In these twenty minutes, Cao Baiming was not idle, nor was he making no progress despite his efforts; the current situation arose simply because he had no intention of scoring.
Everything before him appeared crystal clear; scoring a goal would be effortless, yet he hadn't truly tested his defensive capabilities until now.
As expected, if he could convert all his attribute points to defense-related areas, it would be nearly impossible for this group of players to break through.
Perhaps a goal was still possible, but certainly not on Cao Baiming's side. All the gates around him were tightly locked, and even welded shut with electric currents.
Furthermore, with the combination of an omniscient perspective and the system's temporal awareness, no detail on the entire field would escape Cao Baiming's eyes, be it in the present or the future.
Although the Bayern Munich players could choose various attacking methods, and they indeed possessed the capability, with ample space on the field and enough players for passing and shooting, the crucial point was that there was only one football!
How difficult it was to orchestrate an attack in Cao Baiming's absence was something only the Bayern Munich players on the field at this moment could truly understand.
Sometimes, as soon as an attacking idea formed in their minds, before they could even attempt it, they would find Cao Baiming already appearing in the path of their intended play!
If they chose to actively avoid him, things became even more amusing. After a few passes to teammates, the ball would coincidentally find its way to Cao Baiming's position. Even if they tried to evade him and seek opportunities on the far side, that fellow could still appear, with speed incomprehensible to ordinary people, at the exact spot where the football would be in the next second, intercepting it!
In short, whatever idea crossed their minds, Cao Baiming could always anticipate the football's position in the next second, making them feel as if he had known their thoughts before they even formed them!
The players sank into self-doubt. This thought was preposterous; they knew it themselves without anyone else saying it, but the question was, what other explanation could there possibly be?
The fans, however, could not fully empathize with the feelings of the Bayern Munich players at this moment. All they saw was their team's attack after attack, repeatedly handing over possession to the opposition as if willingly!
As fans of Bayern Munich, their hearts were filled with torment, anguish, and anger. The fans would not suppress their rage; when anger arose, they expressed it immediately.
Besides the jeers from the sidelines, many fans had already started cursing, speaking in German, English, even Italian and French. But regardless of the language, the insults were easily discernible through their tone, conveying a sense of deep humiliation.
"Why the hell can't they organize a proper attack? Constantly losing possession, can't they be more cautious?"
"Why do they insist on playing the ball where Cao Baiming is? Stubborn, aren't they? They're not as skilled as him, yet they refuse to back down, refusing to admit defeat!"
"This is infuriating! These guys!"
"What are they even playing for? They should just go home!"
"Let me say something fair: either they're throwing the game, and the acting is becoming quite obvious, or they've completely collapsed. Their current technical level isn't even mid-tier, let alone a top European team. Alas!"
...
Under the gaze of the fans, Bayern Munich tried hard, but felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Although they hadn't scored, at least the opposition hadn't scored either; this was their greatest solace!
Withstanding the ferocious attacks of Arsenal for twenty minutes was not something any random team could achieve; it was certainly praiseworthy.
If you think that's enough, you're greatly mistaken, Cao Baiming thought to himself.
His mind was already filled with anticipation, and as he looked at the field before him, he saw nothing but possibilities. Scoring a goal had become as simple as filling a bucket with water.
Soon, Henry managed to intercept the ball himself, positioned between the opponent's defensive midfielders and defenders, a very dangerous area.
Cao Baiming had already moved to the open space in the center, ready for a killing blow.
Henry, proud of his successful interception, hesitated when he saw Cao Baiming in an even better position and chose to pass the ball!
"Pass it! Pass it! If you don't, you'll be cursed for a long time..."
A slight smile played on Cao Baiming's lips. His peripheral vision had already registered Henry, and he didn't even need to turn his head, as if he had already known this pass was coming and was preparing to shoot.
The fans began to cheer, becoming excited. Witnessing this scene, one marveled at the默契 (mòqì - tacit understanding) and telepathic connection between the two.
As the ball arrived with a slight inward curve, Cao Baiming had, at this moment, completely left the two defenders behind.
Henry, knowing Cao Baiming well, had put a five-meter gap in his pass. He knew that if given the chance to race, virtually no one could match Cao Baiming's speed.
What happened next perfectly proved this point. Cao Baiming, having squeezed past the two players, easily received Henry's pass and even used his foot to deflect the ball, which then smoothly entered the goal!
Finally! The match had its first goal so far!
The expressions of the two center-backs could only be described as utter despair. They seemed unable to believe what had just happened and didn't even want to continue playing.
"Couldn't defend it! Ugh..."
"Couldn't defend it at all! Bah! What kind of football is this, to be passed like that!"
The Bayern Munich fans could bear it no longer and were almost unable to watch.
Cao Baiming, meanwhile, was inwardly smug. He had just added fifty points to his speed and fifty to his physical attributes; it would be strange if they could stop him. Those two were quite strong, surprisingly not knocked down!
Now that there was one goal, it was only the beginning!