Chapter 29: This Is the SSS-Rank Skill—Perfect Partner!!!

AWD Arena!

As Didier Ya Konan leapt high to head the ball toward his own goal, Felix Magath’s hands trembled involuntarily. He truly had not expected that the brand-new tactic he had sworn was absolutely perfect would turn out to be so fragile.

With Hannover 96 deploying a dense defense in the midfield, there was simply no passing space for Jurado, Rakitić, or Baumjohann. Even when Lin Hao dropped back, they were still outnumbered. Furthermore, the damned Hannover 96 side possessed two incredibly fast wingers. Whenever a counter-attacking opportunity arose, both Schmitz on the left and Hao Junmin on the right posed a massive threat!

A crossbar! Schalke 04 escaped by the skin of their teeth. However, as the match continued, Schalke 04 remained stuck in the same pattern as their first attempt at an attack. As soon as the ball crossed the halfway line, the midfield instantly turned into a meat grinder. Starting from the Hannover forwards, a total of six players swarmed Jurado, Rakitić, and the others. Even Lin Hao, the core of Schalke 04’s new strategy, was being shadowed every step of the way!

Seventh minute of the match! Seeing no way to advance through the middle, Rakitić had no choice but to send the ball to the left for Schmitz. However, before Schmitz could even take a step after receiving the ball, DaMarcus Beasley—who had just used his speed to blow past him—slid in with a tackle, effectively killing Schalke 04’s attack!

Schalke’s offense was completely stymied. Under these circumstances, the seasoned Hannover manager, Mirko Slomka, naturally waved his arms, signaling his players to press forward into Schalke 04’s half.

Thirteenth minute! Hannover 96 pressed up in numbers. Their compact midfield of six rapidly fanned out. Sérgio Pinto pushed the ball forward, and the moment he faced pressure from Lin Hao, he laid it off to the left! A one-two! Sérgio Pinto received the ball again! Lars Stindl burst forward on the left, and DaMarcus Beasley hugged the touchline on the right!

In an instant, Schalke 04’s midfield defensive line was dismantled by Hannover 96. As Sérgio Pinto dribbled at high speed into the heart of the Schalke half, both his wingers and the two defensive midfielders were right there with him. Facing a desperate lunge from Höwedes, Sérgio Pinto performed a nimble stop-turn and tapped the ball to his side!

The ball landed at the feet of their defensive midfielder, Altin Lala! Without a second of hesitation, Lala unleashed a thunderous strike. The ball instantly transformed into a streak of white light, hurtling toward the goal guarded by Neuer.

"Danger!!!"
"A rocket from Altin Lala!"
"Neuer dives to make the save!"
"Oh! Magnificent!!!"
"Neuer!"
"A world-class save!"

"Just as all the Schalke 04 fans were closing their eyes in despair!"
"Neuer used an absolutely world-class save to push Altin Lala’s blast away from the goal!"
"Schalke 04 is playing so passively today!"
"The midfield cannot provide support for Lin Hao, Raúl, or Huntelaar!"
"If this continues, this match is in serious trouble!"

AWD Arena!
"Schala la la la la la!!!"
"la la la la la la la la!!!"
"schala la la la la Hannover 96!!!"

Even though the shot didn't result in a goal, the forty thousand-plus Hannover 96 fans started singing at the top of their lungs. Before this match, all the Hannover 96 fans thought their team would collapse the moment they faced the mighty Schalke 04. Yet, to everyone’s surprise, after perfectly defending against Schalke 04's first attack and seeing Didier Ya Konan rattle the crossbar as a warning, Hannover—a relegation-threatened side—was actually suppressing the runner-up of the previous season, Schalke 04?

The fans began to chant, and on the touchline, Mirko Slomka was filled with passion, using various gestures and shouts to command his players! Slomka was thrilled! After these first dozen minutes, he felt that his dream of slaughtering Schalke 04 was about to come true.

But! Just as everyone thought Hannover 96 was about to pull off a massive upset, the unexpected happened.

Eighteenth minute! A routine, uninspired attacking opportunity for Schalke 04. Neuer’s goal kick sailed high over the midfield. Baumjohann jumped and easily headed the ball to the path of the oncoming Hao Junmin on the wing. Hannover’s left winger, Lars Stindl, quickly closed down on Hao Junmin. However, before Stindl could even get close, Lin Hao, who had dropped back, appeared by Hao Junmin’s side.

Under the effect of their "Perfect Partner" synergy, Hao Junmin didn't even look at Lin Hao before sending the ball diagonally into his path. Likewise, with a 50% synergy bonus, Lin Hao played a first-touch pass immediately upon receiving the ball.

Slap! Slap-slap! Slap-slap-slap!!!
Two people... just two people!

The most incredible scene! Lin Hao and Hao Junmin! Starting from that one-two that bypassed Lars Stindl, they produced a display of various one-twos and two-on-twos that could only be described as textbook! Sérgio Pinto, Manuel Schmiedebach, Altin Lala, and even the final, desperate lunge from the Hannover 96 fullback and captain, Steve Cherundolo!

The two of them played as if they were in a street game, calmly and skillfully passing their way past the entire Hannover 96 defensive line.

"Beautiful!!!"
"Lin Hao sends it diagonally again!"
"Hao Junmin flicks it back with his heel!!!"
"They're near the penalty area!!!"
"Hannover center-back Mario Eggimann rushes over desperately!"
"Lin Hao receives the ball and pokes it forward with his toe!!!"
"Back to Hao Junmin!!!"
"One-on-one!!!"
"He’s through on goal!!!"
"Hao Junmin raises his foot!!!"
"Goalkeeper Florian Fromlowitz comes out!"
"No shot!"
"A cross instead!!!"
"My God!!!"
"Facing the incoming ball!"
"Lin Hao doesn't hesitate, he pushes it in with his right foot!!!"
"Beautiful!!!"
"Beautiful!!!"
"Goal!!!"
"Goal!!!"

"Eighteenth minute of the match!"
"An unbelievable scene has occurred!!!"
"These two Chinese players, Lin Hao and Hao Junmin!"
"Have staged a legendary, history-making performance at Hannover 96’s AWD Arena!"
"Starting from the wing!"
"With explosive, perfectly synchronized link-up play, the two of them dismantled the entire Hannover 96 defense!"
"This..."
"My God!!!"

He Wei, in the commentary booth, was acting as if he had lost his mind! And likewise, Magath, who had just been anxiously planning to change his formation at halftime, was now running wildly along the touchline in sheer excitement.