Alexander Frei, the Swiss national team captain and Borussia Dortmund's leading striker, had a solemn expression. His abilities were well-rounded; he could shoot with both feet, and his finishing had the potential to reach the highest levels of Europe. But Frei himself knew that his biggest weakness was his mentality. His goal drought since the new season began made him constantly doubt himself, miss chances, and gradually fall into a vicious cycle.
*Yeah, he scored in the derby but after a lot of hardship and a result of spoon-feeding.
However, as Borussia Dortmund's lone striker, he was the one primarily responsible for finishing. With his team currently trailing Atlético Madrid, Frei bore a great deal of responsibility. Coming out of the dressing room at halftime, he was originally immersed in gloomy emotions. Unexpectedly, someone patted him on the back.
"Alexander, arguing with your wife again?"
"No."
"I thought you were looking troubled because of the missus at home."
"You—you fellow—" Alexander Frei couldn't help but smile wryly at Jin Hayes's nonsensical banter. He knew that Jin was just trying to help him cheer up and break free from his self-blaming emotions.
"Thanks, Jin. I'm fine. In the second half, I'll try to create space for you. If there's an opportunity, you try shooting yourself."
"Huh? Me?" Jin Hayes pointed at his own nose.
Why are both Klopp and Frei saying this? You clearly know my shooting level!
"Yes, that's right. Your shooting is usually indeed off, but I can vaguely feel that you have world-class ability in you."
"This—" Jin Hayes was stumped by him, not knowing if he was talking about Agüero on the opposing team. In the team, not to mention Reus or Jakub Błaszczykowski, even Hummels's shooting was more reliable than his own.
"Believe in yourself!" Alexander Frei's gaze regained its firmness. He patted Jin Hayes's back and jogged towards the pitch.
"If I believed you, I'd be insane. My shooting is more accurate than yours." Hummels popped up from the side to retort, a nasty grin on his face.
"Asshole!" Jin Hayes aimed a kick, but Hummels dodged it. Still, kind-hearted Reus was good, giving Jin Hayes a thumbs up: "Jin, ignore him. I believe in you!"
For a moment, it was hard to tell if he was serious or mocking.
Jin Hayes ran onto the pitch, thinking: Is there a chance to trigger "Causality Shot Enhancement" today?
...
Swish—the second half began, and the contest between Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid entered a white-hot stage. Atlético Madrid still adopted a defensive counter-attacking strategy, their backline as solid as a rock, launching attacks through the two wings via Simão and Maxi Rodríguez. Up front, they only needed Diego Forlán and Agüero; these two world-class strikers were enough to pose a sufficient threat, preventing Borussia Dortmund from fully committing to attack.
"Agüero!!! Another dangerous shot attempt!"
"…Agüero, to the middle, Diego—"
"Beautiful!! Weidenfeller makes a world-class save! Atlético Madrid's corner kick!"
"…It's Diego Forlán again!! His header is cleared off the line by Hummels!! Still a corner kick!"
"Atlético Madrid have already had their seventh corner kick opportunity of the match. Borussia Dortmund's defensive pressure is immense right now!"
Every counter-attack by the 'Rojiblancos' could pierce straight into Borussia Dortmund's vitals. If there were heart rate monitors in the stands, every home fan's pulse would likely exceed 120. Atlético Madrid's two strikers were terrifying!
"Simão takes the corner! It's Diego Forlán again!"
Watching Diego Forlán suddenly surge forward from outside the box, gaining perfect heading space, the home fans held their breath. If he headed this in, Borussia Dortmund, trailing 1–3, would fall into an absolute disadvantage—and all their efforts from the previous season would be for nothing.
Dortmund's defence was stretched thin, with defensive stalwarts like Hummels and Subotić pulled out of position. Nuri Şahin wasn't tall enough to challenge Forlán in the air. The closest one left was Jin Hayes. He had decent height, but his aerial ability and jumping were both mediocre. How could he defend?
