After the opening whistle blew, under the massive black and yellow dome, Borussia Dortmund fans encouraged their team's first wave of attack with a thunderous roar. It was high-pressure from the start. Hoffenheim, according to their tactics, actively conceded possession, and their formation quickly contracted. Kaderabek and Schulz moved inwards.
Amiri and Kramarić, the two defensive midfielders, directly retreated in front of the defensive line. With the four defenders and the two of them, they formed a mobile and highly elastic defensive line in the half of the field behind the center circle. They were not eager to tackle but rather used tight positioning to block Dortmund's direct passing lanes, forcing them into long-distance passes.
"Hoffenheim conceded possession at the start, and their positioning is very deep!" the Commentator's voice came through. "This is a typical Nagelsmann trap; they are luring Dortmund into high pressing."
Dortmund's passing began to quicken its tempo. Weigl and Dahoud constantly looked for through balls forward, trying to find the feet of their arrowhead, Aubameyang. But Hübner was like a magnet, sticking to Dortmund's striker every step of the way, using his body to squeeze and his feet to interfere. Once the ball was passed to the wing, especially the right-wing corridor that Hoffenheim intentionally left open, Oliver, who had retreated to the right defensive midfield position, would quickly cover. Although defensive midfield was not Oliver's usual area, his football IQ allowed him to instantly understand his task.
In the 18th minute, after Dortmund's penetration was blocked, they tried to shift the attack to the left. Götze had just received the ball on the left side of the top of the penalty area and was attempting to turn and break free when a blue shadow suddenly stuck to him. It was Oliver! He had cleverly moved horizontally from his guarded wing to assist in the defense. As Götze turned and ran, Oliver decisively stepped forward to challenge, his body sinking, shoulders slightly lowered, executing a clean and crisp "lean" force.
This was the most emphasized "sinking force" in Aikido, and Oliver's core strength and stability of his body's center of gravity played a crucial role at this moment. Oliver's Aikido and strength training were not for nothing. Götze, while running, was actually legitimately pushed aside by half a step, and the ball was lightly poked open with the inside of his right foot!
The Commentator's booth was filled with exclamations upon seeing this scene: "Beautiful and clean defending! From the Bundesliga's most expensive U18 player, Oliver! He completely read Götze's movement!" The Commentator exclaimed, "He didn't use any unnecessary movements, and Dortmund's attack was stifled just like that! By the way, this kid is currently still ranked first in the Champions League top scorer list!"
The moment Oliver gained possession, his head was already up.
In his vision, Dortmund's defense was momentarily disorganized due to this midfield turnover.
He didn't hesitate at all. With a push of his left instep, the ball, like a sharp blade, tore across the temporary no-man's-land in the midfield, precisely finding Geiger, who was positioned furthest forward.
"Through ball! Great play!" the Commentator shouted. "A counter-attack from Hoffenheim!"
Geiger displayed his excellent awareness in duels. He used his strong back to firmly hold off Toprak, who was rushing back to defend, and with the outside of his right foot, he deftly flicked the rolling ball forward. With this flick, the ball perfectly slipped between Toprak's legs, directly sending it to Uth, who was making a diagonal run into the box. One-on-one! Uth, facing the charging Bürki, calmly slotted the ball into the far corner! But Bürki made a world-class save; his fingertips barely grazed the ball, changing its trajectory.
"Bang!"
The ball hit the far post and bounced back into play! Dortmund's defenders, still shaken, immediately cleared the ball with a big kick. A huge sigh erupted from the Westfalenstadion, followed by deafening applause of relief.
"Bürki, he saved Borussia Dortmund!" the Commentator's voice trembled. "Uth missed a golden opportunity, but Hoffenheim's counter-attacking strategy was extremely clear, from the tackle to the through ball, then to Geiger's setup, it was all seamless! Oliver, although he is a winger… he handled that like an experienced midfield general!"
Oliver ran back from the Dortmund penalty area, bumped fists with Uth, with not much regret in his eyes. He knew that this wouldn't be the only chance. At this point, Nagelsmann made a gesture from the sideline, signaling his players to officially shift their tactical focus to the right wing where Oliver was! Geiger's position visibly moved to the right and forward, almost aligning with Oliver. Schulz on the left, meanwhile, pushed up significantly, like a sharp dagger inserted into Dortmund's flank, directly facing Piszczek. This forced Dortmund's right-sided attacking and defending pivot to be unable to tuck in and assist in defense.
