The defender leaned into Su Hang, stopping him from turning and shooting directly from that position.
In doing so, however, the defender's effective interception range shrank considerably.
Bang!
Su Hang seized the moment and nudged the ball backward to his right.
Robinho cut inside off the ball, caught up to it, and struck first time.
Beep!
The referee blew his whistle immediately.
Robinho's shot was blocked by Internacional's center back—
—but it was stopped with a hand.
The referee pointed straight to the penalty spot.
"Oh! A penalty!"
"Just four minutes in, and Real Madrid have won a penalty!"
"You have to say, that buildup from Real Madrid was as smooth as liquid mercury."
"One word: elegant!"
Su Hang stood over the spot, eyes locked on the ball.
The referee blew his whistle.
Su Hang took his run-up.
Bang!
He struck through the ball with power.
Su Hang's finishing ability was easily a solid ninety out of a hundred—when it came to shooting, he could practically put the ball wherever he wanted.
The Internacional goalkeeper guessed the right direction, but there was no chance of stopping it.
Because Su Hang went high.
The goal is 2.44 meters tall, with the midpoint at 1.2 meters.
Goalkeepers are usually around 1.9 meters tall, meaning their most comfortable reach zone is roughly between 0.9 and 1 meter.
In general, shots between 0.5 and 1.5 meters are the easiest to save.
Ground-hugging shots take time to reach, but uneven turf can cause unpredictable bounces, which is why penalty takers rarely go fully low—too many variables.
Shots above 1.5 meters, on the other hand, are extremely hard to save from the spot.
Goalkeepers instinctively dive low, but very few players actually dare to aim that high.
The reason is simple: height control is difficult.
Miss slightly, and the ball flies over the bar.
Ironically, for some players, shooting from a bit farther out actually makes it easier to control both angle and height.
The two upper corners—where the crossbar meets the posts—are known as the "ten-point corners," the hardest spots for any goalkeeper to reach.
Su Hang didn't quite go for a full ten-point corner, but he struck the nine-point corner instead.
Skill backed by pure confidence.
The ball ripped into the net, splashing up waves of white.
"GOAL!"
"So composed! Su Hang's penalty was ice-cold!"
"One–nil! Su Hang puts Real Madrid in front!"
"After winning last season's La Liga Golden Boot, some media called Su Hang a goal-scoring machine—but this season, he truly is one!"
"We're not even halfway through the season, and he's already close to three-quarters of last year's total!"
"With Real Madrid still fighting on multiple fronts, if he keeps this up, fifty goals in a single season is well within reach!"
Fifty goals in one season is an almost impossible milestone.
So far, only three players have ever achieved it.
The first, of course, is Bundesliga legend Gerd Müller.
He broke the fifty-goal mark twice in his career—most famously in the 1972–73 season, when he scored an astonishing 67 goals in 49 matches.
The second was the famously ruthless flat-track bully Mario Jardel.
He also did it twice: once with Porto, scoring 54 goals in 49 matches, and again with Sporting Lisbon, netting 55 goals in just 42 games.
The third was Larsson, who had only recently left Barcelona. Earlier in his career with Celtic, he scored 53 goals in 50 matches.
So far, Ruud van Nistelrooy has come closest, recording 44 goals in a single season with Manchester United.
Next was Andy Cole of Manchester United's old "Black Wind Duo," though his 41-goal season came back when he played for Newcastle.
Then came Thierry Henry—and Su Hang himself last season, with 39 goals.
…
In the 20th minute, Zidane orchestrated another attack. Under pressure, he precisely picked out Roberto Carlos making a run down the left.
Carlos took the ball, cut inside from the channel, and kept driving forward.
"Su!"
Zidane shouted from behind him.
Carlos immediately spotted Su Hang, who had dropped back to reset and avoid offside.
Bang!
Carlos slipped through a perfectly weighted pass.
Su Hang timed his run, broke the offside line, and exploded forward.
The Internacional goalkeeper sensed danger and rushed out.
Their center backs closed in at once, attempting a pincer move.
But Su Hang's burst of acceleration was simply too strong—he reached the ball first.
Bang!
A delicate chip.
The ball floated over the goalkeeper's head and dropped toward the goal.
One second later, the stadium erupted again.
"GOAL! Another one!"
"This is terrifying—Su Hang has scored six goals across just two Club World Cup matches!"
"He's completely unstoppable!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, what you're witnessing is the world's number one striker putting on a show!"
"Two–nil! The scoreline isn't hopeless, but the ease of Su Hang's goals has crushed Internacional's spirit!"
"How do you beat a team with a god of war like this?"
In the 25th minute, Zidane collected a loose ball after Diarra won possession in midfield. Without taking a touch, he half-turned and volleyed a pass into space on the right.
Raúl sprinted onto it at full speed, cushioning the ball off his chest while leaning into the opposing center back, then stormed into the box.
Bang!
"Raúl smashed a right-footed shot that screamed past the near post and slammed into the roof of the net."
A breathtaking, sky-piercing strike.
"GOAL! Raúl!"
"The El Capitán never grows old—Raúl's tank is still full!"
"Three–nil! Zidane and Raúl combine to deliver yet another blow to Internacional!"
"Internacional's defense is in complete chaos. Su Hang has tied down too many defenders—Raúl and Robinho are going to get plenty of chances."
"And Raúl is clearly not a man who wastes opportunities."
Robinho: "So what am I—completely invisible?"
In the 32nd minute, Zidane sent another long pass, this time toward Emerson making an overlapping run down the right.
With Raúl drawing defenders, Emerson reached the byline easily and cut the ball back with a low pull-back.
Su Hang was positioned perfectly between the penalty spot and the six-yard box—but he was boxed in front and behind by Internacional defenders.
The pass was also just a fraction behind him.
If Su Hang forced the shot, the tight contact point made it very likely he'd sky it.
Instead, he used his body to shield both defenders, leapt into the air, and flicked the ball backward with his heel, redirecting it toward the far post.
Zidane, who had been jogging forward after his long pass, suddenly sensed the opening. Seeing the space behind Su Hang, he moved in.
He hadn't expected that Su Hang—without even turning his head—had seen it too.
This guy's vision… it just keeps getting better.
Bang!
Zidane unleashed a thunderous strike from the left side of the penalty area.
You never worry about Zidane shooting from there.
In that instant, it was like a blade flashing out of nowhere—pure magic.
The ball hit the net for the fourth time, splashing up white waves once more.
Zidane leapt into the air and landed squarely on Su Hang's back.
Su Hang's face was pure disbelief.
He'd been planning to jump onto Zidane instead.
He just hadn't expected the old man to have positional advantage.
Absolutely shameless.
Next time, Su Hang swore he'd jump back on him.