LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 236
[Uh?! The ball deflected off Son Jinho and is heading toward the goal!]
[No Neuer! Neuer is not in the goal right now! The rolling ball just!! Just~~!! Went in! Son Jinho’s lucky goal! Manchester United starts to pull ahead with Son Jinho’s first goal!!]
[Son Jinho is really celebrating with a bright smile!]
└ Wasn’t he seriously pissed when he got hit from behind earlier?
└ Yeah, right?
└ But why is he suddenly in a good mood?
└ Isn’t it because of the goal bonus?
└ Goal bonus? Isn’t that just a small amount?
└ Isn’t the goal bonus several tens of millions of won? That’s what I heard.
└ That could be it, and if he hits certain attack points, he gets even more.
└ Damn, so there was a reason why my brother was smiling brightly.
└ I also want to get hit by a soccer ball on the back of the head and receive several tens of millions.
└ Is it possible for Jinho to get hit by a cannon shot and get 20 million won?
└ Are you crazy? It’s going at 120 km/h! Hahahahahaha!
└ Hahahahahahahahahaha!
└ Damn it, if you get hit by that, you’ll be dead.
└ So, you won’t do it then?
└ Hell no!
└ Wow. If you get hit and also receive insurance money, it would be like printing money, yet you’re not doing it. Hahaha!
[On the other hand, the Bayern players can’t hide their exhausted smiles. This goal must have dealt a significant mental blow.]
[Indeed. It’s really frustrating to concede a goal like this in an important tournament like the Champions League.]
[But the game isn’t over yet! Bayern players need to gather their mental strength and face the remaining time of the match!]
***
After Neuer’s clearance accidentally hit the back of my head and shook Bayern Munich’s net.
It was clear that the mental state of Bayern Munich players was shattered.
As the Champions League semi-final draw was announced, and German media mentioned Bayern Munich’s jinx, the players combined their jinx with the absurd goal they just conceded and their morale plummeted in an instant.
“Don’t they seem out of it?”
“SIU.”
“Let’s push hard in the first half.”
“That’s a good thought, Son Jinho, so pass it over to me.”
Well. Anyway, Bayern Munich shaking with misfortune was a lucky situation for Manchester United.
With a lucky goal boosting their momentum, Manchester United trapped Bayern Munich in their own half, essentially playing a half-court game.
“God is with us!”
Amidst the somber atmosphere in the home stands, the cheers of Manchester United fans could be heard from the away section.
Fuelled by the crowd’s support, United players struck harder at Bayern Munich.
Just a little more pressure could lead to another goal.
But Bayern Munich is still Bayern Munich.
Even in their shattered mental state, they desperately blocked our shots.
Thud─!
And among the Bayern players, the one making the most noticeable plays was the culprit Manuel Neuer.
Determined to make up for his blunder, he showcased a series of insane saves.
Manchester United’s attackers just couldn’t breach the wall that was Manuel Neuer.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot was once again blocked by Neuer’s save.
“Hostia Puta Madre─!”
While Ronaldo shouted an intense curse into the air.
“Chris, pass the ball!”
Robin van Persie, who had a perfect far-post opportunity, expressed his dissatisfaction by pointing with both hands at Ronaldo.
Had Ronaldo not been greedy and passed the ball to Van Persie, United could have pulled ahead by another goal.
“SIU.”
But Ronaldo, who had no intention of passing from the start, easily ignored Van Persie’s protest.
“Don’t wake the little kid inside me, Chris.”
Robin van Persie erupted with anger at Ronaldo’s shameless attitude.
In any other team, this situation could create distance among forwards, but…
“Yeah. We’ve always had a scramble for resources.”
The distrust directed at each other and the blind obsession with themselves among our attacker buddies was a minor issue.
And that scramble for resources wasn’t a bad thing for me.
In fact, my value shot up even more as the forwards’ chemistry worsened.
Look at this now.
“Son Jinho, pass me back right now!”
“Jinho, the little kid inside me wants a goal.”
World-class attackers who would be treasured on any other team are obsessively begging me for passes.
“Divide and conquer.”
At this moment, I fully understood the teachings of my great ancestors.
“Pass to me, and I’ll return it double!”
With an innocent expression, I coordinated between Robin van Persie and Cristiano Ronaldo, showcasing my self-serving nature.
Just as England acted as mediators for the peace of the European continent (?),
“This is truly destiny!”
The mediator for peace in Manchester United was none other than me, the descendant of the great British Empire, Son Jinho.
***
“SIUUUU─!”
“Oh, sorry. The shooting angle looked good, so I shot without thinking.”
While Son Jinho, who committed a Ponzi scheme, quietly increased his shooting count without Van Persie or Ronaldo noticing.
Time flew by, and soon, the end of the first half was approaching.
Still, Manchester United was pressuring Bayern Munich.
[Once again, saved! Manuel Neuer!!]
Manuel Neuer was still showcasing an incredible display of saves.
[What monstrous reflexes! Ronaldo was sure that shot was a goal!]
Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot was blocked by Neuer’s save, crossing the goal line.
[Following, Manchester United’s corner kick.]
The referee declared a corner kick for Manchester United.
[Son Jinho prepares for the corner kick.]
While Manuel Neuer urged his teammates and raised their spirits,
Prepared Son Jinho pushed the ball into the penalty box.
