"Oh, stop it! Just stop it right now!" Gary Neville screamed, his voice breaking into a high-pitched squeal of disbelief.
"A dreamlike scene at the Theatre of Dreams! The ball is in!"
"A graceful turn to beat two defenders, and then an elegant overhead kick!" Martin Tyler roared, his legendary baritone shaking the commentary booth.
"Ling has scored a spectacular goal! That is Van Basten-esque! That is Rooney against City!"
The seamless fluidity of the movement was a sight to behold, art in motion.
Most importantly, the value of this goal was immense—it lifted Manchester United from the purgatory of uncertainty back to heaven, reclaiming control of the match.
"From the start of this match, Vidal and Kimmich have been marking Ling closely, effectively denying him any breathing room," Neville analyzed breathlessly. "But opportunities don't just appear on their own; you have to forge them in the fire!"
"In less than 15 minutes of play, Ling has already covered 2.35km, the highest distance among all 22 players on the pitch. His constant horizontal and vertical runs stretched Bayern's defense until it snapped!"
"Bayern's defenders were distracted by the Rainbow Flick, distracted by Ibrahimović's presence, allowing Ling to execute a high-quality overhead kick!"
...
The Internet Explodes
Fans in China watching the live broadcast saw replays from every angle.
The silky first touch with the chest, the fluid turn, the athletic leap. Every frame struck their eyes, leaving an indelible impression.
@RedArmyCN: "Flowing like clouds and water! That was martial arts, not football!"
@CR7Fan: "The best goal in the Champions League! Okay, maybe Ronaldo's was higher, but this was pure technique!"
@Tactico: "Ronaldo's embodies power, Ling's showcases flexibility. Each has its own beauty. We are spoiled!"
@BayernTears: "Bayern is in trouble now! Without James Rodriguez to pick the lock, how do they break down this United wall?"
...
Old Trafford erupted.
Whoosh!
The three stands erupted in a tidal wave of cheers. Ling, under the gaze of tens of thousands, sprinted to the sideline.
He leaped into the air and punched fiercely at the sky, a release of pure, unadulterated passion.
Everyone dreams of being a hero, turning the tide in a crisis.
Ling was living it.
The unparalleled sense of achievement filled his heart, as if every pore in his body had opened to drink in the noise.
He let out a fierce roar, veins bulging in his neck. Manchester United must not fall.
Not today.
His teammates rushed over, swamping him.
"I never imagined you could score like that," Ibrahimović said, grinning like a proud father. He had been frustrated that his clipped pass lacked power, but Ling had turned garbage into gold.
"I thought I messed it up, but you... that was Zlatan-level insane!"
"Ling, you're crazy!" Marcus Rashford yelled, slapping his helmet.
Not far away, Arturo Vidal wore a bewildered expression. He was convinced his defensive positioning had been correct.
Had Ling tried to control it with his feet, Vidal would have snapped him in half. Who could have predicted he'd completely defy gravity?
Sven Ulreich wasn't feeling any better. Not long ago, he'd been lamenting Buffon conceding that overhead kick to Ronaldo.
Now he found himself cast in the same unfortunate role.
Joshua Kimmich stood frozen for a long moment before suddenly stomping hard on the turf, driving his studs deep into the grass.
"FUCKKKK!" he screamed.
Humans can't maintain peak concentration indefinitely.
A mere few seconds of lapse had plunged Bayern into despair. He knew, in the cruel court of public opinion, he had just become the villain.
On the sidelines, Mourinho and Rui Faria embraced, shaking with emotion.
"Boss, ease up! You're going to choke me!" Faria laughed, his face flushed bright red.
"Pull the lads back," Mourinho ordered, instantly switching back to pragmatism. "Revert to the defensive shape. 4-5-1. Now."
"Aren't we controlling the midfield?" Faria asked, puzzled. "Bayern's movement is dangerous."
"Not necessary," Mourinho shook his head, eyes narrowing. "Without James on the field, Bayern lack a playmaker in the final third. They can only build up from the wings. Let them cross. We have giants."
