Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 220: Red Hurricane

The halftime break at Wembley felt like it lasted only five seconds. The players were back on the pitch. The scoreboard was glowing against the darkening London sky.

BARNSLEY 1 - 0 LIVERPOOL

Michael Sterling stood on the touchline. The air was thick. It was humid. It felt like a storm was trapped inside the stadium.

Arthur Milton sat on the bench. He had stopped eating pies. Now he was chewing on a purple towel.

"Boss," Arthur whispered. "They look angry. Look at them. They look like bulls seeing red."

Michael looked at the Liverpool team. Arthur was right. Mohamed Salah was not smiling. Virgil Van Dijk was shouting instructions. They were not going to let the FA Cup slip away without a war.

"Hold the line," Michael muttered to himself. "Just hold the line."

The referee blew the whistle.

If the first half was a chess match the second half was a boxing match.

Liverpool came out swinging.

Minute 48

Alexis Mac Allister played a ball over the top.

Darwin Nunez chased it. The Liverpool striker was fast. He was strong.

Diego Nunez chased him. It was Nunez versus Nunez.

Darwin tried to push Diego. Diego pushed back.

"I am the original Nunez!" Diego roared. "You are the sequel!"

Diego used his shoulder. He sent Darwin stumbling into the advertising boards.

The referee waved play on.

"Good strength Diego!" Sergio Ramos shouted. "Show him who is boss!"

Minute 55

But the pressure did not stop. It was wave after wave.

Salah cut inside. He shot.

Jan Visser saved it.

Szoboszlai shot from distance.

Jan Visser saved it.

Robertson crossed it.

Sergio Ramos headed it clear.

Barnsley could not get out of their own half. They were trapped. The Cradle tactic was gone. Now it was just survival.

"We are swimming in deep water Boss," Arthur said sweating. "The sharks are circling."

THE SUBSTITUTION GAMBLE

Minute 60

Michael saw that his team was dying. Jean Luc Dubois the French giant was tired. He had run more in this game than in his whole career. He was leaning on his knees gasping for air.

"We need speed," Michael said. "We need an outlet."

He looked at the bench.

He saw Amara. The winger who had been destroyed by Mudryk in the Chelsea game. Amara looked nervous. He was staring at his boots.

"Amara," Michael said.

The boy looked up.

"Me Boss?"

"Yes you," Michael said. "Do you want redemption?"

"I want to not cry again," Amara admitted.

"Then go warm up," Michael said. "You are going on. Not as a defender. As a winger. Where you belong."

Minute 65

SUBSTITUTION

OFF: Jean Luc Dubois

ON: Amara

Jean Luc walked off. The Barnsley fans gave him a standing ovation.

"I need cheese," Jean Luc grunted as he sat down. "A whole wheel of cheese."

"Good shift Jean Luc," Michael said. "Now watch."

THE MOMENT OF TERROR

Minute 70

The game entered the danger zone. The final twenty minutes.

Liverpool threw everything forward. They went to a back three. Trent Alexander Arnold moved into midfield.

They were gambling.

The ball fell to Luis Diaz on the wing. He dribbled past Tom.

He crossed it low.

The ball rolled across the six yard box.

Jan Visser could not reach it.

Darwin Nunez was at the back post. The goal was open.

"NO!" Arthur screamed covering his eyes.

Darwin slid in.

But from nowhere a purple flash appeared.

It was Diego Nunez.

The Bull threw himself at the ball. He did not use his feet. He used his face.

The ball hit Diego directly on the nose. It flew over the bar.

Diego lay on the ground. He did not move.

The physio ran on.

Michael felt his heart stop.

"Diego!" Michael shouted.

Diego sat up. His nose was bleeding. He looked dizzy.

He looked at the physio.

"Is the ball okay?" Diego asked.

The physio laughed nervously. "The ball is fine Diego. Your nose is broken."

Diego stood up. He wiped the blood. He looked like a warrior from ancient times.

"A broken nose makes me look dangerous," Diego declared. "I continue."

He stuffed cotton wool up his nose and waved to the crowd.

The Barnsley fans went wild.

"HE IS BIG! HE IS BALD! HE HAS A BROKEN NOSE!"

THE COMMENTATOR’S SPEECH

Up in the commentary box Peter Drury adjusted his microphone. He saw the passion. He saw the suffering. He saw the story unfolding.

The camera panned over the stadium. The red sea of Liverpool fans looked anxious. The purple sea of Barnsley fans looked hopeful.

Peter Drury leaned forward. His voice became low and poetic.

"Look at them. Just look at them. Battered. Bruised. Broken noses and tired legs. They were the team that nobody wanted. The team of rejects and castaways."

"They said Diego Nunez was a liability. Look at him now. Standing like a colossus in the rain. They said Jamie Vardy was finished. Look at him chasing causes that were lost ten years ago."

"Liverpool are knocking on the door. They are pounding on the door with a sledgehammer. But the Misfits? The Misfits have boarded up the windows and they are holding the handle with everything they have."

