Chapter 44

In the forty-fourth minute, with just one minute left in the first half, Borussia Dortmund got a throw-in on the left, just past the halfway line.

Left-back Großkreutz went to the Atlético Madrid ball boy to get the ball, ready to take the throw-in.

But the Atlético Madrid ball boy didn't immediately throw the ball back to him. Instead, he stalled for a moment before throwing the ball forcefully onto the pitch, over Großkreutz's head, and it landed near the center circle.

This was clearly a delaying tactic by the ball boy, not wanting to give Borussia Dortmund any attacking opportunities before the end of the first half…

Although Großkreutz had a bad temper, he didn't dare do anything to the ball boy, otherwise he would face severe punishment.

He could only throw his hands up and complain to the referee about the ball boy's behavior.

The stands erupted in applause and cheers from the Atlético Madrid fans, all for the "clever" ball boy.

Generally, the ball boys at a team's home ground are members of their own youth teams. So, naturally, they stand on the side of their senior team.

Marcel Reif criticized the ball boy's actions, saying, "This is very unfriendly and unnecessary…"

Zhou Yi didn't protest to the referee, nor did he argue with the ball boy. Instead, he ran over and passed the ball that the ball boy had thrown onto the field to Großkreutz.

After Großkreutz picked up the ball, he spread his hands out towards the ball boy.

The TV broadcast also gave the ball boy a close-up shot, and the boy in the shot gave Großkreutz a disdainful look.

He was considering Atlético Madrid's interests, and he wasn't afraid of a Borussia Dortmund player. He certainly knew that Großkreutz wouldn't dare do anything to him.

Großkreutz really didn't dare do anything to him. He didn't even dare curse, otherwise, after the game, media lip-reading experts would decipher what he said, and there would definitely be another uproar.

Großkreutz could only swallow his anger and endure it.

Then he threw the ball to Hummels, who came up to support him.

Hummels didn't stop the ball, but passed it back to him directly.

After Großkreutz hit the ball, he turned and saw Yan Min running to the front of his wing, so he passed the ball over.

Yan Min took the ball and turned, intending to dribble horizontally, but the Atlético Madrid player Tiago, who was defending him, tackled the ball away.

The tackled ball fell back to Großkreutz's feet. Of course, two Atlético Madrid players immediately blocked Großkreutz's path.

Großkreutz hurriedly turned and passed the ball back.

He passed it to Zhou Yi, who was supporting him in the center. Zhou Yi passed the ball to the right, to Piszczek, the right back who had come up.

When the ball got to Piszczek, he didn't know how to pass it. He looked up, but didn't see any good opportunities.

However, as a Borussia Dortmund player, there was one thing he should know very well, and that was that if you don't know what to do with the ball on the field, then pass the ball to Zhou Yi.

So Piszczek passed the ball back to the oncoming Zhou Yi.

Before that, Zhou Yi had been observing the situation on the field. He saw that after Yan Min was tackled, he didn't stay where he was, but was moving towards the center, but not quickly.

But when he passed the ball to Piszczek, Yan Min suddenly accelerated and rushed to the right wing. Because Reus's position was relatively far back, the Atlético Madrid defenders pressed forward, leaving space behind them.

Zhou Yi keenly realized that this was an opportunity.

Just as Piszczek passed the ball over, he didn't stop the ball, but pushed it directly towards the right side of the Atlético Madrid penalty area.

The ball rolled in a diagonal line across the grass, towards the empty space.

Of course, before Zhou Yi passed the ball, there was no one in that space.

But from now on, there wouldn't be.

Yan Min went straight into that spot, and Godín, one of Atlético Madrid's center backs, followed. But he didn't try to steal the ball from Yan Min's feet, but instead drove Yan Min towards the sideline and out of the penalty area.

Godín's defense was still very experienced. With his defense, it was difficult for Yan Min to get a chance to turn around. He could only be "pushed" out of the penalty area by Godín.

At this time, Filipe, Atlético Madrid's left back, also ran up, and he and Godín sandwiched Yan Min.

Seeing reinforcements coming up, Godín took the initiative to stick to Yan Min, with movements on his hands, pulling on Yan Min's left arm to prevent him from easily shaking him off and creating space for himself. At the same time, he was stuck on the baseline side, preventing Yan Min from sneaking past.

At this time, Filipe also pressed up from the other side, and the two of them sandwiched Yan Min in the middle, pushing him towards the sideline.

