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"The Germans continue to dominate possession in the attacking third. Thomas Müller, Kroos, Götze, Schürrle, Özil..."
"Germany currently holds 75% possession, while Belgium, focused on defensive counterattacks, has managed only 25%."
"However, Germany's control hasn't translated into real danger. Courtois has been forced into just a single save so far."
"Nice! Thomas Müller flicks it into the half-space! Schürrle!"
"Eh? Schürrle doesn't drive forward. He cuts back and recycles possession to Kroos..."
The sequence left commentator Liu Jiayuan bewildered.
The fans watching at home were even more confused.
Germany had always been known for its aggression and fighting spirit.
So why had they become so... cautious over the last two years?
Germany (4-3-3)
Neuer
Kimmich, Jérôme Boateng, Hummels, Mustafi
Toni Kroos, Khedira, Özil
Schürrle, Müller, Götze
Liu Jiayuan scratched his head as he studied Germany's lineup.
"This lineup lacks a true center-forward. Today, Löw has left Mario Gómez on the bench."
"Instead, he's opted for Guardiola's preferred strikerless system."
"Müller, Götze, and Schürrle are constantly rotating positions while Özil orchestrates the attack from midfield."
"But the results haven't been convincing. Belgium's defense looks perfectly capable of handling Germany's attacks."
"The strengths of the strikerless system haven't been showcased at all."
There was something else Liu Jiayuan chose not to say.
Germany had copied Spain's style without fully understanding its essence.
And besides—
The golden age of tiki-taka had already passed.
Even Guardiola, its greatest advocate, had struggled to turn dominance into European glory.
Spain had already been eliminated by Belgium.
Barcelona's title ambitions had repeatedly been crushed by Atlético Madrid.
The Champions League Final itself had become a clash between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid—two teams renowned for their rapid transitions and counterattacks.
In modern football, compact defending and lethal counters were proving more effective than endless possession.
Yet Löw still insisted on his version of tiki-taka.
A rigid version at that.
Germany no longer looked like Germany.
"To be fair, Germany should have started Mario Gómez. Most of their dangerous attacks in previous matches came through him."
Guest commentator Gong Lei voiced a similar opinion.
It was a conclusion many fans had already reached.
If Germany lost today, nobody would be able to say it was undeserved.
Thirty minutes had passed.
Germany controlled the game.
Belgium controlled the danger.
And after surviving the opening storm, Lance knew the moment had arrived.
If Germany refused to attack with conviction—
He would punish them for it.
[Spatial Perception]
As Lance battled Özil in midfield, a faint blue glow flickered in his eyes.
The field transformed into a giant puzzle.
Every run.
Every passing lane.
Every defensive gap.
He searched for the piece that would complete the picture.
Then he saw it.
Thomas Müller dropped deep to receive possession before attempting a safe backward pass.
Lance's eyes lit up.
A puzzle piece.
Now.
Without hesitation, he exploded forward.
Hazard and De Bruyne instantly understood his intention.
Years of chemistry required no communication.
The moment Khedira prepared to receive the pass, three Belgian players were already converging on him like predators closing in on their prey.
Lance led the charge.
His eyes burned with an intensity that sent a chill through Khedira's body.
"A devil..."
The German midfielder froze for a fraction of a second.
It was enough.
Lance launched himself into a sliding tackle.
Combining the instincts granted by [Shō Shunko] with the defensive mastery of [Cannavaro], the challenge sealed every possible angle.
"Oh no!"
Khedira instinctively jumped clear.
Grass exploded into the air.
Lance became a blur.
The tackle was clean.
Perfect.
Decisive.
"Lance! Beautiful! A perfect sliding tackle!"
Liu Jiayuan's voice jumped several octaves.
Who would've thought a striker could produce a tackle with such defensive elegance?
After all, the template he carried belonged to Cannavaro—the legendary defender who had conquered world football.
Everything happened in an instant.
The moment Lance won possession, he swept the ball toward Hazard while still on the ground.
Kroos reacted immediately.
Too late.
By the time he turned to pressure Hazard, Lance was already back on his feet and sprinting forward.
Belgium exploded into transition.
Lukaku.
Hazard.
De Bruyne.
Lance.
Fellaini.
Black shirts surged upfield at full speed.
"Hazard carries it forward!"
Usually, Lance attracted all the attention.
Today, Hazard finally had room to shine.
The Belgian captain surged forward with the ball glued to his feet.
Kroos and Kimmich closed him down together.
Hazard remained completely composed.
A body feint.
A burst of acceleration.
One touch took him past Kimmich.
Then he stopped suddenly.
Kroos flew straight past him.
The abrupt change of rhythm shattered Germany's defensive shape.
"Beautiful from Hazard! Is he going to shoot?"
Khedira rushed back and launched into a desperate challenge from behind.
Hazard calmly cut the ball away once more, evading the tackle before sliding a pass toward the right flank.
Lukaku's run had done its job.
Both Hummels and Boateng followed him into the center.
The space opened immediately.
De Bruyne was free.
Only Mustafi remained between him and the penalty area.
As Mustafi stepped forward, De Bruyne calmly lifted a curling pass over his head toward the far side of the box.
"De Bruyne!"
Liu Jiayuan was still wondering who the pass was intended for.
Then a black figure burst from the crowd.
The answer was obvious.
"What a move! Lance—"
Since making the tackle in midfield, he had never stopped running.
He sprinted the length of the attack and arrived at the edge of the penalty area exactly as De Bruyne's pass descended.
For a brief moment, Boateng, Hummels, and Mustafi froze.
According to their scouting reports, Lance preferred taking a touch before shooting.
That touch should have given them enough time to close him down.
But Lance had already evolved.
What scouting report are you working from? Last month's footage?
Sorry.
I've learned something new.
The [Isagi Yoichi] template activated at precisely the right moment.
The puzzle piece was right there.
[Direct Strike Shot]
Ready.
Fire.
Bang!
Lance didn't take a single extra touch.
At a tight angle inside the penalty area, he stretched his body and met the ball first time.
A beautiful side-footed volley.
The strike flew like an arrow.
Neuer got a hand to it—
But he couldn't stop it.
The ball tore into the net.
"OHHHHHH!!! Lance! It's in!"
"A magnificent volley!"
"His ninth goal of the European Championship!"
"Lance has equaled Michel Platini's legendary European Championship scoring record!"
"Nine goals!"
"A mark that stands among the greatest achievements in tournament history!"
The moment Lance's volley hit the back of the net, the stadium erupted.
Then the shockwave spread beyond the arena.
Across Europe.
Across the football world.
Everyone was witnessing history.