Chapter 101
Chapter 101
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Berlin Derby -3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
***
Before the match.
There had almost been controversy over the Berlin Wall comments, but it died down in an instant once the secret weapon was deployed.
Germany had reunified, after all. Korea was still a divided nation.
'Honestly, aren't we the ones who have it worse than you guys?'
Germany had started two wars, but we'd been divided for no reason at all.
Even if it hadn't been intentional, it ended up educating the German soccer fans about Korean history.
'...At this point, shouldn't they give me the money they'd spend making Super Kimchi Man?'
Anyway.
The Olympiastadion Berlin, where Union Berlin faced off against Hertha BSC.
“Boooooooooooo─!”
Jeers from Hertha Berlin fans echoed through the stadium.
“Eisen─!! Union!!”
In response, cheers from Union Berlin fans soon overwhelmed the arena.
'Is this an away game or a home game?'
One amusing point was that Union Berlin fans had filled nearly half the Olympiastadion Berlin.
Well, not entirely Union Berlin fans, of course. There were probably neutral fans living in Berlin too.
“Dem Morgengrauen entgegen, ziehn wir gegen den Wind.
(We march toward the dawn, against the wind.)”
Still, the presence of nearly 20,000 Union Berlin fans was incredibly reassuring.
“Wir werden alles zerlegen, bis wir Deutscher Meister sind! (We'll smash everything until we become German champions!)”
The Union Berlin supporters' chants rang out majestically in the away stadium.
Just as the lyrics said, Union Berlin was smashing everything in their path to become German champions.
And that included Hertha Berlin, their opponent today.
Anyway.
The match between Union Berlin and Hertha Berlin kicked off with Hertha Berlin's kickoff, following the referee's whistle.
***
[Hello, viewers across the nation who love overseas soccer. I'm caster Oh Hyun-woo, bringing you the Union Berlin vs. Hertha Berlin match. First, Union Berlin's lineup! They're sticking with the 3-5-2 formation again.]
[Yes. Union Berlin has been seeing real results with their back three lately, haven't they? Thanks to them and manager Park Chan-hyuk, the back three is getting attention again.]
[That's right. Manuel Schmidt is in goal. Dante-Thiago Silva-Cafu make up the back three, with South Korea's pride Son Hong-min starting as left wing midfielder and Japan's Yuto Nagatomo on the right.]
[Yes. Positionally, both look like wing midfielders, but their playstyles differ significantly. Son Hong-min is more of an attacking winger who aggressively seeks goals, while Yuto Nagatomo feels like a wing-back who covers space when Cafu overlaps.]
[...And in central midfield: Thomas Maier-Kagawa Shinji-Luka Modric.]
[Actually, when Marcus Matzek, who's been with them since the fourth division, got that ankle injury recently, there were worries about the gap. But Kagawa Shinji filled it perfectly. Of course, that was only possible thanks to manager Park Chan-hyuk's tactical tweaks that maintained the overall structure.]
[Got it. Up top, Roberto Lewandowski and Yannick Foight.]
[It's well-known that both Roberto Lewandowski and Yannick Foight were scouted by manager Park Chan-hyuk. They're both indispensable players for Union Berlin now. Still, team captain Yannick Foight gets even more love from the fans. If you ask Union Berlin fans what their prides are, one is manager Park Chan-hyuk, two is the pride of protecting the club with blood and sweat, and three is Yannick Foight. That's how much support he has.]
[...You're talking a lot.]
[Haha, because I'm a Union Berlin fan.]
└ Too much talking, damn it;;
└ Why do I find the Union Berlin behind-the-scenes stories fun?
***
[Hertha Berlin is coming out swinging right from kickoff.]
Early in the game.
Surprisingly, Hertha Berlin seized control.
But they couldn't break through Union Berlin's famed wall.
[Yes. Union Berlin is calmly defending, though. This will naturally shift the flow to Union Berlin.]
[...Excuse me, commentator, sorry, but please refrain from biased commentary.]
