Chapter 31: A Classic Lord of the Rings Maneuver Reenacted—And the Target of the Bloodbath Is Me?
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“Lin Hao!”
“He rises high above Mario Eggimann!”
“A bullet header!!!”
“Hannover 96 goalkeeper Florian Fromlowitz throws himself across goal!”
“Brilliant!!”
“Brilliant!!!”
“But there will be no miracle!”
“Lin Hao’s header has slipped beyond Fromlowitz’s fingertips and nestled into the far corner!”
“Two–nil!”
“Two–nil!!!”
“Another perfect combination from China’s twin stars!”
“Lin Hao has scored his second goal of the match!”
“A textbook cross from the wing!”
“Lin Hao!!!”
“He has created both goals himself and put Schalke 04 ahead away from home!”
A thunderous header had just exploded into the net.
He Wei, naturally, once again lost himself in a roar of ecstasy from the commentary box.
Likewise, in front of the substitutes’ bench, Magath—who only moments earlier had been worrying that his new tactics would become a laughingstock—completely let himself go after Lin Hao’s second goal.
This time, the old coach even celebrated with an impassioned knee slide in front of the home bench.
Unfortunately, Magath’s technique was not quite up to the task.
The moment his knees touched the grass, he executed a spectacular faceplant.
“Fuck!!!”
“Mark that Schalke winger!!!”
“Leon Andreasen! What are you doing?”
“You let him get past you that easily?”
The match had gone from Hannover holding the advantage to suddenly trailing by two goals.
At that moment, Mirko Slomka, who had always appeared utterly confident, was visibly rattled.
Yes, his team had managed to shut down Schalke 04’s central attacks—the same attacks that had given every opponent so many headaches in recent weeks.
But who could have imagined that Schalke’s wing play would be this devastating as well?
That Chinese player whose name he could not even pronounce had completed two assists in barely twenty minutes.
This would not do.
He could no longer focus exclusively on defending the center.
He had to spread his team out.
Otherwise, Hannover might concede three or more before halftime.
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While Schalke 04 celebrated, Mirko Slomka quickly summoned his players and instructed them on a new defensive strategy.
Likewise, when Magath saw Slomka calling his own players back, he immediately waved his attacking players over.
Before the match, Slomka’s 4-5-1 had caught Magath off guard.
But Magath was, after all, a top German coach who had already led a team to the title.
How could Slomka’s adjustment possibly escape him?
“We continue with the same system as before!”
“But remember: begin our attacks from the wings. Lin, don’t drop back immediately. Wait until Hannover shifts its defensive pressure toward the flank, then come back for the ball!”
“You are the central pivot!”
“Raul or Huntelaar—you can choose freely where to distribute the ball!”
There was a kind of difference that came down to sheer strength.
Schalke 04 had not yet adapted to its new formation, while Slomka had also been fortunate enough to anticipate Magath’s tactics in advance.
That was why the first dozen minutes at the AMD Arena had produced such an unexpected turn of events.
However, after Lin Hao and his perfect partner had put two goals past Hannover 96 in such a short span, that misleading picture of the match was completely overturned.
Especially after Magath’s latest adjustments.
At last, the scene awaited by the more than three thousand Schalke supporters who had traveled with the team had arrived.
The Schalke 04 that had nearly toppled Bayern from their throne the previous season was back.
The thirty-fourth minute!
Schmitz launched an attack down the left.
Following Slomka’s instructions, Hannover’s midfield immediately shifted across to cover that side.
But just as every Hannover 96 player assumed Schmitz would combine with Rakitic and continue advancing along the flank, Rakitic cleverly let the pass run through.
That single touch of deception allowed Lin Hao, who had suddenly dropped back to offer support, to receive the ball almost completely unmarked.
He raised his right foot without the slightest hesitation.
Lin Hao sent the ball to Raul, who had already found space at the top of the Hannover 96 penalty arc.
Raul took it with his right foot and nudged it slightly to the left.
After turning, he unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike.
“Bang!!!”
For the third time that afternoon, Hannover 96 supporters heard that despairing explosion inside their own stadium.
That was Raul.
One of the finest strikers in the world.
Given the freedom to shoot, his ferocious effort sailed past the helpless Fromlowitz and nestled firmly into the net for the third time.
“Whistle!!!”
The referee blew his whistle and pointed toward the center circle with both hands, signaling that the goal stood.
“Brilliant!!!”
“Raul with a devastating left-footed strike!”
“There is no suspense left now!”
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“Before halftime, Schalke 04 are already three goals ahead!”
“Two goals and an assist for Lin Hao!”
“Judging by this, Lin Hao will probably be named man of the match again today!”
Inside the AMD Arena, after scoring his team’s third goal, Raul excitedly threw an arm around Lin Hao as the young player rushed over to celebrate, then performed his trademark ring-kissing gesture once more.
The entire Schalke 04 team erupted into celebration, while Magath, in front of the substitutes’ bench, was naturally pumping his fists and shouting at the top of his lungs.
Three goals ahead before halftime—Magath was finally able to relax.
And in his eyes, the real massacre had only just begun.
Still, what truly delighted him was not the victory that was already all but secured.
What delighted him was that this match had revealed another use for Lin Hao.
At six feet two, combined with that remarkably reliable heading ability, Lin Hao was not merely capable of dropping back to link play.
When the moment demanded it, he could damn well serve as a fixed target and focal point up front!
And then there was Hao Junmin.
Before this match, Magath had still been wondering how to fit Hao into the team once Atsuto Uchida returned.
But after these two assists, Magath had already decided to hand the right midfield berth to the veteran.
That almost terrifying understanding between Hao and Lin Hao—
Magath even felt Hao Junmin might have a chance of becoming the Bundesliga’s assist leader this season.
One side rejoiced while the other despaired.
The entire Schalke squad, along with the supporters in the stands, celebrated until their voices were hoarse.
In front of the Hannover 96 bench, however, an absolute silence had descended.
Mirko Slomka, who had confidently vowed to avenge his dismissal at his former club’s expense on his own home ground, now sat on the bench with a face ashen as death.
More than thirty minutes gone, three goals behind.
And Schalke 04’s morale had completely caught fire.
Slomka knew all too well that Schalke were the kings of playing with momentum. He already understood what awaited him.
Yes.
This match really would become a slaughter.
But the team being slaughtered…
was his Hannover 96.
Postscript: Please support the novel in every way you can. The results are freezing, and my heart is even colder than the noodles I’m eating!
Waaaaah!