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Alex Ferguson, the Red-faced Four of the Premier League, barely calmed his rage.

In the early minutes of the match, Phil Jones showed good performance, but one crucial mistake led to a goal.

Dortmund didn’t miss their chance, and Manchester United found themselves in a situation where Ferguson’s meticulously prepared plans had crumbled with the first goal conceded.

Seeing Phil Jones looking somewhat deflated after his mistake, Ferguson stood up and moved to the touchline.

“Fuck!!! Phil, get over here, you bastard!!”

While Son Jinho was celebrating, Alex Ferguson called for Phil Jones.

‘Indeed, the quality of the squad has dropped compared to before.’

Ferguson knew the capabilities of the Manchester United players he was managing very well.

Due to the tremendous debt the club was saddled with after the Glazers’ acquisition, players unsuited for the name Manchester United occupied the roster.

As a result, compared to Dortmund, the players of Manchester United were at least a tier below.

Thus, just like Hamburg managed to secure a win against Dortmund, they tried to play with a rapid and strong counter-attack.

Unfortunately, the current squad of Manchester United lacked experience in the Champions League and against Dortmund, which ultimately led to mistakes that resulted in goals.

Anyway, Manchester United was trailing 1-0.

The Champions League features a home-and-away format, and since they would have to face Dortmund at their home ground, Signal Iduna Park, for the second leg, they couldn’t afford to lose helplessly at home like this.

Knowing that, Alex Ferguson recognized that he had to create at least a draw in the first leg.

As Phil Jones approached, Ferguson comforted him while acknowledging that his plans had gone awry and promptly began issuing tactical instructions.

“Let’s discard the original tactics and press forward aggressively.”

Though the chance of success for such a rapid tactical change was slim, for Alex Ferguson, it was nothing significant.

Alex Ferguson did not have a signature tactic representative of his name like Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka or Jürgen Klopp’s gegenpressing, but he flexibly adapted tactics and ruled at the highest level for 40 years.

The experience he amassed over those 40 years began to shine.

With Alex Ferguson adeptly issuing orders to his players from the touchline, the flow of the game started to shift.

Dortmund’s players were shaken by Manchester United’s sudden aggressive pressing.

Although it was a problem that Phil Jones, who seemed to be in a frenzy after his one-on-one with Ferguson, also hadn’t been performing well…

[Wayne Rooney’s rough tackle towards İlkay Gündoğan! But no whistle!]

Wayne Rooney’s competitive spirit and tireless hustle play were enough to elevate the Manchester United players’ performance.

Having snatched the ball from İlkay Gündoğan, Wayne Rooney broke through Dortmund’s defense with his characteristic dribble.

[Wayne Rooney!! Wayne Rooney’s cutback!!]

Taking advantage of the attention on him, he connected a pass to Robin van Persie.

Robin van Persie kept his eyes on the ball as he shot towards the near post.

Van Persie’s composed left-footed shot was sucked into the lower corner of the left goal.

“Woaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!”

The equalizer exploded, and Old Trafford began to heat up.

***

[Goooooool!! The little kid inside me brings the game back to square one!!]

At the moment Manchester United scored the equalizer, Han Gyeouri roared as she threw an uppercut into the air like the excited crowd on the broadcast screen.

“Wow!! Did you see that, Dortmund! Conceding the first goal was just to gain momentum!!”

“Are you happy that your husband’s team conceded a goal?”

Watching that, Mrs. Hwang Mi-yeon lightly chided Han Gyeouri.

“Ah.”

Realizing in that moment, Han Gyeouri quickly muttered a short reply.

“…Mom, it’s a secret from Son Jinho.”

And then she charmingly asked her mom, Hwang Mi-yeon, to keep it a secret.

“Depends on what you’re doing.”

“Ehhh!”

“Ugh, why are you being so cutesy! If you act cute one more time, I’ll tell Jinho right away?”

“…Mom, did I pick you up from under a bridge?”

Han Gyeouri, feeling offended by her mother’s reaction as if she had spotted a cockroach, demonstrated fiery filial piety.

“If you bore me in pain, your uncle would have kicked you out of the house for raising a daughter who is a Manchester United fan.”

“…But she’s my daughter, right?”

“Oh please. You’ll give birth to a daughter just like you someday.”

Han Gyeouri imagined a scenario where her own child was bad-mouthing Manchester United due to Mrs. Hwang Mi-yeon’s words.

– Six and the City! Six and the City!

– Mom’s team got wrecked!

– Heehee!! The true owner of Manchester is City!!

