Chapter 243 - 236: Birthday Gift

When the referee blew the whistle to end the first half, the entire Philips Stadium erupted in a deafening chorus of boos.

It was a "gift" from the Eindhoven fans to the Ajax players.

Yang Yang, who had scored the penalty, bore the brunt of it. Many Eindhoven fans in the front rows even cursed at him with vicious expressions, but he still walked off the pitch in high spirits with his teammates.

"Well done!" Ronald Koeman shook hands with each player as they came off the field.

When Yang Yang reached him, the Ajax head coach simply opened his arms and gave him a powerful hug, completely ignoring the fact that Yang Yang was drenched in sweat and he himself was wearing a crisp, clean suit.

"Fantastic! Keep it up!" Ronald Koeman encouraged.

Yang Yang nodded firmly and, amidst the wave of boos from the Eindhoven fans, ducked straight into the locker room.

"I’ve rarely seen Ronald lose his composure like that. He must be ecstatic," Sneijder said with a laugh, sidling up to him.

Yang Yang smiled and nodded.

A red card and a penalty in the first half was practically a death sentence for Eindhoven.

Of course, it was still too early to declare victory. After all, Eindhoven’s overall strength was undeniable.

Just as Van Gaal had told Yang Yang before, Eindhoven was, without a doubt, the strongest team in the Eredivisie this season, bar none.

The veteran Philip Cocu had transferred from Barcelona; the back line also had Bouma; Alex, who had returned from Chelsea, was also a formidable talent. The midfield boasted established stars like John De Jong, Park Ji-sung, Van Bommel, and Woger, while the tall center-forward Heise Linke anchored the attack.

Eindhoven was truly a powerhouse this season. Coached by Hiddink, the entire team was balanced in attack and defense, making them incredibly tough to play against.

You could say that this season’s Eindhoven was the team most likely to achieve great results.

In contrast, Ajax had been decent last season, but their strength had declined significantly this season. Yang Yang had felt this disparity keenly during the first half.

Aside from that one individual breakthrough at the very end, he hadn’t gotten any decent chances the entire first half.

Fortunately, he had seized that one opportunity.

With a red card and a one-goal lead, the second half would be much easier for Ajax.

......

......

Back in the locker room, the teammates were all celebrating jubilantly.

Everyone was talking animatedly about Yang Yang’s individual play just before the half, especially the Marseille Turn he used to get past Lee Yong-Soo. Everyone agreed it was incredibly practical and highly effective.

"Honestly, what made you decide to use that move right then?" Pinaar asked with a smile.

Yang Yang shrugged. "I didn’t really think about it. I felt like Lee Yong-Soo had lost focus for a moment, which kept him from marking me immediately. Then, when he saw me about to receive the ball, he lunged a bit too eagerly. I just thought, ’I’ll just get past him like this.’"

The Marseille Turn isn’t difficult; almost any professional player can pull it off. But to actually use it on the pitch, especially against a defender, and use it well enough to be effective—that’s a bit harder.

It could only be said that, in that situation, Yang Yang made the perfect choice.

"Actually, I don’t think we should be celebrating just yet. Eindhoven is strong, and we absolutely can’t let our guard down in the second half," Yang Yang reminded them.

Hearing this, the other players in the locker room couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Who could argue with that?

So far this season in Dutch football, Eindhoven had only drawn one match and had only lost once in the Champions League, to Arsenal. They had won all their other games, showing incredible consistency and dominance on the pitch.

Although Feyenoord was also performing well in the Eredivisie, they were still a notch below Eindhoven.

"Yang Yang is right. We can’t let up for a second. Even with a one-goal lead and an extra man, it doesn’t mean victory is in the bag. This is Philips Stadium, Eindhoven’s home turf," Sneijder chimed in, backing Yang Yang up.

With Galasek out, the captain’s armband was on Heitinga’s arm. The Dutch center-back stepped up and said in a clear voice, "Well said. Eindhoven will definitely push hard for opportunities in the second half."

The match between Eindhoven and Ajax is known as the Dutch National Derby. As the name suggests, it’s the most influential derby in the Netherlands, drawing intense attention from fans across the country. Neither side would give up on this match easily.

As a renowned Dutch manager, Hiddink was naturally well aware of the match’s significance and would certainly not surrender without a fight.

When Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll entered the locker room, they also repeatedly warned the players to stay focused.

"If I’m not mistaken, Eindhoven will make a substitution at halftime. Heise Linke will probably come off, and they’ll focus on a defensive counter-attack. But we absolutely cannot get complacent because of that. An Eindhoven like that is the most dangerous."

Partnering with Heise Linke up front in this match was Farfan, who had just transferred to Eindhoven from Peru’s Lima Alliance this summer for 3.5 million euros.

