The Road to the Promised Land: Chapter 29

The Gallowgate, Kakeru's Return :Previous «Home Page» Next: Irons vs. Red Devils, The Rift
== Knight vs. Assassin, FA Cup 4th Round ==
After the victory against Newcastle, Manchester United played their following Premier League match on the southern coast of England. The Red Devils defeated Brighton & Hove Albion FC by a score of 4-0 (January 19) to maintain the 3-point gap with Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title. With that job now done, the focus for all English clubs shifted to the FA Cup. But before that, Kakeru, Nana, and Noriko were also following Japan at the AFC Asian Cup.
Sunday January 20
West Didsbury, Manchester, UK
1:00 PM GMT (10:00 PM Japan time)
At that particular point in time, Japan just defeated Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 by a meager score of 1-0, thanks to a header goal from young defender Takehiro Tomiyasu on a corner kick in the 20th minute. Following the match, Kakeru was set to receive an incoming long-distance call on Skype from Mito.
Upon the incoming signal, Kakeru activated the conversation.
"Hi, Mito!" Kakeru greeted.
"Hi, Kake-nii!" Mito greeted back. "How are you doing over there?"
"I'm doing good, thank you." Kakeru replied. "What about you?"
"I'm doing great."
"We have a couple of people who may want to talk to you later on." Kakeru said.
"Hello, Mito!" Nana moved in front of the webcam.
"Hi, Nana-nee!"
"There's also my friend Noriko. I don't think you have talked to each other yet." Kakeru said.
"Hello, Mito-chan. Nice to meet you." Noriko greeted.
"Nice to meet you too, Noriko-san."
"Noriko is also Yusuke's girlfriend." Kakeru said.
"Oh, that's great to know! Is it public knowledge already?" Mito asked.
"Not yet. Considering how mad the media are over here, we are waiting for the right moment to announce it." Noriko replied.
"Oh, I can understand that." Mito said. "Can I have my brother back?"
"Sure."
Noriko made way so Kakeru would be the main interlocutor in the Skype conversation.
"Here I am." Kakeru said.
"What do you make of the match against Saudi Arabia, Kake-nii? I thought that we didn't look particularly good even though we won."
"Yeah, it was mostly boring. I'm just glad that the Saudis were bad shooters like they have been today." Kakeru replied to Mito.
"Good thing that Takehiro Tomiyasu scored that goal. He has been very solid so far." Noriko said.
"I like what I saw of Tomiyasu in the friendly matches, but I didn't think he would be that good at his age." Mito replied.
"I trained with him back in September. He's young, but he's both tall and very intelligent for a Japanese defender. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the jump to a bigger club someday soon." Kakeru said.
"Considering that Toru Asuka picked up a hamstring injury in the round robin, it's a good thing that Tomiyasu is there to calm things down at the back." Noriko added.
"I agree." Mito replied. "However, I expected a lot more from Araki-san and Takajo. It has not been a good tournament from them so far."
"Yeah, Takajo entered a slump at the worst time, and Araki looked rather lonely at times. Also, playing in the Middle-East has never been easy for us for some reason." Nana said.
"Yep. I remember that we lost 0-1 to Kuwait when I played with the Japan U-22 team over there, but then we stormed back to destroy them 6-0 at home." Kakeru added.
"That was when you were in high school, right?" Noriko asked.
"Yep, that's right." Kakeru replied.
"Anyway, I hope the boys will start playing better soon. We have some tough opponents down the road." Mito said.
"And I hope to see Yusuke playing more as well." Noriko said. "I'm disappointed that Van der Meijde picked Oda in front of Yusuke as the defensive midfielder."
"Yeah, but I still believe the coach can get this right even though I feel bad for Yusuke." Kakeru replied to Noriko.
"I hope you're right."
"So do I... Let's change the topic, shall we? I'm glad you're doing well to put United back on track since your return, Kake-nii." Mito said.
"I only scored one goal yesterday, but I'm glad I could play 83 minutes out there. That's a good timing considering that we have a big match on next Saturday."
"Who's your next opponent?" Mito asked.
"We have Liverpool at Old Trafford. It's a FA Cup match on Saturday." Kakeru replied.
"Wow. I guess the spotlight will be on that match then."
"It sure is, Mito. Playing for United against Liverpool is one of the biggest things you can ask for." Kakeru replied.
"We have to be ready for anything against them. Liverpool will definitely be ready for that match." Nana added.
"I watched some highlights from when Liverpool beat Arsenal a couple of weeks back. That new Liverpool striker did very well in his debut. He's also someone you know well." Mito said.
"Takumi Emishi, I know. The Liverpool manager used his contacts in the German Bundesliga to scout Emishi. After that, it was not difficult to convince him of the challenge since we are already a few Japanese in this league. He won't be easy to contain for our defenders. I can tell you that." Kakeru replied.
"Still, they will be playing on our turf. Nothing will be easy for them at all, I can promise that." Nana added.
"I hope you will get them on Saturday." Mito said.
"We will go hard on them, don't worry." Kakeru replied.
"All the fans at Old Trafford will make sure to give them the proper welcome." Noriko added.
"Best of luck then." Mito said.
"Tell me about you. How's the studying?" Kakeru asked.
"So far, it's good. Got a few bumpy moments with a couple of classes, but nothing that I can't handle." Mito replied.
"By the way, did you find a boyfriend since last summer?" Nana asked.
"There's that one guy I have my eyes on. He's attending the same college classes I'm in, but I think he's a little shy around girls in general. I'm not even sure if he has the courage to confess."
"All I can say is don't give up on him, but also don't try to force yourself on him either, little sister. He might take some time to muster enough courage to break the ice, but the key element is to make him feel comfortable, slowly but surely. If he was more assertive of a person or looked like a womanizer, I probably would have had some doubts about him. However, this is quite a case of which I can relate to." Kakeru replied.
"Typical big brother attitude." Mito said before she let out a yawn. "Oh, dear. It's getting late here, and I have a busy day tomorrow with classes."
"It's OK. It was good to speak with you. Say hi to Mom and Dad for me." Kakeru said.
"Yeah, it was good for me too." Mito replied. "Noriko, Nana-nee, it was nice speaking to you."
"Me too." Nana said.
"My pleasure." Noriko added.
"Hope to talk with you again soon, Kake-nii."
"Anytime, Mito. Good night." Kakeru finished the conversation on Skype.
"You think that guy she talked about will eventually confess if Mito does as you say?" Nana asked.
"It's just a matter of her making him feel comfortable to do so. After all, I needed my share of time before I could feel strong enough to confess my feelings to you, Nana." Kakeru said.
"I can relate." Noriko replied.
"You know, Kakeru... There were times when I thought to myself that my feelings might be unrequited, and yet I didn't force myself on you. Looking back at everything we went through together since we first met, I did the right thing." Nana said.
"I would not have done anything differently either." Kakeru finished with a smile.
Saturday January 26
Manchester United vs. Liverpool (FA Cup 4th Round)
Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
12:20 PM GMT
The rivalry between United and Liverpool was already big in itself. Nevertheless, the fact that the stakes involved a place into the next round of the FA Cup brought tons of expectations for the match. Every single fan of the beautiful game expected a hard battle between the best of enemies in English football.
