Chapter 56: The Reign of Performance

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I am currently waiting for my dear laptop to arrive. I am so impatient—it’s another huge expense!

Simon Jentzsch has been consistently stable and impressive. He has made countless brilliant saves. If nothing goes wrong, he will be the best goalkeeper of the Bundesliga’s first half.

Jan Koller’s shot was incredibly powerful and fast. It could truly be described as forceful and imposing, radiating immense pressure. When the ball whistled out, almost everyone thought it was a guaranteed goal. Yet, in reality, Simon Jentzsch made a spectacular save. After the two collided, the ball was violently parried away.

"My god! My god!! The ball soared so high! My god!!!!! Poor Hofmann!"

Simon Jentzsch had done his best; no one could have done better. To not have that ball spill out would have been nothing short of miraculous. The ball was parried away by Simon Jentzsch, but it was not over yet.

"A header!!! Jan Koller’s header!!! Poor Hofmann! Using his two-meter frame, Jan Koller dominated Hofmann to head the ball in!"

Chen Nu’s voice was full of excitement. Jan Koller is most famous for his uncharacteristically delicate footwork, as well as his decisive headers. Jan Koller’s headers can be said to be just as powerful as his shots. Simon Jentzsch tried to react, but in the end, he could only watch helplessly as the ball hit the back of the net.

"1-0. Borussia Dortmund leads 1860 Munich 1-0 at their home ground. A beautiful header! Powerful shooting and delicate dribbling. This is the giant, Jan Koller."

At this moment, everyone’s eyes were fixed on the goalscorer; no one paid any attention to the dejected goalkeeper. Jan Koller stretched out his two-meter frame, raised his hands high, and roared defiantly. The cheers from the surrounding Dortmund fans were like a raging tsunami. If Zlatan Ibrahimović is later called Lü Bu, then at this moment, with his hands raised high, Jan Koller looks to me like the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu. Of course, only for this moment.

"The match has only reached the fourth minute, and Jan Koller has already scored the opening goal. You can see the entire stadium—the Dortmund fans are in a frenzy! How will 1860 Munich respond!?"

1860 Munich’s head coach, Pacult, looked somewhat incredulous. A hole in the defensive line!? No, that wasn’t it! It was simply that Jan Koller’s height advantage was too overwhelming! Coupled with Rosicky’s precise diagonal pass, Pacult really didn’t know what to say. Perhaps he could only hope that "that kid" would explode into action now!? After all, in every match Mo Mo has played, he has averaged a goal per game.

"Eleventh minute of the match, Dortmund presses their advantage. Their offense is very structured. The attack centered around Jan Koller has left the 1860 Munich backfield in chaos; they cannot find an effective way to contain Jan Koller."

Chen Nu was starting to worry for 1860 Munich. Since they couldn't contain him, and given that 1860 Munich’s defense was already a weakness, why try to fight strength with weakness!?

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"Huh!? A beautiful steal, the ball transitions to Shao Jiayi’s feet. Shao Jiayi is dribbling!!! A pass!!! Before the opponent can stick out a leg to intercept, Shao Jiayi releases the ball quickly! Who is there!? MO MO!!!! Just as expected!!!! Ah!!!!!"

This was a classic Mo Mo-style counterattack. Every time, Mo Mo appeared exactly where he needed to be. Mo Mo always made teams pay for their lapses in concentration and carelessness. However, this time, things seemed a bit different!?

"Kohler!!!! It’s Kohler!!! He is sticking to him like a shadow!!! Ah!!! Mo Mo!!!!"

Just when everyone thought this would be Mo Mo’s personal show, Kohler—the man known as the "Iron Plaster"—appeared. He might not be the first, but he was one of the few defenders capable of keeping up the moment Mo Mo made his first burst of speed. Mo Mo felt as if he were a mouse being stalked by an eagle; no matter how he tried to dodge or weave, he could never shake off his gaze.

In Mo Mo’s eyes, there was only the ball passed by Shao Jiayi. This was a great opportunity! Mo Mo thought to himself, quickly closing in on the ball! However, just as he was about to touch it, a massive force struck him, and Mo Mo felt as if he had been sent flying.

"Whoa!" The crowd let out a gasp. The referee signaled for play to continue, deeming it a fair challenge. Yet, Mo Mo clearly felt a push on his lower back and a tugging sensation; even as he fell, he took an elbow to the chest!

