"I'm so done. I turned down a modeling audition just to watch you guys lose?
Anna had just pulled out her phone when Aunt Maria glared at her, and she sheepishly put it back in her pocket.
Borussia Dortmund in early November had already entered late autumn, and the weather was getting colder.
The Westfalen stands, however, were sweltering.
Especially the front row seats close to the field, where shirtless drunkards linked arms, singing and dancing, not stopping for a second.
Apart from the extreme fans of the supporters' club, everyone else in the stands looked rather gloomy,
like the future of Borussia Dortmund this season, with no hope in sight.
"Hot dogs are here! And beer!"
"Great!"
At a stadium of over 80,000 people, to be able to queue for hot dogs and beer during halftime, Uncle Hans had some skill.
"Aren't you eating?"
"No, I need to lose weight."
Anna glanced disdainfully at the sizzling sausages.
"Hey! Look, who's that!"
As the Borussia Dortmund players gradually returned to the field, eagle-eyed Aunt Maria shrieked, pointing at a familiar figure on the field.
"God! He can play in the first half, that's great!"
"Huh, Chen Tao really came on?"
"Of course, maybe he's the only one who can save the team!"
Uncle Hans kept boasting about the talented player Chen Tao, and his good brothers around him were tired of hearing it.
Everyone was looking forward to what changes this 15-year-old Chinese player could bring.
"Oh, that's just stupid. What the team needs now isn't acrobatics, but truly simple and efficient offense."
A discordant voice suddenly emerged among the fans.
Uncle Hans immediately retorted:
"Robert, why don't you believe it?"
"It's not like I haven't seen his games. What's the use of good technique? Cup games and League games are two different things."
The bearded white middle-aged man with glasses was quite disdainful.
"Loaning him makes no sense, he's purely for show."
"What did you say?"
Uncle Hans turned around menacingly, his burly figure exuding a powerful aura.
The man with glasses, Robert, recoiled half a step:
"I'm stating facts."
"Stop arguing, everyone should support every player no matter what."
"Yeah, we're all brothers."
Members of the fan club, Yellow Black Prussia, all spoke up to mediate.
Uncle Hans wouldn't allow anyone to look down on Chen Tao:
"Care to make a bet! Chen Tao will definitely play a crucial role today!"
"Who's afraid of whom!" Robert was not to be outdone.
"If he creates even one goal, I'll give you 100 Euros."
"Deal! If Chen Tao can't lead the team to equalize, I'll give you 200 Euros!"
"Done!"
Robert was beaming, he was sure to earn those 200 Euros!
"You're too impulsive."
Aunt Maria quickly pulled her husband's arm.
A bet is a bet, but with such a big stake, her heart was bleeding.
"I won't allow anyone to underestimate Chen Tao. Just wait and see, I won't lose money."
"Let's hope so."
Maria instinctively clasped her hands together, silently praying for Chen Tao, who had come on as a substitute.
Anna watched coldly with her arms crossed, she didn't understand why her father trusted a Chinese person so much.
It was just ridiculous.
With strong curiosity, Anna's gaze instinctively locked onto Chen Tao on the green field.
He looked full of vitality, constantly raising his legs high to warm up on the field.
"I have to say, he's quite handsome. It's a shame if he doesn't become a model."
Anna, with her professional model's eye, was extremely satisfied with Chen Tao's appearance.
His height of 185 cm, coupled with his tall and upright figure, and that face with an Eastern charm…
She realized for the first time that Chen Tao on the field was really handsome, she hadn't noticed before!
...
"Chen Tao, come, let's do it together."
After warming up on the field, Chen Tao and his teammates put their arms around each other's shoulders and formed a circle.
Captain Kehl's expression was firm and full of passion:
"Two goals down is nothing, I believe in everyone, I believe in each person!"
"My lads! This is Westfalen! 80,000 people are watching us! Can we disappoint them?"
"No!!"
"What do we do?"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"Second half, certain victory!"
Chen Tao roared loudly with his teammates, and the cold air instantly became boiling!
Facing a 0-2 deficit, everyone had not given up and still maintained their desire for victory!
That's right!
What are two goals? Let's get them back!
...
"Oh? We notice that Borussia Dortmund is making a substitution in midfield."
"The 15-year-old Chinese prodigy Chen Tao comes on as a substitute, replacing the underperforming right winger, number 16 Błaszczykowski."
"Chen Tao has broken the Bundesliga's youngest appearance record!"
"Previously, it was held by his teammate Nuri Şahin at 17 years and 82 days, but Chen Tao's Bundesliga debut age is…"
Commentator Sauer gasped.
"15 years and 132 days! Unbelievable! Is Thomas Doll crazy?"
It's understandable to use young players for training in the German Cup, but in such an important League focus match, at a crucial moment for points…
What's the meaning of putting a 15-year-old on the field?
What if he doesn't perform, or performs poorly? Wouldn't he be criticized by the media and fans?
