Hennes nodded in firm agreent.
Rumnigge, however, was noncommittal.
For so reason, he didn’t have a good impression of Wang Shuo.
Though they had never t, Wang Shuo’s attitude, as relayed by his agent, made Rumnigge very uncomfortable.
Just like... Tony Kroos.
Coincidentally, one of the two lads was from East Germany, and the other was from China.
Rumnigge’s impression of them both was poor, even quite terrible. He felt they were both disobedient, nothing but troublemakers.
Most importantly, Rumnigge saw no trace of reverence for Bayern in their eyes or words.
"Franz, what do you think of the match so far?" Hennes changed the subject.
Beckenbauer shook his head. "There are no major issues with either coach’s tactics. Klopp is working with the hand he was dealt. Klinsmann is a bit conservative, but his approach is stable and reliable."
"It seems this past season dealt a huge blow to his confidence, but he’s matured because of it."
At their level, the outco of a single DFB-Pokal final wasn’t really a major concern.
Hennes and Rumnigge exchanged another glance.
Beckenbauer’s insight was still as sharp as ever.
"Don’t mind that we’re down 2-0. With Bayern’s strength, that’s not a problem at all."
"In the end, it all cos down to us."
"Luca Tony and Klose’s form isn’t sharp enough right now, and they’re both getting on in years."
One is thirty-two and the other is thirty-one. It’s the end of May, so it’s perfectly normal for their form to be off after a grueling season.
"Now it’s all up to Ribery!"
"If we can equalize before halfti, then we can win it in the second half!"
...
It was as if the Bayern players on the pitch had heard Beckenbauer’s words from the stands.
After Mainz scored their second goal, the Bayern players seed to have been slapped awake.
From the 35th minute on, the Bundesliga titans swiftly turned the tide. They stabilized their midfield, controlled the tempo, and began applying constant pressure, launching wave after wave of attacks on Mainz.
This period also coincided with a point in the first half where Mainz’s energy levels were starting to drop after two periods of intense pressing.
Especially after the 40-minute mark, Mainz was forced completely onto the defensive.
Bayern began to push forward in droves.
And right in the 44th minute, Ribery again took the ball on the left flank and burst into action.
The French "Scarface" first got past Hogland, then cut inside horizontally with the ball. He shook off Helle and, while being harried by Kalhan, suddenly charged into the Mainz penalty area.
Mainz’s entire right flank couldn’t stop Ribery, allowing Scarface to power his way into the right side of the penalty area.
As Ribery bypassed Kalhan and entered the box, the young Bungert rushed out to intercept, but accidentally tripped him, sending the Frenchman tumbling to the ground inside the Mainz penalty area.
The referee, Fleischer, imdiately blew his whistle for a foul and pointed to the penalty spot.
Mainz’s captain, Nowitzki, ca forward to protest, arguing that Ribery had dived to earn the penalty.
But Fleischer maintained that Bungert had indeed committed a foul.
Was it a dive?
In a situation like this, it was hard to say for sure.
If Bungert hadn’t made the foul, Ribery would have been through on goal and might have scored anyway.
So, Bungert received a yellow card.
After climbing back to his feet, Ribery walked to the penalty spot, set the ball down, and prepared to take the kick himself.
During the 31st round of the Bundesliga season, in Bayern’s away match against Cottbus, Ribery had missed a penalty, even though Bayern won 3-1.
The French "Scarface" was clearly determined to redeem himself.
This ti, after a composed run-up, he coolly dispatched the ball into Dimo Wahe’s goal.
2-1!
The entire Olympic Stadium erupted with cheers from the Bayern fans.
To pull one back with a penalty just before halfti was absolutely crucial for Bayern.
For Mainz, however, conceding a penalty in the first half was still sothing of a morale blow.
The 2-1 scoreline made the second half that much more suspenseful.
Wang Shuo felt a similar sense of concern.
After all, the biggest test for Mainz would co after the 60-minute mark, once their energy levels dropped off sharply.
But as they returned to the locker room, he still went over to console the young Bungert.
Any defender marking Ribery in the penalty area would find themselves in an incredibly difficult position.
Ribery was, without a doubt, one of the most individually skilled superstars in world football!
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