"Mo Mo has fallen to the ground, seemingly wanting an explanation from the referee, but the referee has signaled it was a fair challenge!? Hmm!? Is there a slow-motion replay? Let’s review."

"From the referee’s angle, it seems Kohler only bumped into Mo Mo, and then Mo Mo fell. The linesman is still moving quickly, unable to keep up with the speed of the ball."

"Hmm, from this angle, it seems Kohler had a slight tug!? Before the contact, it seems his right hand pushed very subtly!? Or was it just cushioning!?" (Back then, camera technology wasn't what it is today, so there was still a place for acting.)

Kohler had received a massive amount of yellow and red cards and was the most penalized player in the Bundesliga. Although the referee didn't find Kohler’s actions too excessive, he still gave Kohler a verbal warning during a dead ball.

"Yellow-skinned monkey, what are you pretending for!? Get up! You’re a 'future star' worth 36,000 Euros; if you break yourself, I can’t afford to pay for it."

Kohler taunted Mo Mo verbally. Veterans on the pitch often had such habits. Just like experienced drivers compared to new ones, everyone understands. Mo Mo glanced at Kohler but didn't say anything, as he keenly noticed the referee’s gaze shifting toward them again. Mo Mo sneered internally: *Playing dirty tricks, huh!?* Kohler laughed indifferently. *Didn't fall for it!? Fine, there’s plenty of time; I’ll deal with you slowly.*

The match continued, and Mo Mo was feeling annoyed because Kohler was always able to block his path. It was like an insurmountable wall! Most importantly, Kohler’s hands were constantly busy with small fouls, and whenever Mo Mo tried to accelerate, he would find a way to plant his foot in his path without looking too obvious.

"Mo Mo has fallen to the ground again. This time it seems Mo Mo accidentally bumped into Kohler’s leg!? Twenty-one minutes into the match, and Mo Mo has already fallen four or five times."

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Chen Nu also sensed something was wrong. Kohler was nearing retirement, and his previously dirty style of play had improved recently, but in this match, had it resurfaced?

While Chen Nu was thinking about this, 1860 Munich had another excellent opportunity!

"Thomas Hässler! This veteran has a wealth of experience. He drew the Dortmund players toward him and then played a sharp through ball! At the edge of the penalty area! Mo Mo!!! Where is Kohler!?"

Chen Nu was very surprised—surprised that Kohler was not by Mo Mo’s side. In truth, Mo Mo was also very annoyed. In this match, Kohler was like a fly and a mosquito combined. The fly just buzzes, but the mosquito also bites. Although a few mosquito bites were harmless, they were still incredibly irritating.

"Kid! You think you’re great, huh!? You think just because people outside are offering a high price for you, you’re something special!? I’m telling you, you won’t get past my defense today!"

Seeing Thomas Hässler surrounded by his teammates, Kohler felt relieved and started provoking Mo Mo again. He was just waiting for this young, wet-behind-the-ears seventeen-year-old to lose his temper and taste the cold reality of the world.

However, for the first time, Mo Mo responded to Kohler. Of course, if Kohler had paid attention, he would have realized that whenever Mo Mo started talking, it was the moment he was about to dribble past someone.

"Is that so!? At least my name is known across the world now. And you? To be honest, I haven't even heard of your name. To me, you’re just a fly, and to the world, I suppose you are too!? Haha."

What do old people value most!? Especially those nearing retirement, they value their past experiences most and take pride in their history. But Kohler was Kohler after all. Even though he was old and nearing retirement, his years of experience weren't for nothing. He didn't retort like a youngster; he just froze for a moment!

Because Kohler had been enjoying his taunts, and at that very moment, in his eyes, the lamb he was slaughtering—a stone that wouldn't talk—had actually spoken back! And the first thing he said was a retort and a mockery!

However, Mo Mo didn't need much; this split second was enough! Kohler had been able to limit Mo Mo primarily due to his anticipation of the ball's path, his vast experience, and his various dirty tricks. When he froze, even for just a brief moment, it was enough for Mo Mo to create distance.

*This kid! This kid!!*

Kohler looked at the number 27, Mo Mo, his eyes full of anger. The crowd let out a gasp because if Mo Mo got the ball, there would be nothing but open space behind him!

This was a massive gap. And just at that moment, a hand reached out.