In the players' tunnel, both teams lined up. Twist of fate or not, Kakeru stood next to the player who was known in Yoin Academy as the Assassin in the Area. Liverpool's new number 19, Takumi Emishi, was the one who broke the silence between the 2 Japanese forwards.
"I have waited this day for a long time." Takumi said.
"What? You wanted to stand next to me?" Kakeru asked.
"You got injured before the Asian Cup, and yet nobody even dared giving me a call to replace you. It's about time everyone back home understands that I deserve to be on the international stage." Takumi replied.
"What about you show us what you've got, Emishi?"
"We'll see at the end of the match. I want to see your face when we make it to the next round." Takumi, as cocky as he ever was since his Yoin days, taunted Kakeru.
"In your dreams. By the end of this match, United will be standing tall." Kakeru replied.
Inside the stadium, both sets of supporters were already building up the atmosphere with a war of chants and decibels. While FA Cup matches are broadcasted by the BBC and BT Sport on British television, the international English broadcast is provided all around the world by FATV. For high-profile FA Cup matches on FATV, Martin Tyler is your commentator.
Martin Tyler: Well, you could hear the gasps of anticipation up and down the land when the draw from 3 weeks ago set up this mouth-watering tie. Since then, there has been more attraction with both clubs being in their best form of the season so far.
At 12:25 PM, both teams walked out behind the referees. Kakeru was among the starters for Manchester United. Meanwhile, Nana followed alongside her fellow substitutes and the coaching staff on the way to the bench. The Liverpool field players wore an all-grey kit that contrasted completely with the Manchester United home kit.
The starters for Manchester United were: Luca Mancuso (goalkeeper), Diogo Blanco (right-back), Erik Johansson (centre-back), Matthias Köhler (centre-back and captain), Andrew Shaw (left-back), Francisco Serrano (central midfielder), Aleksandar Rukavina (central midfielder), Nikolaj Kristiansen (central midfielder), Kevin Flynn (right forward), Kakeru Aizawa (striker), and Anthony Laurent (left forward). Nana and Marius were starting on the bench, but they were kept on the ready should United need more firepower later on.
Meanwhile, the Liverpool starting XI came as followed: Alisson Becker (goalkeeper), Trent Alexander-Arnold (right-back), Joël Matip (centre-back), Virgil van Dijk (centre-back), Andrew Robertson (left-back), Jordan Henderson (central midfielder and captain), Fabinho (central midfielder), Georginio Wijnaldum (central midfielder), Mohamed Salah (right forward), Takumi Emishi (striker), and Sadio Mané (left forward). At the very beginning of the January transfer window, Liverpool bought Takumi from a German club to cover the injury problems plaguing their regular strikers.
Martin Tyler: We are approaching High Noon at Old Trafford. It's a truly dramatic footballing duel in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
When the clock hit 12:30 PM, Liverpool then kicked things off. After a few passes inside the first 30 seconds of the match, Liverpool defender Joël Matip attempted a pass towards Jordan Henderson ahead. However, but the pass was a little short.
Martin Tyler: Matip's pass is a little short. Now, it's Kristiansen...
Nikolaj passed the ball ahead for Anthony, who charged down the left wing. As Anthony entered the Liverpool penalty area, he attempted to pass the ball towards the front of the goal. However, a Liverpool defender stuck his leg in the way to deflect the ball out of bounds.
Martin Tyler: Here's an early run from Laurent... and an early corner for the home side.
The Manchester United supporters roared in expectation of the corner kick. Seconds later, the corner kick was taken by Nikolaj.
Martin Tyler: Nikolaj Kristiansen with the corner...
The ball appeared to fly towards Matthias, who was outjumping his marker. However, the Liverpool goalkeeper came out to punch the ball away... as far as just outside of the penalty area though.
Martin Tyler: The goalkeeper came as Köhler came in...
Lurking outside the penalty area, Aleksandar took a shot. But it was deflected off Fabinho before it was headed away by his teammate Joël Matip. The loose ball then rolled in the middle of the park and towards Francisco, who then launched a lob pass ahead towards Kakeru.
Martin Tyler: Played by Serrano for Aizawa... Up goes the flag.
Kakeru was caught in an offside position. Liverpool escaped from a dangerous situation in the opening moments of the match. From that moment, the action moved towards the middle third of the pitch where both teams fought for the ball for 60 seconds. Then Mohamed Salah started moving on the attack.
Martin Tyler: It's Mo Salah for Liverpool...
The Egyptian winger made a quick dash with only the Manchester United defenders facing him. Salah then spotted his Senegalese teammate, Sadio Mané, on the right as a passing option.
Martin Tyler: He's got support on the left... Sadio Mané.
Sadio Mané got the ball, but came up facing Diogo. Without hesitation, Mané feinted going in one direction before going in the other direction to create some space. That was all it took for the cross to be fired towards the face of the Manchester United goal. The cross itself was also deadly accurate when Takumi escaped his markers for a split second.
Martin Tyler: It's EMISHI!!!
Takumi managed to escape the marking with good use of some silky footwork. Takumi's diving header rammed the ball into the top corner of the goal, in front of the Stretford End. There was nothing goalkeeper Luca Mancuso could do to stop the shot.
Martin Tyler: It's a dream start for Liverpool! Takumi Emishi, who scored a hat-trick against Arsenal on his Premier League debut a couple of weeks ago, has scored his 5th goal in his third appearance for Liverpool. It's Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool with just a little over 2 minutes into the match.
The 68,000+ Manchester United supporters on the day were stunned by what just happened. Meanwhile, it was joy for the 6,000 Liverpool supporters who were sitting in the upper tier of the East Stand. In cup matches, the away ticket allocation is generally the double of the usual allocation for Premier League matches.
"Come on, lads! Pull yourselves together!" Matthias rallied his teammates.
"It's still early. Let's go back in the fight." Nikolaj added.
'Not bad, Emishi, but I have seen plenty of situations where we fell behind before.' Kakeru thought. 'The real match starts now.'
Even without Nana and Yusuke to support him at the moment, Kakeru was determined to give a proper answer to Takumi's early goal. It only took a few minutes before United started laying a siege on the Liverpool goal.
In the 7th minute:
Martin Tyler: Kristiansen... finds Laurent ahead of him.
From the center circle, Nikolaj passed the ball into Anthony's run. On the left side, Anthony shook Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold off with a feint, and then turned towards the inside. The French forward then spotted Kakeru standing on the edge of the penalty area.
Martin Tyler: A give-and-go with Aizawa...
Running down the width of the pitch, Anthony played the quick give-and-go with Kakeru. From the very second the Japanese striker laid the ball back into Anthony's run, the Frenchman took a hard shot.
Martin Tyler: Laurent... misses the target.
Anthony's shot had some curve and easily went around the nearest Liverpool defender, but it missed the bottom corner at the goalkeeper's right by a few inches. Anthony looked at the sky in disappointment while Kakeru grimaced.
"Good try, Tony! Good try!" Kakeru turned to applaud his teammate's effort.
"It's fine. We will get them." Nikolaj cheered up.
Meanwhile one the Manchester United bench:
'That's a shame. Kakeru was clever to play the 1-2 with Anthony, and that should have been a shot on goal.' Nana thought. 'Make sure you guys don't miss the next one.'