"Fuck!!!"
Forget it!
Jin Hayes instinctively rushed up and leaped to contest the header. After his physical enhancement, every step he took on the grass left deep imprints. The burst of power from his legs and core allowed him to take long strides and launch himself beside Diego Forlán.
Still not enough!
Damn it!!
Diego Forlán stood at 180 cm, but he was a striker by nature, with outstanding jumping ability. With a running start, his jump height slightly exceeded Jin Hayes's. He was about to flick his head to complete the shot.
In desperation, an unyielding fire suddenly erupted in Jin Hayes's eyes. An inspiration instantly spread from his mind throughout his entire body. At that moment, Jin Hayes immediately entered that familiar ethereal state. He forgot everything—focused solely on surpassing his opponent and winning the header.
Jin Hayes himself wasn't aware of it, but his teammates and opponents watching keenly noticed an unexpected scene.
"Holy shit!!" Goalkeeper Weidenfeller's mouth formed an 'O' shape.
Agüero, who was marking nearby, stopped and widened his eyes. Even Diego Forlán, who was contesting the header, watched with an incredulous look as Jin Hayes's jump suddenly soared, dominating the aerial duel with sheer force.
"WTF? What's going on?"
"The corner kick is well delivered—Diego Forlán!!" The Spanish commentator was very excited, his "Goooal" almost on his lips, about to burst out. Immediately after came the astonishing jump of the young player, clearing the ball over Diego Forlán's head.
"Goooooal" instantly turned into "Ohhhhhh no."
"Unbelievable, Jin!! A successful clearance! He could practically go dunking!! Borussia Dortmund have escaped a disaster!!"
The Westfalen fans had been almost in despair, holding their heads and sighing—until King Jin Hayes once again stepped forward, becoming Borussia Dortmund's saviour.
"Yeah!!!"
On the pitch, the Atlético Madrid players' reactions were completely opposite. They had been almost raising their hands to celebrate, but the duck at their mouth flew away; a certain goal was actually cleared by the midfielder. Their raised hands awkwardly fell behind their heads as they clutched their skulls in regret.
"Opportunity!"
"Now's the time!"
"Charge!"
At the same moment, Captain Sebastian Kehl, Nuri Şahin, Marco Reus, Jakub Błaszczykowski, Alexander Frei, and Jin Hayes—several of them keenly sensed the chance for a counter-attack simultaneously. In a manga, close-ups of each person's determined eyes would split the frame. The Borussia Dortmund players were united in thought.
All of them launched forward together.
The black-and-yellow youth storm ignited, sounding the horn for a counter-attack.
"Kehl wins the first ball, chests it down—beautiful!! Turns and sweeps!"
"Nuri Şahin! Dribbling towards the front!"
It's over.
Seeing this scene, Atlético Madrid coach Javier Aguirre's eyes narrowed, and his heart sank. Nearby, Jürgen Klopp clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "Come on, boys! Come on!"
The well-drilled Atlético Madrid players sensed trouble and retreated almost immediately. The closest man, Simão, quickly moved to cover, cutting diagonally to block Şahin's path. Şahin had excellent footwork, but he wasn't fast, nor was he particularly strong. He was about to be slowed down.
Whoosh—a black-and-yellow figure, perfectly timed, swept past like a whirlwind. Nuri Şahin instinctively threaded a through ball, bypassing Simão, finding that person. No need to think—it had to be Jin. Jin had been training so hard; his explosiveness was no longer what it used to be. His thirty-metre sprint was gradually becoming top-tier in the team. His growth rate was simply monstrous.
"Jin!! Receives the ball and continues to surge forward!"
"Dortmund's counter-attack is progressing quickly, forming a four-on-two situation!"
Centre-backs John Heitinga and Luis Perea had both gone into the box to contest the corner kick. Defending deep were right-back Georgios Seitaridis and left-back Antonio López. The two experienced defenders didn't rush in recklessly; instead, they lowered their centre of gravity, maintained distance, and retreated while defending. Each was responsible for their own defensive zone, trying to block the key passing lanes.