[Son Jinho, delivers to the penalty box!]
Cristiano Ronaldo jumped towards Son Jinho’s ball.
Jerome Boateng leapt alongside to try and hinder Ronaldo’s header.
[Ronaldo─!!! Uaaaah, hit the crossbar!!!]
The ball, hitting Ronaldo’s head, hit the crossbar and dropped into the penalty box.
[Hey, the situation’s not over yet!]
In front of the goal, chaos ensues.
[Robin van Persie’s shot! Ah! Ronaldo ducked to avoid it, but ended up blocking it with his butt!]
As Son Jinho, who handled the corner kick, slowly made his way toward the penalty box.
[Robin van Persi, holding his head in pain, while Cristiano Ronaldo raises his hand in a gesture of apology!]
The ball that hit Ronaldo’s butt bounced toward Son Jinho.
[Huh? The ball is rolling toward Son Jinho!]
As Neuer lost his balance while moving to block Van Persie’s shot.
[Son Jinho Shooooot!!!]
Confirming Neuer’s position, Son Jinho calmly aimed for the right far post.
[Uaaaah! It’s in! Son Jinho! A wonder goal from Son Jinho! Scoring a double in the first half against Bayern Munich!!]
Son Jinho’s curved shot was devoured into the corner of the net.
“Woohoooo─!”
“SIUUUUUUUUUU─!”
Son Jinho immediately dashed to the away fan section and performed a double woo celebration with Ronaldo, who assisted.
“…Give me back my goal, you bastards.”
And thus, Robin van Persie, who had his goal snatched away, looked on at Son Jinho’s celebration with a despondent expression.
***
[The first half of the match has concluded. Contrary to expectations of a high-scoring game from a quick first goal, the scoring has been surprisingly low.]
[Yes, Manchester United had many opportunities, but failed to convert them into goals. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich displayed a dedicated defense despite the turmoil.]
[That’s right, particularly the impressive saves by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.]
└ Is Neuer really insane? He’s stopping everything;;
└ For real lol. He’s hitting those shots that seemed like guaranteed goals, leaving us speechless.
[He made a mistake right from the start, yet among the Bayern players, he was the first to pull himself together and successfully prevent another goal.]
[If a goalkeeper keeps showcasing fantastic saves, the flow of the game begins to shift, right? Although he did concede a goal towards the end of the first half, considering the gradually rising form of the Bayern players, it seems the second half might become a bit more intense.]
***
As halftime ended, the second half commenced.
Unlike the first half, the second half began with Bayern Munich’s aggressiveness.
[Bayern Munich is launching an attack right at the start of the second half!]
Having somewhat regained their mental state during the halftime break, Bayern players were determined not to waste their home game in lethargy.
Right at the start of the second half, they began applying intense forward pressure, disrupting Manchester United’s buildup.
As Manchester United’s defensive line was forced to lower and regroup due to Bayern Munich’s strong pressure.
An intense attack from Bayern Munich unfolded.
Schweinsteiger stole the ball from Ilkay Gündoğan and immediately passed it forward.
Schweinsteiger’s pass went to the intimidating-looking Frank Ribery, who broke through Manchester United’s right-back Kyle Walker and attempted a cross.
Ribery’s low and swift cross penetrated the space between the defenders and the goalkeeper.
Inside the penalty box, Mario Mandzukic stretched out his leg, looking at the ball.
Thump.
“Get there!”
Perhaps it was the fervent wish of the Bayern Munich home fans?
The ball that touched Mandzukic’s toes changed direction, and slid through David De Gea’s side, shaking Manchester United’s net.
Mandzukic, who picked the ball from the net, briefly skipped the celebration and sprinted back to the half-line.
“FC Bayern, Stern des Südens, du wirst niemals untergehn! (FC Bayern, star of the south, you will never fall!)”
Bayern’s fans started singing their anthem to encourage the players not to give up.
Bolstered by the fans’ cheers, Bayern Munich pushed for an equalizing goal after scoring but failed to further shake Manchester United’s net.
The Champions League semi-final first leg ended in a victory for Manchester United.
***
[Bayern Munich shocked at home by Manchester United.]
[Son Jinho’s double goal dealt a crippling blow to Bayern Munich.]
[Manchester United wins 2-1.]
[Despite making a mistake, Manuel Neuer is selected as M.O.M. “I’m sorry to the fans…”]
└ Wow, he made a mistake and lost, but still gets M.O.M.
└ But to be honest, he deserves it. I thought he was insane.
└ Today, Neuer was basically Lev Yashin incarnate. Agree?
└ Agree lol.
└ Still, Jinho scored twice. Shouldn’t he get it?
└ If Neuer hadn’t been there, it would have at least been 7-0;;
└ Mandzukic scored one goal, but where’s that going?
└ That happened before the game blew up damn it;;
[Son Jinho cautiously comments on the lucky goal. “It’s not luck but positioning.”]
└ Hahahahahahahaha!
└ But looking at the second goal, wasn’t the first also based on positioning?
└ That was god-tier positioning, wow.
└ No, it means that positioning is Son Jinho-tier.
[Right after the match, Son Jinho spoke with the Bayern Munich players. When asked by reporters about what was said, he responded, “What matters is not the win or loss, but an unyielding spirit.”]