Manchester United only got started with their attacks on the Liverpool goal despite the high pressure coming from Liverpool players against the carrier of the ball. All it took was one moment of brilliance or a mistake to alter the course of events in the match on one side or the other. A few minutes later, United went at it again.
In the 12th minute:
Martin Tyler: Köhler... looking ahead for Flynn.
Matthias attempted a long aerial pass towards Kevin on the right wing, but Andrew Robertson got in the way by heading the ball down. However, Robertson made a mistake as the ball was knocked down towards Francisco, who then immediately passed the ball into Kakeru's run.
Martin Tyler: Headed down, but only as far as Serrano... and Aizawa's on the run!
Dashing in full speed and beating the offside trap, Kakeru charged his way towards the Liverpool penalty area. Desperate to stop the Japanese forward in red, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk started grabbing Kakeru outside the penalty area. Everyone in the stadium expected Kakeru to go down, but it was gross underrating of his strength and his fighting spirit. Kakeru kept on going, and crossed the white line marking the edge of the box. On the following split second, Van Dijk's continuous grabbing ended up dragging Kakeru down. The 68,000+ Manchester United supporters inside Old Trafford shouted in unison.
Martin Tyler: He goes down!	
The referee looked at the linesman putting the flag across the chest, and then pointed towards the 12-yard spot.
Martin Tyler: Penalty!
The vast majority of the crowd cheered at the decision. However, several Liverpool players protested the decision on the basis that the point of contact on the foul was just outside the penalty area.
"This is NOT a penalty! It was outside! The contact was right there." Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson argued with the referee while pointing outside.
"Aizawa stood up and continued his run inside the penalty area. That's when Van Dijk dragged Aizawa down, so the foul was inside." the referee replied before he produced a yellow card against Van Dijk.
Martin Tyler: And it's a yellow card against Van Dijk as well.
"That's a very bad call! You're intimidated!" Takumi added to the protests.
"I don't want to hear anymore. Everyone not involved in the penalty, move away." The referee ordered everyone except the penalty taker and the Liverpool goalkeeper to step outside the penalty area.
"Kakeru is stepping up." Noriko said.
"That is interesting." Robert replied.
What most people didn't know at the time was that Kakeru very recently took over Marius as United's designated penalty taker. The Japanese forward has shown the best penalty conversion ratio among United players in training for some time.
Just as Kakeru was stepping up with the ball in his hand, Takumi stood on the penalty spot and in front of Kakeru. Noticing that none of the officials was watching while the referee was still dealing with Jordan Henderson's protests, Takumi gave a sweeping kick on the penalty spot before he walked away. It was a deliberate attempt to put Kakeru off
"Hey, what was that for? Look at this." Kakeru complained to the referee, who just turned on his heels. "Emishi plowed it."
The referee looked at the poor condition of the penalty spot before asking his assistants for a second opinion. However, nothing came out of it.
"That looks bad, but neither my assistants nor I saw what happened. And the VAR can't be used for that. Get the ball on the spot." the referee replied to Kakeru.
On the touchline, Andrew and his assistants protested to the 4th official about what Takumi just did, but to no avail. In the stands, several spectators noticed that as well.
"What was that with Emishi? That's insane!" Noriko said out loud.
"That was clearly deliberate. Emishi should have a yellow card for that." Harry replied.
"The referee couldn't see it, but someone else should have seen it." Robert said.
"We have to hope Kakeru can maintain his focus on this kick." Sayuri said.
"You're right, Mom. Kuwabara kuwabara (knock on wood)." Noriko finished.	
Within seconds, all players got themselves in position. As for Kakeru, he was emptying everything out of his mind ahead of the penalty kick. Finally, the referee blew the whistle.
PEEP!
Martin Tyler: Here goes Aizawa...
Kakeru kept on looking at the goalkeeper's left. Alisson Becker took a dive towards his own left hand side, but Kakeru played the trick perfectly as he blasted the shot into the top corner at the goalkeeper's right. In a flash, Old Trafford erupted with a thunderous roar.
Martin Tyler: And Manchester United are level! 1-1! It's Aizawa's 20th goal of the season for Manchester United, and it has come at a very crucial moment against the old enemy.
Kakeru ran a few yards to celebrate what was his 20th goal in all competitions for the club in the season. He was joined by his teammates, next to the southeastern corner flag.
"Big goal, Knight!" Kevin exclaimed
"Well done!" Nikolaj added.
"Thanks, guys." Kakeru replied.
"Let's go for the next one!" Matthias said.
"Yeah! Let's do this." Kakeru finished.
Meanwhile in the stands:
"Good shot, Kakeru!" Noriko exclaimed.
"That was a great effort by Kakeru to stay focused. It looks like that new Liverpool striker was kicking the spot on purpose before the kick. I think I only saw something like that before with Fernando Torres." Robert said.
"We'll have to be careful with Emishi. He looks like someone who can easily get under one's skin in more ways than one." Noriko said.
"As long as we can contain him, our odds are good." Harry said.
"And also if we score on our goalscoring opportunities." Noriko finished.
After the 1-1 goal, Liverpool adjusted their own approach by continuing to apply high pressure as a moving block. United conceded more time to Liverpool in terms of ball possession, but the visitors provided no serious threats on the Manchester United goal for a long time. On the other hand, United was also unable to have a crack at the Liverpool goal for several minutes. We had to wait beyond the 25th minute to see another serious scoring chance.
In the 28th minute:
Martin Tyler: Kristiansen... Laurent...
Pushing the attack deep inside the Liverpool half, Anthony received the pass from Nikolaj. Arriving a short distance away from the penalty area, Anthony waited until Shawzy made an overlapping run on the left wing. When Shawzy finally lured one of the Liverpool defenders' attention, Anthony made a little move onto his right before he whipped a long ball towards the far post.
Martin Tyler: It's a decent ball for Flynn!
Kevin arrived at the end of the long pass to shoot the ball from point blank range. Unfortunately for him, Alisson made a reflex save to deflect the ball out of play.
Martin Tyler: Oh, that's a good save by Alisson! The goalkeeper has done well.
The Manchester United players could only stare in disbelief, and so did the spectators.
Meanwhile on the Manchester United bench:
"Damn! I thought Kev had it." Nana said out loud.
"Yeah, me too. That should have gone in." Marius replied.
"I hope that miss won't bite us back later." Chris added.
"We better keep running at them." Nana finished.
Despite Liverpool's advantage in terms of ball possession time, it was United who showed more attacking purpose with the ball. Only a few minutes later, United launched another dangerous attack towards the Liverpool goal.
In the 32th minute:
Martin Tyler: Shaw... finds Kristiansen.
Shawzy passed the ball to Nikolaj. Facing 2 Liverpool players ahead of him, Nikolaj made a skillful feint to shake them off. The Dane then launched an aerial ball towards the far post.
Martin Tyler: It's for Flynn... touched on the way...
The ball that was intended for Kevin bounced off Andrew Robertson's head. However, Diogo was there to keep the ball in play. The Portuguese right-back in red then tried his luck by crossing the ball towards the face of goal.
Martin Tyler: Back into AIZAWA! Another great save by Alisson!
