Wenger was fuming, shouting at the fourth official, "Racial discrimination! This is a very, very serious act of racial discrimination!"
The official, caught in the crossfire, could only reply, "We'll include it in the match report."
He knew the Tottenham fans had crossed the line. But in the heated atmosphere of a football stadium, especially between bitter rivals like Arsenal and Tottenham, such incidents were, unfortunately, not unexpected. The earlier "woo woo woo" chants could be dismissed as imitating airplane engines, but the subsequent monkey imitations were undeniably racist. The Premier League and the FA would likely respond, but severe measures like playing behind closed doors were improbable.
As the official wrestled with this dilemma, the atmosphere at White Hart Lane was tense. Wenger turned and saw the ball spinning in the net. Louis was sprinting towards the sideline, arms outstretched, followed by a swarm of Arsenal players.
"Great job!!!" Wenger yelled, rushing to the sidelines to cheer. The Arsenal bench exploded in celebration.
"The ball went in!!!" Andy Gray was momentarily stunned. The game had been lackluster until Louis fired a shot that penetrated Lloris's fingers, igniting the stadium.
Amidst Gray's chants, Louis ran to the stands behind the goal, putting his finger to his lips to shush the extreme fans. The reaction was immediate and furious.
"F****K!!!"
"Go to hell, you bastard!"
"I'll fucking kill you!"
A torrent of abuse erupted from the stands. Arsenal teammates quickly pulled Louis back, aware of the volatile situation.
"Well done!"
"That shot was beautiful!"
"They let you shoot from distance!"
Arsenal players slapped Louis on the head, shoulders, back, and butt, celebrating exuberantly.
In the press box, Richard Hurst's smile faded, his face darkening. Louis's goal was a slap in his face, invalidating all his previous provocations and mockery. Other reporters, even those neutral, looked at him with derision. Arsenal supporters in the press box celebrated loudly, rubbing salt in the wound.
"Who said Louis can't shoot from long range!"
"Look at that shot! It's a stunner!"
"The drought is over!"
Villas-Boas, on the sidelines, was livid. He yelled at Vertonghen, "Damn it! Don't leave him open!"
Vertonghen, who had previously dismissed Louis's long-range threat, was now feeling the sting of his misjudgment. He patted his chest in apology to his teammates, his eyes now filled with determination. Villas-Boas realized the previous defensive strategy was no longer effective. Louis's ability to score from outside the box meant he was now a more versatile and dangerous player.
"Keep an eye on him, don't let him shoot from outside the box!" Villas-Boas instructed midfielder Huddlestone.
"Got it!" Huddlestone replied.
"Tell Gareth we need a goal now!" Villas-Boas ordered. "He needs to step up!"
Bale, positioned as a left midfielder but often drifting into a shadow striker role, was Tottenham's strongest offensive threat. Without Diaby, Arsenal's midfield defense was vulnerable, and Villas-Boas planned to exploit this with Bale.
Huddlestone relayed the instructions, and Bale nodded, turning his attention to Louis. He had underestimated Louis before but now saw him as a serious competitor.
Louis, sensing Bale's gaze, looked back. Their eyes met, and Bale's intense focus signaled his acceptance of the challenge. Louis's face grew serious, but inside, he was thrilled.
"Ding! [Football Bond System] triggered. You have obtained a new module. Please check the fusion training plan!"
**Competitive Bonds: Your challenge is accepted by Bale!**
**Obtain Module: Gareth Bale's Left-Footed Inward Long Shot Module**
**Fusion Difficulty: A**
**Fusion Progress: 20% (the improvement of basic skills will help the fusion of templates)**
**Estimated Time for Complete Integration: 15-30 days**
Louis couldn't help but smile internally. The battle on the pitch was just beginning, and now he had another powerful weapon to add to his arsenal.