"Jamie Vardy!!!! Beautiful goal!!!" Letkinson jumped up from his seat!
When Kante tackled Robinho once again, no one expected to witness such a stunning goal. The style of this goal was completely inconsistent with Vardy's usual image. Even if Vardy had struck from the edge of the penalty area, Letkinson wouldn't have been as surprised.
The entire Worth Road Stadium was set ablaze by Vardy's goal. Fans in orange jerseys leapt from their seats, and the Worth Stand raised their arms in unison, like a forest swaying in celebration!
Vardy saw the ball land in the back of the net as he sprinted forward. When he turned around, Manchester City's goalkeeper was already rushing toward him.
In fact, before Vardy swung his right foot, his initial thought was to go for a powerful shot. But seeing the goalkeeper closing in rapidly, he changed his mind at the last second.
"Why not try a lob shot?" he thought.
So, when Vardy flicked the ball with the tip of his toes, watching it soar over the keeper's head and into the net, he instantly knew—it was in!!
"What a goal!!! One-nil!!!" He Hongfa exclaimed with excitement in China. "No one could've predicted that Luton would be the first to score!! If they manage to eliminate Manchester City, they'll advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals!! What an incredible boost this would be for this small second-division team!! They are the biggest dark horses in the FA Cup in recent seasons!!!"
"Manchester City's players didn't expect to concede so early in the first half," Redknapp chimed in. "And looking at Luton's lineup—with five defensive midfielders—it seemed like a defensive setup. But Jamie Vardy seized the perfect counterattack opportunity and scored in the first half!! This goal is absolutely beautiful, worthy of competing for the best goal in this round of the FA Cup. The precise long-ball counterattack, Vardy's brilliant sprint, his blistering pace, and that sublime lob finish!!!"
By now, Redknapp had completely abandoned his earlier skepticism about Luton. He sounded like a Luton fan himself.
"Maybe the player Manchester City should be signing isn't Kaka, but Jamie Vardy..." Letkinson joked.
Unexpectedly, Redknapp took the comment seriously. "Honestly, for Manchester City, Jamie Vardy might be more suitable than Kaka. He's a natural-born striker, with an incredible sense of positioning, relentless movement, and an aggressive impact on the opponent's defense!!!"
Letkinson laughed—it was just a joke to him. He never seriously considered Vardy as superior to Kaka.
"Now that Luton has scored, their confidence is soaring, and their morale is sky-high. Manchester City looks absolutely stunned..."
Letkinson wasn't wrong. Manchester City was indeed rattled. They never imagined they'd concede so early, and certainly not to such a beautiful goal, executed perfectly through tactical precision. Vardy's intelligent positioning, Drinkwater's long pass, and Vardy's composure in front of goal showcased the striker's true quality.
This wasn't a team they could underestimate.
The goal shattered the balance on the field, slightly tilting the scales in Luton's favor. It completely reignited the passion within Luton's players. They pressed harder, ran with greater intensity, and seemed to possess endless stamina.
Gao Bo was well aware of Manchester City's superior lineup on paper. But football isn't just a numbers game.
If Luton had recklessly attacked Manchester City, they might've faced a crushing defeat. Bellamy and Robinho, with their first-class skill and blistering pace, could've torn Luton's defense apart.
In terms of individual talent, Luton couldn't compare to Manchester City. However, Luton had key players with exceptional abilities—none more important than Kante. With his stats boosted by tactical preparation, Kante had become Gao Bo's ace card. His defensive coverage, stamina, and interception skills were top-tier!
Gao Bo adopted a realistic approach: relying on Kante's dominance and Vardy's explosive pace, he used the classic underdog strategy—solid defense and lethal counterattacks.
With five defensive midfielders, plus a midfield enforcer like Kante, Gao Bo had every reason to believe they could withstand Manchester City's attack. Kante neutralized Robinho, and Bellamy was closely marked, leaving City's most dangerous attackers struggling for chances. Vardy's relentless energy and clinical finishing provided the perfect outlet on the counterattack.
Manchester City, faced with Luton's intense pressing and physical duels, gradually lost control in midfield. They attempted long balls, but Luton's central defenders dealt with them effectively. Robinho wasn't exactly an aerial threat.
Seeing the state of the match, Mark Hughes started thinking about potential substitutions for the second half. It was only the 20th minute—too early for changes. He decided to wait, hoping that a star like Robinho would deliver.
But what he waited for wasn't Manchester City's equalizer. Instead, it was their downfall.
In the 38th minute, Luton, who had been defending deep, suddenly initiated a high press.
Manchester City's players were caught off guard. Zabaleta, under pressure in midfield, was dispossessed by Drinkwater. Without hesitation, Drinkwater surged forward and unleashed a long-range strike.
Manchester City's goalkeeper, Shay, made a diving save!
But as the crowd roared, Vardy pounced into the penalty area like a cheetah, smashing the rebound into the net with a powerful shot! Goooooooooal!!!!!!
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!! 2-0!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Manchester City has been stunned by Luton!!! IT'S VARDY AGAIN!!! A BRACE!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!!"
Gao Bo leaped from the sidelines, fists clenched in triumph, celebrating with pure ecstasy. The 10,000 Luton fans in Worth Road Stadium erupted into deafening cheers: "GOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!"
"That's Luton's second goal!" Letkinson shouted. "They're absolutely flying now! Manchester City, completely shell-shocked, never expected to be trailing 2-0 in the first half. Are we witnessing another fairytale underdog story? Luton might just pull off a historic upset and advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals!!!"
As Letkinson's voice echoed through televisions across the country, fans applauded Luton's courageous performance—except, of course, Manchester City supporters.
Gao Bo embraced John and Lin Sen in an emotional celebration.
"See? They have eleven individuals on the field, but WE are ONE UNIT!!" Gao Bo roared, extending his hand. "They're like an open palm—fingers spread apart. But we? We're a clenched fist!!"
Gao Bo tightened his fist. "We're stronger than them, guys!!"
And he truly believed it. Mark Hughes relied too heavily on the individual brilliance of Manchester City's stars, neglecting the importance of teamwork and cohesion.
Even a peak-form Robinho would struggle against a well-drilled, solid defensive unit. Manchester City's inconsistent season highlighted their tactical flaws.
Mark Hughes was obsessed with star power and big transfer fees, blinded by the illusion that individual talent could always win matches.
But Gao Bo didn't care about that. He clenched his fist once more and shouted:
"We are BETTER than those Manchester guys!!"