This player wasn’t tall, but he was physically very strong and incredibly fast, making him a major threat on the counter-attack.

"Farfan is excellent with both feet and can pose a threat from either flank or down the middle. And with a passer like Woger in the midfield, we must pay close attention to Eindhoven’s counter-attacks."

As they spoke, Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll went on to rearrange Ajax’s defensive setup for the second half.

If Eindhoven’s most dangerous attacking point in the first half was the battering ram, Heise Linke, then in the second half, it would be the stealthy assassin, Farfan. Marking the Peruvian killer would be no easier than marking Heise Linke.

Luther Carroll proposed applying pressure from the midfield to reduce forward passes from Woger and Van Bommel.

"Everyone, this advantage was hard-won," Ronald Koeman said with a stern expression.

Everyone simultaneously turned to look at Yang Yang. This advantage had been single-handedly earned by him.

"We must seize this opportunity, take down our opponent, win this National Derby, and launch the strongest possible challenge for the Eredivisie title once again. Understand?"

"Understood!" the players replied in unison.

......

......

The second half began.

As the Ajax coaching staff had predicted, Eindhoven quickly substituted midfielder Lucius for Heise Linke.

After the substitution, Kokou dropped back to the defensive line, and the formation changed to a 4-4-1, leaving only Farfan up front for counter-attacks.

Playing eleven against ten, with an extra man, Ajax gradually began to dominate the match.

With his team down a man, Lee Yong-Soo could no longer shadow Yang Yang as closely as he had in the first half. This gave Yang Yang more room to operate, and he became more active, frequently creating threats.

Unfortunately, however, for various reasons, neither Charisteas nor Wesley Sonck could capitalize on the chances.

When the match reached the sixty-first minute, Yang Yang once again pulled out to the right wing to receive the ball.

Maicon’s pass landed precisely at Yang Yang’s feet. As he controlled it, he turned and cut inside, then made a light pass with his left foot to Sneijder in the center.

The moment Sneijder received the ball, Yang Yang, who had been running horizontally from the right wing toward the center, suddenly changed direction and made a quick diagonal run into the area Kokou was covering.

Lee Yong-Soo was stunned and immediately gave chase, but Yang Yang was clearly a bit faster, leaving him behind.

Sneijder’s through ball was also perfectly timed, sent right behind Kokou. Like a sharp arrow, Yang Yang pierced through Eindhoven’s defensive line, darted into the penalty area, and caught up to the ball.

The goalkeeper, Gomez, decisively rushed out from his goal, while in the center, Bouma tightly blocked Charisteas behind him.

The moment Yang Yang caught up to the ball, everything around him became crystal clear in his mind. He made his decision in an instant. He first pointed to his left, feigning a pass, then planted his left foot and hit a firm shot with his right.

Gomez’s reaction was incredibly fast, but he was still a beat too slow.

The ball skimmed across the grass, past the Brazilian goalkeeper’s left side, and slammed into the back of the net. Two-nil!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"A brace! He’s scored a brace!"

"From the young Ajax talent, Yang Yang!"

"This is undoubtedly the most lavish birthday gift he could give himself, with his eighteenth birthday just around the corner!"

Yang Yang was ecstatic after scoring. He sprinted off the pitch, shaking off all his celebrating Ajax teammates, ran straight to the corner flag, and did a knee slide, tilting his head back to look at the packed stands.

He hadn’t expected it himself. That sudden burst of acceleration had allowed him to shake off Lee Yong-Soo completely. He felt noticeably faster and lighter than usual.

’Could it be the result of the strength training I’ve been doing these past few days?’

Thinking it over, Yang Yang found the idea amusing. ’How could that be possible?’

Even if it were to have an effect, it wouldn’t be this fast.

It was more likely a psychological effect.

Just as Van Nistelrooy had said, it just made him believe from the bottom of his heart that he had improved a little.

The Ajax players swarmed over, surrounding Yang Yang in a group hug.

If the first-half goal had established Ajax’s advantage, then this second-half goal delivered them the victory.

A brace!

Yang Yang’s performance in a match like this was simply outstanding!

"This is Yang Yang’s first brace in the Eredivisie, and in such an important National Derby, no less."

"This young player, who’s about to turn eighteen, is truly exceptional and has left a deep impression. Under his leadership, Ajax is also experiencing a powerful resurgence."

"Two-nil. Eindhoven is now in a very passive position."

On the sidelines, Hiddink spread his hands helplessly, a frustrated look on his face. In stark contrast, in front of the away team’s technical area, Ronald Koeman was gesticulating wildly with excitement.

The Ajax head coach was just too excited.

In truth, no one, including he himself, could have imagined that Ajax’s resurgence would be so fierce after Yang Yang’s return.

And now, to be beating Eindhoven two-nil away from home was simply unbelievable.