Even with four Borussia Dortmund players advancing, they didn't dare to pass carelessly. Atlético Madrid's handling of being outnumbered was textbook-perfect—calm and steady. Now Jin Hayes faced three choices: Reus on the left, Jakub Błaszczykowski on the right, or Frei in the centre.
The central option most tested passing technique, and facing such a rare opportunity, Jin Hayes was quite cautious. The left and right sides were common choices for professional players, but they could also easily be contained by opponents, who would defend the outside and block the inside, forcing the play into the narrow space on the wings.
Usually, when faced with a seemingly easy goal-scoring opportunity, many players, in the heat of the moment, often make even more erratic passes. Borussia Dortmund fans and Klopp were all holding their breath for Jin Hayes.
Of course, Jin Hayes also had a fourth option—a habit of many 'lone wolf' players: dribble himself. Charge straight through!
"Jin is still dribbling forward, but Atlético Madrid's retreat is very fast; they are already surging back like a tide!"
The disciplined Atlético Madrid players rushed back into their own half at a speed no less than Borussia Dortmund's attackers. As the pursuers closed in, every eye in the stadium focused on Jin Hayes.
He feinted as if to change direction to the right, making a move that suggested he intended to break through on his own. This matched everyone's expectation—Jin's first goal had been a solo dribble. This guy preferred to trust himself.
Seitaridis's composure was broken by the feint. Jin Hayes's dribbling was simply a nightmare for Atlético Madrid players. Worried that his teammates couldn't handle him alone, Seitaridis quickly moved to help double-team.
But just as he took a few sideways steps to close the gap, while Jin Hayes was dribbling at full stride, his ankle suddenly gave a subtle flick.
"Heartfelt Pass!"
¿Nani?!
Impossible!
What??
To the astonishment of the Atlético Madrid players, Jin Hayes looked to the right while passing to the left—without even glancing in that direction. A no-look pass. The ball skimmed the turf like a remote-controlled missile, drawing an elegant arc and arriving precisely at Reus's feet.
Many years later, when Kevin De Bruyne emerged and his curved passes shocked the world, the Belgian would state in an emotional interview: "I've always been a fan of Jin Hayes. Ever since I saw his match against Atlético Madrid, I've been practising that passing technique. I finally mastered it."
Jin Hayes's flick of the ankle sent out a blade of light, piercing Atlético Madrid's defence and threatening their heart directly. The pass is always faster than the man. In the first half, Agüero had cut diagonally into the box, his shot piercing Dortmund's vital spot. In the second half, Jin Hayes's brilliant pass transformed Reus into the Yellow Jackets' sharpest blade. He had chosen to trust his teammate.
You can do it, Marco. Let the world see your strength.
"Jin, thank you." Reus murmured to himself, his eyes calmer than a killer's. Facing a near one-on-one situation, he didn't need to adjust his steps. The perfect pass allowed him to wrap his foot around the ball and create the most perfect arc.
Sword light flashed.
Atlético Madrid was pierced through by Jin Hayes and Reus working together in a single stroke.
"A perfect counter-attacking combination! This is the Yellow Jackets' youth storm!"
"They haven't given up! The youngsters, united in purpose, have equalised the score!"
"2 to 2!"
"Borussia Dortmund has enough time to defend the Westfalen!"
Under the stadium spotlights, the high-five between the black-haired youth and the blonde-haired youth couldn't help but remind fans of the legendary high-five from Slam Dunk. The passion and youthful spirit from the manga were perfectly replicated on the real-life pitch.
As the entire Westfalenstadion erupted in cheers, as all the Yellow Jackets embraced in celebration, Jin Hayes's eyes, which had been filled with excitement, slowly returned to clarity. He was pondering a question.
What happened with that jumping clearance in the box?