Chapter 243: Wonder Goal! The Super Brain! The Premier League's Version of El Clásico!
"The ball is still at the feet of the Bayswater Chinese."
"The visitors are continuing their early-game pressure."
"Let's see—they're once again attacking down the left."
"Gareth Bale on the ball, passes it back to Toni Kroos."
"More deafening boos rain down from the Bayern supporters."
"But the German midfielder is unfazed—takes a step and swings a long-range horizontal switch."
"This is Kroos's specialty."
"His long passes are fast, low, and incredibly precise."
"Piszczek steps up to receive it."
"Bayern's defense is shifting quickly to adjust."
"Since Heynckes took over, Bayern's defensive organization has changed significantly."
"Their ability to move as a unit is much improved."
"Piszczek lays it off to Di María."
"Back inside to Modrić, who's made a run from deep."
"Modrić drives forward, reaches the right edge of the box."
"Lewandowski is at the top of the D… lets it run!"
"There's more!"
"Gareth Bale! He's in position!"
"Doesn't shoot—lets it run again!"
As Gareth Bale let the ball roll through, Toni Kroos was arriving full speed at the edge of the penalty area on the left.
As the ball rolled slowly toward him, a fierce desire surged in Kroos's chest.
A hunger unlike anything he'd ever felt.
He believed—no, knew—he could bury it.
He stepped into the edge of the box with his left foot, planted himself, and swung his right.
As the ball came into his path, he struck it cleanly—like a golfer with a perfect putting stroke.
He used the front inside of his right foot, brushing under the ball just enough to lift it into the air with added speed.
The ball curved elegantly—like a painting come to life—and swerved into the top right corner of Bayern's goal.
A pure top-corner screamer!
Absolutely unstoppable!
And Kroos's technique—his touch—was pure, clean, and decisive.
No hesitation. No wasted motion.
Just a perfect finish.
Even Neuer, who was standing slightly right of center and had already launched himself toward the shot, had no chance.
2–0!
"GOOOOOAAAAAL!!!!"
"In the 16th minute, under relentless pressure from the Bayswater Chinese, Bayern Munich concede again!"
"And it's former Bayern man Toni Kroos with the goal!"
"Look at him—Kroos is fired up! He sprints to the sideline and lets out a furious roar!"
"It's revenge!"
"All that bitterness buried deep inside—finally unleashed!"
"The Bayswater Chinese have played a stunning match so far."
"From kickoff until now, they've attacked again and again, mostly from the left, and Toni Kroos has orchestrated an absolutely brilliant sequence of plays!"
"And this goal—what a world-class strike!"
The entire Bayswater Chinese squad sprinted toward the sideline to celebrate with Kroos.
One assist. One goal.
Just 16 minutes in, Toni Kroos had already put on a midfield masterclass.
Bayern Munich looked helpless against the tidal wave of attacks from the visitors.
The 66,000 fans at Allianz Arena were silent for several seconds.
They were stunned by the sheer intensity of the Bayswater Chinese.
And by the fury in Toni Kroos's roar.
This was Allianz Arena.
And yet the Bayswater Chinese had sliced Bayern apart—twice—like it was nothing.
And Kroos—the player they'd insulted for two years, their former golden boy—
had responded with a goal and an assist.
A loud, resounding slap in the face.
And yes—it was intentional.
Everyone could see it.
But so too was the fact that his talent had gone unrecognized here at Bayern.
…
In the executive box at the Allianz, Bayern's entire board of directors, including the supervisory committee, sat together.
They had come to lend their support—this match was that important.
After all, the Champions League final this season would be held here.
Not just Bayern, but the city of Munich—and all of Germany—had high hopes.
Everyone wanted Bayern to reach the final and lift the trophy at home.
Bayern had spent big last summer.
But now, facing the Bayswater Chinese, the entire club suddenly realized—
the gap was enormous.
Sixteen minutes in, and the visitors had scored twice.
The first, a volley from Di María assisted by Kroos's brilliant diagonal.
The second, a curling worldie from Kroos himself.
Before that, Kroos had already delivered a horizontal switch that tore Bayern's shape apart.
And scenes like that had already played out multiple times in the match's opening moments.