At this moment, Hoffenheim's attack on the right wing began a suffocating chain cycle. Oliver and Geiger's cooperation became incredibly fluid. Geiger dropped back to link up and organize, while Oliver pulled wide to the touchline or into the half-space to receive the ball. After he cut inside and feigned a shot, Geiger immediately made a run to receive a cut-back pass. After Geiger drew defenders and passed wide, Oliver used that instant to accelerate and attack the defensive line. Schmelzer on Dortmund's left wing was suddenly trapped in a 1-on-2 dilemma, constantly being attacked by Oliver and Geiger in turns. Schmelzer was running ragged, and Toprak had to repeatedly leave his defensive area to cover, causing Dortmund's entire defensive line to be stretched thin.
In the 37th minute, it was Amiri's turn to intercept a slightly sticky horizontal pass from Dahoud in the center! Amiri barely paused. He maintained his balance in the physical challenge, looked up, and immediately sent a horizontal cross-field pass, accurately finding Kramarić in the center. Kramarić also did not trap the ball. Facing Weigl's interference, he used a beautiful half-turn to cleverly distribute the ball to Geiger, who had pulled wide to receive. Geiger only had Schmelzer near him, and he pushed the ball forward with the inside of his right foot. The ball was precisely delivered to Oliver, who was making a high-speed run into the half-space!
"Three passes! Only three seconds! Too fast! Hoffenheim's attack is very well-structured!" the Commentator said excitedly.
The moment Oliver received the ball, Toprak had already recklessly abandoned Uth, whom he was originally marking, and was rushing diagonally at high speed, attempting to block Oliver's path if he cut inside. In a flash, he lifted his right foot, feigning an attempt to cut inside and shoot. This feint was so realistic that Toprak's weight instantly shifted inwards! Just then, Oliver flicked his right ankle slightly, changing the point of contact from an instep push to a light tap forward with the outside of his foot. At the same time, he powerfully pushed off the turf, bursting with astonishing speed, and sprinted along the byline deep into the Dortmund penalty area!
"Oliver is going to the byline! That was a feint! He has gotten past Toprak!" the Commentator yelled.
Toprak was completely faked out, clumsily sliding to try and block the cross, but it was too late. Oliver caught up to the ball near the byline. Without any time to adjust, he met the rolling ball, tightened his right instep, and used a motion similar to a chipped pass. This action was not a high cross, but a low, flat cut-back pass with excellent speed, power, and angle. The ball, with strong backspin, rapidly cut through the crowded area near the penalty spot, bypassing all possible interceptions, And rolled with incredible precision into the vacant space at the edge of the six-yard box!
There was only one person there! That person was Uth, who had been making a run to the far post from the moment Toprak started to cover. He adjusted his steps before Weigl's desperate slide tackle, and with the inside of his left foot, meeting the incoming ball, he calmly pushed it without any fancy moves! The ball hugged the ground, as if precisely guided, and shot directly into the near corner of the goal! Dortmund goalkeeper Bürki made a desperate dive to the side, but Uth's shot angle was incredibly acute, the ball crossed the goal line and slammed into the back of the net!
1-0!
"Gooooooal!!! Uth! Uth! 1-0! Hoffenheim takes the lead away from home! A suffocating team attack! A flawless final pass and shot!" The Commentator's booth went completely wild,
"Look at the initiation of this goal! Amiri's tackle! Kramarić, Geiger, Ollie! Three consecutive one-touch passes tore through the defense, and Yan's byline dribble and cut-back pass! It's textbook-level composure and precision! This is the Bundesliga's most expensive U18 player!!!"
The roar of the Westfalenstadion was instantly frozen. Countless Dortmund fans held their heads in disbelief. Nagelsmann punched the air on the sideline, his face showing uncontrollable excitement, while his assistant coaches embraced tightly. On the field, Hoffenheim players rushed wildly towards Uth. Oliver was the first to charge over, hugging him tightly and shouting in his ear, "What a beautiful shot!"
Uth patted his back hard: "Ollie, it was your run! You opened up the space!"
On the scoreboard at halftime, Oliver's name shone brightly: 4 successful duels, 3 key passes. After the halftime break, Dortmund's Coach Peter went all-in for the second half. Götze was substituted, and the experienced, stronger long-range shooter Sahin came on. The formation also changed to a highly aggressive 4-2-4, with Reus switching from right winger to the left, directly facing Hoffenheim's right flank defended by Oliver and Kaderabek. Dortmund threw everything forward, their attacks like a tidal wave. Under the high pressure, Hoffenheim's defense began to endure unprecedented pressure. Reus had a huge range of activity on the left wing, sometimes cutting inside, sometimes bursting down the flank, and Oliver and Kaderabek felt immense pressure.