Putting such pressure on a 15-year-old could very likely destroy his confidence!
"Since Thomas Doll is willing to make such a bold and radical substitution with a 0-2 deficit, let's see what magic number 24 Chen Tao possesses."
The second half kicked off, and visiting team Werder Bremen still controlled possession.
Werder Bremen's 4-4-2 diamond midfield had full control.
Attacking midfielder Diego, central midfielders Frings, Borowski, and Alberto, all four were strong in both attack and defense, forming a passing and control system.
Diego, relying on his exquisite footwork, constantly delivered brilliant through balls, allowing Hugo Almeida and Rosenberg to frequently threaten the penalty area.
For a time, Borussia Dortmund had no answer for them.
Until the 49th minute of the second half, when Chen Tao, playing as a makeshift right winger, touched the ball for the first time.
Dortmund goalkeeper Weidenfeller passed short to the defender, Mertesacker gave it to defensive midfielder Kehl.
Kehl, facing an interception, passed wide to full-back Patrick Owomoyela.
Patrick looked up, saw Chen Tao calling for the ball, and passed it without hesitation.
He wasn't worried about Chen Tao losing the ball at all.
As long as Chen Tao didn't shoot, no one could tackle him!
But others didn't know that Werder Bremen's left-back Boenisch quickly pressed forward, sticking close to Chen Tao.
A scrawny Asian, 15 years old, right?
Let you feel the intensity of the Bundesliga!
Boenisch directly used his upper body to lean in, while hooking the ball with his foot, attempting to disrupt the opponent's balance and complete a tackle.
He had long forgotten the coach's instructions, something about paying attention to the opponent's footwork?
Footwork my ass!
The best weapon to bully youngsters is physical confrontation!
"It's over."
The Borussia Dortmund fans at the stadium felt a pang in their hearts.
The young Asian apparently didn't realize the danger, he looked completely unprepared, even more innocent than a fawn in the forest.
Just when everyone in the stadium thought Boenisch would successfully tackle, Mesut Özil on the bench frowned!
"Not good!"
In an instant, even if he realized the danger, it was too late to warn him!
He could only watch as Chen Tao lightly tapped the ball with his heel, perfectly nutmegging his opponent!
The step his teammate took to press forward just gave him enough space!
Chen Tao seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, timely bending his waist and turning to avoid the fatal collision, catching up to the ball with an easy touch, and leaving his opponent behind!
Everything happened too fast!
Boenisch didn't hit anyone, he almost stumbled himself, and in a flash, Chen Tao had already bypassed him, completing a breakthrough!
"Beautiful!!! A spiritual dribble! Chen Tao—"
He had an open field in front of him!
His first touch dribble caught Werder Bremen off guard!
I'm making a soup!
Chen Tao stopped pretending, instantly bursting into a sprint, fiercely charging into Werder Bremen's territory!
Werder Bremen sounded a piercing alarm!
"Fuck!!"
The tall center-back Mertesacker felt a chill in his heart, quickly moved over to cover, lowering his center of gravity to observe his opponent's movements.
"Come on, let's see how you can get past… Damn it!!"
Chen Tao feigned a bicycle kick, quickly closing in, his right foot hooking his left foot attempting a change of direction, then using the outside of his foot to hook his right foot, dropping his shoulder to the right.
Just as Mertesacker confidently moved in that direction,
Chen Tao suddenly completed a third change of direction, the outside of his foot hooking back was a feint!!
In a flash, he used a 'roulette' to pull the ball back at the last moment!
As the two crossed paths, in Mertesacker's terrified peripheral vision, Chen Tao's eyes held only terrifying calmness!
"Devil!"
"Oh oh oh oh—What did I see? Chen Tao, he's in! He's gone past two players and burst into the penalty area!!"
The Westfalen Stadium was ignited by Chen Tao's continuous dribbling, and 80,000 people erupted in a thunderous roar!
Everyone was waiting for Chen Tao to shoot!
Except for Borussia Dortmund's own players.
"Don't shoot, don't shoot, please don't shoot…"
You can dribble, but don't shoot!
But Chen Tao still took a shot!
Bang!
He lifted his foot sharply, swinging his right leg to strike the ball!
Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese was startled and flew up, diving towards the far post!
The next second, however, was astonishing.
Chen Tao simply didn't hit the ball cleanly; instead, the ball bounced off his standing foot, perfectly rocketing towards the center.
Alexander Frei had already positioned himself, and facing a half-open goal, he calmly and simply pushed the ball in.
"Alexander Frei!!!"
"A brilliant assist! Extremely imaginative!"
"Who would have thought that after only 5 minutes on as a substitute, the 15-year-old dark horse Chen Tao would tear open a gap on the wing and deliver a wonderful pass to his teammate in the middle!"
"Borussia Dortmund forcefully pulls one goal back! They still have enough time to turn the tide!"