It was as if Kroos had come to the Allianz with one mission: revenge.
East Germany's own Yuri, seeking his vengeance.
"We have to admit—it was a mistake."
That came from Beckenbauer himself, smiling wryly as Kroos and his teammates finished celebrating and returned to the pitch.
It was a kind of joy he had never seen from Kroos during his time at Bayern.
Not even at Leverkusen.
Beckenbauer's words made Rummenigge, Hoeneß, and Nerlinger visibly uncomfortable.
They were the ones who had made that decision.
The supervisory committee had approved it too—
But unlike them, the board didn't have to answer for poor results.
Their job was oversight, not accountability.
"He clearly holds a grudge against us. That might not be such a bad thing," Beckenbauer added.
Gasps all around.
How could that possibly be good?
Hoeneß was the first to get it.
"A grudge means he still cares about the club. Bring him back. Make him a key figure."
"Exactly," said Beckenbauer, ignoring Rummenigge's sour expression.
"A player like Kroos is incredibly rare in European football. He's still young. Pay up and bring him home. Think of the extra money as a training fee for the Bayswater Chinese."
The entire supervisory committee nodded—including Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer.
"Right now, Kroos sees Bayern the same way Eto'o saw Real Madrid:
a love turned to hate. That's normal.
So if we step in and talk to him—he'll probably be open to returning."
Hoeneß agreed.
He wanted to correct the mistake himself.
After all, it had been his mistake.
Back on the pitch, with the Bayswater Chinese leading 2–0, the match resumed.
And it was clear: Heynckes had decided to pull the team back.
He had no other choice.
Conceding two goals in just 16 minutes? There was no alternative.
Normally, in this kind of situation, a team would choose to play it safe—defend, slow the pace, and try to grind it out against Bayern Munich.
After all, it was the first leg and an away match.
With two away goals already in hand, Yang Cheng's team had every reason to play conservatively.
But Yang Cheng chose a different path.
He kept attacking.
It was a bold approach—fearless and relentless—and one that gave Bayern nightmares.
The Premier League powerhouse had both technical and tactical superiority. Continuing to attack meant forcing Bayern to stay on the back foot. And they dominated possession.
Many people debate which managers are attack-minded and which are conservative.
The truth is: you know by what they do in moments like this.
And there was no doubt about Yang Cheng—he was a madman for attack.
If Bayern didn't drop deep, they risked getting torn apart.
Even if they weren't destroyed, an open attacking game against this team? Could Bayern really win that battle?
How many goals would they concede at home?
So Heynckes made a pragmatic, cautious decision.
And it exposed the reality: Bayern just weren't good enough.
Especially in midfield.
Heynckes had stacked the center—Gustavo, Tymoshchuk, and Schweinsteiger were all in the midfield, and Thomas Müller often dropped back to help.
But they still couldn't contain Kroos and Modrić.
Especially Toni Kroos.
The German midfielder kept finding space to receive the ball.
Receive, pass, move.
Receive, pass, move…
He never held onto it too long.
Every touch was clean, every decision sharp.
Forget not man-marking him.
Even if Gustavo shadowed him every step, it wouldn't stop him.
At best, they could limit his forward passing lanes.
"I once had a conversation with Yang Cheng at an event," said Beckenbauer quietly. "He said something controversial, but I think there's some truth to it."
Everyone turned their heads—Rummenigge, Hoeneß, all of them.
Yang Cheng's quotes weren't often heard publicly.
"In recent years, European football's tactical evolution has become more intricate and complex. The mind has become just as important—perhaps even more important—than physical attributes. It's now the most vital and precious quality in a player."
The instinct of everyone in the room was to refute it.
Most of Bayern's leadership had played football.
Any footballer would tell you—without physical ability, you can't play.
But the more they thought about it, the harder it became to argue.
Because the perspective Yang Cheng was coming from… was also their perspective.
At the level of clubs like the Bayswater Chinese, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid—
yes, physical ability is important.
But it's also… not.
Because at that level, you can scout talent from the entire world.
Everyone who enters your radar is already physically elite.
If they weren't, they'd have been filtered out long ago.
Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, even Ligue 1—all these leagues have no shortage of physically gifted players.
What's rare… is brainpower.
