"Beautiful! Alessandro's performance from the opening whistle has easily been the MVP on the pitch!"
Zhang Jun was nearly shouting with excitement.
"Now Manchester United's counterattack is building! Let's see how Alessandro transitions from defense to attack!!"
He leaned forward in anticipation.
"This is a great opportunity—we've got to spread the play quickly!" Zhang Lu added with urgency.
"But that interception was already top class!"
---
On the pitch.
Boooom!
Alessandro broke through midfield with the ball.
His tackle had been so sudden and clean that Ajax's full-backs hadn't even started recovering. He charged across the halfway line, completely unchallenged.
But that window was closing.
Ajax midfielder Siem de Jong stepped up to block him.
Of course, Alessandro wasn't going to try and dribble past the entire team—that wasn't his specialty.
Without even raising his head, he struck the ball with a powerful, precise pass.
The football soared, gliding through the air with no spin, cutting across the pitch like a guided missile.
It landed perfectly at the feet of Valencia on the right wing.
Valencia's technique wasn't always the cleanest—but with a pass like that, he didn't need to be perfect.
He gave a quiet nod of approval and brought the ball down with his chest before surging forward along the flank.
Ahead of him, Welbeck and Hernández were making their runs, charging into the box.
Siem de Jong had no choice but to abandon Alessandro and sprint back into the penalty area.
He raced into position just as Valencia was winding up for a cross.
Ajax's defense was in full scramble mode. It was now three defenders versus two attackers—but everyone's eyes were locked on Valencia.
No one noticed that Alessandro, after delivering the long pass, had continued jogging forward—silently advancing toward the top of the penalty area.
---
"Valencia with the cross!"
The commentator's voice rose sharply.
The ball flew into the box.
Welbeck and Hernández both leaped to challenge.
But Siem de Jong got there first. His head snapped the ball upward—not away. It bounced awkwardly and began drifting across to the far side of the box.
The camera panned quickly.
"Alessandro!!"
Gasps echoed through the stadium and among the Ajax players.
How the hell did he get there?
How did he know the ball would land there?
Vertonghen lunged forward, trying to close him down.
But it was too late.
Alessandro calmly controlled the ball with his chest and immediately fired a shot with his right foot!
Vertonghen's sliding tackle missed by inches.
The keeper dove—too slow, too late.
GOAL!!!
The Cruyff Arena fell silent for a heartbeat.
Everyone stared at the net.
From interception to pass to shot...
Only two touches.
And yet somehow, Alessandro had known exactly where to be.
It defied logic.
---
"Valencia crosses… Siem de Jong tries to clear… Alessandro!!!"
Zhang Jun's voice cracked as he shouted.
Millions of fans across the country jumped from their seats.
They watched as Alessandro arrived like a ghost at the far post, brought the ball down with his chest, and slotted it home.
Hands shot into the air.
Shouts erupted from every corner.
"Alessandro! Alessandro!! Beautiful! Incredible!!"
"He's done it! Manchester United takes the lead—six minutes in! It was a one-man play: steal, pass, arrive in the box—Alessandro did it all!"
"One–nil! United leads!!!"
"Scorer: Alessandro Dybala!!"
Zhang Jun grabbed his notes as he shouted:
"And let's not forget! This is the first time in history a player of Chinese heritage has scored in a major European competition—including the Champions League, Europa League, and the old Cup Winners' Cup!"
"Alessandro has made history!!"
---
In living rooms across the nation, celebrations exploded.
Fans flooded the online forums.
> "Unreal!"
"Alessandro is unbelievable!!!!"
"AHHHHHHH!!! Let's goooo!"
"I doubted him before… But THIS is genius!"
"A steal, a pass, a shot—by a defensive midfielder?!?!"
"He's rewriting what it means to be a playmaker!"
---
In a quiet office, Ma Dexin collapsed into his chair.
After the controversial article he'd published weeks ago, he thought he was safe.
But now?
Now Alessandro had just silenced every critic in the loudest way possible.
> "It's over…" he muttered, his scalp tingling.
---
Back in Suicheng, Alessandro's family celebrated wildly.
His mother was crying.
His father stood speechless, arms raised.
They'd spent months under immense pressure, wondering if their son's career would be destroyed by politics.
And now?
Their boy had just become the first player of Chinese descent to score in European competition.
And the Football Association?
They wouldn't dare touch him now.
He had already gone beyond their reach.
---