"It is not just football anymore. It is a test of the human spirit. How much can you suffer for a dream? How much pain can you endure for a piece of silver? Michael Sterling watches on. The architect of this chaos. He knows. He knows that destiny is not given. It is taken."

"We are entering the final stages. The witching hour. The time where heroes are forged in fire. Can Barnsley hold on? Or will the Red Empire strike back? Wembley holds its breath. The world holds its breath. This is why we watch. This is why we believe."

THE COUNTER ATTACK

Minute 78

The speech echoed in the living rooms of millions. But on the pitch there was no poetry. Only panic.

Liverpool had a corner. Even Alisson the goalkeeper was thinking about coming up but he stayed back.

Trent Alexander Arnold crossed it.

Sergio Ramos headed it clear.

The ball dropped to Leo Stone on the edge of the box.

Leo was surrounded by red shirts.

"Clear it!" Michael screamed.

But Leo did not clear it. He saw something.

He saw Amara.

The substitute was standing on the halfway line. He was marking Van Dijk.

Leo Stone turned. He played a pass that was risky. A pass that was crazy.

He hooked the ball over his shoulder.

It flew over the Liverpool midfield.

Amara turned.

He was fresh. Van Dijk was tired.

Amara pushed the ball past the Dutchman.

"RUN!" Michael roared. "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"

Amara engaged the turbo.

He was fast. He was faster than fast. He left Van Dijk behind.

He was alone.

Fifty yards of green grass. And only Alisson Becker in his way.

The noise in Wembley rose. It started as a murmur and became a roar. A jet engine roar.

Amara ran. He remembered the Chelsea game. He remembered the tears.

Not today, Amara thought. Today I am the Ferrari.

He reached the penalty box.

Alisson came out. The Liverpool goalkeeper made himself big.

Amara looked left. He looked right.

He saw Victor Osimhen sprinting to join him.

But Amara did not pass. He had a point to prove.

He dropped his shoulder. Alisson committed.

Amara went round him.

The goal was empty.

The Liverpool defenders were sliding in desperate attempts to stop him.

Amara rolled the ball.

It rolled slowly. It rolled through the mud. It rolled over the white line.

GOAL.

Barnsley 2. Liverpool 0.

Minute 79.

THE ERUPTION

If the first goal was loud this was an earthquake.

Amara did not celebrate. He collapsed. He fell to his knees and pointed at the sky.

Then the team arrived.

Diego Nunez ran seventy yards with cotton wool in his nose. He tackled Amara in a hug.

"YOU DID IT!" Diego screamed blood and tears mixing on his face. "YOU ARE THE FERRARI NOW!"

Victor Osimhen arrived. He picked Amara up.

"Redemption!" Osimhen shouted. "This is your moment little brother!"

On the touchline Michael Sterling did not run. He just fell to his knees.

Arthur Milton hugged him so hard he almost cracked a rib.

"TWO ZERO BOSS!" Arthur sobbed. "IT IS DONE! THE CUP IS OURS!"

Peter Drury voice cracked with emotion on the TV.

"AND THERE IT IS! The dagger in the heart! From the darkness of the Chelsea defeat to the blinding light of Wembley glory! Amara! The boy who was broken is now the boy who is golden! The Misfits have done the impossible! The Dynasty is not just awakening... it has arrived!"

THE FINAL TEN MINUTES

The last ten minutes were a blur.

Liverpool tried. But their spirit was broken.

Barnsley defended with joy.

Every tackle was cheered. Every clearance was celebrated.

The fans were singing. They were singing the name of Michael Sterling.

"MICHAEL STERLING’S PURPLE ARMY!"

Michael stood up. He watched the clock.

Minute 85.

Minute 88.

Minute 90.

The fourth official held up the board.

4 MINUTES ADDED TIME.

"Four minutes," Michael whispered. "Just four minutes."

He looked at the sky. He thought of his mother at home. He thought of Sarah. He thought of Baby Gabriel holding the crayon drawing.

Bring me the shiny cup Dad.

"I am bringing it son," Michael smiled.

The referee looked at his watch.

He put the whistle to his lips.

PEEEP! PEEEP! PEEEEP!

FULL TIME

BARNSLEY 2 - 0 LIVERPOOL

FA CUP WINNERS.

The players sprinted to each other.

Sergio Ramos fell to the ground crying. He had won everything in football but this felt different. This was special.

Diego Nunez ripped the corner flag out of the ground and started waving it like a spear.

"KING OF WEMBLEY!" Diego roared. "I AM THE KING!"

Michael walked onto the pitch.

He was surrounded. The players threw him in the air.

"BOSS! BOSS! BOSS!"

Up and down. Up and down.

Michael looked at the arch upside down.

He felt the tears coming. He let them fall.

They had done it. From the bottom of League One to the Royal Box at Wembley.

Arthur Milton was running around with a bottle of champagne spraying everyone.

"WE ARE CHAMPIONS!" Arthur shouted. "I AM GOING TO EAT A GOLD PIE!"

Michael landed on his feet. He hugged Arthur.

"We did it Arthur," Michael said. "We really did it."

"One down Boss," Arthur said pointing at the imaginary league trophy. "One to go."

Michael wiped his face.