Man City and Dortmund's match reminded many older fans of the 2004 UEFA European Championship game between Sweden and Denmark, a game widely considered a fix.

Before the final round of group matches, Sweden had four points and a goal difference of five, Denmark had four points and a goal difference of two, Italy had two points and a goal difference of zero, and Bulgaria had zero points.

According to the rules, a 2-2 or 3-3 draw between Denmark and Sweden would guarantee both teams' progression to the next round, but a 1-1 draw wouldn't.

As it turned out, the game ended in a 2-2 draw, ensuring Italy's elimination regardless of their result. After the score reached 2-2, the Swedish and Danish players played very conservatively, unwilling to advance past the halfway line in the final stages of the match, passing the ball around in their own half, while the opposing players didn't bother to press.

They were just worried about something unexpected happening.

This scene was somewhat similar to the second half of the Man City vs. Dortmund game.

But now, things were better. If the game had continued in that vein, boos would have been inevitable.

Now, Man City had taken the initiative to adjust and change their approach, and their attacks had become more threatening.

The Man City fans in the stands also felt that the team was finally back on track, and they could expect the team to win the game at home.

But reality is often called "cruel" because it doesn't always develop according to people's subjective wishes.

In the sixty-ninth minute, as Man City pressed forward, Dortmund got an attacking opportunity.

Dzeko's shot was saved by Dortmund goalkeeper Weidenfeller, who then threw the ball out to Sven Bender outside the box, instead of kicking it long.

Sven Bender gently headed the ball to Zhou Yi, who then passed it horizontally to the wing.

Schmelzer, the overlapping full-back, received the ball on the wing, but he didn't continue to dribble forward. Faced with Man City players blocking his path, he passed the ball diagonally back into the center.

Lewandowski, the center forward, received the ball in the middle.

Lewandowski had his back to the goal when he received the ball, but he didn't need to bother figuring out how to turn around. He simply passed the ball back.

The ball returned to Zhou Yi's feet.

Zhou Yi didn't stop the ball. Instead, he kicked it directly, sending it flying to the left wing, where Gotze was sprinting forward.

That area was also a gap in Man City's defense!

In their series of relentless attacks around Dortmund's goal, Man City had forgotten that their defense was incomplete, and Zhou Yi had seized on this gap.

Dortmund's series of quick passes not only dazzled the fans in front of the television and in the stands, but also left the Man City players on the field somewhat overwhelmed. Dortmund's attack started in the center, but was quickly shifted to the left wing.

After Man City's defensive focus shifted to that side, the ball was passed back to the center.

So the Man City players turned their attention to the middle again, never expecting Zhou Yi to pass the ball back to the left wing again. To prevent Schmelzer from dribbling forward, Man City's defense on that side was positioned relatively higher. Man City's right-back, Zabaleta, had already crossed the halfway line, intending to block Schmelzer, but Schmelzer didn't charge forward. Instead, he passed the ball to the middle, and Zabaleta's attention shifted to the center as well, momentarily neglecting the gap behind him.

But Zhou Yi hadn't overlooked it. He made a very quick and accurate pass, sending the ball behind Zabaleta.

When Gotze received the ball, the other Man City defenders were still trailing behind, so he wasn't offside, even though he was behind Zabaleta!

"Good ball! Gotze!"

Amidst Marcel Reif's exclamation, Gotze charged towards Man City's penalty area with the ball.

Dortmund still hadn't committed too many players to the attack. Lewandowski and Reus were in the lead, and Zhou Yi was also running forward, but not very fast, as if he wasn't planning to score himself.

His actions naturally didn't attract the attention of the Man City players, so the retreating Man City players accelerated past him, without even glancing at him. Their eyes were all fixed on Gotze, who was dribbling forward...

Thus, the distance between the slow-running Zhou Yi and the fast-running Man City players grew larger and larger, and he was practically unmarked.

When Gotze reached the edge of Man City's penalty area and couldn't find a good target to pass forward to, he naturally chose to pass the ball back to Zhou Yi.

It was at this moment that people realized that Zhou Yi was unmarked!

So those Man City players who had been defending Lewandowski and Reus near the penalty area turned around and rushed towards Zhou Yi.

Facing the first player to rush up, Javi Garcia, Zhou Yi faked a long shot, tricking him into jumping and turning his back to block the shot.

But Zhou Yi simply cut the ball to the left, then flashed past Javi Garcia and charged towards Man City's penalty area!

"Zhou Yi! Beautiful fake, he's dribbling forward!" He Ping said excitedly.

Having shaken off Javi Garcia, Zhou Yi had a brief moment of space. He could have shot, but he didn't. Instead, he continued to dribble forward.

Soon, he ran head-on into Man City's defensive line.

At that moment, he made a very subtle movement – a flick of his toes – lifting the ball over the Man City defenders, and it landed behind them. Lewandowski appeared behind them, right at the ball's landing spot, and he cushioned the ball gently with his chest!

Although some Man City players raised their arms, signaling to the referee that Lewandowski was offside when he received the ball, neither the referee nor the linesman made any indication.

Especially the linesman, he could see clearly that at the moment Zhou Yi passed the ball, Man City's defensive line wasn't perfectly aligned. Clichy was a step behind, trailing at the back, and he had kept Lewandowski just onside!

"Not offside! Good ball! Lewandowski—!" Marcel Reif shouted, drawing out his voice.

In his roar, the Polish striker, having controlled the ball with his chest, swung his leg and kicked the ball, a half-volley!

The ball flew towards the goal with a thud.

Because of the close distance and the great power, even Joe Hart couldn't completely stop the ball. He leapt up, stretched out his hand, and deflected the ball, but the ball stubbornly flew into the goal!

The ball went in!

2-0!

Dortmund took a two-goal lead!

"Lewandowski! A beautiful volley! The control and shot were seamless!" He Ping was also happy because he naturally supported Dortmund because of Zhou Yi.

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After scoring the goal, Lewandowski gestured for Zhou Yi to come and celebrate with him, then ran towards the stands where the Man City fans were gathered and made a "shut up" gesture.

It was a celebratory gesture full of provocation.

But Lewandowski had no grievances with the Man City fans. He hadn't heard any boos from the Man City fans when he had the ball during the game.

So why did he do this?

Simple, he was standing up for Zhou Yi!

He didn't get booed when he had the ball, but Zhou Yi did. Every time, there were deafening boos, which were the Man City fans' response to Zhou Yi kicking that ball before the game.

As a teammate, Lewandowski naturally had to stand up for Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi was someone that everyone on the team liked. If he was wronged, others would naturally stand up for him.

So not only Lewandowski, but the other Dortmund players who came up to celebrate the goal also made the "shut up" gesture.

"This celebration might tell us how well-liked Zhou Yi is in the Dortmund team, ha!" He Ping laughed.

Although Man City once had Chinese player Sun Jihai playing for them, and had a group of supporters in China, their popularity was still far behind that of Dortmund, who had a current Chinese player. So He Ping's teasing wouldn't cause too much dissatisfaction.

Of course Zhou Yi was well-liked. Even if you didn't consider his personality, his popularity was earned by his selfless assists time after time.

Who wouldn't like someone who always provides teammates with easy assists and satisfies their needs when they most need a goal?

Some Chinese fans always think that Zhou Yi is always assisting others and doesn't score enough goals himself, and that he's too much of a saint. But not all dedication is "saintly."