rakitic lofted a ball into Bayern’s penalty area.
Lin Hao, standing 1.88 meters tall, threw himself at the ball’s drop point, but with Demichelis and Van Buyten double-marking him, he couldn’t get a touch.
At the 87th minute!
Another cross from the wing!
This time Lin Hao fared worse.
Jumping alongside Van Buyten, Lin Hao was knocked down inside Bayern’s box.
...
No way through the center, no threat from crosses.
The match entered stoppage time.
In this situation, those Bayern fans who had mocked Lin Hao earlier came alive again.
“XXXXX!”
“XXXXXXX!”
All sorts of German insults echoed around.
Toward the end, the entire Bayern crowd began singing championship songs.
Yet, just when Magath and Schalke fans thought it was over,
The moment that sent Schalke 04 supporters into frenzy arrived!
On the pitch!
Schalke 04’s midfield general took the ball to the wing again.
As countless times before, after glancing at Lin Hao, he passed out wide.
At the same moment in Bayern’s penalty area!
Van Buyten, who had dominated Lin Hao in aerial battles, charged toward the ball’s drop point.
But perhaps overconfident from so many victories, Van Buyten didn’t even check Lin Hao’s position!
Yes, having won so many times, Van Buyten truly didn’t think Lin Hao posed any aerial threat.
Yet, as he leapt for the ball, Van Buyten suddenly realized his opponent was not Lin Hao!
It was Baumjohann?
This Schalke 04 midfield workhorse—the strongest physically on the team—had abandoned his defensive post and dived into the box?
Unlike Lin Hao, Baumjohann’s explosive physique was no challenge for Van Buyten.
After both exerted force, Van Buyten was horrified to find himself beaten!
He watched helplessly as Baumjohann pushed him aside and headed the ball away!
Yes!
Baumjohann’s header was not a shot but a layoff!
The recipient was Schalke 04’s number 23, the young talent who had been repeatedly dominated by Van Buyten.
Trouble!
Seeing Lin Hao in his sight, Van Buyten’s heart tightened.
Sure enough!
Right before Van Buyten, the young man who had been beaten so many times suddenly jumped.
And after leaping, he first swung his left leg forward...
What was he doing?
Van Buyten was puzzled; that leg movement clearly wouldn’t generate power.
But just as Van Buyten doubted Lin Hao’s sanity, Lin Hao suddenly snapped his right foot fiercely forward!
Van Buyten was stunned!
He never expected anyone to strike the ball in such a manner!
Especially when Lin Hao’s right foot struck the ball with a resounding “thud”!
“Lin Hao!!!”
“Volley!!!”
“Beautiful!!!”
“Beautiful!!!!”
“Goal!!!”
“Goal!!!!”
“91st minute!”
“Lin Hao equalizes!!!!”
“A celestial volley from beyond the heavens!”
“Oh my God!!!”
“Oh my God!!!”
“Two spectacular volleys in one match!!!”
“3-3!!!”
“The score is tied!!!”
“Lin Hao levels the game against Bayern Munich!!!!”
Pulse Stadium exploded!
As Lin Hao struck the ball with an almost supernatural volley into Bayern’s net,
All Schalke 04 fans in the stands erupted!
They wildly raised their hands and screamed.
At the same time on the pitch,
Before Lin Hao could celebrate, Raul threw him down onto the grass!
Without hesitation, Raul rushed over to him!
Then Baumjohann, Rakitic, Schmitz... even Hao Junmin and Neuer from the back surged forward.
All Schalke 04 players swarmed over him in excitement.
After all, it was an equalizer!
Every Schalke 04 player had thought the match was done.
Who would have expected Lin Hao to pull off such an extraordinary feat in the final seconds?
Schalke 04’s players went wild.
But on the bench, the veteran coach Magath—the one who should be celebrating most passionately—stood motionless, eyes fixed on the giant screen replaying the goal.
Yes!
Magath was stunned!
The worldly-wise Magath was truly shocked!
...
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