Once he got to the sideline, Borussia Dortmund's attack would basically be at a dead end.

Zhou Yi had seen the gap and passed the ball into it. Yan Min had also run into the gap, but Atlético Madrid's response to this defense was excellent, preventing Borussia Dortmund from launching this attack.

Yan Min was close to being forced into a dead end. Under the joint attack of Godín and Filipe, he seemed to have no way out.

But just as he was about to reach the sideline, Yan Min pushed Filipe with his left hand, and suddenly stepped the ball behind him with his right foot. At the same time, he pulled his left arm out of Godín's arms, and quickly turned around, wanting to squeeze through the gap between Filipe and Godín!

Godín's defensive experience was so sophisticated. Seeing Yan Min turn around, he immediately leaned his body up to fill the gap.

At the same time, Filipe cooperated tacitly with him, and immediately swung his foot to poke the ball.

One man sticking close, the other man intercepting, they wanted to completely block Yan Min's breakthrough.

But Yan Min's foot speed was faster than these two tall defenders. Yan Min reached out with his left foot and pulled the ball back before Filipe could!

Filipe didn't expect Yan Min's footwork to be so fast. His foot was already stretched out, but he didn't kick the ball, and he missed.

Immediately afterwards, Yan Min pulled the ball back with his left foot, and pushed the ball out again with his right foot. The ball slipped between Godín's legs, who was caught off guard.

While pushing the ball, Yan Min started, like an electric sports car, starting at an extremely fast speed, and instantly squeezed through the gap between Godín and the baseline!

Nutmeg!

When Godín turned around in a hurry, Yan Min had already got the ball behind him.

"Yan Min! Oh, oh, oh, oh! Beautiful breakthrough! What a wonderful individual performance!" Marcel Reif exclaimed.

But Yan Min, who had completed the double breakthrough, didn't continue to dribble towards the goal. After observing, he decisively swept the ball with his right foot towards the center of the penalty area, near the penalty spot!

There, Zhou Yi was moving forward, facing the ball from Yan Min, and he shot!

As the straightened leg shot the ball out, it pressed firmly on the grass.

The ball flew forward rapidly across the grass. The grass, which had been watered before the game, was a little wet and slippery, reducing friction and speeding up the ball.

Although there were two Atlético Madrid defenders and goalkeeper Courtois in front of Zhou Yi and the goal, the ball that Zhou Yi kicked still brushed past them and flew towards the goal.

Neither of the two Atlético Madrid defenders were able to touch the ball. In fact, they didn't even have time to react, because Zhou Yi's shot was too decisive and too fast.

Courtois did dive to the side and try to save. But he had been drawn to the near post by Yan Min's breakthrough, and the ball that Zhou Yi shot went straight to the far corner. The distance was a bit too great, and he didn't touch the ball at all…

Under the horrified gaze of countless Atlético Madrid fans, the ball rolled unimpeded into the goal!

In the forty-fourth minute of the game, Borussia Dortmund scored a goal.

"Zhou Yi! Zhou Yi! Zhou Yi! Zhou Yi!!! Wow! Great!!" Marcel Reif shouted excitedly. "Zhou Yi's ground shot sent the ball into Atlético Madrid's goal! He pulled a goal back for Borussia Dortmund, and most importantly, this goal widens the gap between the two sides again, and Borussia Dortmund also has an away goal! Next, even if Atlético Madrid scores two more goals to tie the aggregate score, they will still be eliminated due to the disadvantage of away goals, unless they score three more goals… It was already very difficult to score three goals when it was 0:3, and Atlético Madrid finally scored two goals, but Zhou Yi's goal made all their previous efforts in vain!"

"Yan Min's breakthrough! Beautiful! Pass… hey Zhou Yi! Good ball! Good ball! A clean and crisp ground shot!" He Ping was also very excited. "He scored a key goal, as if he personally hammered a nail into Atlético Madrid's chest!!"

Zhou Yi was also very happy after scoring. He pointed at Yan Min and ran towards him. The greatest credit for this goal actually belonged to Yan Min. If it weren't for his miraculous breakthrough on the wing, he wouldn't have had any chance.

Yan Min also pointed at Zhou Yi, waiting for Zhou Yi to come up.

Although his breakthrough was very beautiful, if no one came to shoot the ball into the goal, then all the previous efforts would be meaningless.

The two hugged each other, and more teammates swarmed over, surrounding them in the middle.

And Atlético Madrid's home stadium, the Calderón, fell into a brief silence…