"Beep!"
Ye Chen passed the ball to Götze and sprinted forward. Götze quickly sent the ball back to GündoÄan behind him.
As Ye Chen surged forward, Dresden players moved to intercept him. Two midfielders from Dortmund's youth academy, Soleija and Arne Schulz, closed in from both sides, while Koch blocked Ye Chen's path ahead.
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A smiling Jan Jun commented, "The match has just started, and Ye Chen barely started running before getting marked by two midfielders! It seems breaking records won't be easy for him today!"
Zhang Lu nodded in agreement. "If I were a Dresden player, I wouldn't let him break a Guinness record easily either!"
Jan Jun's smile faded. "In the last match against Cologne, it was just one player shadowing him. This time, there are two! Isn't that too targeted?"
"What choice do they have?" Zhang Lu chuckled. "If they don't mark him, he might score five or six goals like he did in the Bundesliga. Letting him roam free would be disastrous. But we must admit, Bundesliga defenses are tougher than those in the J-League. Ye Chen's twelve goals here are more impressive than Nakayama Masashi's sixteen."
"Guinness World Records don't account for difficulty, though," Jan Jun sighed. "It's all about numbers. This record remains Nakayama's, no ties or asterisks allowed!"
Meanwhile, on the field, Ye Chen sensed something unusual. Typically, only one player would closely mark him; assigning two disrupts defensive formations. If two players were marking him, then one of his teammates had to be open.
Dresden employed a 10-1 formation todayâa heavily reinforced defensive "bus" strategy. Except for forward Porter, every Dresden player was stationed in the backfield. Soleija and Schulz shadowed Ye Chen relentlessly, while Koch anchored the central defense, and wingers Fier and Trojan dropped back to assist defensively.
The result? A giant metaphorical bus parked in front of the goal, with two "ticket inspectors" constantly checking on Ye Chen.
Fans noticed this strategy and were visibly frustrated. Dresden seemed determined to prevent Ye Chen from making history, despite the fact that this would honor Dortmund. Breaking a Guinness World Record would reflect well on the club, too!
The crowd began chanting Ye Chen's name, rallying behind him. But after five minutes, Ye Chen still hadn't found a solid opportunity.
By 2:32 into the match, Ye Chen attempted to drop back for the ball. Soleija and Schulz followed immediatelyâone marking his back, the other ready to block any breakthrough. When Ye Chen spun gracefully past Schulz, Soleija went for a sliding tackle. Though it knocked Ye Chen down, the referee deemed it fairâcontact is part of football.
On the ground, Ye Chen realized they were well-practiced in this double-marking strategy. One tackled while the other ensured no feints or breakthroughs. In essence, running freely today was impossible.
On the sidelines, Klopp studied the situation calmly, observing how Ye Chen would handle it. Meanwhile, Löw watched with intrigueâevery star player faces such defenses. The difference between stars and average players lies in problem-solving.
Messi, for example, is often double-marked. He typically releases the ball quickly, which requires exceptional passing skills and vision, as well as strong support from teammates. Cristiano Ronaldo, in his early Manchester United days, often broke through defenses solo, while later adapting to teamwork at Real Madrid.
In the stands, Ferguson smiled with interest.
"Alex, what do you think Ye will do?" David Gill asked curiously.
Ferguson pointed to GündoÄan. "Either teammates provide support, or he uses himself as bait, allowing others to score and psychologically break the opposition's defense."
"But won't that prevent his hat trick?" Gill questioned.
"Personal glory matters little compared to team success," Ferguson replied firmly. "If he squanders opportunities without the team leading, we'd reconsider signing him."
Football is a team sport; overemphasizing individual achievements is misguided. Just like Barcelona's Dream Team era wasn't just about Messi but also Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets. Similarly, Real Madrid's peak involved not just Cristiano Ronaldo but also Benzema and their iconic midfield trio.
Ye Chen, meanwhile, decided to solve the problem differently. Passing was one option, but he had another: if they wanted to follow him, he'd make them run until exhausted!
As he passed GündoÄan, Ye Chen whispered, "Ilkay, focus on passing to the flanks. Their wingers are weaker defensively; exploit that with wing-backs!"
"Got it!" GündoÄan nodded. Though less experienced, his football IQ was high.
Switching positions frequently, Ye Chen darted between the left and right flanks, forcing Soleija and Schulz to chase tirelessly. Dortmund's offense momentarily stagnated, with Ye Chen's constant marking disrupting their rhythm.
By the 21st minute, Dortmund still hadn't found a breakthrough. Broadcasters noted the team's unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation, likely a tactical experiment. Seeing Shinj Kagawa warming up on the sidelines, it was clear Klopp was addressing the issue.
But just as commentators lamented Ye Chen's inability to score, he got the ball near the right flank. Soleija and Schulz closed in, with defenders still waiting behind them. Dresden's bus was in full effect.
Ye Chen faked a dash down the sideline, prompting Soleija to lunge forward. Suddenly, Ye Chen stopped sharply and cut inside toward the penalty arc.
"Not good!" Soleija panicked, but Schulz was already sliding in for a tackleâthis time directly targeting the ball. However, Ye Chen's quickness left Schulz tackling air. As he cut diagonally, he dodged Koch's sliding tackle as well, creating space.
From just outside the box, Ye Chen unleashed a powerful left-footed shot.
"Boom!"
The ball flew like a cannonball toward the goal, leaving fans in awe. All eyes were on the soaring ball as it rocketed toward its destination.
Even seasoned spectators on the coaching benches held their breath.
For those watching, the scene was uncannyâreminiscent of Robben's signature move. Yet, it wasn't Robben. It was Ye Chen.