In perfect synchronization with Kakeru's run, the ball flew in position where Kakeru could take a direct header shot on goal. However, the Liverpool goalkeeper made a reflex save before the rebound was kicked out of play by a Liverpool defender. For the second time in 4 minutes, it was disbelief among the Manchester United players and supporters alike.
"Damn! I was sure Kakeru had it." Noriko said.
"That was a good buildup. Such a shame." Robert replied.
"If that was with one the goalkeepers Liverpool used to have before this season, it would have been a goal." Harry added.
"Yeah, Alisson is way better than the likes of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet." Noriko said.
Then Noriko looked at her vibrating smartphone. Sarah just texted her reaction to the last scoring chance.
"Unlucky there. Hope we won't miss too many of those later." Sarah's text message said.
Noriko then typed the reply: "Agree, but we also need to keep our eyes on Emishi. Have a feeling he will be a thorn in the side again."
And Noriko was right. Takumi Emishi's main attributes were his dribbling skills in movement and his deadly finish. Should Emishi have enough space and time to do something on the attack, he would become a huge problem for any defender to deal with.
In the 45th minute:
Martin Tyler: Fabinho... Henderson...
After a few passes strung together between the 2 Liverpool midfielders, the Liverpool captain passed the ball forward to Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian forward then arrived in the opposite direction, but only to flick the ball towards Takumi.
Martin Tyler: Mo Salah... Emishi...
Takumi then dashed forward, and came up facing both Matthias and Erik. The Japanese striker in grey then feinted going to his left and then to his right. Finally, Takumi saw an opening.
Martin Tyler: ...comes up with a shot!
Takumi then took a left-footed shot around Matthias, but the Manchester United goalkeeper parried the shot with a diving save.
Martin Tyler: Decent effort, but it's stopped by Mancuso. Now, it's Blanco...
The rebound was then collected by Diogo, who ran with the ball before he passed it across the halfway line. At the same time, the clock struck 45:00.
PEEP PEEEEEEEP!!!
It was the signal for halftime without any time to be added on. At that moment, both teams were happy with respect to some parts of their respective game plans. However, they also knew that both managers would make a number of adjustments in order to win the contest.
At halftime, Noriko gave Sarah a phone call. In times when Noriko's family couldn't release a ticket for her, the English blonde was watching the match at a different lace nearby. Sometimes, it would be at a nearby pub. But for the match on the day, Sarah was watching the match at a place colloquially named Red Square – the unofficial fanzone located a short distance to the Northeast of Old Trafford.
"Hello, Noriko!" Sarah greeted.
"Enjoying the match from where you are?" Noriko asked.
"So far, I do. There's a big party atmosphere here at Red Square, as usual." Sarah replied. "What do you think of the first half, Noriko?"
"It was a very bad start with the early Liverpool goal. Otherwise, United played a decent first half. I think we had more purpose with the ball even though we conceded more possession time to Liverpool by 45%-55%." Noriko replied to Sarah's question.
"That striker, Emishi, really looks better than I expected."
"Yeah, Emishi really took his chance on the first shot on goal. Then he almost scored before halftime. He is a real danger out there." Noriko said.
"I wonder how Yusuke is feeling about that match right now."
"He would have loved to play in this. He told me how he manhandled Emishi when they played against each other only once in Japanese high school."
"Tell me more about it, Noriko." Sarah said.
"A short time before he left to join the Dortmund academy, his team [Kamakura High School] thrashed Emishi's team [Yoin Academy] by a score of 5-0. Yusuke mostly remembers Emishi as a big mouth who loses his focus if provoked, but who is dangerous if he's on his game." Noriko replied.
"Well, I guess someone has to get in his face then."
"Spot on, Sarah. I hope the coaches will tell the defenders to give him no space at all."
"Well, enjoy the second half then. I'll see you after the match." Sarah said.
"You too. See you later." Noriko finished.
After all speeches and tactical adjustments from both sides at halftime, the second half started with Manchester United on the attack towards the Stretford End. However, the team from Merseyside earned the first serious scoring chance in the second half.
In the 52nd minute:
Martin Tyler: Fabinho... finds Salah.
As the action took place in the center circle, Brazilian midfielder Fabinho passed the ball to the Egyptian forward, who dropped down to provide close support. With a clever turn, Salah shrugged Francisco off before he initiated a series of quick passes involving the Liverpool players. Salah first passed forward to Sadio Mané, who then flicked the ball back to Salah before the Egyptian launched a through pass by Matthias and towards Takumi.
Martin Tyler: Salah... Mané... That's brilliantly worked, and Emishi's through the middle!
With Takumi on the run towards the Manchester United penalty area, Erik made a mad dash to try stopping him. But just as the Japanese Assassin in the Area arrived inside the penalty area, the shot was taken. Luca was cleanly beaten by Takumi's shot, but...
Martin Tyler: Oh, it hit the post!
The ball struck the post before it bounced back into the face of goal with pace. Erik attempted to clear the ball away, but Takumi threw his body in the way. Then the ball looped back dangerously towards the Manchester United goal.
Martin Tyler: Emishi again. Oh, and it's gonna go...
Mohamed Salah also ran towards the goal to tap the ball into an open cage, but Erik made a desperate lunge to kick the ball away as it was above the goal line. Salah ended up crashing himself into the back of the net.
Martin Tyler: ...into it. No, it isn't! It's squeezed away from Salah!
A few Liverpool players raised their arms up to demand a goal confirmation, but the referee ordered the play to carry on as his special watch made no signal. Finally, the ball was kicked out of bounds by a Manchester United defender seconds later. Then several Liverpool players asked questions to the referee as to why there was no goal. The Manchester United players and supporters could only sigh in relief while the 6,000 Liverpool supporters were shouting for a goal, but to no avail.
Meanwhile in the stands:
"That was a very close shave." Noriko said.
"Did you see what happened?" Sayuri asked.
"Not sure, but it looked like we had a narrow escape. The referee said 'no goal', but the Liverpool players are convinced that was in." Robert replied.
"It must have been that close." Harry added.
"It was not easy for Johansson to clear that away. The rebound had lots of pace when it came back off the post." Noriko said.
Then Noriko received a message on her smartphone. After she saw the content of her message, she turned to her family.
"Sarah took this picture. It's the call from the goal line technology." Noriko said.
"Show it to us." Robert replied.
The computer-generated picture showed that most of the ball crossed the line, but a very small part of the ball was still on the goal line when Erik cleared it away. It was a matter of millimeters.
"Oofff!" Robert exclaimed.
"Wow!" Sayuri added to mix of relief and disbelief.
"I don't want to even imagine the kind of injustice we would have endured without that technology today." Harry said.
"We need to stay sharp. The Scousers can come back at us anytime if they see some weakness." Noriko replied.
"Things will definitely get very tense." Robert finished.
Liverpool missed a glorious opportunity to go forward. However, the visitors were not done exploiting their stretch of momentum. Only a few minutes later, the visitors came up with other dangerous attacks on the Manchester United goal.
In the 56th minute:
Martin Tyler: Salah will take the corner for Liverpool.
The Egyptian superstar was standing on the ready, waiting for the referee's signal to proceed with the corner kick.
PEEP!
The ball was launched with a swirl that appeared to move away from the Manchester United goal. However, it was a very good ball for Virgil van Dijk to give the head at, despite the presence of several tall Manchester United players.
