CHAPTER 89
Just now, Morrison fired off a shot — it didn't find the net, but it gave the Coventry forward a burst of confidence.
From the sidelines, the coach looked overly cautious. Morrison didn't agree with that approach.
"If we can create chances this easily," he thought, "then maybe this team's level isn't as high as we imagined — more like a second-tier side."
He ignored Coleman's furious instructions from the touchline.
"When we score, he'll know he was wrong," Morrison muttered under his breath.
Morrison drifted laterally across the edge of the penalty area, positioning himself in the center just outside the D. Henderson had possession in midfield and was scanning the pitch.
He looked up, spotting Morrison. The two had a good understanding — not only were they close off the pitch, but Morrison was clearly the more dangerous of Coventry's strikers. Henderson wanted to feed him.
On the Luton bench, Ethan leaned forward, watching the play develop.
His eyes quickly flicked to the midfield — there! A gaping hole. Vardy was already near the center circle, completely unmarked. There wasn't a Coventry player within ten meters of him.
If the ball is turned over...
Ethan shifted his gaze back to his defense. The threat was real.
Just then, Henderson played it wide to Coventry's other striker, L-Best, and received a quick return pass after L-Best peeled off his marker. Now with a better angle, Henderson tried to thread the ball through to Morrison in the pocket.
But—
Kanté!!
Ethan clenched his fist.
Before the ball could even reach Morrison, N'Golo Kanté was already there. In truth, he had been anticipating that pass the entire time, biding his time like a cat stalking its prey. He hadn't pressed earlier to avoid spooking Henderson, but once the pass was made — it was too late.
Kanté pounced.
Henderson saw him out of the corner of his eye just as the pass left his boot. He tried to shout a warning to Morrison, but Kanté had already intercepted.
The tackle was clean. Textbook. Henderson knew the turnover was largely his fault — and now, gritting his teeth, he charged forward, trying to recover. But Kanté had already made his decision.
Before the Coventry midfield could close him down, Kanté coolly slotted a perfectly weighted pass forward — straight to Jamie Vardy's feet.
Vardy, now occupying the space that Henderson had just abandoned, turned smoothly and drove forward. He was facing Coventry's back line with pace and purpose.
Center-back Scott Dann stepped up to cover, but he didn't commit — he couldn't. One misstep, and Vardy would be in behind. So he backpedaled cautiously, trying to delay.
Coventry's other midfielder, Eastwood, had been high up the pitch moments earlier, stretching the left flank. Now, he was sprinting back but was still out of position.
Meanwhile, Luton's flanks were already surging. Kevin Keane was bombing down the right, Lewis Emanuel on the left — stretching the Coventry fullbacks. Drinkwater and Kanté were joining the attack as well, drawing Coventry's remaining midfielders toward the center.
"Luton on the break!" The commentator, Letkinson, was shouting now, voice full of disbelief.
The tempo exploded — from a slow buildup to a lightning-fast counterattack.
Lewis Emanuel, Vardy, Drinkwater, Kevin Keane — four players surged toward the penalty box like arrows loosed from a bow. Behind them, Kanter and Hassan Ali pushed up to support, while Luton's defensive line crept forward as well, tightening the net.
From solid defense to rapid-fire attack — Luton's transition was surgical.
"Defense like stone, attack like fire!" Letkinson roared.
Ethan's eyes gleamed. This is it... This is the one.
Vardy didn't overplay it. He spotted Drinkwater making an overlapping run, and the two exchanged a quick one-two — crossing paths mid-sprint. Vardy laid it off and cut diagonally into the box, dragging his marker with him.
That small movement opened the lane. The Coventry midfielders, afraid of clattering into Vardy, hesitated for half a second — and that was all Drinkwater needed.
Now he was storming down the left channel with the ball at his feet, heading straight for the penalty area...
Coventry's right-back, White, was forced to abandon marking Lewis Emanuel. He tucked inside to help defend against Drinkwater, who was in possession and posed the most immediate threat.
But by doing so, he left the flank completely exposed.
Drinkwater quickly switched the ball wide, and Lewis Emanuel surged down the wing before cutting into the box!
Boos rang out from the stands — Coventry fans were on edge!
"Luton are breaking four-on-four!" shouted Letkinson, rising from his seat.
Coventry's backline was in disarray. This defensive unit, which manager Coleman had painstakingly built, had held firm during earlier exchanges. But under sudden pressure, the lack of individual quality was brutally exposed.
Two defenders — centre-back Scott Dann and the retreating White — both converged on Lewis Emanuel. The confusion in Coventry's defensive shape was glaring.
Meanwhile, Vardy and Kevin Keane made darting runs into the box, dragging Coventry's other centre-back Turner and left-back Hall with them.
A golden opportunity!
On the touchline, Luton boss Ethan could barely contain himself.
Lewis Emanuel spotted the chaos and noticed a huge pocket of space just behind Coventry's scrambling defenders.
He played a clever cutback — a textbook pull-back into the penalty spot area!
It was Drinkwater arriving late, completely unmarked!
"Drinkwater!!!" Letkinson bellowed into the mic.
Without taking a touch, Drinkwater struck the ball first time with his right foot, guiding it low across the turf.
Gasps echoed around the stadium as Coventry keeper Westwood dived — he got a fingertip to the shot, but it wasn't enough!
The ball kissed the inside of the far post and ricocheted into the net!
"GOOOOOAAAALLL!!! What a stunning finish! A clinical counterattack!!!" Letkinson roared from the commentary box.
Ethan clenched his fists and leapt into the air, roaring in celebration.
Drinkwater sprinted toward the touchline — conveniently near Coventry's goal — and launched himself into the arms of his manager!
"Well done, Danny!" Ethan shouted, ruffling his midfielder's hair.
More Luton players rushed over to join them. A huddle of bodies formed around Drinkwater and their ecstatic coach.
"It's the 26th minute here, and after a slow, cagey start, Luton have exploded into life with a lightning-fast counterattack! Coventry were left completely exposed — what a brilliantly executed move!" Letkinson exclaimed, barely able to keep up.
The players quickly wrapped up their celebrations and jogged back to their positions.
Ethan took a moment to straighten his crumpled black suit, then returned calmly to the bench.
Luton had taken the lead — and now, Ethan's side could sit deeper and play their favored counterattacking game.
Coventry, trailing, would now be forced to come out and chase the match — without the defensive stability they started with.
Ethan glanced toward the opposing dugout, his expression betraying a flicker of triumph.
Now the pressure was on them to respond — and Ethan's eyes turned once more to the pitch.