So, if viewed from a grassroots perspective, Yang Cheng's statement was controversial. Maybe even wrong.
But from the lens of a top-tier club—from the elite level—it was absolutely correct.
Just look at the Bayswater Chinese midfield.
Kroos and Modrić need no introduction.
Even Matić started his career as a No. 10.
Javi Martínez, too, was once a central or attacking midfielder.
Aaron Ramsey, Pogba, De Bruyne—no need to elaborate.
He had taken a group of natural No. 10s and molded them into a midfield unit, each with unique roles and traits.
But what they all had in common—was football intelligence.
At the moment, Kroos and Modrić were the crown jewels—true football brains.
…
In the end, it was Di María and Toni Kroos who gave the Bayswater Chinese a 2–0 away victory over Bayern.
Outside of those two early goals, no one scored again for the remainder of the match.
But it wasn't for lack of trying.
The Bayswater Chinese kept pushing forward, kept creating chances.
Either Bayern's defense held firm, or Neuer made one outstanding save after another.
That was the only reason the scoreline didn't grow.
Bayern, by contrast, simply had too few chances.
They didn't get their first shot until the 26th minute.
At home.
At the Allianz Arena.
In the first half, they had only two shots.
That says everything about how much they were dominated.
Still, Heynckes' team managed to avoid conceding a third goal.
That was something.
Bayern's most dangerous attack came after the 80th minute.
By that point, the Bayswater Chinese were starting to tire after wave after wave of attacking.
Bayern seized the moment to strike.
The best chance came in the 86th minute.
Alaba whipped in a low cross from the left. Müller cut it back to the center, and Gómez struck from 10 yards.
But under heavy pressure from Thiago Silva and Pepe, the shot was blocked.
The Bayswater Chinese immediately launched a counterattack.
Marcelo fired a long pass into space.
Gareth Bale tore forward. He tried to cross to the far post for substitute Walcott,
but Lahm blocked it.
Bale then took a low shot with his left foot, aiming for the far corner—
only for Neuer to come out fast and make another save.
And with that, the match ended.
A 2–0 road win for the Bayswater Chinese.
…
"The Bayswater Chinese Walk Tall Out of Allianz Arena!"
That was the headline Bild published immediately after the match.
In its post-match commentary, Bild wrote that the Premier League giants had overwhelmed their hosts, walked away with a dominant win, and pocketed two priceless away goals.
"They already have one foot in the Champions League semifinals!"
Bild claimed that Bayern's hopes of lifting the trophy on home soil were all but shattered.
"They were defeated by a team with a clear and overwhelming footballing advantage."
But the German media also noted there were things to admire about Bayern.
For instance, even after conceding two early goals in 16 minutes, they didn't collapse.
They didn't raise the white flag.
They fought to the end.
"In the darkest of moments, even in the final minutes, Bayern still tried to save themselves."
"Unfortunately for them, their opponent was the Bayswater Chinese."
"Currently the strongest team in European football."
Kicker magazine's midweek Champions League edition featured two giant cover words: "Regret" and "Revenge."
The regret was Bayern's.
Germany's reigning kings had hoped to win this year's Champions League.
But they ran into the Bayswater Chinese in the quarterfinals.
Unlucky.
"Football has its own secret code for winning.
But on this night—that code belonged to the Bayswater Chinese."
Kicker also focused on Toni Kroos.
The German press called it the East German's revenge on Bayern.
"Since transferring away from Bayern, this was Kroos's first return to Allianz Arena.
And all match long, he demonstrated masterful control of possession and passing."
Kicker magazine noted that over the past two years, Toni Kroos had shown nothing but cold shoulders and harsh words toward Bayern Munich—highlighting the obvious tension between them.
And now, the German midfielder had returned to the Allianz Arena and proven his worth.
"He personally shattered Bayern Munich's greatest hope—not just of this season, but arguably of the last ten years!"
"Brutal!"
Kicker stated that at the Bayswater Chinese, Kroos had flourished under Yang Cheng, finding the perfect role—something Bayern had never been able to offer him.
"This was something Bayern simply couldn't give him."
The German media widely acknowledged that the Bayswater Chinese, now one of the strongest teams in Europe, had already placed one foot firmly in the Champions League semifinals.
