After conceding, Werder Bremen's players looked deeply frustrated.
There was nothing they could do about that goal.
If the opponent had scored because of their own mistake, they could still have found a way to make up for it.
But Bayern had scored that goal purely by relying on superior individual ability and teamwork, using rapid passing and movement to forcibly tear open Werder Bremen's defense.
The opponent had raised the tempo too quickly, and Werder Bremen's players could not keep up, making defensive mistakes all too easily.
Worse still, their opponents were exceptionally good at seizing chances. Any defensive gap Werder Bremen exposed could easily be exploited to change the score.
On Bayern's bench, Heynckes nodded approvingly after seeing his team equalize.
After his coaching, these players had become increasingly mature and formidable this season. They had truly learned not to grow arrogant in victory or lose heart in defeat.
At their current level, reclaiming the Bundesliga Trophy this season should not be a problem.
Even Dortmund, last season's champions, would not be able to stop them.
Perhaps they might even achieve something in the Champions League this year.
On the visitors' side, conceding that goal woke Schaaf up.
They had drawn up a plan before the match to use the Iron Bucket Formation, but because the team had taken the lead, both he and the players had relaxed somewhat and failed to carry out the tactics strictly.
That had led to the goal. If their midfield line had fully dropped back into their own half and closed the distance to the defenders,
and if Captain Fritz had taken a step back to turn the formation into a five-man defense, the goal probably would not have happened.
Thinking of this, Schaaf immediately shouted instructions to the players on the pitch, telling them to carry out the plan they had made before the match.
A 1-1 scoreline was not unacceptable. The match was only sixty minutes long, and if they held on until the end, the two sides could settle the result with a Penalty Shootout.
No matter how strong Bayern were on paper, it would not matter then, because a Penalty Shootout tested luck more than anything else.
Sure enough, once the match restarted, Bayern found themselves with nowhere to attack against Werder Bremen's Iron Bucket Formation.
The score remained 1-1 until the end of the first half.
Back in the locker room, Schaaf praised the players for their first-half performance.
He admitted his own mistake, believing that he had been careless after they scored and had failed to remind the players to drop back, which had led to the later concession.
This made Werder Bremen's players feel a little embarrassed. They knew perfectly well that the Head Coach had little to do with it; it had entirely been their own problem.
"All right, forget the first half. Our first priority in the second half is defense.
"Don't pass directly to Lin Quan in attack like you did in the first half. They are marking him very tightly, so it will be hard for him to receive the ball if you pass straight to him.
"So, when we counterattack in the second half, look more for Arnautovic.
"Remember, do not overplay through midfield, so that we do not lose the ball and let them counter our counterattack.
"Whenever there is a chance, launch it directly from the back. Arnautovic, contest for the ball if you can. If you cannot win it, disrupt their buildup as much as possible and buy your teammates time to get back into defensive positions."
The players had already discussed everything Schaaf said.
But later, they had been pinned down by the opponent and had not seen much of the ball. Their few counterattacks had also been too rushed to build any coordination, so the tactics they had discussed had never truly been put into practice.
Now that Schaaf had emphasized the plan again, the players would follow his instructions in the second half.
The second half began quickly, and Werder Bremen made no substitutions.
Bayern Munich, however, replaced two players.
Number 31 Schweinsteiger came on for number 36 Emre, while number 7 Ribery replaced number 11 Saric.
Werder Bremen kicked off. After two or three passes at their feet, Bayern's pressing quickly forced them to lose the ball.
The match seemed to return to the familiar scene from the first half—Bayern laying siege to Werder Bremen's goal!
But there was one difference: this time, Werder Bremen had packed their defensive area with players.
Of the eleven players on the field, ten were in their own half.
Even Lin Quan himself dropped back to receive the ball, leaving only Arnautovic wandering near the center circle.
The crowded back line made Bayern's attack extremely difficult. They dominated possession but could not score.
Breaking down a packed defense was a worldwide problem. When a team was determined to defend to the death, even a top side found it difficult to breach their goal.
Two months earlier, the Chinese National Football Team had played a friendly against World Cup champions Spain.
The Chinese National Football Team had parked the bus in that match. Spain fielded their strongest lineup and unleashed dozens of shots throughout the game, yet they could not break through for a long time.
If the Chinese National Football Team's players had not run out of stamina in the final five minutes and lost concentration, allowing David Silva to score with a placed shot, they might even have forced the mighty Spain national team into a draw.
The gap in strength between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich was far smaller than the gap between the Chinese National Football Team and Spain.
So, with Werder Bremen determined to park the bus, Bayern were like a hunting dog facing a hedgehog, not knowing where to bite.
Werder Bremen could accept a draw and let penalties decide the winner.
Bayern could not!
So Bayern further intensified their attack. Even the defensive players who had originally stayed near midfield joined the offense, leaving only Boateng at the back.
That gave Werder Bremen an opportunity!
In the forty-sixth minute, Ribery's shot was blocked by a defender's body.
Werder Bremen captain Fritz collected the loose ball. The instant possession changed hands, Lin Quan and Arnautovic began sprinting toward Bayern's half.
Fritz glanced at his team's two forwards racing ahead and launched the ball forward with a huge kick.
The ball was not aimed at either player, but at the open space in the opponent's backfield.
When Bayern saw the long clearance, they did not think much of it at first.
It was difficult to bring down Bayern with Long Ball Tactics, because they had a goalkeeper with an enormous range.
Neuer covered a huge area in front of goal. Sometimes, he even left his penalty area and ran beyond the box to serve as an extra outlet at the back, joining the team's overall attack. Fans therefore called him a sweeper keeper.
Bayern held a huge advantage in this match, so Neuer had long since left his penalty area.
After seeing where the ball would land, Neuer had a clear read on it. His teammate Boateng should be able to deal with it, so he did not hurry back into the box. He planned to provide an option once Boateng brought the ball under control.
Seeing the football fly toward him, Boateng judged its landing point and leaped high, intending to head it to the teammate behind him.
But just as he jumped, a tall figure charged in and sprang into the air almost at the same time.
The two were about the same height, but Boateng had jumped from a standstill while his opponent had leaped after a run-up.
Thus, Boateng could only watch as the ball, just centimeters from him, was headed away by his opponent.
At that moment, another figure flashed past the two of them.
At the same time, realizing that something was wrong, Neuer stretched out his long legs and charged straight for the ball.
He and Lin Quan were about equally far from the ball, and he was much farther from the goal than from the ball, so there was no way he could get back in time.
If he did not come out to challenge for it, the opponent could take possession and chip the ball directly toward goal. By then, he would never catch up!
Lin Quan clearly understood that as well.
So at this moment, it came down to who was faster!
Before you continue