Just as Haaland leapt, arching his body in the air, preparing to unleash a powerful header.
A black fist got there first, accurately batting the ball away in mid-air.
The guardian of the goal! De Gea!
The ball fell to Gao Nuo's feet, and he somewhat frantically kicked it out of bounds, clearing the danger—a task he was truly unfamiliar with.
"Beep-beep-beep—!" The referee blew his whistle, which he had been ready to sound.
The first half ended.
Manchester United led 2-0, tying Manchester City 3-3 on aggregate.
Guardiola, his face grim, turned and walked into the players' tunnel. He had a lot of work to do during the 15-minute halftime break.
Erik ten Hag also didn't dally, walking and talking with Mike Allen, discussing the upcoming tactics, his expression equally serious.
De Gea put his arm around Gao Nuo, and they walked to the locker room together, covering their mouths and whispering.
"Gao, that long pass earlier, I meant to pass it to you. Thankfully, it turned out to be a redemption."
"David, you're too modest. Without you, it would be 2-2 right now."
De Gea's performance made everyone feel like they were on a rollercoaster—a brilliant save, a momentary lapse, another brilliant save—their hearts clenching with each moment.
Manchester United fans stood up en masse, giving their applause to De Gea, and the long-lost chant echoed through Old Trafford.
"Van De Gea!"
"Van De Gea!"
"Van De Gea!"
The man affectionately nicknamed "Dad" by Manchester United fans had returned!
Watching the live broadcast, Zhan Jun let out a long breath, "The first half has ended. Manchester United, thanks to Gao Nuo's brace, has temporarily tied the score, leaving all the suspense for promotion to the final 45 minutes."
Zhang habitually summarized, "Eh! The offense and defense from both sides in the first half were incredibly exciting. Old Trafford truly lives up to its name as the 'Theatre of Dreams.' Such a home atmosphere commands respect."
The director began to play the highlights of the first half, and the two commentators started to chime in.
"Even without Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's performance was still excellent. On the other hand, Manchester City seemed a bit slow to get into the game today."
"Eh, that's right. Manchester City's first conceded goal was due to a mistake in coordination between Stones and De Bruyne, which Gao Nuo capitalized on to create a one-on-one opportunity. The second goal came from Rodri's misplaced pass, leading to a Manchester United counter-attack. Although the final goal relied on Gao Nuo's individual ability, Manchester City's midfield performance today, eh, was indeed uninspired."
"Zhang, in the final stages of the first half, Manchester City created continuous threats, and Manchester United's goalmouth was perilous. De Gea made a series of incredible saves, as if Van der Sar had possessed him. The fans even chanted his nickname from his younger days—Van De Gea! Who do you think will have the last laugh?"
"Eh, from my observation, Gao Nuo is in excellent form today and has a great chance to complete a hat-trick. It all depends on what adjustments Manchester City makes in the second half, whether Guardiola will change his formation, and if Haaland can turn the tide."
"Okay, Zhang's analysis is very rational. Then I'll be a bit more emotional. I boldly predict that Gao Nuo will score another goal in the second half, and Manchester United will advance to the semi-finals with a 4-3 aggregate score."
"Haha, eh! Zhan Jun's idea must be the heartfelt wish of all Gao Nuo fans. So, let's wait and see."
In the Manchester City locker room, a tactical whiteboard was pulled up, and Guardiola was outlining his strategy.
"For the second half's defense, Rodri will move to the sweeper position. Shut down that number 9 for me. The midfield will drop back; don't press rashly.
Bernardo Silva and Foden need to pay attention to defending the wings. Manchester United will definitely continue to attack down the flanks.
I don't want to concede any more goals. We'll play defensive counter-attack!
Next..."
After detailing everything, Guardiola put his arm around Haaland and whispered:
"Erling, did you see Gao's goal? Can you do that?"
"No problem, boss. I'm going all out in the second half."
"Good. You have top-level firing permission. I'm waiting for your performance!"
Manchester United's locker room was much simpler. Erik ten Hag instructed his players to continue attacking down both wings, reminded Lisandro Martínez to contain Haaland's attacks, and didn't make too many new tactical adjustments.
Fifteen minutes can make a big difference, and unless a conservative approach was chosen, the second half saw a significant shift in the game.
In the 47th minute, Antony advanced into the attacking third, still looking for Gao Nuo's position, when Ake dispossessed him from behind, and Manchester City launched a counter-attack.
Haaland led the charge, not bothering with the shorter Martínez, but instead grappling with Pau Torres.
This was a very wise decision. Torres wasn't as aggressive as Martínez, and even with his superior strength, Haaland easily brushed him aside.
Lisandro Martínez hadn't forgotten his coach's instructions, with most of his attention focused on Haaland. Seeing his partner out of position, he immediately pushed forward to cover.
With the center-backs pulled together, gaps appeared on Manchester United's flanks, and Bernardo Silva and Foden exploited them.
Manchester City's counter-attacks were incisive for one simple reason: their midfield was too strong!
Three passes, two quick exchanges, and the ball had already reached the center circle. It was De Bruyne again, who abandoned a ground pass and sent a long ball directly towards the right flank.
At this moment, Luke Shaw was chasing back at full speed like a bulldozer. The 'two wings flying' tactic meant Manchester United's fullbacks were positioned high, and Bernardo Silva successfully received the pass.
Facing Rice's defensive cover, and with Luke Shaw closing in from behind, Bernardo Silva, from the left side of the penalty area line, struck the ball fiercely towards the goal.
"A shot?"
Zhan Jun's commentary mirrored exactly what De Gea was thinking.
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The angle of the shot was tight, and it was quite a distance from the goal, but there was no time to think. De Gea followed his instincts and leaped.
"Just missed! Good, by experience, it should go out for a goal kick."
De Gea's thoughts were remarkably similar to Ederson's in the first half.
Even more astonishingly, Haaland performed a acrobatic move, kicking the ball into the net.
"De Gea saves, didn't touch the ball, the ball flies out..."
Before Zhan Jun could utter the words "goal kick," he quickly corrected himself: "Oh my goodness, Haaland in the air, a scorpion kick sends the ball into the net! Manchester City scores!"
Three seconds earlier, Haaland had leapt high in the box. Martínez, playing a little trick, elbowed him in the waist and gave a sudden push.
Haaland's body lost control, tumbling forward and to the left in mid-air, followed by his long legs flailing.
Seeing the incoming ball, Haaland wildly kicked his legs, and indeed, he managed to send the ball into the net.
After scoring, the 'Demon Man' braced himself with one hand, rolled to his feet, landed smoothly, and ran towards the sideline camera, striking a bodybuilding pose to show off his muscles.
Manchester United players were dejected. Having conceded such a 'miracle goal,' they now understood how their opponents felt in the first half.
Guardiola, who had raised his hands, finally didn't have to put them down. He bounced around on the sidelines like a 54-year-old child.
Erik ten Hag sat back on the bench in frustration, took the tactical board from Mike Allen, and began planning substitutions.
Zhan Jun in the broadcast room was stunned, "Is this a coincidence? Haaland scored a goal remarkably similar to Gao Nuo's!"
Zhang also looked utterly surprised: "Eh! Before the shot, you could say they were identical, except Gao Nuo was on his back, lifting his leg and pressing down, while Haaland was leaning forward, swinging his leg from behind."
Zhan Jun's voice still conveyed disbelief, "It seems that after this match, the goals by Gao Nuo and Haaland will surely become legendary!"