Martin Tyler: Van Dijk! Good save by Mancuso!
In a reflex motion, Luca blocked the shot with his hands before the loose ball was cleared away by Matthias. However, the ball was not quite out of bounds as Trent Alexander-Arnold retrieved it.
Martin Tyler: Alexander-Arnold... Wijnaldum...
After Georginio Wijnaldum received the pass, the Dutchman moved a few yards ahead before Aleksandar stepped ahead to block his path. Nevertheless, Wijnaldum passed the ball to Takumi right on the edge of the penalty area.
"Don't think about it." Matthias said.
Even with the Manchester United goal 18 yards away and behind his back, Takumi made a couple of feints to shake Matthias off long enough to find a gap. When Takumi saw the gap, he took a hard shot.
Martin Tyler: Emishi... Ohh! That's off the top of the crossbar!
Unfortunately for Takumi, but much to the relief of anyone supporting Manchester United, the shot went off the crossbar and out for a goal kick. If that shot was a few inches lower, Liverpool would have regained the lead.
Meanwhile in the stands, Noriko was really not happy at how the second half had gone so far.
"What the hell are we doing? We're letting Liverpool dictate the second half so far." Noriko said.
"We got lucky, but we look flat." Harry replied.
"It looks like we have a hard time keeping the pace. Liverpool turned up a notch." Robert said.
"We need someone to inject something out there." Sayuri remarked.
"You're right about that, Mom. I really wonder what Butler will do next." Noriko said before she took a look at the Manchester United substitutes on the touchline.
At the same time, on the touchline:
'Just hang in there, guys.' Nana thought. 'One of us will be coming on soon.'
At that moment, Nana and Marius were warming up on the touchline. Andrew already knew that his team needed an attacking spark in order to regain the momentum. Right after the hour mark, Manchester United made the first substitution of the match.
In the 61st minute:
Alan Keegan: Substitution for Manchester United: replacing number 14, Kevin Flynn... number 19, Nana Mishima.
"You did well, Kev." Nana said.
"Get them, Witch." Kevin gave Nana the double high five before the latter came on.
Martin Tyler: Well, Nana Mishima has come on for Manchester United. Can she provide the spark her side has been lacking since halftime?
"I'm glad you're here, Seven." Kakeru said.
"Thanks." Nana replied.
"What is the plan?" Nikolaj asked from afar.
"Tony and Kakeru up front. Diamond-shaped midfield." Nana replied.
"OK, it's good." Nikolaj replied.
Since Kevin often played as a number 10 despite his official designation as a right forward, Nana's inclusion was made to maintain a similar shape while adding more attacking flair. The Little Witch was not about to disappoint as her first impression came only 40 seconds after the play restarted.
Martin Tyler: Köhler... Kristiansen...
From just inside the Liverpool half, Matthias passed the ball forward to Nikolaj as United were maintaining an attacking presence. The Danish midfielder then passed the ball to Anthony just inside Liverpool the penalty area.
Martin Tyler: He finds Laurent...
Facing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Anthony dribbled the ball from a standing position. Picking the spot, Anthony passed the ball to Kakeru in front of goal. However, Kakeru had both Matip and Van Dijk standing in the way.
"Kakeru!" Nana called for a pass behind him.
Without further due, Kakeru made a tricky backheel pass that was rolling towards the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.
Martin Tyler: Aizawa... back pass to Mishima.
As Nana received the pass, she saw a gap between 2 Liverpool defenders. With a moment of hesitation, she lashed out an unexpectedly hard drive towards the goal with what was supposed to be her weaker left foot. The Liverpool goalkeeper could not reach the ball, but...
Martin Tyler: Having a go... OH! Inside of the post, along the line past the other post, you don't get any closer than that without scoring.
Nana's shot struck the inside of the post, but then the ball bounced in front of the goal line before the spin effect sent the ball out of bounds for a goal kick. No one inside Old Trafford could believe what just happened.
"You gotta be joking!" Nana exclaimed.
"Talk about making a first impression, that wasn't bad. Keep on going, Seven." Kakeru said.
"Thanks, Kakeru."
Meanwhile in the stands:
"I was sure that was going in! Oh my God!" Noriko exclaimed in despair.
"Very unlucky. Still, I see that action as a good sign since Nana didn't need long to move up to speed." Robert said.
"Yeah, and I hope momentum will start swinging back on our side." Noriko replied.
From that moment, Manchester United started to regain some control by attacking more while giving the visitors very few chances. However, the Liverpool side was still a tough nut to crack, and they only needed to capitalize on one good scoring chance to grab the lead again.
In the 66th minute:
Martin Tyler: Henderson... to Alexander-Arnold.
In a moment in which Liverpool was maintaining the pressure inside United's half, the Liverpool captain rolled the pass towards Trent Alexander-Arnold. The English right-back was supporting the attack, but was quickly confronted by Nikolaj.
Martin Tyler: Kristiansen standing in front of him...
Expecting Alexander-Arnold to make a right-footed cross, Nikolaj jumped. However, the Liverpool left-back made a feint before he scooped the ball towards the left. Trent Alexander-Arnold then ran a few yards across the width of the pitch before he launched a long, left-footed cross towards the far post.
Martin Tyler: Lovely ball towards Robertson...
The ball's descent surprised Diogo as it flew above his head. And just behind him, Andrew Robertson came in to head a cushioned pass across and back into the face of goal for Takumi. The Japanese Assassin escaped Matthias' man-marking for a split second before he took a diving header to surprise Luca Mancuso completely. With 24 minutes to go, it became: Manchester United 1-2 Liverpool!
Martin Tyler: EMISHIIII!!! Brilliant Liverpool goal! Superb team effort! His second, Liverpool's second. They are back in front in this FA Cup tie.
After the goal, Takumi celebrated by grabbing the goal's twine and shouting like a madman. The scene drew the ire of several Manchester United supporters behind the goal, but the Liverpool players didn't care. Meanwhile, the Manchester United players were looking in disgust.
"It's not the time to lose hope just yet! We have still 24 minutes left to play. Let's go at them!" Kakeru rallied his teammates.
Leading by his actions, Kakeru quickly carried the ball towards the center circle to get everyone ready at the restart. Nevertheless, the Liverpool players were taking their time walking across the halfway line. Walking right next to Kakeru and Nana, Takumi started playing mind games with the former two.
"I'm the better forward this time, Aizawa." Takumi said.
"This is far from over." Kakeru replied.
"You haven't seen anything yet." Nana added.
"I still wonder how Leonardo Silva sees you as an equal to him, Mishima. If it wasn't for your good looks, I guess you wouldn't be here now." Takumi said to Nana.
"Don't push it." Nana glared and pointed at Takumi.
"You better watch your mouth, Emishi. Say something against my fiancée, and you will have to deal with me." Kakeru added.
"More empty promises. This is Liverpool's day, period." Takumi say before he walked on his way.
"That guy." Nana said.
"I know. He can be despicable with his mouth, but hurting him on the scoreboard is the way to do it." Kakeru replied.
"Right, let's shove his words down his throat." Nana finished.
