The clock kept ticking down.
Every second tightened the pressure like a noose.
But Bayern Munich —they didn't crumble.
They rose.
Fueled by the roaring crowd and the fierce pride burning in their chests, they pushed harder.
And at the heart of it all, Mateo González Schwarz guided the storm.
Coach Dietrich shouted from the sideline:
"Take risks! Force the opening!"
The order was clear.
No more conservative plays.No more cautious passes.
Attack.
Create.
Dare.
Mateo adjusted instantly.
He began playing riskier balls —threading passes between tighter gaps, launching sudden switches of play to catch Leverkusen off balance.
Every touch was a knife searching for the vital wound.
At the 78th minute, the chance came.
Mateo collected a loose ball in midfield, pressure mounting around him.
A defender lunged —Mateo slipped the ball through his legs with a slick nutmeg and sprinted forward into open space.
The crowd gasped, then exploded into cheers.
He didn't hesitate.
He spotted Leonhard Schmitt racing down the left flank, hand raised.
Without slowing, Mateo delivered a curling pass with the outside of his foot —the ball bending perfectly into Schmitt's path.
Schmitt, full of momentum, didn't stop.
He drove to the edge of the box.
Two defenders closed in desperately.
But Schmitt kept his cool —cut inside, dragging both defenders with him.
And then —
He spotted Lukas Müller arriving at the penalty spot, hand waving frantically.
Schmitt slid the ball backward in a sharp cutback pass.
Müller met it cleanly.
First touch.
First shot.
GOAL.
The stadium erupted into a deafening roar.
Bayern 2 – Leverkusen 2.
Mateo threw his fists into the air, sprinting to join the wild celebration near the corner flag.
Schmitt was mobbed by teammates.Müller pointed at Mateo as he jogged over, shouting:
"That pass! That pass changed everything!"
Mateo grinned, chest heaving, heart hammering.
They had fought back.
They had believed.
And now, with 10 minutes left,the game was wide open again.
From the sideline, Coach Dietrich watched, his expression unreadable.
But inside, a silent thought formed:
"He's not just talented.He's fearless when it matters most."
And in football, sometimes, fearlessness made all the difference.
There was still time.