Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: vs Hamburg -2
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The moment Lee Sung-jae's header ripped into the net, the Korean broadcast team erupted in cheers.
“GOOOAAAL! It’s in! Lee Sung-jae! Lee Sung-jae’s debut goal!”
Just as excitedly, the comments flooded in under the major portal site’s soccer article.
[Lee Sung-jae smashes debut goal in Bundesliga!]
└ Damn, seeing all those Japanese players shining lately had me pissed, but this feels good.
└ Union Berlin? Those guys just play good soccer.
└ Personally, calling it player-carrying for Park Chan-hyuk is straight-up ridiculous. He’s the best coach out there lol.
└ Most of that crap comes from his haters.
└ Yup~ While you losers spam hate from your basements, Park Chan-hyuk’s managing in the Bundesliga~
└ Whoa… but a Bundesliga manager in his early 20s? Career’s kinda screwed lol.
Lately, Korean soccer fans had been feeling a sense of crisis.
Because Japan was aggressively courting Park Chan-hyuk.
[Union Berlin actively collaborates with Japan Soccer Association.]
└ Huh? Berlin and Tokyo linking up…?
└ Anti-Comintern Pact vibes;;
└ Ugh, hate seeing more Japanese players at Union Berlin.
└ This is what a traitor looks like, not whatever else.
└ Traitor Park Chan-hyuk OUT.
└ Come on, Asians succeeding in Europe is good, right…?
└ Exactly. Asians consistently performing in Europe means more teams will scout us.
└ Real talk, after Son Heung-min’s successful debut, Germany sent way more scouts to Korea.
Some fans grumbled about the influx of Japanese players, but they couldn’t help but nod along to Park Chan-hyuk’s follow-up interview.
[On pro-Japan controversy…. “The moment I make a choice that hurts the club, my standing as a Korean manager crumbles. As a representative of Korean managers in European soccer—and to pave the way for the next Park Chan-hyuk—I have to show nothing but the best.”]
Park Chan-hyuk’s words rang true, plain and simple.
Of course, that didn’t stop the fans from trash-talking.
The haters started spreading straight-up lies to tear him down.
There wasn’t any special reason for it.
Humans don’t need much justification to hate someone.
[Park Chan-hyuk announces lawsuits against haters for malicious comments and fake news… hires top firms….]
And just like that, the haters’ lives switched to hard mode.
Anyway.
“Hamburg kicks off, and the match resumes!”
With Union Berlin holding a one-goal lead, Hamburg restarted from the center circle.
└ Why’s there dirt on Park Chan-hyuk’s clothes?
└ No idea? Maybe he tripped trying to steal the celebration?
Riding the momentum from Lee Sung-jae’s opener, Union Berlin had taken the lead against Hamburg.
They played with a bit more composure, sticking to their game plan.
“Both teams battle fiercely, but halftime ends without another goal.”
Union Berlin and Hamburg traded shots in pursuit of more goals, but neither found the net again before the break.
The first half wrapped up with Union Berlin leading 1-0.
***
Halftime followed the first-half whistle.
“Second half! We drop the line right from the start.”
In the locker room, I passionately laid out the tactics for the players.
“Hamburg will get antsy chasing a equalizer as time ticks down, and that’ll open gaps between their defense and midfield. We time it right, then hit ’em on the counter! Bam!”
The players nodded at my crisp, no-fluff explanation.
Truth is, being a manager is more about confidence than you’d think.
You’ve got to instill certainty in players who trust you to run the pitch.
Wrapping it up firm like this? Always best.
Even if my read on their tactics flops.
‘Players can’t see the big picture mid-game anyway.’
And by match end, only a handful remember what you said at halftime.
Sports evolve constantly through interaction with the opponent, tactics shifting on the fly.
Win the game, and they’ve heard dozens of instructions.
Some contradictory as hell.
So yeah, few recall the halftime speech verbatim.
‘Plus, nitpicking tactics is tough when you’re in the trenches.’
Anyway.
The second half kicked off.
Union Berlin gradually dropped deep against Hamburg’s onslaught, focusing on defense.
Truth be told, park-the-bus counterattack soccer is tricky to pull off.
The key is building an unbreakable shield, no matter what.
‘And that fits this Union Berlin squad perfectly.’
Unlike last season’s defensive woes, this year Union Berlin’s backline was a fortress.
Their forwards wielded pace that ranked among the Bundesliga’s elite.
That’s why they topped the league this season.
The new signings in defense were killing it.
No wonder they say attack draws the crowds, defense wins the games.
Last season, their attacking flair packed the stands.
This season, bolstered defense had them chasing titles.
‘And the attack hasn’t weakened at all.’
When Union Berlin clinches the league? The club’s status—and a ton more—changes overnight.
‘String together another strong season, and they might even dub us Bayern Munich’s rivals.’
South Munich vs. North Berlin.
Could happen.
Anyway.
Time flew by, everything unfolding as planned.
Hamburg’s players grew frantic, forcing their line higher.
Union Berlin crafted dangerous counters.
But as the clock wound down, I started getting antsy.
‘…Am I really gonna miss out on a celebration?’
For the record, I hadn’t planned to steal Lee Sung-jae’s first-half celly.
If it’d come in the second half, though? I’d have bolted no hesitation.
But it hit early in the first, with plenty of time left.
Figured more goals were coming.
‘…Should’ve just snatched the debut goal back then?’
A twinge of regret hit—conscience kept me planted.
‘I’m too damn nice… cost myself!’
As my heartfelt inner lament brewed.
Union Berlin fans’ voices swelled.
They’d repelled another Hamburg attack. Counter on.
Luka Modrić’s pass found Lewandowski, who one-touched it into the box for the onrushing Union Berlin player.
“Smash it!!”
I bellowed at our guy streaking into the penalty area.
A beat later.
The ball left his boot and bulged the net.
Splash—!
“Jaaaaaaaaa!”
The roar hit as it crossed the line.
“Yannick Foight! What a foot!!”
The hero? None other than Yannick Foight.
I clocked the scorer and sprinted for the corner flag without a second thought.
‘…But is that the Union Berlin end?’
For a split second, doubt flickered—is this the right way?
Too late to turn back now.
Stopping meant Yannick snatching my celly.
‘All that matters: shameless enough to fool even myself.’
I launched skyward from the corner flag.
***
Hamburg fans in the stands gawked at Park Chan-hyuk’s spectacle.
“…He’s flying… through the air?”
He’d soared high, pulling off a mid-air hurdle.
Like prime Michael Jordan reincarnate.
Park Chan-hyuk spun his arms in a helicopter flourish.
Then crossed them on landing.
“Whoooaaaaaaa─!”
Even Hamburg fans were mesmerized by the flawless show.
That is, until—
“You fucking prick!!!”
“Boooooo!! Get lost, asshole!”
—they snapped out of it.
“Hmm. Wrong side after all.”
Park Chan-hyuk eyed the incoming trash and nodded sagely.
***
[GOOOAAAL─! GOOOAAAL─! Yannick Foight adds the second!!]
[Yannick Foight’s dagger right before full time!]
[Oh! And there goes Park Chan-hyuk! He’s sprinting! Flying down the line!]
[And…!!]
“Whoooaaaaaaa─!”
[Whoa! Park Chan-hyuk’s celly echoes out!!]
[Wait… isn’t that the Hamburg fans’ section?]
[Oof. Objects raining onto the pitch.]
[Manager Park Chan-hyuk picks up a yellow from the ref.]
└ LMAOOOOOO
└ Why’s Park Chan-hyuk looking so wronged? Lololol