In the 52nd minute, Schmelzer received the ball on the left wing and chose not to go to the byline, but instead directly crossed at a 45-degree angle! The ball curled into the center of the Hoffenheim penalty area, Aubameyang, with his incredible jumping ability, overpowered Vogt, who had dropped back to mark him, and flicked a header backwards!
"Danger!" the Commentator shouted. Near the penalty spot where the ball was flicked back, a yellow figure appeared like a ghost; it was Reus, who had switched to the central midfield area. The ball speed was not fast, and the height was perfect for a volley!
Reus twisted his waist and swung his leg, striking the lower-middle part of the ball fiercely with his right instep! However, just as the ball shot out like a cannonball, a blue figure, almost pressed against him, threw himself horizontally through the air.
Kramarić! He had started to track back the moment Aubameyang headed the ball, and at the crucial moment of Reus's shot, he flew in to block it!
"Thud!" A dull sound!
The ball heavily struck Kramarić's thigh! But it didn't bounce away; the impact caused a fatal change in the ball's trajectory. The ball, originally heading for the far corner, strangely deflected into a broken line, drawing a small arc as it flew towards the near corner of the goal. Goalkeeper Baumann had already fully dived towards the far corner, powerless to stop the redirected shot!
1-1
"Gooooooal!!! Reus!!! Oh my God! It's a deflection! 1-1! Borussia Dortmund has equalized!" A huge wave of sound instantly blew the roof off the Westfalenstadion.
Baumann slammed the turf fiercely. Kramarić clutched his thigh in pain, but seeing the ball enter the net, his eyes were filled with frustration.
Oliver ran over and pulled him up, patting his shoulder hard: "Unavoidable, Kramarić, you were brave to block it."
Oliver knew that the team had to react immediately, otherwise, they would surely be completely swallowed by Dortmund's terrifying home atmosphere. Soon after, Kramarić readjusted, dropping deep between center-backs Vogt and Hübner, forming a temporary five-man defensive line, focusing on blocking Aubameyang's sprinting space.
Time slipped towards the 60th minute, and the situation was extremely deadlocked. Dortmund controlled the game, but facing Hoffenheim's maximally compressed space, they struggled to find a breakthrough. Nagelsmann on the sideline had eyes as sharp as an eagle, and he spotted the weaknesses exposed in Dortmund's formation due to their pressing. Nagelsmann quickly relayed new instructions to Gnabry on the sideline. Moments later, a Dortmund corner kick was punched out of the box by Baumann, giving Hoffenheim a much-needed breather. Hoffenheim players seemingly still prioritized giving the ball to Oliver and Geiger on the right wing to handle.
After Oliver received the ball, he feigned another attack on Schmelzer. Toprak, as expected, like a startled bird, instinctively shifted his position a step towards Oliver. In that instant! Gnabry, who had been operating on the left wing, suddenly accelerated from the halfway line as if he had received clear instructions, his starting speed astonishing. He sprinted diagonally at full speed into the open space on Dortmund's left wing!
At the same time, Schulz on the left seemed to be released from all constraints. After Baumann collected a Dortmund shot, he chose not to slowly build up with short passes but instead quickly passed to the left wing.
"Baumann's throw, to the left! Schulz! His burst of speed is too fast!" The Commentator exclaimed, "Hoffenheim is counter-attacking! There's an open space on Dortmund's left flank!"
Schulz charged forward with the ball. Only a frantically retreating Piszczek was in front of him, but the distance between them was constantly widening. Dortmund's midfielders Sahin and Dahoud desperately chased back, but their focus was on the center. Schulz sprinted for nearly 50 meters, and just as he approached the corner of Dortmund's penalty area, Piszczek finally caught up, attempting to disrupt with an unconventional sliding tackle. Schulz shielded the ball; Piszczek's tackle missed the ball but brought Schulz down.
The referee did not blow his whistle, and the ball rolled out of bounds. Dortmund fans were just about to breathe a sigh of relief when Hoffenheim cleared the quickly taken corner kick! Gnabry happened to pick up the second ball on the left outside the box. He looked up and realized that Dortmund's defense, having just experienced an extreme retreat from their own penalty area and then a forward press, was extremely disorganized. A huge vacuum appeared again on Dortmund's left flank! And in that vacuum, a blue figure, like an arrow released from a bowstring, was sprinting diagonally to the far post—it was Oliver!
Gnabry and Oliver had a good understanding. He did not stop the ball, nor did he dribble; his left foot, with the outside of his boot, curled a very fast, strangely in-spinning arc shot! The ball spun around the chaotic crowd in the middle, over the head of Toprak, who jumped with all his might, and accurately landed in the area near the far post, behind the penalty spot.
