For the neutral onlookers, this match was undoubtedly exciting.
Three goals in 23 minutes.
There was also Chen Tao's elegant and dazzling continuous dribbling display, and intense foul confrontations between both sides.
The excitement level was at its peak!
For the fans of both teams, it wasn't so easy.
The Borussia Dortmund fans in the stands had their hearts in their throats.
Schalke 04, after pulling one goal back, regained their morale.
They engaged in fierce midfield battles with strong and aggressive defense.
Whenever Chen Tao got the ball, he would receive frantic attention.
Just now, his continuous dribbling on the wing had consumed a lot of his physical energy.
He tried his best to protect the ball and attempt a dribble, but was forcefully knocked away by the opposing defensive midfielder Fabian Ernst, losing possession.
Schalke 04 immediately launched an attack, creating a cross from the left wing.
"Asamoah, incredibly fast! He's broken into the box!"
"Chips the ball in for a cross!"
"Kevin Kuranyi—Oh oh oh oh!"
"His header grazed the post and went wide! Borussia Dortmund dodged a bullet!"
This attack gave the Dortmund fans a cold sweat.
In the stands, the 80-year-old Mr. Fritz covered his chest, his face pale.
"Damn it! Almost couldn't take it!"
"Why don't you stop watching? I'll take you back to rest?"
Uncle Hans was worried about his father's health.
But Mr. Fritz was very stubborn.
"No! Today, I want to see those miner scums get a good beating!"
"Chen!!! Kick their asses hard!"
Mr. Fritz raised his yellow and black scarf, his voice hoarse as he shouted loudly.
While other fans were worried about their team,
Anna's fair and delicate fingers were tightly clasped together.
Every time Chen Tao was fouled or tackled by an opponent on the field, Anna's heart would fiercely twitch.
"Why do I have to worry about this guy… honestly."
She realized something was off with herself, but her gaze still couldn't leave Chen Tao's figure on the field.
…
This crisis sounded the alarm for Borussia Dortmund.
They no longer dared to push too far forward, actively retreating and slowing down the tempo, hoping to ride out this period of Schalke 04's fierce attacks.
Chen Tao also diligently participated in the defense on the right wing.
Asamoah's threat was significant just now. Chen Tao utilized his defensive insights learned at Arsenal to assist his teammates in intercepting, temporarily stabilizing the right wing.
The coaching staff was also very nervous, as Schalke 04's tidal wave of attacks repeatedly threatened Weidenfeller.
Fortunately, the Borussia Dortmund players didn't falter for the time being, averting danger multiple times.
The match gradually approached the 42nd minute of the first half. After intense battling, both sides were heavily fatigued, and the tempo quickly slowed down.
"Phew—it seems we've stabilized. We shouldn't concede any more goals in the first half."
Thomas Doll let out a long sigh of relief.
Dick Fuhren, however, frowned, feeling an ominous premonition.
Every time the head coach said they were stable, they would inexplicably concede a goal.
Could it be…
Indeed, just as the fourth official raised the board, indicating 1 minute of stoppage time.
Schalke 04 sent a casual long pass into the box.
Hummels jumped up for a header clearance.
Nuri Şahin was about to chest the ball down when a huge force from behind almost made him fall.
Schalke 04's defensive midfielder Fabian Ernst's strong body pushed Nuri Şahin away, winning possession, and at the same time, delivered a through ball into the ribs.
Borussia Dortmund's defense didn't react in time at all.
Schalke 04's star player Farfán had already surged into the box, receiving the ball and unleashing a powerful shot from a tight angle!
"Jefferson Farfán—"
"Gooooooal!!!"
"Before the end of the first half, Schalke 04 equalized the score!"
"Both teams are back on level terms!"
Watching the Schalke 04 players celebrate, the Borussia Dortmund players still had a bewildered look on their faces.
How did they concede that goal?
Did they really let someone through so easily?
Dick Fuhren smiled bitterly.
The head coach really was a jinx! They actually conceded a goal!
…
In the locker room, the "jinx head coach" Thomas Doll didn't realize his own ill-omened words.
He completely vented his anger on a few young players.
"Nuri, why didn't you look back when you received the ball just now?"
"And Mats, how did you and Dede coordinate? Nobody marked the gap in the ribs?"
"Chen…"
Thomas Doll looked fiercely at Chen Tao again.
Chen Tao met the coach's gaze without fear, wondering what he could say about him.
As a result, Thomas Doll stewed for a long time, only to say:
"Your dribbling in the first half was good, but try not to hold onto the ball too much, and pay attention to tactics."
Chen Tao was the absolute hero of the two-goal lead, and the conceded goal had nothing to do with him, so there was no reason to criticize him.
Thomas Doll then berated the midfield and defensive players, telling them to reflect properly.
Sitting in his seat, looking at the number 15 jersey behind him,
Hummels' expression was dejected, and the tall, tough man actually showed the mournful expression of a young girl.
"Mats, are you crying?"
Chen Tao couldn't help but tease him.
"Piss off! Get lost!"
Interrupted by Chen Tao, Hummels, who was on the verge of tears, held them back, and seemed not so sad anymore.
"That goal was my fault, I should have paid attention to him."
Nuri Şahin also blamed himself deeply.
"No, it should be the referee's problem, that guy clearly fouled!"
Schalke 04's number 8 player, the menacing bald Fabian Ernst, had already engaged in rough tackles more than once.