Suddenly, she realized her mother’s sincere love.

“…Thanks, Mom.”

“Yeah, where else do you find a mom like this?”

“Yeah.”

And just when she felt grateful for her mother’s love, the first half ended, and halftime began.

***

Halftime locker room time.

– Phil!! You idiot!! What the hell was that irresponsible pass!!

Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer treatment could be heard even in the away locker room.

“Nuri!! Why didn’t you show up in the first half!!”

“…I wasn’t in the starting lineup.”

“I know that!!”

Aside from the bizarre fact that Jürgen Klopp seemed to have been provoked into a hairdryer session, nothing special happened.

As halftime concluded and they re-entered the pitch, the scene of Manchester United players filled with venom caught my eye.

“Wow. They really got thrashed, huh?”

Ivan Perišić approached and spoke, and I nodded in agreement.

“Seriously.”

I felt that we needed to be a bit cautious as the second half was about to start.

***

Manchester United pressured Dortmund fiercely right from the second half.

[Michael Carrick intercepts the pass directly to Danny Welbeck upfield!]

Michael Carrick read the passing lane and intercepted the ball, spotting Danny Welbeck pressing into Dortmund’s back space and swiftly delivered a forward pass.

Michael Carrick’s through pass accurately connected to Danny Welbeck, cutting through Dortmund’s defenders.

[Michael Carrick’s pass connects!! Danny Welbeck faces a critical chance!!]

Manchester United fans who came to visit Old Trafford rose from their seats in excitement.

Recognizing the critical chance, Danny Welbeck calmly assessed Roman Weidenfeller’s position as he sprinted out of goal and smoothly executed a chip shot.

[Danny Welbeck’s chip shot!!!]

Just as everyone thought it was a goal.

Danny Welbeck’s shot flew hopelessly into the air.

[Oh! What is that! Danny Welbeck’s shot sails into the air!!]

It was such a critical chance that a groan escaped from Manchester United fans.

Danny Welbeck subsequently created chances with good interplay and movement but failed to convert.

“Ah─!”

“Are you kidding me?! You couldn’t score that, you bastard!”

“Just pass it back already!!”

Frustrated as they failed to score in such a critical situation, Manchester United players began to lose their strength.

The flow of the game gradually shifted towards Dortmund.

[Son Jinho has come deep to help.]

Though Son Jinho started as an attacking midfielder, he had dropped down to the left-back position to work the game.

As Son Jinho exchanged one-two passes with Sebastian Kehl to shake off Manchester United’s pressure.

“Jinho!”

Marco Reus called Son Jinho’s name and sprinted into the open space behind.

“Stop him!”

The gaze of Manchester United’s defenders turned towards Marco Reus.

Rather than passing to Marco Reus, Son Jinho decided to use him as bait.

With the glance stealing attention towards Marco Reus, the defensive gap of Manchester United widened momentarily.

[Son Jinho starts to advance!!]

Son Jinho began to dribble forward into the widened space.

As Michael Carrick approached to stop Son Jinho’s advance.

Out of Son Jinho’s view, a Dortmund player penetrated into the penalty box from the right side.

[Son Jinho delivers a pass into the penalty box!!]

Son Jinho promptly passed with an outside foot.

[Ah! It goes in! Kevin Großkreutz’s additional goal!! And the assist is from Son Jinho!!]

The pass delivered by Son Jinho at just the right pace connected with Kevin Großkreutz’s foot and ripped apart Manchester United’s net.

***

As Dortmund began to take the lead and Alex Ferguson’s mood soured,

Korean spectators visiting Old Trafford waved their Taegukgi flags in joy.

At the same time, I turned my gaze to the Manchester United bench.

There was Jisong looking to warm up.

Surely, the Korean commentators were also thrilled that the Korean derby was unfolding.

But the flow of the match had already shifted to Dortmund.

The Jisong on the field ran tirelessly for the team, but sadly it was not enough to stave off the team’s defeat.

And just before the game came to an end.

“Finally, I’ve taken my place in the heavens.”

As I received Marco Reus’s pass, I quickly unleashed a shot from distance, adding another goal and moving closer to M.O.M.

***

With Son Jinho’s sealing goal, the match concluded, and he emerged with 2 goals and 1 assist, becoming the hero of victory, appearing in the interview room with a bright smile.

“I want to dedicate this victory to my wife.”

And upon witnessing that interview, Han Gyeouri, embodying Caesar betrayed by Brutus, painfully cried out,

“Ugh! Son Jinho!! You too!! How well have I treated you!!”

 

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