853 The Final Three Minutes (2/2)
The Arsenal players certainly did not care. Manchester City was hardly even a threat against Arsenal ever since they had entered stoppage time. Even their best player Bendtner was not able to create any chances for his team due to a lack of stamina. Wenger sat nervously in his chair. He pressed a hand against his chin and stared at everything that was happening on the pitch. Pat Rice, who sat beside him, did not share his nervousness. He started giving high-fives to the other coaches to celebrate their victory. They knew that Forest had just ended their match with Sunderland and that they had won 4:0. However, those things did not matter to them, because Arsenal was still going to become the champions.
Ashley Young made his way down the left flank. The Swiss midfielder on their team, Valon Behrami, passed the ball over to him. Young did not pass the ball away. Instead, he brought the ball forward by himself and tried to force his way into Arsenal's penalty box. He then crossed the ball into the middle of the penalty box, but his shot hit Sagna on the body before flying out of bounds. Manchester City was awarded a corner as a result. Manchester City's defenders all rushed up towards Arsenal's penalty box from the back. They instantly became players that the Arsenal players had to mark as well.
”I want all of you to defend this ball at all costs!” Almunia roared before his goalpost. He was feeling a little nervous. His heart was beginning to beat faster and faster as the match approached its end.
If they were to let in a goal… They would be finished. Almunia could not shake off the negative thoughts.
Bendtner squeezed his way through the crowd. His head was hung low, and he was panting heavily. He was so tired, and he desperately wished that he could lean against the body of one of the Arsenal defenders for support.
Ashley Young walked over to take the corner. He carefully positioned the ball on the pitch and even made sure that the Nike logo on the ball was pointed in the direction of the goalpost. The players shoved and pulled each other in the penalty box. Before the ball could be sent into the penalty box, however, someone fell to the ground. The referee immediately blew his whistle to halt the match. Deafening boos erupted from the stands. The player who had fallen to the ground was a Manchester City player. The Arsenal fans all thought that he was trying to win a penalty for his team by pretending that he had been fouled by the Arsenal players.
The referee did not award Manchester City a penalty, and neither did he punish the Manchester City player for diving. He called the players from both teams over to him and spoke to them. He wanted them to calm down and avoid excessive physical contact. The atmosphere in the stadium became tense in the final two minutes of the game.
Wenger stood up from his seat and walked to the side of the pitch. He had pressed both his lips together and was staring at the pitch anxiously with a clenched jaw. After ascertaining that all the players were not misbehaving in the penalty box, the referee made his way away from the penalty box and signaled for Ashley Young to kick the ball. Ashley Young did not raise his hand and then run up to kick the ball like some other players would. He sent the ball straight into the penalty box the moment the referee signaled that he could kick the ball.
His shot had happened so fast that it caught all the Arsenal players off guard. As the Arsenal players all stood dazed, one player had jumped high into the air within the penalty box.
Straighten your back. Exert force. Swing your head. Attack the goalpost!
The ball flew into the goalpost and all Almunia could do was to wave his hands, as though he was waving good-bye.
Good-bye, Premier League champions…
The Emirates Stadium fell silent.
The commentator was the only one who made noise amid the silence as he roared, ”Arsenal's hopes of becoming champions have just been crushed by Bendtner! He has headed the ball into the net adeptly! He has scored a brace in the match! 2:2! Arsenal has now fallen a point behind Forest! How dramatic can this be? Even the best script writers in Hollywood couldn't write a plot like this! This is football for you! This is the football that so many people are crazy about!!”
Bendtner ran towards Ashley Young after he scored the goal. The two hugged each other and began rolling about on the pitch. Their teammates rushed toward them and flung their bodies on top of theirs. It was supposed to be a match in which there was a clear winner. But the efforts of one man had introduced suspense into the match at the end…
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Twain stood by the side of the pitch and Kerslake stood beside him. It had only been three minutes since the match ended for them, but they felt as though three years had gone by. The City Ground Stadium was silent. It was as though no one was present in the stadium and everyone had left. Everyone in the stadium was waiting for the latest news from the match between Arsenal and Manchester City. Everyone was hoping that a miracle would happen. Suddenly, a voice was broadcast throughout the stadium. It was the voice of the commentator from the match between Arsenal and Manchester City. His voice was hoarse, impassioned, and sounded a little like gibberish…
”Arsenal's hopes of becoming champions have just been crushed by Bendtner! He has headed the ball into the net adeptly! He has scored a brace in the match! 2:2! Arsenal has now fallen a point behind Forest! How dramatic can this be? Even the best script writers in Hollywood can't write a plot like this! This is football for you…”
The City Ground Stadium regained life in a flash. Everyone lifted their heads to listen to the broadcast absentmindedly. It soon dawned on them that whatever they were hearing did indeed come from the match between Arsenal and Manchester City, because they had just heard the same voice from their radios. Deafening cheers erupted in the stadium thereafter.