Because statistically, losing 0–2 at home and turning it around away was nearly impossible—
Unless, of course, a miracle happened.
"But don't forget—the Bayswater Chinese are unbeaten at home!"
While the German media expressed melancholy and disappointment, the British press struck a different tone—heaping praise on the Bayswater Chinese while mercilessly mocking Bayern.
"See you in the final, Bayern!"
"Munich's nightmare!"
"Justice has been served—Bayern punished by fair football!"
Nearly all British headlines pointed in the same direction:
Bayern were finished.
As for the Bayswater Chinese, British media generally agreed that Yang Cheng's side was not only more stable than last season but also more balanced.
This made them overwhelmingly dominant on the pitch.
Bayern head coach Jupp Heynckes, in his post-match press conference, publicly congratulated Yang Cheng and his team.
But he emphasized, "Bayern will not collapse!"
Heynckes admitted that Yang Cheng's side was the most talented in Europe at the moment—playing the most beautiful football, boasting the strongest attack and the most solid defense.
"We were a little slow getting into the game. Conceding two early goals hurt. But the rest of the match, we did alright."
"The opponent was extremely strong. They controlled the game from start to finish and gave us very few opportunities."
Heynckes acknowledged that the 0–2 scoreline at home had made the second leg away incredibly difficult.
Turning the tie around would now require a miracle.
"But I want to say—we will not collapse, and we will not give up. We believe we can still turn it around in the second leg!"
Yang Cheng, at his own press conference, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance.
He specifically praised Toni Kroos.
With a goal and an assist, the German midfielder was named Man of the Match.
The Bayswater Chinese dominated possession with 61.1%, had an 89.5% pass accuracy, and matched Bayern in successful tackles—25 each.
Shots on goal? The Bayswater Chinese had 20. Bayern had just 10.
There was one stat, however, where Bayern clearly led:
Fouls.
The Bundesliga side committed 32 fouls. The Bayswater Chinese? Just 12.
That, too, was proof of the visitors' dominance.
"It's a shame," Yang Cheng said, "because we could've scored more. We had several great chances, but their players did a good job disrupting us."
Still, a 2–0 away win put the Bayswater Chinese firmly in control of the tie.
…
Between the two legs of the Champions League quarterfinal, Premier League Matchday 31 took place.
The Bayswater Chinese hosted Manchester United at home.
Ferguson's team had done fairly well in the league and were pushing hard for a top-four finish.
It was clear they weren't prioritizing the Europa League.
Earlier that March, United had lost both legs of their Round of 16 tie against La Liga's Athletic Bilbao—bowing out early and turning their full focus to the league.
Understandable—Premier League teams had never taken the Europa League seriously.
It all came down to money.
Winning the Europa League, despite all the effort, brought less financial return than finishing one or two spots higher in the league.
Chelsea, however, had seen a sharp turnaround since their managerial change.
Under Di Matteo, the Blues had looked much better in both the league and cups.
In the Europa League quarterfinal first leg, they beat Sporting CP 2–1 at home.
Changing managers was like switching blades—Chelsea's resurgence proved the point.
Meanwhile, United had a full week to prepare for this blockbuster league clash at Wembley.
One side—England's most storied club, the former kings of the Premier League.
The other—Europe's hottest rising superpower, the Bayswater Chinese.
The showdown had the attention of fans worldwide.
The Times called it a Hollywood-style blockbuster. A Super Sunday classic!
And a true box office smash for the Premier League.
Even though United's form had dipped, their global influence remained one of the top two in the league.
Only the Bayswater Chinese could match—or perhaps even surpass—them.
No other club, not City, Arsenal, or Liverpool, could compare.
Because of that, this match broke Premier League history even before kickoff.
The Premier League announced that 21 broadcasters would simultaneously air the match live from Wembley.
That included ESPN Brazil and Al Jazeera from the Middle East—networks with global reach.
The match would be broadcast live worldwide—expected to reach over 800 million viewers.
The highest viewership in Premier League history.
"This kind of broadcast demand is unprecedented," said Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore.
The reason?
Both teams were the Premier League's most globally influential clubs.
Many in the media even referred to it as the Premier League's own version of El Clásico.
