Chương 178: Lin Gets Exposed!
After scoring the goal, Lin didn't celebrate but quickly ran to the net, grabbed the ball, and sprinted back.
There wasn't much time left in the match, and if they wanted to win, they had to seize every second.
Initially, Manchester City's players were relieved and happy that Lin had tied the score, preventing an away loss.
But seeing Lin's actions, they all snapped out of it.
The match wasn't over yet, and they still had a chance to win!
Realizing this, they felt a bit ashamed.
They had been satisfied with just tying the game and securing one point away, but Manchester City's goal was the Premier League title!
Such a complacent mindset was unacceptable!
On the sidelines, Pellegrini applauded Lin's actions.
If asked who he was most satisfied with on the team, Lin was always his top answer!
Cardiff City's players and fans felt a huge emotional drop after losing their lead.
They were just minutes away from securing their first home victory in the Premier League.
But in the last few minutes, the opponent tied the game with a free kick, making them feel not only dissatisfied and disappointed but also a bit fearful.
They could clearly feel the opponent's morale surging after scoring that goal.
Although there wasn't much time left in the match, Manchester City had a history of last-minute miracles, like in the final match of a season when they snatched the league title from Manchester United with a last-second goal!
Facing a team that had created such miracles, Cardiff City's players were understandably nervous.
They couldn't help but worry that they might be the ones to get defeated at the last minute.
As the saying goes, "What you fear most will come true!"
After restarting the match, Manchester City, with renewed morale, pushed all their players into Cardiff City's half and launched a frenzied attack around the penalty area.
In this relentless offensive, Manchester City created many chances but also missed several.
In the 87th minute, Yaya Touré's long shot went over the bar.
In the 89th minute, Negredo's shot was too direct and was caught by the goalkeeper.
In the 91st minute, Lin's narrow-angle shot hit the post.
Time was ticking away, and Manchester City had less and less time left.
The referee was already checking the time, ready to blow the final whistle at any moment.
In the third minute of stoppage time, a Cardiff City player committed another foul near the penalty area, giving Manchester City a free kick.
This was likely Manchester City's last attack of the match, as the referee's stoppage time was already up, and he might blow the final whistle right after the free kick!
Therefore, this free kick was crucial for Manchester City.
The team's final points in this match would depend on the player taking this free kick!
For the player taking the free kick, this meant immense pressure.
This time, Yaya Touré didn't compete with Lin for the free kick and instead voluntarily stepped back.
Clearly, he wasn't confident in scoring and didn't want to risk becoming the team's scapegoat, so he backed down.
Lin didn't think too much about it. Whether he took the free kick or not, if the team didn't win, he would be the one most criticized.
After all, he was the most famous and highest-paid player in Manchester City!
With great power comes great responsibility.
Also, he didn't like leaving his fate in others' hands.
He felt more confident taking the shot himself.
Just like before, Lin placed the ball and stepped back a dozen steps.
He glanced at the goal and began his run-up.
At this moment, Lin became the focus of everyone's attention.
Time seemed to slow down as 30,000 Cardiff City fans, their owner, and all the players on the field fixed their eyes on Lin.
Ten meters felt like a blink of an eye as Lin reached the ball.
Just like before, he lifted his right leg high, gathered his strength, and struck the ball hard.
With a loud bang, the sound exploded across the stadium!
The ball flew like a rocket, whizzing over the wall and toward Cardiff City's net.
This time, the goalkeeper wasn't just a spectator!
He leaped high, stretched his body to the limit, trying to cover as much of the goal as possible, hoping to block the shot.
However, the ball's speed exceeded his expectations. He heard only a whizzing sound, something flashed before his eyes, and then he heard a swish. Turning his head, he saw the ball already in the net!
The goalkeeper collapsed on the grass, still staring at the rolling ball in the net.
He was unwilling to accept it, but he was powerless.
How could he stop such a fast ball?
"Goooooooooooal!!!!"
In the commentary box, Martin Tyler and Andy Gray went completely wild!
"An incredible goal, Manchester City's number 10 scored a high-quality free kick!"
"According to on-site computer measurements, the ball speed reached 150 kilometers per hour. Oh my god, this is the fastest goal in the Premier League this season!"
"A perfect free kick, an unbelievable comeback, Manchester City's core scored twice with free kicks, leading the team to a comeback victory. His performance is worth his price!"
"Absolutely, Lin's performance in this match was phenomenal. He stood up when the team was in a slump and helped them win.
Maybe we shouldn't expect too much from this Manchester City team, but Lin is always reliable for Manchester City fans!"
"Haha, this goal was fantastic, but for Cardiff City's home fans, they might have a depressing weekend ahead."
"Just a few minutes ago, no one thought Manchester City could come back and win like this. At that moment, victory seemed to be smiling at Cardiff City, but in just a few minutes, everything changed!"
As the commentators said, after Lin scored, Cardiff City's fans were stunned.
They watched Manchester City's players celebrating wildly on the field, standing in place like statues, staring at the pitch in disbelief.
Some more emotional fans even started crying.
In contrast to their disappointment and sadness, Manchester City's fans were overjoyed!
Ten minutes ago, they thought the team was going to suffer their first loss of the season.
But in the last few minutes, Lin's brilliant performance, almost single-handedly, crushed the opponent and led the team to a comeback victory, turning their sorrow into joy, surrounded by happiness!
It wasn't just the fans who found it hard to believe; even Manchester City's players and coaching staff were surprised by this comeback.
After Lin scored, the players on the field were stunned for a moment and then rushed towards Lin in a frenzy.
Even Yaya Touré, who had previously had issues with Lin, had to applaud Lin's outstanding performance.
Under such immense pressure, he managed to deliver such a high-quality free kick. His mental toughness was far superior!