Kerslake fell to his knees by the side of the pitch. He held onto the radio in his hands and tears streamed down his face.
Twain did not get worked up and jump into the air. He slowly sat back onto his seat at the technical area. He felt like his heart was about to fail him.
The players around him all started shouting at the top of their voices. The last-minute goal excited them too much.
The voice being broadcasted throughout the stadium did not stop. Everyone in the stadium lowered their volume, because their attention had been seized by the commentator's voice once again.
”… The referee has gestured for Manchester City to not drag on with their celebrations. Arsenal's players are all protesting… The match starts once again… A long shot! Fàbregas has performed a long shot!”
Everyone in the stadium had their hearts in their mouths when they heard the commentator raise his voice abruptly.
”Brilliant save by Joe Hart!”
The Forest fans in the City Ground Stadium all cheered, ”All hail, Hart!” in response.
”A corner… This is perhaps Arsenal's last chance to attack for the match. The referee is looking at his watch. The match might end the moment the ball fails to land in the back of the net after being kicked from the corner…”
Everyone's hearts were in their mouths once again.
Twain lowered his head and covered his face with his hands. If he could, he also wanted to plug his ears…
Who is the bastard who came up with this? Whoever came up with it is obviously out to stimulate his weak heart!
”Almunia has rushed over to Manchester City's penalty box as well…”
The Forest fans began to boo in the stands.
”All the players have squeezed themselves into Manchester City's penalty box. Manchester City was able to level the score with a corner kick earlier. Can Arsenal win the match by doing the same?”
The boos grew louder in decibels. This time however, the fans were booing at the commentator's words. Don't jinx it!
Twain was still able to hear his own heartbeat despite the cacophonous environment he was in. He suddenly felt like time had slowed down.
Why has the corner not been taken yet? Did they score or did they not? Just tell me right now, pal…
”Almunia was not able to head the ball… Senderos…!”
The commentator dragged out his last word as he shouted. His actions terrified Twain so much that he nearly jumped out of his seat. Twain might not have jumped off his seat, but there were many other people in the stadium who did.
”The ball has gone over the bar!”
For f*ck's sake… Twain wanted to swear at the commentator for scaring him. He was so frightened by the commentator's words that his heart had really stopped for a moment back then. Deafening cheers erupted from the stands. The cheers were like rolling thunder, and they electrified the stadium. Everyone was certain that Forest had become champions of the Premier League, because the commentator went on to announce loudly, ”The match is over! Nottingham Forest are the champions of the Premier League! They have successfully defended their title!” The Forest players embraced one another tightly. It had not been easy for them to become champions this season. In fact, they might even have relied on luck a little. It was definitely much more difficult for them to lift the trophy this season as compared to the previous season…
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The referee blew on his whistle to signal the end of the match. Arsenal's players could not believe what had just happened. They stood rooted before Manchester City's goalpost. Each and every one of them was dumbstruck. Fàbregas lowered his head. Van Persie raised his head to the skies and sighed. Wilshere bawled his eyes out.
They were so close to being champions…
Arsene Wenger stood by the side of the pitch silently and was not able to speak for a long period of time. Behind him, the Arsenal fans could not believe what had just happened either. The red Emirates Stadium was just like a volcano that had erupted for 90 minutes, but now it had stopped and was starting to cool down.
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Evan Doughty reached out a hand toward the FA officials with a smile on his face. ”Please make the necessary preparations to present the trophy to us, sirs.”
”Ah…” The FA officials were feeling very awkward. They could not believe that the trophy would change owners in just three minutes. ”Uh, congratulations on becoming champions.” Evan smiled merrily. He then raised his head proudly and accepted the well wishes from the FA officials.
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Twain was just about to sit back down on his chair to rest when he was suddenly hoisted up into the air by his players. They then carried him about the stadium to bask in the cheers from the fans. Twain sat on the shoulders of his players and waved at the stands. It had not been easy for them to become champions of the Premier League this season, and it was perhaps the most unforgettable champions trophy he had ever achieved throughout his entire managerial career so far. Twain smiled happily at the fans. Shania heaved a sigh of relief after seeing Twain's smile from the VIP room.
In 15 minutes, the players returned to the pitch to receive the trophy from the Football Association after changing into t-shirts that had been specially designed to celebrate the team becoming champions of the Premier League. Twain and Wood were the two individuals who lifted the Premier League champions trophy high into the air.
The 2013–14 Premier League season came to an end amid the cheers from 30,000 fans. Nottingham Forest bade farewell to the City Ground Stadium by attaining their fourth Premier League champions trophy. However, becoming champions of the Premier League was not a way for Forest to bid farewell to their season. On the contrary, it signaled the start of their journey. Six days later, the FA Cup trophy awaited them at the Wembley Stadium. 11 days later, the Champions League trophy awaited them at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Becoming Premier League Champions was nothing more than the start of a great season ahead.