"Gnabry crosses! Looking for the far post! It's Oliver again!!!" The Commentator's voice reached its peak.
Oliver, just before Gnabry took the shot, made a decisive anti-offside run, starting in the opposite direction the moment Toprak focused on the empty right wing. As the ball flew through the air, he precisely bypassed Dortmund's flattened defensive line, unmarked! Then, Oliver kept his eyes fixed on the rapidly spinning, descending ball with his peripheral vision, adjusted his steps, and fully extended his body! His running line was not directly towards the goal, but towards the open space where the ball was about to land.
His right foot, with the instep, met the descending ball, and he very calmly chose to volley it with a cushioned shot!
"Boom!"
He cushioned the ball into a perfect parabola, flying over the head of Bürki, who had rushed out but had lost his angle for a save. This shot had a sharp downward trajectory, precisely bouncing off the ground inside the six-yard box and into the net!
2-1!
"Goooooal!!! Oliver! Hoffenheim takes the lead again! 2-1! Anti-offside! A beautiful cushioned shot!" The commentary box exclaimed, "Gnabry's curling shot is simply a work of art! Oliver's positioning and judgment of the landing spot are top-notch! Toprak… he thought it was offside, but the linesman's eyes are like torches! Nagelsmann! A perfect tactical deception! Oliver, the perfect tactical executor!"
On the sidelines, Nagelsmann was also cheering for his protégé's goal.
"Well done!! Kid!! You're in top form!!!"
The air in Signal Iduna Park seemed to be instantly sucked out, and nearly eighty thousand home fans fell into a deathly silence. On the field, the Hoffenheim players ecstatically rushed towards Oliver, and Gnabry ran over and jumped onto his back: "Great run, Oliver! That's the smartest run I've ever seen!"
Oliver was almost out of breath, pinned down by his teammates. Dortmund kicked off again, and the atmosphere was completely different. The Black and Yellows began to push everyone forward, with their defensive line even pushing past the halfway line!
Aubameyang, Reus, Pulisic, Sahin, Dahoud…
Almost all players with attacking capabilities surged towards the Hoffenheim half like a tide. The shouts from Signal Iduna Park resumed, hoarse and desperate, with the madness of burning bridges. Hoffenheim, understanding the situation, changed their formation, completely abandoning the midfield and front, becoming an extremely flat 5-3-2! Center-back Vogt was in the middle, Kaderabek and Amiri served as right and left center-backs respectively, Hübner's position had now shifted to the left, and Schulz dropped very deep to act as a left wing-back. Oliver was given more defensive duties, essentially a withdrawn right wing-back. These three lines were tightly compressed, like a giant shield, enduring Dortmund's fierce attacks. Time ticked by, minute by minute; Dortmund's offense was all bark and no bite, unable to truly penetrate Hoffenheim's ironclad defense, and instead, due to over-committing, left huge spaces in their own half.
In the 86th minute, Borussia Dortmund got what might be their last corner kick opportunity. Almost all the fans in Signal Iduna Park stood up. Weigl took the corner, and the ball arced precisely into the middle. But Hoffenheim's penalty area was in chaos; in the aerial contest, Vogt used all his strength to push Aubameyang away, He leaped high, with a powerful header, sending the ball far into Dortmund's half!
"Cleared! Hoffenheim's captain! Vogt! He stepped up!!" The Commentator exclaimed.
Near the center circle, Dortmund only had two trailing players, Sahin and Papastathopoulos, while Weigl, who had just taken the corner, was still outside the box, preparing to contest the second ball. The ball's landing spot was biased towards Dortmund's right half. Oliver's keen intuition, almost at the moment his captain jumped, sensed the opportunity to end the game! He used all his strength to sprint from the edge of his own penalty area, like an unbridled wild horse, directly targeting the falling ball! The Commentator could barely keep up with his words: "Counter-attack! The Finisher Oliver has started again! Huge space! This is Hoffenheim's chance to kill the game!"
Sahin was closest to the ball's landing spot at this moment; he rushed forward desperately to get to it first.
In the 89th minute, as Oliver sprinted at full speed, his mind was exceptionally clear, and at the moment the two were about to collide, and Sahin was about to touch the ball, Oliver's right foot poked the ball a step ahead! The direction he poked the ball was not forward, but diagonally to the right side of his body! At the same time, he forcefully twisted his foot, creating a small but incredibly clear change of direction, bypassing Sahin, who had overcommitted and lost his balance, from his left side, He swept past like a whirlwind.
"One change of direction, just one change of direction, and he's bypassed Sahin!" The Commentator's voice was already hoarse.
