When Lucas broke through with the ball, many spectators held their breath and couldn't help but stand up, as if they wanted a clearer view.
As Lucas passed the full-back, cut inside, and skillfully struck the ball with the outside of his instep, finding the far corner and changing the score to 3-2, the fans at the stadium immediately erupted in excitement.
Enthusiastic cheers reverberated throughout the stands, and some fans who were closer to the field shouted at Lucas with admiration, "Lucas, well done!"
"One more!" exclaimed others.
A few fans even attempted to jump over the fence, trying to rush onto the field and embrace Lucas to celebrate his remarkable goal.
This made the security guards on the sidelines quite nervous, and they quickly intervened to stop those fervent fans.
Lucas was taken aback by the overwhelming support from the crowd.
After a moment of surprise, he waved to the fans, expressing his gratitude for their unwavering support, and then swiftly made his way to celebrate with other players.
He had often heard about the passionate nature of Bundesliga fans, especially the diehard ones, but he never expected it to be so intense.
Bundesliga teams typically have high fences surrounding the playing field to prevent fans from entering.
Yet, it seemed that even with the fence, the safety of players was not guaranteed.
Lucas hadn't anticipated such widespread popularity among the fans.
After all, he hadn't played an official game for the team; his performance was limited to a warm-up match.
Little did he know that among the 30,000 spectators present today, nearly 10,000 had come specifically to watch this warm-up match after witnessing his incredible goal in the previous game through online platforms.
In the era of rapid social media development, achieving fame has become significantly easier compared to the past.
Following Lucas's goal, the coaching staff of the home team felt a sense of relief.
"It seems that Lucas isn't just a one-hit wonder.
His breakthrough and surpassing abilities are still sharp, so we can put our worries to rest," remarked assistant coach Rolf.
Rolf had concerns that Lucas's exceptional performance in the previous game might have been a fleeting moment, fearing that he might regress in the next match.
Such an outcome would have a significant impact on the strategic plans they had formulated for the upcoming season.
Werder Bremen, being a club comprised mostly of civilian players, often relied on individuals with average skills to compete.
Retaining top-tier stars is indeed a challenging task.
Typically, as soon as promising talents emerge, wealthy clubs swoop in and poach them without hesitation.
This was evident with players like Klose, Ozil, and others who quickly left their respective teams, being snatched up by giants such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid for hefty transfer fees even before they fully settled in.
The management at Werder Bremen also understands that it's unrealistic to expect to hold onto potential new stars like Lucas and De Bruyne.
They have no illusions about being able to buy out these two players.
Their approach is rather pragmatic, as they aim to leverage the potential of these rising stars to improve the team's performance and fulfill the club's objective of avoiding relegation.
However, if on-field performances of these two individuals were to decline significantly, it would be a massive blow to Werder Bremen, as they consider them to be the core of the team's tactical setup.
The game carried on, and despite Lucas's involvement, Werder Bremen's defensive issues remained unresolved.
But the offensive firepower was fully unleashed.
Lucas showcased his breakthrough ability, Fullkrug displayed his ball-playing skills, De Bruyne demonstrated his exceptional passing ability, and Aaron Hunt, the team's left forward showed excellent running position.
The four of them seamlessly connected Werder Bremen's offensive system, causing anxiety for Aberdeen's defense.
The immense defensive pressure from Werder Bremen's frontline players forced Aberdeen to reduce the number of players involved in their attacks.
Realizing the threat posed by the opponent's tall center forward, Schaaf decided to use the substitute veteran player, Pledel.
Standing at 194 cm tall, Pledel possessed an advantage in aerial duels.
Furthermore, his physical strength was remarkable, weighing 94 kg, which enabled him to hold his position, collide with opponents, and disrupt their offensive plays.
Once he entered the field, he successfully won several consecutive battles against the opponent's tall center forward, significantly destroying their offensive threat.
Consequently, Aberdeen struggled both in attack and defense.
During stoppage time, Fullkrug found himself in an excellent position.
Although he had the opportunity to shoot directly upon receiving the ball, he hesitated momentarily.
This allowed the opposing defender to close in just in time, nearly intercepting the ball.
