Just as he was about to shake off Rost, the Hamburg goalkeeper dove to the side.
He missed the ball, but his outstretched hand caught Wang Shuo’s foot, sending him tumbling to his left.
Only at that mont did a collective gasp erupt from the Mainz fans in Bruch Road Stadium.
The next mont, more than 20,000 people roared in unison: "Penalty!!"
"That has to be a penalty!"
"Referee, that’s a penalty!"
The TV comntator was also taken by surprise.
"Wang Shuo created a golden one-on-one opportunity, which is what he does best."
"But he suddenly went down inside the penalty area."
"Looking at the slow-motion replay, we can see it’s a clear penalty."
"Rost is going to get a card!"
The referee, Grafy, ran over quickly, pointed to the penalty spot, and showed Rost a yellow card.
A thunderous roar erupted throughout Bruch Road Stadium.
With Kalhan absent and Wang Shuo unwilling to take the penalty, Hainauer stepped up and converted it, opening the scoring for Mainz!
...
After the first goal, the ga completely opened up.
Mainz wanted to defend their top spot on the table, while Hamburg wanted to hold on to their current position.
Most importantly, both teams favored fast-paced, end-to-end tactics.
This led to an increasingly open ga.
In the 16th minute, just five minutes after Mainz’s goal, Jansen made a sudden overlapping run down the left flank. He received a pass from Trovsky and sent a cross into the box.
Although Petrich wasn’t particularly tall, he was an excellent header of the ball with a keen eye for goal. Squeezed between Subotic and Nowitzki, he managed to win the ball and direct a powerful header into the Mainz net.
1-1!
It’s level!
The Mainz fans were dejected.
’We only got to enjoy the lead for less than five minutes before they equalized?’
However, Hamburg’s joy didn’t last long.
Before the visiting team could even fully savor the joy of equalizing, Wang Shuo had already created another chance.
In the 27th minute, Wang Shuo dropped back in the left half-space and raised his hand, calling for the ball.
Hainauer, who was being marked by Hamburg’s defensive midfielder Jarolim, imdiately passed the ball to Wang Shuo.
Wang Shuo received the ball with his back to the goal.
Behind him, Guy Del was already right on his back.
"Watch your back!" Hainauer regretted the pass as soon as he made it.
’The mont Wang Shuo receives the ball, his man will get tight and challenge him physically.’
’And physical battles have always been Wang Shuo’s weakness.’
Hainauer imdiately turned and ran, looking to receive a lay-off from Wang Shuo.
But to his complete surprise, Wang Shuo had already anticipated Guy Del’s intent to close in.
In that split second, he chose not to trap the ball. Instead, in a flash of Spiritual Light, he executed a highly imaginative touch with the inside of his foot.
The ball arrived from Hainauer, and as it hit the inside of Wang Shuo’s right foot, it ricocheted behind him—right through the legs of Guy Del, who had just stepped forward.
Del reacted, instinctively trying to clamp his legs shut.
But it was too late.
"My God, a nutg!"
"An incredibly imaginative first-touch nutg from Wang Shuo, completing the Breakthrough!"
In the sa instant, Wang Shuo spun and took off, chasing after the ball.
On the left, Jero Boateng was also scrambling back desperately.
The two were in a footrace.
The Mainz fans in the stadium couldn’t contain their excitent, roaring their support for Wang Shuo.
In the end, it was Wang Shuo who got to the ball first.
But his path forward was cut off by Jero Boateng.
’If I keep going, he’ll get tight on .’
So, the mont he collected the ball, Wang Shuo stopped on a di.
Jero Boateng also stopped short.
Before Boateng could regain his balance, Wang Shuo quickly stepped out with his left foot, feinting as if to speed past him on the outside.
Boateng had a slight positional advantage and imdiately moved to block him off.
But Wang Shuo suddenly reversed direction, flicking the ball sideways with the outside of his right foot and cutting inside.
Poor Boateng. For a man standing a towering 1.92 ters tall, how could he possibly keep up with Wang Shuo’s successive sudden stops, changes of direction, and feints?
He imdiately lost his balance and slipped to the ground near the top-left corner of his own penalty box, watching in despair as Wang Shuo left him for dead.
Wang Shuo quickly carried the ball into the penalty area.
This ti, he didn’t wait for goalkeeper Rost to rush out. After a quick feint, he slotted the ball into the far corner with the inside of his right foot.
The ball flew past Rost and settled into the right side of the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"
"In the 27th minute of the first half, Mainz scores again!"
"My God, the wonderkid Wang Shuo has done it again!"
"Just monts after winning the penalty that led to Hainauer’s goal, Wang Shuo put together a brilliant series of moves and calmly converted the one-on-one opportunity to score one of his own!"
"2-1!"
"Mainz retakes the lead!"
After scoring, Wang Shuo excitedly ran to the edge of the pitch, clenched his fists, and roared at the fans in the stands.
All 20,000-plus fans in the stadium cheered for Wang Shuo in unison.
...
Once a ga becos this open, unless both sides are exhausted, it’s bound to beco a fight to the finish.
In the 31st minute, a high press from Mainz left an opening.
When Wang Shuo rushed to the right flank to press Jansen, Hainauer didn’t step up in ti to cover.
User Comments
0 comments from readers