Scudamore added that the most significant breakthrough was their full entry into the South American market.
In the past, the Premier League had struggled to make an impact in South America, which traditionally leaned toward La Liga due to linguistic and cultural ties.
But in recent years, with more and more South American and Brazilian players joining the Premier League, its popularity in the region had soared.
And among all English clubs, the Bayswater Chinese were the most successful with South American players—making them the undisputed No. 1 club in the region.
Back home in the UK, the match also drew massive attention.
According to the Manchester Evening News, both Manchester clubs were united in one thing:
They wanted United to bring down the Bayswater Chinese.
If the Bayswater Chinese slipped, it would open the door for City.
United also brought a huge traveling support—around 4,000 fans made the trip south.
The Manchester Evening News reported that the Bayswater Chinese had limited away ticket allocations, or the number would've been even higher.
All 90,000 seats at Wembley had long been sold out.
One United fan club chairman revealed that some fans had paid astronomical prices to secure scalped tickets for the match.
A regular match ticket was being resold for £2,200!
Yes, that's an outrageous number!
With that kind of money, you could buy three season tickets to watch the Bayswater Chinese!
London police had repeatedly issued warnings prohibiting the resale of tickets on the black market, but such activity remained rampant.
What's more, the Bayswater Chinese revealed that, prior to the match, a number of overseas travel agencies had packaged the game as a tourist attraction, drawing fans from across the globe to London.
CEO Adam Crozier shared that over the past few seasons, more and more agencies had entered into partnerships with the club.
And this season, the phenomenon had only grown stronger.
Not just for the match against Manchester United—
Even other fixtures, nearly every single one, now had international group sales.
"For last weekend's home match against Bayern, we sold over 3,000 tickets through our travel agency partners alone," said Crozier.
And that figure didn't even include the individual tourists who bought tickets through official channels.
Those were sold at full price—no discounts—and their numbers kept rising.
This was a clear sign of the Bayswater Chinese's growing global influence!
…
March 31st, afternoon. Wembley Stadium, London.
Premier League Matchday 31: The Bayswater Chinese host Manchester United.
When referee Andre Marriner blew the opening whistle, all 90,000 fans erupted in thunderous cheers, with home supporters overwhelmingly backing the Bayswater Chinese.
The home side kicked off, and Lewandowski passed the ball to Walcott.
The Englishman played a back pass straight to Javi Martínez at the base of midfield.
The Spaniard turned and played it out right.
Kyle Walker had just received the ball when United winger Juan Mata came charging in.
Walker was forced to retreat and played it back to Kompany.
Rooney pressed Kompany immediately, forcing the Belgian to pass back to the goalkeeper.
Still, Rooney didn't let up—he kept sprinting forward.
Courtois had no choice but to launch it long.
That sequence of aggressive pressing set the tone for United's approach.
Yang Cheng stuck with his usual 4-3-3 formation, though due to the two Champions League knockout ties on either side, he rotated his lineup:
Starting XI – Bayswater Chinese:
Goalkeeper: Courtois
Defense: Ryan Bertrand, Thiago Silva, Kompany, Kyle Walker
Midfield: Javi Martínez (holding), Toni Kroos, Aaron Ramsey
Attack: Eden Hazard, Lewandowski, Theo Walcott
Compared to the starting lineup from the match against Bayern three days prior, Yang Cheng made seven changes.
But he kept Toni Kroos in the XI, given his outstanding recent form.
Manchester United's lineup was more defensive than usual, ditching the usual 4-2-3-1 in favor of a triple-defensive-midfield setup.
Starting XI – Manchester United:
Goalkeeper: De Gea
Defense: Evra, Ferdinand, David Luiz, Phil Jones
Midfield: Park Ji-sung, Daniele De Rossi, Michael Carrick
Attack: Juan Mata, Rooney, Arjen Robben
While the formation looked like a 4-3-3 on paper, in practice Mata often dropped into midfield, supporting both attack and defense, with Rooney and Robben leading the line.
Tactically, it resembled more of a 4-3-1-2.
In short—it was an unusual shape.
But once the game kicked off, United immediately applied pressure.
Ferguson's men pressed high and hard, using their collective work rate to try and stifle the Bayswater Chinese.