In the stands, the Manchester United supporters were starting to contemplate the prospect of defeat against their eternal archrivals for the first time. However, those same supporters poured their voices in as loudly as they could to provide the energy the Manchester United players were craving for. In the following 4 minutes, Andrew prepared another substitution to add some firepower.
In the 70th minute:
Alan Keegan: Substitution for Manchester United: replacing number 11, Anthony Laurent... number 9, Marius van Leeuwen.
Meanwhile in the stands:
"COME ON, MARIUS!" Noriko shouted.
"Looks like Butler is sacrificing attacking width for more natural presence in the box." Harry said.
"You got that right, Dad. But it may work." Robert replied.
"All we can do now is to keep our fingers crossed." Sayuri said.
"Fingers crossed." Noriko added
In the following few minutes, Liverpool replaced Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mané with James Milner and Naby Keïta. It was more difficult for the team in need of a goal (United) to deal with the changes than the team defending a lead (Liverpool). For the next 10 minutes, Liverpool got a slight edge in terms of ball possession time, but only to pass it around and thus waste more time. For United, the weight of the clock was getting heavier as it was running inevitably towards the final whistle.
By the time the match had entered the final 10 minutes, the Red Devils started to attack with everything they have got for the sake of earning at least a chance to fight another day in the FA Cup.
In the 81st minute:
Martin Tyler: Köhler... gained good ground and made a decent pass for Kristiansen.
Running with the ball beyond the halfway line, Matthias waited to see the best available passing option. The German defender passed the ball to Nikolaj on the left. With Kakeru running down the left wing, Nikolaj passed the ball into his run.
Martin Tyler: Now Aizawa hanging behind Henderson...
Kakeru ran deep inside the Liverpool half, but he was also contained to the outside by Jordan Henderson. At the same time, Shawzy was attempting a run on the overlap to lure another Liverpool player. As a result, Kakeru spotted Nikolaj momentarily alone and in a good position to shoot from outside the Liverpool penalty area.
Martin Tyler: Kristiansen... shot's on!
Nikolaj immediately attempted a finesse shot with speed and curve towards the corner of the goal. However, Virgil van Dijk stuck his head out to steer the shot away and behind the byline. The end result was a corner kick for Manchester United.
Martin Tyler: Van Dijk didn't take any chance. It's a United corner.
Both teams moved quickly into their positions. Nana also stood ready to whip the ball upon the referee's signal.
Martin Tyler: Mishima will take...
PEEP!
Nana whipped the ball towards the near post for a teammate. However, Joël Matip headed the ball far away from the Liverpool penalty area. Then Shawzy recovered the loose ball before he passed the ball ahead for Nana.
Martin Tyler: Recovered by Shaw... Now MIshima...
Upon receiving the ball, Nana came up facing Milner. Waiting and waiting for someone to pass the ball to, Nana played a patient game. Then Kakeru bent his run to attempt receiving the ball on a run forward.
Martin Tyler: She has found Aizawa...
Nana laid the ball to Kakeru, who ran towards the byline. However, the Japanese forward had to deal with Trent Alexander-Arnold's tight man-marking almost immediately. Nevertheless, Kakeru had a Plan B.
'Alexander-Arnold and Milner are on me. Good. Seven is now free.' Kakeru thought.
Knowing that Nana had no one marking her at that moment, Kakeru made a quick back pass towards her. The Little Witch had all the space she needed to initiate a dangerous pass.
Martin Tyler: Mishima again...
Nana immediately crossed the ball towards the far post. In that area, Marius was trying to outmuscle Andrew Robertson in a body-to-body battle for position. Both players fell down to the ground, but not before Marius headed the ball towards the Liverpool goal.
Martin Tyler: Van Leeuwen battling for it!
In the end, the headed ball was weak and easy to catch for Alisson. Robertson did just enough to prevent Marius from having a clean contact with the ball. It was another frustrating outcome for the Manchester United players, coaches, and supporters alike.
Martin Tyler: Robertson did just enough, but at what cost? He is down now.
Meanwhile in the stands:
"Great! Now they will waste time with that." Noriko voiced her disappointment out loud.
"Not surprising. We have the momentum, so they will do anything to take it away from us." Robert replied.
"What does it take to score?" Sayuri asked.
"I don't know what to say, Mom." Noriko replied.
"It really looks like this is Liverpool's day." Harry said.
"I hope not, Dad. Do you remember what happened when Andy Gray said those exact same words?" Robert asked.
"Aye. How can I forget that?"
"If there's a team that has the pedigree and the history to save something from a bad situation, that is United." Noriko said before she switched to her own thoughts. 'But we need some luck as well, which we have been lacking so far.'
In the end, Andrew Robertson was able to carry on. United kept on launching attacks in the Liverpool half. However, the home side was taking a big risk by pushing many players forward. Against a team that was built to score on quick counterattacks, every single mistake was a spark for serious danger.
In the 84th minute:
Martin Tyler: Van Leeuwen... dispossessed by Fabinho.
In an attempt to maintain the pressure, Marius received the ball from Nana in the middle of the park. However, he lost the ball the combined pressure of Fabinho and Naby Keïta. The ball then went to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Martin Tyler: Alexander-Arnold... Henderson...
After the pass was made towards Jordan Henderson, the Liverpool captain saw Mohamed Salah initiating a run forward. Without any hesitation, Henderson passed the ball to Mo Salah.
Martin Tyler: Now Mo Salah...
Just as Salah received the ball, he ran forward with the Manchester United goal ahead in the distance. Just as Salah went just beyond the center circle inside the Manchester United half, he saw Takumi charging his way forward at the same time Erik was falling quite far back. The Egyptian forward then launched a through pass towards the speedy Takumi.
Martin Tyler: That's a great ball for Emishi! No offside! Is this the moment?
And suddenly, Takumi found himself into a 1v1 situation against David de Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper stood his ground inside the box, a couple of yards away from the edge of the penalty area.
'I'll get the hat-trick!' Takumi thought.
Seeing that David was not making the first move, Takumi chose to cut the run to the goalkeeper's right. But David stuck his right hand out in an attempt to push the ball away. Surprised by the goalkeeper's move, Takumi lost his balance for a split second. However, the ball was still in a dangerous position as it rolled dangerous close to the 6-yard box behind David.
Martin Tyler: Emishi lost his footing...
Back on his feet, Takumi tried to get to the loose ball with the yawning cage ahead of him. Fortunately for United, Matthias got the foot on the ball first, and pushed it just outside of the penalty area. James Milner then attempted a shot from a narrow angle, but only struck the side netting.
Martin Tyler: And Milner has struck the side netting, and it's a let-off for Manchester United. It would have finished them off.
Having seen Milner's shot hitting the side netting, Takumi could only put his hands on his head. He was unable to believe that he and his English teammate both missed a glorious opportunity to put the game away. Nevertheless, Takumi's teammates came quickly to not worry too much about it. On the other hand, the Manchester United players, coaches, and supporters sighed a huge sigh of relief.
"That was too close for comfort." Kakeru said.
"I know. We almost screwed up there." Nana replied.
"Don't lose focus! Keep attacking!" Matthias reminded his teammates in midfield and on the attack of the job to be done.
"Get it together! Let's go!" Nikolaj added to the rally cry.
Kakeru then looked at Nana. The Little Witch nodded in response, meaning that she was also ready to give all for an equalizing goal.
