The stadium grew silent.
Over 80,000 spectators stood upâno one remained seated!
In the stands, Lina clasped her hands tightly against her chest, her stunning face flushed with nervousness.
Even Ferguson, who had remained calm and composed, rose from his seat.
But the ones feeling the most anguish were Taro Tanino and Tomoaki Makino.
Makino deeply regretted it now.
If only he had been more aggressive when he was on the fieldâif he had taken Yichen out with a ruthless tackle!
He could have been a national hero!
But now, it was too late.
Though Yichen hadn't taken many penalties, he had scored both times he stepped up.
The Sakura Nation fans were pale with despair.
The penalty shootout hadn't even started, but they knewâNakayama's record was about to be broken!
At Tokyo's most prestigious sports school, Nakayama Masashi poured himself a drink.
His gaze drifted towards the most prominent spot in his living roomâa picture frame holding his Guinness World Record certificate.
Beside it stood another frame, a photo from the Guinness World Records award ceremony.
Is it all coming to an end now?
...
At Westfalenstadion, Yichen cradled the ball and walked to the penalty spot.
The crowd erupted in song, singing his name!
"Hala Hala Yichen Yichen!"
"Yichen from Huaxia!"
"Our beloved Huaxia boy, Yichen Yichen!"
"Our unstoppable Yichen!"
Yichen stomped on the ground at the penalty spot, ensuring everything was in place before carefully setting the ball down.
Players were still protesting to the referee, but Heller, the one who committed the foul, walked up to Yichen.
"You're not going to score, kid! We studied your penalties before the match!" Heller sneered. "You like going bottom right, don't you?"
Yichen ignored him, focusing instead on the referee.
"Everyone out of the box, or I'll start booking players!" the referee sternly warned the Dresden players.
"I'm just giving our keeper a word!" Heller jogged over to the goalkeeper, brushing the ball ever so slightly with the outside of his foot as he passed.
The ball shifted ever so slightlyâa subtle move, hard to notice unless you were paying close attention.
Every player has their own penalty routine.
The ball's placement must align with the shooter's run-up.
Such a tiny movement could drastically affect the quality of the penalty.
There have been cases where goalkeepers deliberately scuffed the turf, causing penalty takers to slip and miss.
But this would not warrant a retake.
As long as the whistle is blown, the shot countsâregardless of whether it goes in or not.
Only early encroachment or goalkeeper movement would result in a retake.
Ultimately, the referee holds the power.
"I shifted his ball to the left. Dive to your right, and you'll save it," Heller whispered to Hessle.
"Got it."
The referee urged Heller to leave the box.
Heller jogged offâhe had done everything he could. The rest was up to fate.
The stadium fell silent. Every eye was fixed on Yichen.
Hessle bounced lightly on the goal line, clapping his hands. "Come on, kid!" he shouted.
But Yichen returned to the spot, adjusting the ball's position again and confirming his footing.
"...What?" Heller froze.
Yichen had caught his little trick.
Hessle, too, was stunned.
The plan to rattle Yichen's composure had backfired. Now Hessle was the one second-guessing.
Which way should he dive?
Forget itâright side it is!
That's what the analysts said, and Yichen loved powering his shots.
The whistle blew.
Yichen exhaled, sprinting forward.
His left foot planted firmly, and his right leg swung like a whipâ
Tap!
No thunderous strike.
A gentle chip!
Yes!
As Yichen approached the ball, Hessle had already lunged to his right, expecting a powerful shot.
Yichen's penalties were usually pinpoint, so Hessle had to act decisively.
But just as Hessle committed, Yichen delicately lifted the ball over him.
Effortless grace!
"GOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!"
"What did I just witness?!"
"A Panenka penalty!"
"In this moment, Yichen has etched his name into football history!"
"He becomes the first player in recorded history to score hat-tricks in five consecutive matches!"
"And he's OUR Dortmund player!"
"Let's chant his name!"
"Chen-ye!"
"Chen-ye!"
"Chen-ye!"
Yichen sprinted towards the South Stand, arms outstretched.
The die-hard fans of Westfalenstadion roared his name.
In this moment, Yichen was the pride of Dortmund.
The crowd showered him with applause and cheers.
Even Yichen couldn't hold backâhe screamed with all his might.
"Ahhhhhh! I really did it!"
His teammates swarmed him, lifting him high and tossing him into the air.
"Wow!"
"Yichen, you made history!"
"You're the best!"
"You're our pride!"
The stadium buzzed with wild excitement.
They had witnessed historyâbecome part of it.
How could anyone stay calm in such a moment?
...
In the Penguin Sports live stream, commentator Jan Jun exhaled deeply, steadying himself.
"Yichen faces Hessle head-on."
"Hessle isn't a famous name, but his penalty-saving ability is exceptional. In the first ten rounds of the Bundesliga 2, he saved two penalties!"
Zhang Lu chuckled. "Heller's experiencedâhe's trying to mess with Yichen's head since he's young."
Jan Jun spoke gravely, "Let's hope Yichen stays composed. He's only 17, but he's converted two penalties alreadyâ100% success so far!"
The whistle blew.
Yichen stepped forward.
As he was about to strike, he paused slightlyâthen chipped it in!
"Panenka!" Jan Jun's voice trembled. "Such confidence and flair!"
Zhang Lu laughed heartily. "He made historyâHuaxia's history!"
The 60-year-old coach was as thrilled as a child.
"Who would have thought a 17-year-old from Huaxia could score hat-tricks in five consecutive Bundesliga matches?"
"This breaks the Guinness World Record set by Nakayama Masashi!"
"This moment will forever be remembered by Huaxia!"
"Our young star Yichen has made history!"
"Huaxia fans, can you hold back the tears?"
How could we not be moved to tears?