"The referee blows the whistle, and we are underway here at the Volkswagen Arena!"
Wolff-Christoph Fuss settles into his rhythm. "The Wolves were in Europa League action just two days ago, but Dieter Hecking managed his rotation perfectly. He withdrew his key men early to ensure they had the fresh legs needed to dismantle Mainz 05 today."
"Ivica Olić leads the line as the lone striker," continues the German broadcast. "Behind him, it's a terrifying creative trident: David Qin on the left, Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in the middle, and Ivan Perišić out on the right. The backline remains stable, though Ricardo Rodríguez misses out today due to a bout of the flu."
From the kickoff, the home side is assertive. De Bruyne is the architect, orchestrating play while the two wings look ready for takeoff at any moment. However, Mainz's defense is as advertised—a suffocating, airtight "iron bucket" of a formation. Even their striker, Shinji Okazaki, has dropped deep to assist in the defensive effort.
Okazaki cherishes his current status. During his time at Stuttgart, he was cruelly labeled a "zero-skill striker," but he maintained his place through sheer work rate and tireless running. Last season, he silenced the doubters by netting 15 goals across all competitions, breaking Shinji Kagawa's record for the most goals by a Japanese player in a single Bundesliga season.
The minutes tick away. In the 23rd minute, Naldo pings a signature long ball to the left flank. David Qin kills it with his chest and immediately flicks it over the head of a charging Sami Allagui. But a second later, he is hauled to the turf. Johannes Geis had committed a cynical tactical foul to stop the break.
"Mainz is decisive with their tactical fouling," Fuss notes. "They're happy to pay the price of a yellow card. It seems the Bundesliga has reached a consensus: you cannot let David Qin turn. You have to stop him by any means necessary."
David pats the blades of grass off his face, his mind whirring. If I reduce my touches and increase my off-the-ball movement, will that open things up? He consults with De Bruyne, and they decide to adjust their positioning.
The shift works. Mainz's defensive resources begin to tilt heavily toward the other flank. And in football, that is exactly when the opportunity strikes.
37th minute. Perišić holds the ball on the wing, drawing pressure from Junior Díaz before slipping it to an advancing De Bruyne. Inside the box, De Bruyne seems to operate with a "God's-eye view." Without even looking up, he half-turns and plays a square ball across the area. Olić makes a dummy run, dragging two defenders with him.
But Olić isn't the target.
Suddenly, a silhouette bursts into the frame. The green-and-white kit flutters in the wind as he pierces the box like a dagger.
"Watch him!" Loris Karius feels the alarm bells ringing in his head.
On the touchline, Kasper Hjulmand remains calm. He sees Stefan Bell tracking the run. Before the match, his instructions were clear: Even if Wolfsburg's Number 13 doesn't have the ball, someone must be glued to his hip.
But in the next heartbeat, Hjulmand's composure vanishes. He watches, mouth agape, as David Qin executes a moment of pure brilliance. Instead of the expected first-time shot, David turns and kills the ball behind his standing leg. The recovering Bell is sent flying by the momentum of the fake.
Then, under the gaze of the roaring home crowd, the Wolves' Number 13 adjusts and sweeps the ball home!
Bang! Karius is caught leaning by the feint; he collapses to the turf in a desperate scramble but doesn't even get a sniff of the ball.
1-0!!!
"Exquisite composure in the box!" Fuss exclaims. "Pure creativity! That is the 'Pitch Magician' at work, using an unconventional touch to carve out a beautiful goal! David Qin! His 5th of the Bundesliga season! He is averaging 0.8 goals per game, and let's not forget—the boy is only seventeen! The future is quite simply limitless!"
The Volkswagen Arena erupts. This goal is a tactical death sentence for Mainz. Usually, Hjulmand's side prefers to score first on the counter and then park a double-decker bus until the final whistle. If they have to chase the game, their offensive limitations become glaringly obvious.
David executes a passionate knee-slide before being swamped by his teammates.
"David, I swear you don't play like a seventeen-year-old," Luiz Gustavo says, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're more mature than Ivan. You play like you're twenty-seven."
"Don't talk nonsense," David quips, raising an eyebrow. "When Ivan and I go out, people call him 'Uncle' and call me 'Big Brother'."
"Piss off!" Perišić retorts. "I'm only twenty-five! People say twenty-five is the seven-thirty-A.M. sun!"
"Sure, but look at Kevin," David says, pointing at De Bruyne. "He's two years younger than you, but he looks ten years younger."
David makes a quick escape as De Bruyne shrugs helplessly. The Belgian's "baby face" is a bit of a curse in a sport where intimidation matters. Players like Pepe, Nigel de Jong, or Diego Costa only have to stand in front of a defender to make them think twice about a foul. De Bruyne? He just looks like someone you'd want to buy an ice cream for.
Mainz restarts from the center circle. Forced out of their shell, they begin to push forward. Okazaki runs with renewed intensity. After Son Heung-min was slaughtered by Korean fans for losing to Wolfsburg, Okazaki has no desire to follow suit. He wants that move to the Premier League, and a goal against an unbeaten Wolfsburg side would be the perfect audition.
However, Mainz's collective attacking rhythm is disjointed. In the 34th minute, a through-ball from Geis is intercepted by Robin Knoche. Before Okazaki can press, the ball is moved to Naldo, who launches a trademark long ball across the pitch.
Olić wins the aerial duel against Stefan Bell and nods it down. De Bruyne takes control, engaging in a lightning-fast give-and-go with David Qin, slicing through a Mainz defensive line caught in a clumsy transition.
"David Qin carries it to the byline!" Fuss's voice rises. "Bell is tight on him, refusing to dive in! Wait!"
"A feint with the right, a hop, and a disguised flick with the left!"
"A NO-LOOK PASS!"
While the defenders were mesmerized by David's movement, the ball was already rolling into the space behind them. De Bruyne meets it perfectly, a clinical side-foot finish that beats Karius once again.
2-0!!!
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