'Time is running out, but we can do this. No! We must do this.' Kakeru thought.
United continued looking for any gap to be exploited, but Liverpool continued to defend their one-goal lead with real gallantry. Knowing that a major FA Cup victory was within touching distance, the Liverpool players gathered around their own penalty area for their final test of concentration and discipline.
In the 88th minute:
Martin Tyler: Robertson with the throw...
Waiting for his teammates to get into the right positions, Robertson looked around to find the best option as both teams were camped inside the Liverpool half. The Liverpool left-back attempted to throw the ball towards a teammate near the touchline, but Diogo headed the ball nearby and towards Marius. The Dutch striker attempted to resist the pressure coming from both James Milner and Naby Keïta. In the resulting scrum, the ball squirted out for Aleksandar to pick up.
Martin Tyler: Here's Rukavina...
The Serbian midfielder in red started to run across the width of the pitch with the ball. However, Aleksandar was pushed to the ground by Fabinho. The Old Trafford shouted in unison for a free kick, to which the referee agreed.
Martin Tyler: Fouled by Fabinho, and Fabinho will get a yellow card. This could be an important set piece for United.
The bad news for the Liverpool players was that they had to defend against an indirect free kick around 20 yards from their own penalty area. Players from both teams moved into their assigned positions. Marking Kakeru was Takumi though.
"I'm sticking with you, Aizawa." Takumi said.
"You will make a big mistake." Kakeru replied.
"We'll see about that."
Martin Tyler: We're entering the 89th minute. Mishima with the free kick.
PEEP!
Nana then kicked the ball towards the mass of players inside the Liverpool penalty area. Having timed his run perfectly to stay onside, Matthias ran until he connected his head with the ball on a diving header attempt. The ensuing shot had power as it flew towards the Liverpool goal.
Martin Tyler: Köhler! Off the post...
The ball was destined to reach the bottom corner of the goal, but the Liverpool goalkeeper got a slight touch on the ball. And then, the ball struck the inside of the post before it rolled back free inside the 6-yard box. It was an agonizing moment for the 68,000+ Manchester United supporters as the ball was still in play.
"It's mine!" Kakeru shouted.
"No, you don't!" Takumi replied.
Kakeru and Takumi both raced towards the same ball with opposite intentions. At the very crucial split second though, the stronger and faster Kakeru got the tip of his boot on the ball before Takumi could get there. As both players felt onto the ground after a rough contact, Kakeru saw the ball hitting the back of the net. Old Trafford finally celebrated the long-awaited equalizing goal.
Martin Tyler: And AIZAWA!!! Aizawa got the last touch! With less than 2 minutes to go, Manchester United are back on terms; it is 2-2! 
"Take the ball to the restart! Let's go!" Kakeru picked up the ball, and gave it to a teammate.
"Well done, Kakeru!" Nana gave Kakeru a quick high-five handshake.
"Thanks." Kakeru replied before he took a few seconds to pump the crowd up even more. "COME ON!!!"
Meanwhile in the stands:
"WELL DONE, KAKERU!" Noriko shouted.
"Well played, lad! Well played!" Harry added.
"I would gladly take a replay now even if that's not ideal." Robert said.
"Kakeru and Nana won't settle for a replay yet. Butler is pushing the players to go for more." Noriko replied.
Martin Tyler: Well, 'replay' is not a concept that Andrew Butler particularly likes.
If the match was to end in a tie, United would have to travel to Anfield on the evening of February 6. For the Manchester United players, the last thing they needed was another fixture being added in a congested schedule, especially a tough away fixture. The home side were looking to score another goal. However, Liverpool were looking to strike first as they kept the ball from the restart.
Martin Tyler: Robertson... Fabinho... now to Alexander-Arnold...
After a number of passes inside the Liverpool half, the last pass went across the halfway line from Fabinho to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Alan Keegan: The referee has indicated a minimum of 4 minutes of added time.
The crowd inside Old Trafford was getting edgy after the announcement about added time was made. Trent Alexander-Arnold then made a short pass to Naby Keïta
Martin Tyler: Keïta...
Spotting a teammate further on the left flank, the Guinean midfielder attempted to cross the ball in that direction. However, Keïta misjudged the proximity between him and Aleksandar. As a result, the ball was deflected in the path of that pass, allowing Francisco to retrieve it.
Martin Tyler: It took a deflection... Now Serrano...
Francisco had to deal with a bouncing ball, but he managed to pass the ball just across the halfway line to Kakeru nevertheless. The Japanese forward had to deal with Joël Matip battling against him for the ball.
Martin Tyler: Here's Aizawa...
'Come on. Where's the support, guys?' Kakeru asked in his thoughts.
"Knight!" Nikolaj called for a pass on the left flank.
Following his instinct, Kakeru immediately passed the ball to Nikolaj. The Danish midfielder then sprinted forward with the ball with lots of space in front of him, especially with Trent Alexander-Arnold having moved too far ahead. Feeling that something could happen on the counterattack, the 68,000+ Manchester United supporters inside Old Trafford roared in expectation.
Martin Tyler: Kristiansen... Manchester United have got 5 men forward here...
At the very same time Nikolaj ran with the ball, 6 Liverpool players were hustling back to protect their goal. Meanwhile, Kakeru, Francisco, Marius, and Nana were supporting Nikolaj on the counterattack. Picking his spot, the Danish midfielder made a lateral pass towards the "D" in front of the Liverpool penalty area. Nana appeared to be in a position to hit the ball immediately, but she let the ball roll to Marius right next to her.
Martin Tyler: ...supporting the Dane. Van Leeuwen...
When Marius received the pass, thousands in the attendance urged him to shoot. However, the Dutch striker saw for a split second that Nana was sneaking her way behind Virgil van Dijk while Andrew Robertson was playing her onside. With a tap of the left foot, Marius surprised everyone with a through pass for the Little Witch. Seeing the action unfolding, Old Trafford held its collective breath.
Martin Tyler: It's threaded through to MISHIMAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
With calm and total control, Nana rifled the shot under the Liverpool goalkeeper's arm to send Old Trafford into total bedlam.
Martin Tyler: MANCHESTER UNITED LEAD IN STOPPAGE TIME!! Liverpool cannot believe it! United were on the way out of the FA Cup a few minutes ago, but they are now on the verge of winning the match!
Running several yards to celebrate her goal, Nana only thought of one place to celebrate: right where Noriko and her family were located in the front row. Within seconds, Nana performed Fortnite's Star Power dance before she jumped straight into the arms of her friend Noriko.
"You did it, Nana. YOU DID IT!" Noriko exclaimed as she hugged Nana.
"YEEAAAHHH!!! Great goal, girl!" Robert also exclaimed.
Several spectators tapped Nana's head and shoulders in the celebrations. In the following seconds, Kakeru and the other Manchester United teammates crowded around Nana to celebrate as well.
"You did, Seven! Well done!" Kakeru said before Nana turned to embrace him.
"You got them!" Marius added.
"COME ON!" Francisco exclaimed.
"YATTAAAAA (I DID IT)!!!" Nana screamed.
Several Manchester United players shouted "COME ON!" to milk the celebrations even more from the crowd.
