Harbinger Of Glory

As the commentary went on, Leo got to his feet with a sigh and then turned back to find his mates arguing still with the referee now that the ball was out of play.

”So what was that?” Whatmough said as he stepped out to meet the referee, but the verdict was the same.

”But we all saw it! At least check the VAR,” Reyes suggested, but there was no changing his mind.

”You guys are a bunch of criminals,” Nolan muttered as Dawson stopped him from confronting the fourth official by the sidelines.

What was done was already done.

Wigan had been furious at one end, and now they had to defend at the other.

Saka took the corner short towards the near post, where Havertz had already stepped into the space, and it looked like they would concede again, but Amos stayed alert.

He had not been distracted by the protests or the referee’s decision.

His eyes remained fixed on the ball as he adjusted his position inside the six-yard box, and he watched it all as Havertz swung through it.

The shot was vicious, rising towards the roof of the net, but Amos was there.

He threw both hands upwards and stopped it before it could climb further.

The ball slammed into his palms and was pushed away, and waiting for no one, Tilt stepped in and smashed the ball!

”KAI HAVERTZ WITH THE SHOT, BUT BEN AMOS IS EQUAL TO THE SAVE. TOP SHOW FROM THE WIGAN MAN!”

The ball travelled towards halfway, and the moment Reyes saw the state of the Arsenal setup, he began to press.

Leo, realising it too just a second later, began to press and seeing him doing so, the rest of the Wigan players began to push out.

Raya got out of his box and touched it to Rice, who immediately sent it to Gabriel to escape the press from Reyes.

Gabriel collected the loose ball and tried to seek an out for Arsenal, but he couldn’t.

He turned trying to sent it back to Raya or Rice but Reyes had already stepped into the lane, blocking off the return to Rice.

He quickly looked forward, but right as he did, he found himself all alone as Leo stepped right in front of him.

Still, he tried to force the ball away, and unfortunately, Ezra blocked the short off and won it, and without a second’s thought, Wigan broke off.

”OH WHAT A PRESS. ARSENAL MIGHT BE IN DANGER HERE!”

Ezra took one touch before feeling Gabriel’s attempt at dragging him back, but he couldn’t allow that.

With a simple lift, he laid the ball into Leo’s path, immediately causing Gabriel to let go, but even with his part done, Ezra got right back up and continued to run.

Because it was that or nothing.

”THIS IS A FIVE ON THREE!” the commentary came again as Leo knocked the ball forward.

Arsenal were scrambling, but with Leo at the helm of the attack, it was looking grim for them.

Leo carried the ball into the space ahead of him, right as the final line was beginning to collapse, and that was because the three players couldn’t drag it out anymore.

They’d seen Leo play and they knew that even if he decided to shoot, they were in danger.

And so when Leo looked ahead, he immediately found Salibe stepping right away from Jake.

Leo shaped as though he might drive straight at the defence, causing Saliba to desperately commit even more, but instead, Leo knocked the ball past him slightly and knowing Saliba wouldn’t let him go, he touched it to Jake with his second ball.

Jake reached it, slipping right ahead of Rice with his back to go and with a single touch, he slipped the ball into Ezra’s path.

”SULLEY’S TOUCH! EZRA!” the commentator bellowed.

It was just Ezra and Raya now.

Raya rushed off his line, making himself as big as he possibly could, and for a second, it looked like he’d gotten the reaction he wanted as Ezra angled towards him.

But the moment Ezra’s foot went through the ball, Raya found the ball slipping not towards the goal but across it instead, rendering Raya’s glide useless as Ezra jumped over his reach.

”SOMEONE’S GOT TO FINISH IT,” the commentary said almost pleadingly as the Wigan fans gritted their teeth, hoping that someone would be clinical enough to put the ball into the back of the net, but as Reyes got the ball, looking to shoot, their hearts sank because right then and there, Ben White lunged.

He had Reyes, and it looked like he’d closed all the gaps, but the shooting motion then transitioned, becoming a disguise.

Instead of striking through the ball, he flicked it backwards across the six-yard box, sending Ben White sliding through the grass while all he could do was watch.

Raya was already scrambling back towards his line as the ball skipped behind White, but as he glanced at the ball, he knew there was no way.

”IT’S JAMESS McCLEAAANNNNNNNNNNNNN!”

Without another thought, other than power, the Wigan veteran arrived behind the ball and, looking like the ball owed him money, McClean swung through like he was looking to kill someone.

The shot rocketed upwards into the roof of the net as Raya threw himself backwards, but it was just a formality.

He never had a chance as the ball smashed into the roof of the net, and right then, the Wigan cavalry erupted.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLL!

”THERE IT IS. OH MY GOODNESS. THERE IS ANOTHER TWIST IN THIS CLASH. WIGAN HAVE EQUALISED!”

McClean wheeled away, screaming, his arms spread wide as he sprinted towards the corner, and he didn’t even get that far.

Reyes was on him first.

Then Ezra.

Then Jake.

And Leo arrived moments later as the celebration swallowed all of them.

McClean disappeared beneath a pile of Wigan shirts as the substitutes came sprinting from the bench, while the travelling supporters bounced against the barriers, scarves flying above their heads.

”JAMES McCLEAN!”

The commentator’s voice was almost lost beneath it.

”THE VETERAN HAS DONE IT! IT WAS LOOKING LIKE A WIN FOR THE NORTH LONDON GIANTS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN STRUCK RIGHT IN THE HEART OF IT!”

”Look at the composure in this counterattack!” the co-commentator shouted. ”Wigan were appealing for a penalty less than a minute ago, but now they are level here at the Emirates. What a game we’ve just witnessed here!”

Dawson had already left the technical area.

He stood near the touchline with both fists clenched as Nolan shouted towards the players, looking like they also wanted to join in.

On the pitch, Arsenal players were scattered around their penalty area.

In the blink of an eye, their lead had been wiped away, and they couldn’t even fathom just what had happened.