The match officially kicked off at 3:30 p.m. local time.
However, even before the game began, thunderous cheers erupted when Klopp emerged from the tunnel.
Although Klopp had since left Mainz, the fans still remembered him and his contributions to the team.
Witnessing such a heartwarming scene, Ye Chen couldn't help but wonder: When I return to Dortmund someday, will I be welcomed the same way?
No, wait...
He hadn't even played a single game for Dortmund yet, and he was already thinking that far ahead! Could it be that he was naturally a bit overconfident?
Pondering this, Ye Chen followed Klopp and the other substitutes toward the bench.
"Ye Chen!"
A crisp voice suddenly called out as Ye Chen was passing the crowd in thought. He instinctively turned and froze.
"Lina? What are you doing here?" Ye Chen looked incredulously at the cheerful young girl, dressed in a striking yellow jersey.
What stood out the most was that she was seated in Mainz's fan section, where her yellow figure stood out like a beacon in the sea of red.
Lina beamed. "Of course, I came to watch your debut! Good luck!"
"I will! I'll call you later!" Ye Chen made a phone gesture toward Lina as he spoke.
Lina nodded enthusiastically.
"Ye! What are you doing? Hurry up!" Klopp shouted from ahead, noticing Ye Chen lagging behind.
Kuba, who was walking behind them, put an arm around Ye Chen and teased, "Ye, is that your girlfriend? She's really pretty!"
Ye Chen shook his head. "No, she's just a friend."
But even as he said this, Ye Chen paused. Did he actually have a friend now? Could Lina be his first real friend in this world?
The match officially began. Dortmund employed their favored 4-2-3-1 formation.
Kagawa Shinji played centrally as the tactical core, flanked by PeriÅ¡iÄ on the left and Götze on the right. Lewandowski led the line as the lone striker, with captain Kehl and GündoÄan anchoring the midfield.
Among these five players, Kehl was perhaps the least renowned but remained indispensable to Dortmund. His exceptional defensive abilities and strong leadership made him a vital assetâa player with immense mental fortitude.
With the referee's whistle, the match commenced, and an intense midfield battle ensued.
Kagawa Shinji quickly became the target of heavy attention, suffering four fouls within the first ten minutes of the first half. Mainz's players cleverly took turns fouling him, keeping the referee from issuing any cards despite tallying the infractions.
Dortmund's best chance came at 14:24.
SubotiÄ passed to Piszczek in the backfield, who then found PeriÅ¡iÄ. The latter cut inside and drew defenders before threading a pass to an unmarked Kagawa outside the box.
Kagawa's quick shot curled past the goalkeeper but struck the post with a resounding thud, causing Mainz's fans to break out in cold sweats.
This, however, was Dortmund's only clear opportunity in the first half. Mainz, on the other hand, created a golden chance.
At 32:24, Soto broke past Löwe on the flank and delivered a low cross to the edge of the box. Nicolai Müller, charging forward, unleashed a powerful strike.
Weidenfeller, Dortmund's goalkeeper, froze in place. The ball was simply too fast.
The home team, Mainz, led 1â0 by halftime. Their fans roared in celebration, the stadium almost shaking from the fervor.
In Dortmund's technical area, Klopp was visibly furious, shouting instructions at his players. Löwe, in particular, bore the brunt of his wrath. Unfortunately, Dortmund's right-back position was their weakest link, and Löwe had struggled against Mainz's quick and skilled wingers.
Visibly frustrated, Löwe muttered to himself, What could I do? The opposing player is fast and skilled!
After taking the lead, Mainz slowed the pace and focused on midfield control. Kagawa, who often operated more like a shadow striker than a traditional attacking midfielder, struggled under heavy marking, and Lewandowski found little space up front.
Mainz's center-back Pospech played a critical role in this. Though known for his passing, his defensive positioning was impeccable, intercepting two through balls intended for Lewandowski.
The first half ended with Mainz leading 1â0. Klopp stormed into the locker room before the whistle blew, a clear sign of his dissatisfaction with the team's performance. Even Ye Chen could tell that his teammates seemed out of form.
The hot weather, with temperatures nearing 30°C in September, may have been a factor. But excuses wouldn't help; what mattered now was figuring out how to turn the game around.
As Ye Chen stood up from the bench, a familiar notification sound echoed in his mind.
"Ding! Match Task Triggered: Lead the Black and Yellow to a Comeback!"
"Success: Reward â Silver Chest. Failure: A random skill will be deducted."
Ye Chen's heart sank. He only had three skills, two of which were S-tier. If he failed and lost one...
"Can I refuse the task?" Ye Chen muttered.
"Declining the task will be treated as an automatic failure, and a skill will be deducted."
"Fine! Have it your way!" Ye Chen gritted his teeth.
Of course, he was just joking with the system. As a player hungry for victory, he would give his all for the team, task or no task.
Still, he didn't remember the outcome of every match, especially since he hadn't been a regular Dortmund fan. The one match he vividly recalled was the 2012â2013 Champions League final, where Dortmund lost 2â1 to Bayern. But that was irrelevant now. What mattered was the present match.
One step at a time, one goal at a time.
Back in the locker room, Klopp was already arranging tactics on the board. He turned to Lewandowski and said, "Robert, rest up for the second half and prepare for the midweek Champions League game. Ye, you'll replace him. Any issues?"
"No problem at all!" Ye Chen roared, adrenaline surging through him.
If only there were background music to accompany this moment, like when anime protagonists make their grand entrance.
But his enthusiastic outburst startled everyone. Klopp frowned, "Keep it down! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
Ye Chen winced and quickly apologized. "Sorry, sorry! I just got a little too excited!"