On the sidelines, players from the bench and even some coaching staff members ran onto the field, chasing and celebrating wildly with Lin.
Players who had been dissatisfied and skeptical of Lin, who had joined the team only this summer, now completely put aside their doubts.
To see if someone can lead, you shouldn't just look at their performance in good times.
You should look at how they perform in adversity!
Lin's performance in this match showed Manchester City that even in tough times, he could stand up and even lead the team to a comeback victory.
This quality won him the players' respect.
So for Manchester City, this goal wasn't just about three league points; it was a crucial match that unified the team!
...
After the match, Pellegrini chose to bring Lin to the press conference.
At the press conference, he praised Lin's performance.
"Without a doubt, Lin is a phenomenal player. He always manages to score incredible goals on the field. Coaching such an outstanding player is a blessing for any coach because with him, the team's offense becomes much simpler!"
Pellegrini's words were acknowledged by Cardiff City's coach. He had made extensive preparations and plans on how to mark Lin.
Although he almost successfully contained him in open play, he didn't expect Lin to have free-kick skills in his arsenal, scoring directly twice and rendering all his tactical preparations useless.
In response to the coaches' and reporters' praise, Lin humbly said that the victory was a team effort, and he just did what he was supposed to do.
Reporters, hearing Lin's words, didn't think he was being insincere but rather thought he had a clear mind.
There were many strong teams and giants in the Premier League, and Manchester City was not yet a giant. If they got carried away with two wins against lower teams, they would soon be taught a lesson in the big matches.
Speaking of big matches, there was a high-profile clash in this Premier League round - Manchester United vs. Chelsea.
So, some reporters asked Pellegrini and Lin for their opinions on this match.
Pellegrini said both teams were strong and evenly matched, so it was normal for either side to win.
However, with Ferguson's retirement, Manchester United was still in a transition period.
On the other hand, Chelsea had a squad built by Mourinho, so he favored Chelsea a bit more.
When reporters asked Lin, he smiled and said:
"Although Manchester United is undergoing a managerial change, they still have their giant heritage and are playing at home, so..."
"So you favor Manchester United?"
A reporter couldn't help but ask.
"No, I think they might draw."
Hearing Lin's answer, the reporters laughed.
If Manchester United and Chelsea drew, it would benefit other teams aiming for the Premier League title.
And Manchester City was one of those teams.
So, this result was probably what Manchester City wanted most!
"Your former teammate at Werder Bremen, Kevin De Bruyne, is now with Chelsea. I heard he's your good friend. Aren't you supporting your friend to win?"
The reporter tried to provoke him.
But Lin didn't fall for it:
"Personally, I support Kevin and hope he has a pleasant match at Old Trafford. I'll be there to watch the game, and if there's a chance, I'll catch up with him!"
Manchester United is Manchester City's city rival, so Lin wouldn't go to Old Trafford to support Manchester United.
So, the only possibility was he was going to support Chelsea, or rather, De Bruyne.
With Lin personally supporting De Bruyne, the reporter's attempt to provoke was futile.
After the match, besides praising Lin's incredible performance, the media also reported what he said at the press conference.
Hearing that Lin was going to the game to support him, De Bruyne couldn't help but call him to confirm.
"Of course, it's true. I've already said it, how could I go back on my word?"
Lin confirmed to De Bruyne but didn't mention that the Manchester City coaching staff would also be there to watch the match.
Manchester City was set to face Manchester United in the fifth round of the league.
Before that, they needed to observe their opponent's match state, especially their tactics against strong teams.
Hearing Lin's reply, De Bruyne was pleased:
"Then it's a deal. See you at Old Trafford!"
"Okay, see you at Old Trafford!"
Since the German Cup final, it had been almost three months since they last saw each other.
Initially, De Bruyne thought Lin would stay in the Bundesliga, but he unexpectedly came to the Premier League.
This made it much easier for them to meet, even on the field.
However, remembering how Lin frequently outdribbled him in training, De Bruyne felt a bit apprehensive.
He really didn't want to face this guy on the field!
He was just too hard to defend!
...
On August 26, Lin arrived at Old Trafford as promised.
As England's second-largest stadium, Old Trafford was massive, with 76,000 seats.
Whenever there was a Premier League or Champions League match, Manchester United fans from around the world would gather to watch the game.
Unlike Manchester City, Manchester United's commercial development was very successful, with a global fan base.
So, besides local fans, many fans from other countries also came to watch the matches.
This was rarely seen with Manchester City!
Although Manchester City's players came from all over the world, only a few had enough influence to attract fans from afar to the Etihad Stadium.
As a city rival, Lin didn't want to reveal his identity and attract the wrath of Manchester United fans.
So, he chose to disguise himself heavily, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
But when he arrived at the stadium, he found many others dressed similarly.
"Boss?"
"Negredo?"
"Is that really you?"
"You're here too?"
"Yes, I'm here to watch the game. Not just me, Fernandinho, Navas, and others are here too!"
Following Negredo's direction, Lin saw others dressed like him, sneaking around.
Most of his teammates were here!
And to his dismay, many were dressed the same way: trench coats and sunglasses.
Good grief, do they have to be so coordinated!
No, he couldn't stay with them. One person dressed like this wasn't conspicuous, but a group was too eye-catching.
He quickly dismissed Negredo and avoided further conversation.
Since the game hadn't started and there weren't many fans yet, he swiftly took off his trench coat.
After thinking for a moment, he also removed his cap.
Only the sunglasses stayed on, removing most of his disguise.
This way, he looked like a regular Asian fan, different from his teammates!
After making these adjustments, Lin sighed in relief. Now, no one would recognize him, right?
But as soon as he found his seat and sat down, he saw himself on the stadium's big screen.
Lin's lips twitched, and he awkwardly waved at the camera, wondering how he got exposed
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