Only one last obstacle remained in front of Oliver: the experienced Papastathopoulos. This tough defender retreated while fighting, keeping his center of gravity very low, trying to block Oliver's path if he cut inside. As Oliver advanced with the ball, his eyes were fixed on Papa's movements. Upon entering the area to the right of the penalty arc, he observed that Papa's center of gravity was completely shifted towards the middle, guarding against his long-range shot. Oliver did not hesitate. His right foot, with the outside of his boot, very subtly and suddenly pushed the ball sharply to the right! This push was not about achieving absolute distance, but rather moving the ball slightly out of Papa's protective circle.
"I can't wait, let's see what number 17 is going to do! This kid has given us too many surprises!!!" The Commentator was left with only exclamations.
This change of direction came extremely suddenly; although small in amplitude, its timing was precise. It exploited the split second of Papa's weight transfer as he shifted sideways! Papa's balance was deceived; he forcefully twisted his body to chase back, and his feet suddenly slipped. Although he didn't fall, his chase line and speed were instantly interrupted.
Oliver used the millimeter of space gained, adjusted his steps with his right foot, and met the ball he had pushed about half a meter away. His gaze went past Papa, aiming for the far corner of the goal guarded by Bürki, but at the very last moment, he changed his mind! He noticed that goalkeeper Bürki's positioning, at the moment Papa slipped, had a very subtle tendency to move towards the far corner.
In a flash, Oliver chose to trust his footwork and his decisive shot. He did not take a powerful shot, but instead, with a very quick snap of his lower leg, his right instep aimed at the lower-middle part of the ball, unleashing a hidden yet explosive low drive. The ball sped like lightning, skimming the turf directly towards the upper near corner of the goal! Bürki indeed anticipated a move towards the far corner; when he saw the ball shot towards the near post, he was startled, and his body sprang like a coiled spring, diving sharply to the left! His fingertips could almost feel the scorching air current of the ball as it rapidly passed.
"Swish!" This was the sound of the football hitting the net. The sound was soft, but deadly enough! The football, like a precise surgical knife, struck the angle between the crossbar and the near post, piercing the very top of the net through the near corner.
3-1!
"Goooooal!!! Oliver!! A brace at Dortmund's home ground! Three to one! Hoffenheim has completely sealed the victory! The game is over! My goodness! I dare say that after this match, the value of 'The Terminator' will increase by at least several million euros!!" The commentary box completely erupted into madness, microphones banging loudly, the yellow and black ocean of Signal Iduna Park instantly fell into a deathly silence.
The ecstatic Dortmund fans were as if choked, desperately clutching their heads, some even slumping in their seats. And that small contingent of blue Hoffenheim fans in their section completely erupted in wild celebration that could pierce the clouds. They jumped, waved everything they could wave, and roared with all their might!
"The Terminator! The Terminator!!!"
"Number 17, our hero!!!"
"We can always trust Ollie!!!" …
After scoring, Oliver stopped, standing near the corner of the six-yard box, not far from the goal. He did not immediately sprint wildly, did not roar, and did not perform any of the common, passionate, or provocative celebration gestures seen in modern football. Oliver intended to use a new celebration. His running teammates involuntarily paused, their ecstatic smiles mixed with a momentary look of astonishment. In the stands, the fans' voices first stalled, then erupted into a huge wave of sound, interwoven with countless exclamations of surprise and curiosity.
"Look! What is that move?!"
"It must be kung fu, I saw it when I traveled to Asia!"
"Quick, record it, this move is so cool, I want to learn it when I go back!"
A young Borussia Dortmund fan in the front row forgot his allegiance, eyes wide, pointing to the field and asking his father what that move was. The commentary box also stalled for half a second, then suddenly realized: "Wait… Oliver is celebrating… What is this move? I guess it's kung fu! An unprecedented celebration! This young man! He is declaring victory in the devil's home stadium of Dortmund! This is the first time I've seen such a celebration!"
Next to them, in the Dortmund fan stands, a few claps couldn't help but break out. In these brief, almost frozen seconds, Oliver was finally completely engulfed by his ecstatic teammates. As soon as Oliver finished his celebration, Gnabry came over and hugged him, Amiri jumped onto his back, Kramarić vigorously ruffled his hair… All his teammates expressed their excitement and affection in the simplest and most enthusiastic way. On the sideline, Nagelsmann's clenched fists had long since loosened, as he gazed at the cluster of figures.
A nearly doting smile played on his lips, and he shook his head, quietly saying, "This kid…"
Nagelsmann's smile conveyed the extreme relief of a burden lifted and an unparalleled admiration for his beloved protégé.
...
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