[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-foresight":3,"chapter-foresight-foresight-chapter-106":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","FORESIGHT",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1847704,2452,"Chapter 106 106: FA Cup Final 5","foresight-chapter-106",106,"\u003Cp>Wembley Stadium, London.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penalty Shootout\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Arsenal's technical area, the players sat together, forming a tense circle. Fatigue was written all over their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes were on Arsène Wenger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After carefully observing the players' condition, Wenger finalized the penalty list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The order for our first five takers will be Arteta, Koscielny, Ramsey, Suarez, and Cazorla,\" he announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after a brief pause, he added, \"If we go beyond that, it'll be Kai, then Arshavin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few heads turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai being placed in the sixth round wasn't expected. That stage—sudden death—is just as high-pressure as the first or fifth kick, if not more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to penalty shootout rules, if the score remains tied after five rounds, it enters sudden death: miss once, and if the opposition scores, it's all over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this context, Kai's placement was critical. He'd be the bridge between survival and elimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Wenger finalized the list, goalkeeping coach Gerry Payton and Lehmann were off to the side, giving Szczesny his final words of advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Listen,\" Payton said seriously, \"in penalty shootouts, the mental side is everything. Trust yourself. The moment you guess a direction, that's where they'll shoot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny nodded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lehmann continued, flipping through pages. \"Watch out for Aguero, Silva, and Džeko.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed out tendencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Džeko usually prefers the right. If you're unsure, lean that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aguero and Silva? Be careful—they like going for the cheeky chip.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As final preparations wrapped up, both sides gathered around the center circle. Eleven players from each team stood shoulder-to-shoulder, while their goalkeepers jogged toward their respective goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the referee, ball in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air at Wembley turned cold and quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than 60,000 fans stood still. Some covered their mouths, others clutched their scarves tightly. A few simply shut their eyes whilst others turned their backs, unable to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One round at a time. No replays. No second chances. Penalty shootout—football's cruelest test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai stood near the edge of the center circle with the rest of the Arsenal squad, shoulders touching, arms draped over each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel the nerves eating away inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coin toss went to Manchester City—they would shoot first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First round:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester City: Aguero\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal: Arteta\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aguero stepped up, no eye contact, no theatrics. Just silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martin Taylor on Sky Sports:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Manchester City's first penalty... Sergio Aguero steps forward. The Argentine has a chance to put pressure on Arsenal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aguero fired low and hard to the bottom left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny guessed correctly but was half a beat late. The ball scraped past the post and into the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it!\" Szczesny growled, slamming the turf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>City drew first blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arteta approached the other end. Calm. Composed. As the whistle blew, he chipped the ball down the center—a bold Panenka.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alan Smith:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lovely touch from Arteta! He's sent Joe Hart the wrong way. The captain leads by example.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second round:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester City: Džeko\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal: Koscielny\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Džeko blasted his shot, but it cannoned off the post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Missed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joe Hart followed up with a brilliant save on Koscielny's strike. Still 1–1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai stood with his arms folded, heart pounding. Beside him, Arshavin muttered under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've got a bad feeling this is heading for sudden death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut it,\" Kai snapped, not even turning to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arshavin had jinxed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third round:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silva tried a chip. Szczesny read it like a book and caught it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ramsey's penalty was too tame. Saved easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still 1–1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could feel the tension in every corner of the stadium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the closest Arsenal had come to a trophy in seven years. And now it hung in the balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth round:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nasri fired high and wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suarez slotted his calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red side of Wembley erupted. Arsenal were ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny pumped his fist and screamed, throwing taunts at Nasri. It rattled City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But pressure worked both ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifth round:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>City: Yaya Touré\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal: Cazorla\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Yaya missed, Arsenal would win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yaya smashed it into the inner side netting—no chance for Szczesny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was all on Cazorla.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Score, and Arsenal lift the trophy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cazorla, under the weight of history, misfired. The ball curled too far, smashing off the post and spinning out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The groans from Arsenal fans echoed across Wembley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny buried his face in his gloves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the chance. The moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said nothing. There was no time to dwell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because now… it was sudden death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next as decided by Wenger earlier—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Kai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gareth Barry stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the entire stadium held its breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was it—the kind of pressure that turns legs to jelly. One kick could decide the FA Cup final.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barry started his run-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny faked left, then suddenly dove right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His instincts said left... but he went right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He guessed correctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball clipped his glove and spun wide!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ROAAAAR!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny dropped to his knees, pounding his chest and roaring in triumph. Once again, he'd dragged Arsenal back from the brink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martin Taylor, visibly excited, exclaimed on Sky Sports,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barry misses! A massive save from Wojciech Szczesny! This could be it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chaos. Absolute chaos in the Arsenal's stand. The City stand had gone quiet as a church mouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alan Smith leaned forward, squinting at the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's see who's stepping up for Arsenal next…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The camera cut to the stadium jumbotron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young Asian face appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stunned silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Kai?!\" Taylor raised his eyebrows. \"Well, no surprises there. This is the same Kai who scored that cheeky chip against Neuer in the Champions League quarterfinals!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wembley hushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes were on Kai as he stepped out from the halfway line and walked toward the penalty spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could almost hear a pin drop. Even the fans seemed unsure whether to cheer or pray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Kai knew he had to block it all out. This was about composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One trophy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>End a seven-year drought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee leaned in with a quiet word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait for the whistle, alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai nodded, focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martin Taylor spoke with gravity,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is it. Arsenal's entire season... maybe more than that... rests on this one moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alan Smith added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at the bench and the center circle—every player's down on one knee. Even Wenger is biting his nails. I've not seen him this tense in years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The fans can barely watch. Everything they've dreamed of for seven years is now in the hands of a 19-year-old.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joe Hart stood tall in goal, pacing like a caged animal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! I know where you're going with this one!\" Hart taunted. \"I'm not Neuer. I've studied you, mate!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept chirping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You miss, you're the villain. It's all on you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai didn't flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply looked up and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can chip it, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait—was he bluffing? Or was he seriously thinking of a Panenka... in a final... at 19?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart suddenly wasn't so sure of anything anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Kai calmly took his steps back, ignoring the mind games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart swayed from side to side on the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BEEP!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whistle blew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai approached slowly at first, then accelerated. Every step landed like a drumbeat inside the hearts of Arsenal fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he halted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That tiny pause felt like an eternity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart, half-committed to diving right, froze awkwardly, legs locked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai planted his left foot and struck with his right—low and fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball pinged off the right post…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And bounced —\u003C\u002Fp>",1233,"2026-06-09T07:00:21.491Z",1,"novelbin.me","415a1b199ea190be0a65a065545a04cb6ec27d2cbe4539058b72a368c36383f1","foresight-chapter-107","foresight-chapter-105",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fforesight-cover.jpg"]