In the first half, he almost injured Chen Tao and committed rough fouls on Chen Tao more than once.
His collision with Nuri Şahin just now was also suspicious of a foul, but the referee didn't blow the whistle.
"My problem is bigger, I should have marked him tightly."
Hummels also reflected.
"You two stop being so wishy-washy like women."
Chen Tao was not affected by the conceded goal, his fighting spirit high:
"We'll score a few more goals against them in the second half. Over 80,000 fans are watching outside, and millions more are waiting for our good news in front of their TVs."
"There are still 45 minutes, enough for us to screw them over!"
Chen Tao used extremely vulgar slang, "in die Hose spielen" and "die Klappe abficken!"
The literal meaning is to hammer the opponent into their pants, and to f-ck the opponent's dick.
The Borussia Dortmund players clearly didn't expect that Chen Tao, with his handsome and elegant appearance and artistic playing style, could utter such vulgar words.
After a brief Stunned, wild shouts echoed through the locker room.
"That's right! Chen is right, we'll f-ck their dicks in the second half!!"
"Yeah! Screw them!"
"Awooo! Awooo!"
After Thomas Doll smoked a cigarette in the smoking area to relieve his depression, he returned to the locker room with Dick Fuhren.
He had intended to deliver an inspiring speech to boost morale, but instead, he saw a group of primitives wildly swinging their jerseys.
"I don't think it's your turn to speak."
Dick Fuhren secretly clicked his tongue.
…
In the second half, the Schalke 04 players intended to replicate their first-half performance.
They used rough and barbaric fouls to stifle Borussia Dortmund's attacks, especially on Chen Tao's side.
The opponent is 15 years old?
They just want to bully a kid!
This is a war!
When the menacing Schalke 04 players were battling on the field,
They didn't expect Borussia Dortmund to be even crazier than them!
"Oh ho ho ho!!! A rough tackle brought down Schalke 04's defensive midfielder Fabian Ernst!"
"The foul was actually by Chen! A crucial tackle stopped this fast break."
"As expected of the Ruhr Derby, it's truly explosive! Even our artist of the pitch has been infected!"
The bald defensive midfielder Fabian Ernst got up, ready to glare angrily.
Chen Tao's eyes, however, showed no retreat; the coldness and fierceness deep within his gaze even made the notorious Fabian Ernst involuntarily take half a step back.
In that moment, Fabian Ernst even thought this guy was going to kill him!
"Damn it."
Fabian Ernst cursed under his breath before walking away sullenly.
Within the first 20 minutes of the second half, both sides engaged in fierce tug-of-war in midfield, and the game became fragmented at times.
The referee could no longer bear it, turning into a card master and issuing 3 yellow cards to each side.
Dortmund captain Kehl, center-back Hummels, and right-back Felipe Degen all received cards.
Three defensive players receiving cards intensified the already immense defensive pressure.
Especially Hummels, who, with a yellow card, dared not make any moves, almost allowing Farfán to score again.
"Wow!!! Farfán's shot!! Almost took the lead!"
"Schalke 04's attack is fierce again during this period!"
As his physical energy drained, Chen Tao felt his breathing becoming increasingly difficult, his lungs almost exploding.
His teammates were also nearing their breaking point, reaching their physical limits.
He had to step up and do something!
In the 72nd minute of the second half, Chen Tao finally got his chance!
Schalke 04's attack was intercepted, and Borussia Dortmund launched a quick counter-attack.
Nuri Şahin immediately found Chen Tao; he trusted his good brother the most now!
Chen Tao certainly didn't betray his trust. Facing a high ball and the opponent's tight marking, Chen Tao's next move made the entire stadium gasp in surprise!
Just as the ball fell from above, Chen Tao's right foot seemed to possess a powerful magnetic force, firmly sticking the ball to the top of his foot!
"What the heck?"
Fabian Ernst, who was marking him, immediately extended his leg to disrupt.
Chen Tao, however, wore a playful smile, using the ATW trick of freestyle football to draw a circle in the air, steadily receiving the falling ball!
Perfectly bypassing the outstretched leg trying to intercept!
"Damn it? Playing me!"
Fabian Ernst was completely enraged!
He just wanted to knock down this flashy and annoying guy!
The immense force inevitably made Chen Tao stumble forward a step, on the verge of losing possession.
"Unbelievable!! WTF?!!!"
Commentator Sauer exposed a curse word during the live broadcast.
He watched with wide eyes as the Eastern teenager, at the last moment before falling, actually hooked the ball up with his foot,
Then, almost miraculously, he flipped the ball over Fabian Ernst's head while doing a side aerial flip, simultaneously dodging the opponent and chasing after the ball to surge towards the front field!
Sauer swore that this was the most outrageous and incredible dribbling maneuver he had witnessed in his decades-long commentary career!
The entire Westfalen Stadium was petrified at this moment!
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump!
Chen Tao could no longer hear the overwhelming cheers from the stadium; he could only hear his own heartbeat, his eyes fixed on the constantly bouncing football on the grass.
In a fleeting moment, Chen Tao finally captured that long-lost ethereal state!
Shot enhancement!
Take a shot?
Then take a shot!
Hiss—
Neuer, the future Germany goalkeeper in front of the goal, suddenly felt a deep sense of fear involuntarily creep over him!
"Oh, No…"