When Matt headed the ball into the goal, Gao Bo's emotions finally exploded!
He ran back and forth along the touchline with his arms raised!
Three to one!! Leading by two goals, Gao Bo could now say! Luton is going to win!! Luton is definitely going to win!!!
Under the vibrating stands of Wembley Stadium, Matt's eyes were wide with disbelief. He could hardly believe that he had actually scored against Arsenal, but the ball was truly bouncing in the net, and the referee had already blown his whistle, pointing to the center circle!
I scored!!!!
For the first time, Matt found himself not knowing how to celebrate the goal, until Vardy pulled him to the ground, and then the rest of the Luton players piled on!
At this point, Matt didn't need to think about how to celebrate; he just roared along with everyone else.
Wenger slumped onto the bench, rubbing his somewhat stiff face with both hands.
In just two short minutes, within two minutes, Luton had scored two consecutive goals. This made a manager like Wenger, who had weathered many storms, feel a little flustered. His hands began to tremble slightly. To avoid letting others see his embarrassment, Wenger tried to put his hands in his coat pockets, but he fumbled several times and couldn't get them in....
The Arsenal players now had ashen faces. They watched the Luton players celebrating wildly, while physical exhaustion began to hit them in waves.
Fabregas was the first to give in. He suddenly felt a cramp in his right calf muscle and collapsed to the ground in pain.
He had a cramp.
Denilson, who was nearby, quickly came over to stretch Fabregas, and at this moment, the Arsenal team doctor also rushed over.
Fabregas's cramp seemed to be a chain reaction. Next, Gibbs fell to the ground, followed by Van Persie, who had been running the entire match...
Over there, Luton was celebrating their goal, while here, Arsenal players began to suffer from cramps one after another.
The defeat is sealed...
Wenger sat on the bench. For Wenger, there was nothing he could do now. The team's physical strength was close to exhaustion. What else could he ask the players to do?
"Arsenal players are suffering from cramps one after another. This match has been very difficult for Arsenal, playing with ten men and attacking frantically for nearly twenty minutes in regular time without scoring. Luton successfully dragged the match into extra time! This has caused a physical crisis for Arsenal. Although Arsenal still have three substitute players on the field, the overall physical condition of Arsenal makes it very difficult for them to organize effective attacks!" Wrightson calmly stated from the commentary box, beginning to analyze the situation on the field.
"Coach Gao Bo had long anticipated this point, which is why he brought on Charlie Austin at the start of extra time to strengthen the attack. Under Luton's offensive pressure, the exhausted Arsenal were quickly scored against. To make matters worse, Luton's goals came so rapidly, two consecutive goals, allowing Luton not only to overturn the overall score but now holding a two-goal advantage. Luton can be said to have victory firmly in their grasp!"
"Luton's players' physical fitness is truly outstanding. The first half of extra time is almost over, and they don't seem to be showing signs of exhaustion yet," Paul Merson said from the side.
After finishing the celebration, Gao Bo sat back down on the bench. What Merson didn't know was that when Gao Bo selected the starting lineup, physical fitness was also a key consideration, as Luton's tactics require players to constantly run to execute them effectively.
It can be said that apart from Adam and Matt Smith, who were substituted later, the other Luton players were originally players with excellent physical fitness. Coupled with the fact that Luton also placed great importance on physical training during normal practice, this is why Gao Bo had the confidence to push forward with the attack after dragging the match into extra time!
Now, Luton's players can still run all over the field,
while two or three Arsenal players are already lying on the ground with cramps.
The final outcome of this match is basically without suspense!
The rest of the match unfolded exactly as Gao Bo had predicted.
The first half of extra time was nearing its end shortly after Luton scored their third goal of the match.
Soon, the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the first half of extra time, and both teams immediately swapped ends, ready to start the second half.
However, taking advantage of this break, both sets of players first ran to the touchline to rehydrate, and then both coaches made some arrangements for the second half.
"They are out of energy, but pay special attention to the new substitutes, Vela, Walcott, and Denilson. In the second half, we'll continue to control the ball and attack, making them run ragged!" Gao Bo's face was full of excitement. In fifteen minutes, his team would be in the FA Cup Final.
The players were also very excited. Supported by this surge of energy, the Luton players felt full of power, as if they could still run for another forty minutes on the field.
"Come on!!!!"
The players extended their hands and put them together.
Unlike the high morale on Luton's side, the atmosphere on Arsenal's side was somewhat subdued.
Van Persie sat on the ground, quickly seizing this rare opportunity to recover his strength. He was gasping for breath in large gulps, as if trying to suck all the surrounding oxygen into his lungs.
Fabregas already had ice packs on his thighs, and several masseurs were busy working around him.
The other Arsenal players were in a similar state. Wenger looked at the players lying scattered around him and tried to regain his composure.
There are still fifteen minutes left!
In a football match, never say give up!!
For Arsenal, their chances of equalizing are already very slim, but if they give up, the probability is zero!
Wenger was talking to Walcott, Vela, and Denilson. If Arsenal had any weapons left to use in the second half, it would only be these three players who still had relatively sufficient energy.
"Break through! Shoot from distance! Attack the center!" Wenger emphasized, "Keep it simple!! Let's play simply!!"
Walcott and the others nodded repeatedly. Wenger wanted to say more, but the referee was already urging both sets of players to get back onto the pitch.
In the second half, the Arsenal players tried very hard, but their leaden legs ultimately left them willing but unable.
As the end of the match drew nearer, the Luton fans in the stands began to stand up, their eyes still filled with disbelief.
John was also very nervous; his hands even began to tremble slightly.
"Am I dreaming, Mel?!"
"Do you want me to pinch you?" Mel was also staring intently at the pitch.
"No thanks!" John had the same expression, afraid of missing any moment on the field.
"It's the 115th minute of extra time, five minutes left until the end of the match!!" Wrightson was also standing as he commentated, "Luton is still leading Arsenal three to one!!"
As the match time drew closer, it seemed Luton's victory was irreversible.
Some Luton fans in the stands began to celebrate early...
In the 117th minute of the match, Denilson's long-range shot from outside the box went over the crossbar. Immediately after, Claude was shown a yellow card by the referee for time-wasting with the goal kick!
Then Claude kicked the ball long, Matt won the aerial challenge in the attacking third, and then started to dribble towards the byline.
When the Arsenal players came up, Matt kicked the ball, and it deflected off Hill-Vites's leg and out over the byline!
Corner kick!!
The cheers from the stands grew louder and louder!!
Luton spent over two minutes in this corner, and by the time Arsenal regained possession and launched an attack, the match had already passed 120 minutes!!
Walcott dribbled down the wing, took it all the way to the byline, and then delivered a cross!!
Vela headed the ball in the center, and as the Arsenal fans watched in despair as the ball flew over the crossbar, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the match!
Match over!!!
Luton is through to the FA Cup Final!