[Ah, sorry.]
[Yes.... Our special commentator isn't a professional, so we ask for viewers' understanding.]
[Oh! Just as I speak, Dante's been breached! Union Berlin in danger!]
And even if they shook off the defenders and entered the penalty box.
[He's shooting...! Whoa─! Save! Super save! A fantastic stop by Manuel Schmidt!]
Guarding Union Berlin's goal was Manuel Schmidt, unearthed by Park Chan-hyuk.
With animalistic reflexes, Manuel Schmidt blocked Hertha Berlin's shot.
Even after the brilliant save, he didn't get cocky—instead, he sprang up immediately, instinctively scanning for the ball's position.
Hertha Berlin's attack wasn't over yet.
[Cafu picks up the ball!]
Fortunately, Brazil's legend Cafu got to it first.
[Yes, there was that story about Cafu's return and his anecdote with manager Park Chan-hyuk....]
[Cafu shakes off Hertha Berlin's pressure and passes to Thiago Silva!]
[Thiago Silva—the club broke records to sign this guy....]
Cafu escaped Hertha Berlin's pressure and linked up with Thiago Silva.
[Thiago Silva to Lewandowski up front!]
[Lewandowski came from Znicz Pruszków in Poland. Manager Park Chan-hyuk spotted his potential in his first year and brought him over....]
Thiago Silva, with the ball, lofted a long pass forward.
Roberto Lewandowski battled Hertha Berlin's defenders and nodded the ball down.
[Lewandowski wins the duel! Drops it to Son Hong-min!]
[South Korea's pride and next-gen ace, Son Hong-min....]
Son Hong-min snapped up the dropped ball.
“Shoot─!”
Yannick Foight's dummy run created shooting space, and Son Hong-min fired instantly.
[Go, gooooaaaal─! It's in! It's in! Son Hong-min! Son Hong-min! Son Hong-min!!!]
[A fantastic goal from Son Hong-min! Right now, Son Hong-min lives in our hearts!!]
Son Hong-min's shot ripped into the net, and this time, the special commentator and caster's energy synced up.
***
[Title: Union Berlin scores first ㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅ .gif]
(Son Hong-min, fantastic curling shot.gif)
└ ㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅ
└ When Hong-min shoots from the zone, they can't move!
└ Damn, that shot was insanely good.
└ Feels like Yannick Foight did great pulling the Hertha defenders around.
└ Look at them moving like clockwork in that one moment ㅋㅋ.
└ This is why they're top of the league....
└ This is why Bayern Munich got smashed 4-0....
└ This is why Augsburg got obliterated 10-0....
└ ㅅㅂ It was 10-1, you idiot?
└ Ugh, let's win the league like this!
└ Then we see them in Champs next season ㄷㄷ
└ Champs feels guaranteed already.
***
Union Berlin maintained the momentum after Son Hong-min's opener, relentlessly pressuring Hertha Berlin.
Union Berlin's players hammered Hertha Berlin without respite.
Possession had stretched to 76-24.
Hard to believe it was a derby.
Union Berlin's one-sided dominance continued.
Then, right before halftime.
Luka Modric's surprise long-range shot struck the crossbar and bounced out.
“Aah─!”
As Union Berlin's 'away' fans let out groans of disappointment.
Kagawa Shinji raced toward the penalty box.
“─!!”
Kagawa Shinji calmly slotted home his debut goal.
Kagawa Shinji felt a thrill from the Union Berlin fans' roars echoing through Olympiastadion Berlin.
He sprinted straight to the corner flag for his celebration.
And as Kagawa Shinji reached the corner flag to celebrate.
'...Boss?'
A familiar face was already there.
Park Chan-hyuk had arrived at the corner flag faster than anyone.
“Move.”
Park Chan-hyuk grinned brightly at the flustered Japanese midfielder.
Then, right in front of the stunned Kagawa Shinji, he performed the celebration for the crowd.
“Whooooooo─!”