But that lasted only six minutes.
Soon after, United began to sit deeper and focus on counterattacks—just as Yang Cheng had expected.
Ferguson was playing it safe.
With Fletcher ill, Anderson injured, Giggs aging, and Scholes retired,
United's supposed "triple pivot" midfield wasn't all that solid.
Meanwhile, the Bayswater Chinese quickly adjusted after a shaky start and began to push their backline higher.
Even holding midfielder Javi Martínez was pressing forward to win balls.
This helped them dominate the midfield early.
From the sixth minute onward, after United dropped deep, the home side took complete control.
In the 9th minute, Walcott's cross from the right found Lewandowski, but his header was blocked by David Luiz.
In the 14th minute, Hazard got the ball on the left and suddenly burst into action.
Using both feet with fluid dribbling, he sliced between Carrick and Phil Jones.
He charged to the top of the box and slipped a perfectly timed pass behind the defense.
Lewandowski cut in from the left and fired—just wide.
It didn't hit the target, but it was a dangerous warning.
Yang Cheng's team kept up the pressure.
Just seven minutes later, another excellent chance:
Ramsey chipped a pass forward.
Lewandowski headed it down to the right wing.
Walcott sprinted into the space behind United's defense,
and from the edge of the six-yard box, he hit a volley.
It was a beautiful move,
but De Gea made a brilliant save, tipping it wide.
The following corner kick posed no threat,
but Yang Cheng still applauded his players from the sideline.
The game was turning into one-way traffic.
The Bayswater Chinese kept creating chances.
United focused solely on defending.
But as the match wore on, it became clear to everyone:
Under wave after wave of pressure, United weren't even countering anymore.
Their best chance of the first half came in the 40th minute.
Walker surged down the right and played a straight pass to Walcott.
The English winger sprinted down the flank and reached the edge of the penalty area.
He played a low pass back to Walker and immediately darted inside,
sprinting diagonally across the top of the box.
Walker received the ball but misread Walcott's run.
Instead of playing the through ball, he took a touch and shot from distance.
Walcott, now unmarked in the box, threw his arms up in frustration—
Didn't you see my run?
That was a one-on-one!
Yang Cheng, watching from the sideline, could only shake his head.
That was Kyle Walker—sometimes brilliant, sometimes baffling.
You never knew which version would show up.
In fact, many English players were like that.
Walcott was actually one of the more intelligent and aware ones.
The first half ended 0–0.
The match was intense and fast-paced,
but no goals were scored.
The Bayswater Chinese had 7 shots, but only 1 on target.
They had 62.5% possession.
United?
2 shots, 0 on target.
It was an intense match—but not exactly thrilling in quality.
For fans who know and love Premier League football,
it was still a compelling showdown.
But it was never going to be a goal fest.
Ferguson's strategy was clear—
defend deep and counterattack when possible.
They had a physical advantage!
After all, the Bayswater Chinese had just gone all-out against Bayern, while Manchester United came in well-rested.
During halftime, Yang Cheng continued to encourage his players—but also reminded them to stay patient.
"I can pretty much guess Ferguson's game plan now," he said.
"United's attack this season hasn't been particularly sharp. Mainly because they're missing a true target man."
Berbatov was aging and declining rapidly, and neither Hernández nor Rooney was the kind of striker who could hold off center-backs.
As a result, United's offensive threat had been lacking all season.
"But Ferguson's real weapons are sitting on the bench."
And who was on United's bench?
Welbeck, Hernández, Berbatov, Ashley Young, Valencia, Rafael, and Amos.
Rafael is a defender, Amos a backup goalkeeper—
the other five were all attacking players.
A very clear signal.
Ferguson's plan was to sit deep, defend with everything, and drain the Bayswater Chinese's energy.
Then, once the home side started to tire in the second half, he'd unleash his attacking options.
"Trust me," Yang Cheng told his team, "don't rush in the second half. Stay composed and keep controlling the game.
Defense—stay sharp."
He scanned the back four, the goalkeeper, and holding midfielder Javi Martínez.
All of them nodded.
"We have to be mentally ready. This match might be decided by a single goal."
"They have a trump card—but so do we!"
…
The second half resumed, and the match continued as it had left off.
