In the 96th minute of the match, as the clock ticked down, Manchester City's center-back Stones received a back pass. He glanced at the approaching Gao Nuo and passed the ball back to the goalkeeper.
Gao Nuo was too familiar with Stones. After countless matches playing side-by-side on the Challenge Road, he knew all of Stones' movements. Seeing that Stones' leg swing was not wide, Gao Nuo immediately judged that the power was too little.
In an instant, just as the ball left Stones' foot, he felt a strong gust of wind pass in front of him. The Red No. 9 left him with only a retreating figure, rushing towards the goal with incredible speed.
Manchester City's defense didn't react at all, merely jogging back to their own half as a formality. They believed Ederson wouldn't make such a basic mistake.
Ederson was indeed experienced. He knew that as long as he kicked the ball upfield, the match would be over.
The referee held the whistle in his mouth, ready to blow the final whistle at any moment.
None of this mattered to Gao Nuo. He only wanted to catch up to the ball. A familiar surge of power coursed through his body, increasing his speed even further. He knew this was the 'berserk' state brought on by an adrenaline rush. Holding his breath, he dared not waste these precious few seconds, tightening all his muscles and continuing to push forward.
Ederson was surprised to find that Gao Nuo seemed to be reaching the ball first. In a moment of urgency, he chose to slide tackle. "No problem, as long as I clear the ball, the referee will blow the whistle. It will definitely be fine."
Contrary to his wishes, the Manchester City stadium, with over 50,000 fans, was unusually quiet. They watched in disbelief as Manchester United's No. 9 poked the ball to the left before Ederson, then, from 30 meters out, took a shot. The ball wasn't fast but rolled directly into the net.
After shooting, Gao Nuo lost all strength. His legs gave out, and inertia carried him sliding a long way across the grass. Gao Nuo stared intently at the ball until he confirmed it had entered the net, then began to breathe heavily.
Zhan Jun and Zhang, who were broadcasting the match live, were emotionally agitated.
"Oh my god, Gao Nuo scored! His speed just now was incredible, absolutely shocking."
Zhan Jun only managed one sentence before being speechless with shock. Zhang quickly helped him out.
"Hey! That was amazing! Gao Nuo's goal was fantastic! This was a goal born from sheer effort. No one could have imagined that at the very last moment of the match, someone would still have such fighting spirit. You can see from the live broadcast that Gao Nuo is completely exhausted. The team doctor is helping him off the field. The full match has ended, Manchester City defeated Manchester United 3:1."
Zhang spoke at an extremely fast pace, even reducing his usual verbal fillers, saying this long string of words in one breath, sounding a little breathless.
Zhan Jun recovered and immediately took over, "Zhang is absolutely right. Regardless of Manchester United's Champions League results, Gao Nuo's goal alone is enough to prove the spirit of our Chinese athletes to the world. At this moment, I solemnly declare that I am a fan of Gao Nuo!"
The netizens in the live stream were too busy to showcase their talents at this time. A wealthy big brother's infinite scrolling comments filled the entire screen with "Holy sh*t," making it impossible to see anything else.
A few days later.
"Ah, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" Gao Nuo lay on the bed, his face flushed, clenching his teeth, trying hard to control himself.
"Satisfied? Feeling better now?" Lina's face was also red. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, shaking her sore hands, and said with a hint of complaint.
Neymar, who had just recovered from his injury and returned to the team, interrupted them, laughing, "Gao, you played brilliantly in the last match, but your body isn't quite up to it!"
In the Manchester United physiotherapy room, Antony, also relaxing his muscles, joined the discussion, "Brother, you didn't see how Gao Nuo ran in the last match. Even with a gun to my head, I wouldn't run that fast."
Lina had just finished massaging Gao Nuo's left leg; his strong muscles had taken a lot of her energy.
The soreness in her hands hadn't disappeared yet, but she continued to reach for Gao Nuo's right leg, not stopping her chatter, "All you athletes are monsters, especially Gao Nuo."
Rice, who had just finished stretching nearby, said curiously, "Gao, how did you do it in the last match?"
Gao Nuo endured the pain and managed to reply, "I don't know either. At the time, I just wanted to catch the ball, and I felt... er, Lina, sister, a little lighter, please."
Everyone in the physiotherapy room looked at Gao Nuo, waiting for him to continue, "I just felt full of strength for a moment, and then I was completely drained."
Lina's hand pressure increased a bit, her tone filled with anger and helplessness, "This is the after-effect of an adrenaline surge! Do you know what the doctor would say? Your current muscle strain is the mildest symptom; in the most severe cases, it could lead to sudden death!"
The physiotherapy room fell silent. Only Lina grew angrier and angrier, "Only a few people burst out like this under life-or-death crises. Gao Nuo, are you a genius? Why would you risk your life for a match? If it weren't for your youth and good health, we'd be holding your memorial service!"
Lina's fury made everyone afraid to speak, with only Gao Nuo occasionally letting out a few painful groans.
At the same time, they pondered in their hearts, if these words were true, what kind of desire to win did Gao Nuo truly possess?
Gao Nuo had experienced berserk states before, but each time, he only felt physically exhausted and weak in his legs.
Only this time, after confirming the goal, Gao Nuo's vision went black, and he had absolutely no strength left in his body.
It took him a long while to recover enough to stand with the help of the team doctor.
Large amounts of lactic acid accumulated in Gao Nuo's muscles.
To help him recover faster, Lina continued to massage him diligently, even though her hands were starting to tremble from exhaustion.
After the post-training relaxation, teammates left one by one, leaving only Gao Nuo and Lina in the physiotherapy room.
Watching Lina's serious expression, Gao Nuo felt a little touched.
Gao Nuo knew Lina's feelings for him; her anger stemmed from her concern for him.
"This isn't my first time. It was fine before; I'd just sleep it off and recover."
Lina's hands paused, and she subconsciously asked, "There were other times before?"
"The first time was with the national team, back then..." Gao Nuo recounted everything, explaining his previous berserk experiences to Lina.
"Gao, you really are a monster! You're so captivating."
Lina licked her lips, resisting the urge to pounce on Gao Nuo, her eyes filled with seriousness as she continued, "Promise me, next time you feel like this, you must stop. It's truly too dangerous."
"Okay, okay, I'll head back now."
Stared at by the fiery English girl, Gao Nuo felt a little scared and limped away, escaping before things got out of control.
Manchester United 1:3 Manchester City. The second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals will be played at Old Trafford.
Thanks to Gao Nuo's goal, the two-goal difference kept Manchester United's hopes of advancing alive.
The media temporarily left the Manchester United locker room alone, focusing all their attention on Gao Nuo's goal.