..
.
Fortunately, he made a quick pass in the end to Lucas.
With two defenders closing in on Lucas, he had no opportunity to turn and take a shot after receiving the ball.
To so he created gap, he cleverly faked the shot, and while drawing the attention of the defender, he skillfully left the ball without even touching to Aaron Hunt who was making a run from behind.
Aaron Hunt didn't waste the excellent opportunity created by Lucas.
He confidently received the ball and successfully found the back of the net.
After the goal, Aaron celebrated happily and gestured towards Lucas, inviting him to celebrate together.
Although Lucas didn't directly assist the goal, his movement without the ball posed a greater threat than a simple pass.
By dragging away the defender and disrupting the opponent's judgment, he played a crucial role in the goal.
Naturally, Lucas gladly seized the opportunity to strengthen the chemistry with his teammates and called De Bruyne to join in the celebration.
After the celebration, Lucas approached Fullkrug, patting him on the shoulder, and said:
"If you have a chance, take the shot. And if you really don't, don't hesitate to pass the ball!"
Fullkrug replied with some embarrassment:
"Thank you, Lucas. I know what to do!"
In truth, he was aware that his previous hesitation had cost him the best opportunity.
While he had always desired to be a supporting player, he understood that as the team's sole striker, failing to take shots in such favorable situations would render him ineffective as a threat to the opposing team.
If the opposition notices this and begins to focus solely on defending his teammates, neglecting him in the process, the team's offense would be severely hindered if he fails to shoot.
Therefore, even if he wished to avoid stealing the spotlight, he understood the importance of taking shots when the critical moment arises.
Fullkrug, dubbed "Klose II" by Werder Bremen fans, carries the expectations of achieving similar feats as his predecessors.
.
However, considering his future accomplishments, he still has a long way to go in reaching that goal.
While Klose may not possess flashy skills like those of superstar players, there is a certain gap between him and those with spectacular playing styles.
Nevertheless, his skills are well-rounded, and he is proficient in all aspects of the game.
Moreover, his goal-scoring instincts and off-the-ball movement are top-notch.
If you pass the ball to him, he can consistently find the back of the net in a highly effective manner specially headers.
And that is a strength in itself.
However, players like him, who have a simple playing style and a reserved personality, often receive less recognition than those flamboyant superstars.
This leads many people to underestimate his true abilities.
If Fullkrug truly aspires to become like Klose, he must redouble his efforts at the very least.
Perhaps Lucas's words of wisdom had an impact. After the game resumed, Fullkrug finally put an end to his hesitation.
In the last minute of stoppage time, Lucas was fouled by a defender while dribbling the ball outside the penalty area.
De Bruyne stepped up to take the resulting free kick, which fell within his range, and opted to take a direct shot at the goal.
The quality of the strike was exceptional, with the ball traveling at great speed and from a tricky angle. The goalkeeper leaped high but failed to make contact with the ball.
De Bruyne watched as the ball sailed over the goalkeeper's outstretched fingers, anticipating the celebration of his first hat-trick.
However, to his dismay, the ball struck the crossbar and rebounded due to the excessive focus on the angle.
In frustration, De Bruyne clasped his head, realizing that if he hadn't pursued the extreme angle so vigorously, the outcome may have been different.
The rebounded ball created chaos in Aberdeen's penalty area.
Several players scrambled for the loose ball, but it was eventually cleared out of the penalty area, falling to the feet of Fullkrug.
Momentarily caught off guard, Fullkrug hesitated, as if he wasn't prepared for the opportunity.
He observed the defenders rushing towards him, instinctively considering a pass, but suddenly remembered Lucas's earlier advice.
At that moment, the positioning of his teammates was unfavorable, and the penalty area is full of players, increasing the likelihood of the pass being intercepted.
Conversely, his own positioning was ideal.
Without making any adjustments, he swung his leg and took the shot.
The strike was low, and the goalkeeper's view was obstructed by players on both sides, causing him to miss the initial sight of the ball.
By the time he realized the ball was coming, it was too late to make a save, and the football found the back of the net, skimming along the ground.
(End of chapter)