Across the way, Jupp Heynckes stood like a statue.
He read the game perfectly, but he was trapped.
Should he make a substitution? Being forced into a change after 15 minutes risked destabilizing everything.
He hesitated.
The match resumed, and Bayern looked shell-shocked. They reverted to their 4-3-3 possession game, but without the spark, they looked toothless.
United willingly ceded the midfield, packing the defense tightly.
35th Minute.
Franck Ribery received the ball on the flank. Instead of combining with Thiago, he opted to drive forward alone toward Antonio Valencia. He wanted to play hero ball.
Valencia, disciplined as ever, showed him the outside. Ribery took the bait, driving to the byline and crossing.
Smack!
The ball flew over Lewandowski, landing near Thomas Muller.
"Ashley Young!" Martin Tyler shouted. "A brilliant interception! He pokes the ball directly to Matic!"
"Manchester United's counterattack is on!"
Matic, surrounded by red shirts, produced a filthy backheel pass to extract the ball from the pressure. It rolled perfectly toward Ling, who had dropped deep.
Vidal charged over frantically. He couldn't dive in, but he couldn't let Ling turn.
Ling glanced up.
He saw Muller lurking behind Matic, ready to intercept a backpass.
'Sneaky bastard.'
Ling forcefully halted his passing motion. He deliberately took two steps back, drawing Vidal in like a matador.
Then, stepover right, flick left.
He turned Vidal inside out.
The cheers from the Stretford End were just building when an arm hooked around Ling's neck.
Vidal pulled him down rugby-style. The Chilean's mohawk swayed as he flashed a "ferocious" grin at Ling, helping him up.
"Smart foul, Arturo," Ling said with a resigned smile.
The referee didn't hesitate as he give a yellow card for Vidal and follow by the end of the first half.
1-0 Manchester United.
....
In the locker room, Mourinho was intense.
"Lads, stay focused!" he barked, pacing the room. "Football isn't a gentleman's sport—get fired up, get physical, and get stuck in! Under no circumstances can we let Bayern score! One away goal kills us!"
Ling leaned silently against the door.
Vidal was on a yellow. In the second half, he would run at the Chilean until he snapped.
...
OFF: Arjen Robben. ON: James Rodriguez.
Bayern shifted to a 4-1-4-1.
All-out attack.
Tweet!
The second half began, and Bayern roared to life. With James pulling the strings, they looked terrifying.
James received the ball, evaded Lingard, and delivered a piercing through pass that split the United defense like an atom.
"Vidal!" Neville shouted. "He's bulldozing through!"
Vidal muscled past Matic and swept a low cross into the box.
Muller and Lewandowski crisscrossed, confusing Smalling. Muller took a snapshot from close range.
Thud! Thud!
"De Gea!" Tyler screamed. "Double save! He is a wall!"
"United are living dangerously," Neville warned. "They need to wake up."
The resulting corner was cleared by Smalling and the ball landed near James outside the box.
Pogba, remembering the first leg, closed him down instantly.
He poked the ball away to Matic.
United's formation, compressed like a spring, suddenly unleashed immense energy.
"Go!" Mourinho screamed from the touchline.
Matic launched a long pass toward the left flank.
As the camera panned rapidly, two figures sprinted for the loose ball.
"Ling and Kimmich are almost equal!" Tyler shouted. "A 50-50 challenge for the game!"
Ling didn't hesitate and he accelerated.
Kimmich hesitated. For a fraction of a second, he doubted his speed.
That doubt was fatal.
Ling swept past him like a hurricane.
Under the gaze of 70,000 fans, Ling poked the ball past the German defender and charged forward into open space. He reached the edge of the box.
Mats Hummels came across to cover.
Ling didn't shoot.
He slowed down, looked up, and slid a perfect pass across the six-yard box.
Ibrahimović was waiting and the Lion didn't miss.
He met the ball with a thunderous strike, burying it into the top corner.
2-0 Manchester United!
---------
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