Help Milan Turn the Match Around

"Carlo, sign me. I'll definitely be your wisest signing. Give me a chance, please, I'm begging you!"

Just as security was about to carry him into the players' tunnel, Huang Kaiwen clung desperately to the edge of the tunnel and shouted at Ancelotti. His voice was so heart-wrenching that even the nearby fans could not help worrying for him.

With his expression dark and uncertain, Ancelotti finally stood and walked over.

Seeing this, the security staff put Huang Kaiwen down, though they still held his arms behind his back, afraid he might charge onto the pitch again.

"Let him go. He isn't a bad person."

Ancelotti's words were quickly translated and carried out.

Ancelotti was a kind old man. After reassuring the security staff a few more times, he led Huang Kaiwen over to the coaching bench.

"What position do you play?"

Ancelotti asked.

"Anywhere in attack. My favorite position is through the middle, but if Kaka is there, I can play winger too," Huang Kaiwen said without hesitation.

Ancelotti turned and beckoned to the kit manager. "Find him a set of gear."

Huang Kaiwen immediately said in Italian, "I wear size 42 boots. And preferably, give me the number 7 shirt."

Ancelotti's face darkened. He's already asking for a number? Don't tell me he's a troublemaker. But when he thought of the ability Huang Kaiwen had shown on the pitch just now, he secretly chuckled. Signing a player of that caliber on a free transfer would be a huge bargain.

Who knew why this kid had never found a team before? Ancelotti had already decided to offer Huang Kaiwen a contract, but he needed to see him play again first.

Milan's substitutes surrounded Huang Kaiwen and bombarded him with questions. It was not the first time they had seen a fan rush onto the pitch, but they had never seen one who could play so well.

Huang Kaiwen warmed up while chatting and joking around with them.

In the 76th minute, Ancelotti substituted Xilinoli off and sent Huang Kaiwen onto the pitch. "Go on. Show them what you can do."

Then Ancelotti called captain Maldini over and instructed him, "Tell them to pass to that kid more often. Let's see what he can do. Unless something unexpected happens, we'll sign him."

Maldini nodded.

Though he was somewhat unhappy about being toyed with by Huang Kaiwen earlier, he also believed the kid had real ability. It would be a great thing for the club he had served for half his life to sign such a player.

So when he returned to the pitch, he sternly told his teammates to pass to Huang Kaiwen more often.

It was not because he was meddling.

Professional players were proud and rather exclusionary by nature. Huang Kaiwen's manner of entering the match today had already offended them. If he did not make it clear enough, they probably would not cooperate properly.

"That fan is on the pitch. We still don't know his name, but he should be Chinese. Speaking of which, his technique really is excellent. He's wearing Milan's number 7 shirt now. I wonder whether Ancelotti will choose to sign him," Coach Zhang said cheerfully. It was a little absurd, but the sudden appearance of a Chinese genius was still a good thing.

The match resumed. Although Milan's players had received Maldini's instructions, they still wanted to teach Huang Kaiwen a lesson.

When it came to passing, was it not entirely up to them whether the ball was hit a little too hard or a little too soft?

As for the Shenhua players, Huang Kaiwen's sudden appearance and dribble past several players had turned them into mere background characters. They were still fuming over it. It could be said that most of the players on the pitch disliked Huang Kaiwen.

After receiving the ball, Diano pushed forward into attack and deliberately underhit a long pass, intending to give Huang Kaiwen a taste of his own medicine.

Seeing that, Huang Kaiwen immediately cut in from the wing toward the center. He leaped up and, just ahead of Shenhua's foreign player Albertz, barely managed to head the ball away with his chest. Then he accelerated again, stole the ball from in front of Yu Tao, and passed it to Ledesma, who had also only recently come on, before charging into the box himself.

Ledesma decisively sent the ball into the penalty area.

That pass was also somewhat overhit, but Ledesma had still underestimated Huang Kaiwen—or rather, Michael Owen at his peak. Even though the ball had deliberately been played toward the byline, Huang Kaiwen still reached it in the six-yard box. Ignoring Borriello, who was calling for the ball, he twisted his body and unleashed a shot from an extremely tight angle.

The ball easily beat Zhu Huiqian and flew into the net.

"Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"A world-class goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"That goal was no worse than Van Basten's strike from a zero-degree angle back then. This fan has pulled one back for Milan. It's 1-2 now, and AC Milan can see hope of an equalizer."

Ancelotti smiled and applauded from the touchline, the wrinkles on his face deep enough to crush flies.

He had not expected Huang Kaiwen to score as soon as he came on.

AC Milan's players had not expected this either. They put away their contempt and decided to play seriously.

A few minutes later, Redondo was brought down by Jia Wenpeng while dribbling forward, earning AC Milan a free kick around thirty-five meters from goal.

Ledesma was eager to take it, but Huang Kaiwen walked over, picked up the ball, and pointed at himself. "I'll take it. I need to make the most of my time to show what I can do."

Ledesma shrugged and stepped aside, joining his teammates to watch the show.

Tens of thousands of eyes throughout the stadium were fixed on the scene.

Even Shenhua's fans were secretly cheering Huang Kaiwen on now.

Everyone had more or less figured out the situation today. As Chinese people, they all hoped this kid could impress AC Milan.

Huang Kaiwen placed the ball down and began backing away.

After taking a deep breath, he began a short run-up.

One step,

two steps,

three steps.

After the third step, he swung his arm and whipped his right foot through the ball.

Bang—

The ball flew almost without any curve, heading straight toward the goal from Huang Kaiwen's position.

Just as Zhu Huiqian breathed a sigh of relief, the Shenhua goalkeeper suddenly realized that the ball was beginning to drop. Damn it, it was a knuckleball!!!

He had no time to react. The ball dropped and slipped into the net right beside him.

The entire Hongkou Stadium erupted.

With excellent awareness of the situation, Huang Kaiwen chose to celebrate in an embrace with the Milan players.

Ancelotti kept rubbing his hands together, wishing he could stop the match immediately and sign Huang Kaiwen.

During his time on the pitch, Huang Kaiwen had displayed not only technique and speed. Including his first rush onto the field, he had scored three goals, using his left foot and right foot respectively.

In football, players equally adept with both feet were extremely rare.

Players who could strike with either foot and were also so gifted were even rarer. This trip to China had truly unearthed a treasure.

A few minutes later, Huang Kaiwen dribbled past four players in a row at the edge of Shenhua's penalty area before setting up Borriello, helping AC Milan complete the comeback.

As the referee blew the final whistle, Ancelotti could not help rushing onto the pitch and dragging Huang Kaiwen away. He had to sign him—he could not wait even one more minute.