Both sides stuck to their original approaches.
The Bayswater Chinese won three straight corners early on, but none led to danger.
It was clear that Ferguson had specifically drilled set-piece defense.
Set plays had been a trademark weapon for the Bayswater Chinese in recent years, and United were treating it very seriously.
It wasn't until the 55th minute that the home side created another offensive wave,
but none of the chances were particularly threatening.
Then, in the 65th minute, Ferguson made his first substitution of the match:
Welbeck on for Park Ji-sung.
United shifted into a 4-2-3-1.
This was the shape they had been most comfortable with all season.
Rooney moved to the left, Mata played in the No. 10 role, and Welbeck led the line.
In the absence of a proper center-forward, Welbeck had to step up.
Yang Cheng responded quickly.
In the 68th minute, Pogba came on for Kroos.
That substitution would prove to be a turning point.
United started pressing more aggressively and committed more numbers to the counterattack.
The flow of the match began to tilt.
The Red Devils began to take a bit of the initiative.
But the Bayswater Chinese still held the upper hand.
In the 77th minute, Javi Martínez picked up a yellow card for a foul on Welbeck.
But just a minute later, the home side capitalized on a quick counter.
Kyle Walker received a pass from Ramsey on the right, drove forward at pace,
and delivered a well-timed through ball into the box.
Walcott chased it down at full speed, but under pressure from Ferdinand, the angle was too tight—
his shot hit the side netting.
Ferguson immediately made his second substitution:
Ashley Young on for De Rossi.
The defensive line remained unchanged, but United switched to a 4-1-3-2.
An unmistakable signal—they were going all-in on attack.
The Bayswater Chinese were also clearly tiring.
In the 80th minute, Yang Cheng made a double change:
Harry Kane replaced Lewandowski.
Gareth Bale replaced Hazard.
The simultaneous substitutions brought a wave of cheers from the crowd—
and drew Ferguson's attention.
He hadn't expected two fresh legs all at once.
Ferguson walked to the touchline and told his players to keep an eye on Bale.
That kid was dangerous.
The match continued.
As the clock ticked down and both managers made their moves, the tension grew.
Everyone could feel it—both sides were throwing everything they had into the final ten minutes.
No one dared breathe easy.
United had improved in possession, but they still struggled to generate real danger.
The Bayswater Chinese defense wasn't giving them an inch.
Then—89th minute.
Carrick swung a long diagonal into the Bayswater Chinese penalty area, targeting the right side.
Evra sprinted forward and just barely chased it down—
but Walker got there first, cleared it forcefully upfield.
The ball didn't go far.
Harry Kane tracked back and tried to bring it down,
but Ferdinand came charging in from behind—
bumped him off balance, and poked the ball forward.
Aaron Ramsey stepped up and settled the loose ball, quickly feeding Pogba.
The Frenchman pulled off a smooth Marseille turn, spinning past Juan Mata,
shielded the ball with his body, and launched a left-footed long ball over the top.
It dropped behind United's defensive line.
And there he was—Gareth Bale—
like a shot from a cannon, burning past Phil Jones.
90,000 fans gasped in unison.
Then a tidal wave of cheers erupted from the Bayswater Chinese supporters.
Bale raced onto Pogba's ball down the left flank.
David Luiz was recovering fast, though.
Bale controlled the ball as Luiz closed in.
But the Welshman had been through this before.
Before Luiz could plant his feet, Bale faked a cut inside.
Luiz reacted, shifted his weight—
and Bale immediately pulled the ball back with his right, pushed it forward with his left, and exploded.
In one brilliant burst, he left Luiz in the dust,
charging into the United penalty area from the left.
Only De Gea stood in his way.
Bale closed in, one-on-one.
De Gea adjusted his positioning, waiting for the shot—
but before he could fully set himself, Bale nudged the ball sideways with his left foot—
right toward the far post.
Walcott came flying in—
right-footed finish, low and composed, tucking the ball into the empty net.
The Little Tiger's momentum carried him off balance, tumbling across the grass—
but he popped right back up, sprinting to the sideline in celebration.
Behind him, referee Andre Marriner blew his whistle—goal confirmed!
Wembley exploded into a sea of joy once more!
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