Chapter 60: Conflict, Red Card, and Brawl

When Mo Mo kicked the ball into the Dortmund goal, it should have been a moment of celebration. However, amidst the boos of the Dortmund crowd, Lehmann scrambled to his feet and shoved Mo Mo hard from behind. He then pretended to go for the ball, feigning an accidental collision. Mo Mo looked up, his expression calm but his eyes burning with rage; he gritted his teeth and held back.

What happened next, however, shocked everyone. Lehmann picked the ball up from the net, bounced it, and then smashed it hard into Mo Mo’s face. Under normal circumstances, one might have let it slide—Lehmann had a reputation for such antics, and given his high standing in the "fraternity" of the game, young players usually gave him some leeway. Mo Mo could have endured it, too, knowing that in football, one’s play is the best response. But then, Lehmann spat at him and hurled insults, acting as if he had Mo Mo completely under his thumb.

That was the breaking point for any man. Mo Mo sprang to his feet. Thinking of the constant fouls he had endured all match and the relentless jeering from the Dortmund fans, he finally snapped. He slammed into Lehmann, knocked him to the ground, mounted him, and began raining down punches. Lehmann, perhaps momentarily stunned that someone—this "Chinese monkey"—dared to strike back at him, failed to react at first.

Players from both sides rushed over. The fans in the stands roared, appearing ready to storm the pitch. Due to the intensity of the first half, extra riot police had been deployed at halftime, and they finally had their hands full. Dortmund’s Dede was the first to arrive; ignoring a minor finger injury, he grabbed Mo Mo and shoved him aside, adding a few cheap shots of his own.

Shao Jiayi, the first from 1860 Munich to reach the scene, saw this. "We’re both Chinese, we’re countrymen! Do you think I don’t exist? Picking on our people!" He slammed his body into Dede, knocking him aside, and steadied Mo Mo. Meanwhile, Laut, running back to help, became an innocent victim, blindsided by Jan Koller.

Kohler also charged over, his eyes bloodshot, and kicked out at Mo Mo. By now, Mo Mo had abandoned all caution; knowing he was in trouble regardless, he retaliated with a punch to Kohler. Lehmann, having recovered, stood up, looking to settle the score with the "yellow-skinned monkey."

The referee finally arrived and issued a yellow card to Lehmann—his second, resulting in a red. The situation spiraled out of control. Lehmann roared in fury while the referee signaled for calm. The official then showed a straight red card to Mo Mo, who, having regained his composure, nodded in acceptance of the rules of the game. Kohler was also shown a yellow card, which, being his second, sent him off as well.

Shao Jiayi was incensed. A straight red? He rushed over to protest, but the referee had already been looking for him; before Shao could speak, he was booked for his earlier shove. Shao didn’t care about the yellow, but the direct red for Mo Mo was too much. As he argued, Dede rushed over and shoved him hard. Shao retaliated with a punch, leaving Dede writhing on the ground in pain.

The Dortmund players were in an uproar. Order was only partially restored when the referee showed Shao Jiayi a red card. Before the 1860 Munich players could protest, the referee walked over to Dede and issued two yellow cards, sending him off as well. Linesmen and the fourth official struggled to pacify the benches, while both head coaches, including 1860 Munich’s Pacult, were sent to the stands for their volatile behavior.

The match remained deadlocked for nearly half an hour before play could resume. By the end of this chaotic ordeal, Dortmund’s star goalkeeper Lehmann, veteran captain Kohler, and Dede had all been sent off, with Koller, Kehl, and Heinrich also receiving cautions. For 1860 Munich, Mo Mo and Shao Jiayi were dismissed, along with six others who received yellow cards. This clash set a record for the most red cards in a single match.

Post-match, the referee faced intense media scrutiny, and the players involved in the brawl faced disciplinary action from the league. Comments flooded the internet: some praised Mo Mo’s spirit, others criticized his impulsiveness, and many expressed concern over the potential for further suspensions.

Meanwhile, a journalist named Wattley, ignoring the provocations Mo Mo had faced, seized the narrative to paint Mo Mo as an aggressive, arrogant, and egotistical Chinese player. As he began to write his scathing article, the aftermath of the brawl, the red cards, and the conflict promised to keep the football world in a frenzy for a long time to come.