Goalkeeper Petr Čech stood on his line, utterly focused, eyes locked on the ball.
As he watched the cross delivered by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Čech had already set himself to block Sadio Mané.
But out of nowhere, Leo Lin burst into the frame, his body twisting into a magnificent shape in midair.
A sharp crack rang out.
He unleashed a bouncing shot!
The ball smashed into the turf and ricocheted toward goal. Čech froze where he stood, horror flooding his eyes.
Not just him—none of Arsenal's defenders had time to react to Leo Lin's shot!
"Whoosh!!!"
In the net!!!
Gerrard clutched his head and roared.
"WTF!!!"
"WTF!!!"
"GOAL!!!!!!!!!"
"GO!!!!!!!!"
"Lin!!!!"
"My beloved Lin, the pride of every Liverpool fan!!!!"
"Another goal! Right at the start of the second half, he completes a stunning brace, restoring Liverpool's lead at 2–1! Liverpool back in front against Arsenal!"
ESPN Sports Commentary Booth!
"Bicycle kick!!!"
"A bicycle kick!!!"
"This outrageous bicycle kick reminds me of the one he scored in the U17 World Cup final!"
"But the trajectory on this one—I'd say it was even a few centimeters higher than that!"
"Leo Lin soared into the air like he was dragging gravity upward with him—no holding him back, absolutely no holding him back!"
"This young man, Leo Lin—delivering a performance like this in his very first final—he's extraordinary!"
General Fan, the special guest for this final, couldn't contain his excitement.
"This young Lin—if he helps the team win tonight, it would mean a great deal to me. It even takes me back to my own younger days, battling in the Premier League with Crystal Palace."
"With a performance like this, if Liverpool go on to lift the trophy, Lin will have absolutely won big!"
Across major livestream platforms:
"They've taken the lead again, and the end of the match is getting closer!"
"Professor Wenger looks furious. Known for his gentlemanly demeanor, this might be the first time we've seen such anger on his face."
"The real issue with that goal is that no one at Arsenal could stop Leo Lin's moment of brilliance. Xhaka stayed tight to him, but when a player throws himself into a bicycle kick right in front of you, there's simply nothing you can do!"
"Let's shout those words together: Liverpool is… actually, never mind—let's not jinx it."
Liverpool fans were already dreaming of a glorious future, especially with the title looking more and more within reach.
After play resumed, Arsenal were clearly rattled by the goal, their shape momentarily in disarray.
Leo Lin, meanwhile, kept reminding himself to stay calm.
If he could lift this trophy, it would mark a milestone in his career—his first truly significant one.
59th minute!
"Ramsey tries to drive forward through the middle—intercepted again by Leo Lin!"
"Leo Lin is everywhere tonight!!"
"You can feel the fight in him—he clearly wants that first club title of his career!"
Liverpool grew sharper with every passing minute, their confidence surging as they gradually pinned Arsenal back.
63rd minute!
"Liverpool come again! Both flanks pushing high—four players out wide, forcing Arsenal's wingers deep into their own half to defend!"
"It goes back into the middle, Leo Lin controlling the tempo."
"He turns sideways to shield the ball against Xhaka—looks completely assured."
"Out to the right. Arnold receives and lays it back—again to Leo Lin."
"Leo Lin switches it left—Robertson in space."
"No rush to cross. A measured pass rolled to the edge of the box. Henderson takes it, shifts it on—and it's back to Leo Lin!"
"Leo Lin is acting as the playmaker here. With his short passes and Long Pass ability, Liverpool's attacking direction is entirely in his hands!"
Jim Beglin had just finished speaking when he suddenly felt that description wasn't quite enough.
"Midfield orchestrator?" he said, almost surprised at himself.
"Leo Lin looks like he's playing as an orchestrator. That role is absolutely vital in football tactics."
"You need outstanding vision and the ability to link everything together, to bring the entire team to life."
"Usually, it's seasoned, elite midfield masters who take on that responsibility."
"Because if someone lacks the experience or the quality and insists on playing as the controller, the team's rhythm can fall apart completely."
At that, Jim Beglin looked out at Leo Lin, who was currently dictating everything on the pitch, and couldn't hide his amazement.
"I've been watching football for decades."
"An 18-year-old midfield orchestrator… this is the first time I've ever seen it."