Alan Keegan: UNITED'S GOAL... SCORED BY NUMBER NINETEEN... NANA MISHIMAAAA!
After the official goal announcement, the home supporters started singing songs in full voice to take the banter to the opposition. The Manchester United players moved into defensive positions in order to protect the lead. Nevertheless, Liverpool attempted one final attack.
In the dying seconds of injury time:
Martin Tyler: Van Dijk... on the wing to Milner...
Liverpool tried attacking from the wing through James Milner, but Diogo and Francisco denied entry on that side. The veteran Englishman was forced to pass the ball backwards to his captain in central midfield.
Martin Tyler: Henderson... he finds Emishi.
Jordan Henderson passed the ball into Takumi's run. Liverpool's Japanese striker then dribbled past a Manchester United player. As Takumi was about to enter the penalty area, Kakeru surprised everyone by running shoulder-to-shoulder with Takumi.
"I will stop you here!" Kakeru said.
"What?" Takumi was the most surprised of all.
At the right time, Kakeru, the former Knight of Enoshima, swept the ball away from Takumi's feet before the former Assassin of Yoin Academy went to the ground after the contact. The Liverpool players asked for a foul, but the referee gave nothing.
Martin Tyler: Good challenge by Aizawa on Emishi!
Kakeru then passed the ball towards Nikolaj, who carried the ball across the halfway line. Finally, the sound of deliverance came up.
PEEP PEEP PEEEEEEEEEP!!!
Martin Tyler: It's Manchester United, incredibly, in the fifth round. But for some time, it looked as though this would be Liverpool's day. Twice Takumi Emishi put Liverpool into the lead, but Kakeru Aizawa answered back twice. And then along came Nana Mishima with the winning goal in stoppage time. Eight wins in a row in all competitions, and this is one to fully enjoy if you're a Manchester United fan. The final score: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool.
The Manchester United player celebrated for a few moments as the 68,000+ home supporters gave their team the loudest cheers of the season thus far. After the celebrations, players from both teams shook hands sportingly.
"Good game, Emishi." Kakeru shook hands with Takumi.
"Yeah. Good game, Aizawa."
"You gave us quite a hard time. Good game." Nana shook hands with Takumi.
"We may be finished in the Cup, but I really look forward to our rematch in the League. Knight, Little Witch... On that day, we'll be ready." Takumi said.
"Well, we will also be ready for that match. See you then." Kakeru finished.
After the handshakes, the Liverpool players walked off the pitch quickly. The Manchester United players stayed a little longer to celebrate with their fans before they finally left the pitch under the thunderous applause from their supporters. In the stands, Noriko gave a phone call to Sarah.
"Hey, Noriko!" Sarah greeted.
"What a finish!" Noriko replied. "It must be an open house party over there now, right?"
"You bet! Cans of lager were flying everywhere when Kakeru and Nana scored the last 2 goals."
"That's great to hear about, Sarah! I will think about going to Red Square to see the Champions League match in February when we play away." Noriko said.
"You're welcome anytime. How do you think Nana must feel right now?" Sarah asked.
"She's gotta be electrified!" Noriko replied, which got both women laughing.
"I guess. She celebrated that goal with you." Sarah said.
"It's definitely bigger than any of the goals she has scored so far." Noriko replied. "A late winner against City and a late winner against Liverpool, she can't ask for better circumstances to build her own legend."
"There will be plenty to tell about tonight. So, do we say Sapporo Teppanyaki at 6:30 PM?" Sarah asked.
"After a good share of hot and icy baths for their muscles, and I'm sure they will say yes." Noriko replied.
"Good. I'll wait for a text later when you'll get the news."
"OK. I'll get back to you later. See ya!" Noriko finished.
Sunday January 27
West Didsbury, Manchester, UK
3:58 PM GMT
On that day, Kakeru and Nana watched another broadcasted FA Cup match on the day. Around the middle of the afternoon, they just witnessed Arsenal defeating their opponent of the day at the Emirates Stadium with a score of 5-0, and thus advancing to the next round despite Araki and Oda's absence.
"Well, it's almost as if Arsenal did not have to sweat to get the result." Kakeru said.
"The other team didn't really give too much for Arsenal to worry about. Besides, it would have taken something for anyone to beat them at the Emirates." Nana replied.
"Nevertheless, this match provided lots of information on what NOT to do against Arsenal though."
"I agree. We will need to study them more carefully before our match against them." Nana said.
"I can't wait to have a run at them again."
"So as me. I haven't played against Arsenal in September, remember." Nana said.
"Hopefully, you will make a difference then." Kakeru replied.
Then someone rang the doorbell outside the apartment.
"I'll get it." Kakeru said. Once Kakeru saw through the door peep hole to see who the visitor was, he opened the door.
"The Knight in Red! Nice to see you!" Miwa exclaimed.
"We didn't expect to see you today. What brings?" Kakeru asked.
"Bring the Little Witch in as well. Let's talk." Miwa said.
"What is it?" Nana asked.
Noticing the confusion and the slightly worried look on Kakeru and Nana's faces, Miwa prompted herself to calm things down first.
"Don't look so worried, you two. I have good news for both of you." Miwa said as she pulled 2 folders out of her briefcase.
"Well, shoot." Kakeru said.
"Have you ever seen yourselves nearly 10 meters tall?" Miwa asked.
"Huh?" Kakeru and Nana were even more confused.
"I talk about billboards... Adidas billboards most specifically." Miwa said.
"You're joking!" Kakeru exclaimed.
"I'm serious. I know you two already take part in photoshoots for Adidas Japan with your respective national teams at the same time you wear their boots all the time, but I'm talking about something much bigger. The higher-ups at Adidas Football confirmed to me their genuine interest in both of you for some time now. They only pick a handful of players from the big leagues to be part of their new international campaign, and you two are among them." Miwa said.
"Unbelievable." Nana said, still wide-eyed at the news.
"So... we really made their short list?" Kakeru asked.
"You made the list. Kakeru-kun... your performances since your return have convinced Adidas to make the offer. As for you, Nana-chan, you have convinced Adidas since you played in the FA Cup match against Aston Villa. Being in such a small group of worldwide poster faces is the next step on your sponsorship deal with Adidas. If you're interested, all you two have to do is take part in a filming session and a photoshoot; all in a day's work at the most." Miwa said.
"I can do that." Kakeru replied.
"All in a day's work, you say?" Nana asked.
"Probably less than that, I say. A few hours, and it would be done mostly at a local pitch in some neighborhood in Manchester and then in a local studio. In all, it's just photos and a little bit of filming. They certainly don't want to waste their talents' time." Miwa replied.
"Now we're getting somewhere." Nana said.
"Sure, it's a nice deal, and there will be more to come. But always remember this: I'm not doing this for the money. I really want to help you build your legacy, and make sure you have an eye for the long term. Take whatever time you need to go over the whole thing, and call me back when you're ready to sign." Miwa replied as she left the folders containing the sponsorship deal proposals on the table.
"Sure. We'll call you back after we have gone through the proposals." Kakeru said.
Then Miwa shook hands with Kakeru and Nana on the way out. Kakeru and Nana still had a hard time believing what just came on their plate.
"Can you believe that?" Nana asked.
"If that's a dream, don't wake me up now!" Kakeru replied before the couple laughed out loud.
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