"Van Bommel places the ball on the spot… a hush over the stadium now… Here he comes—strikes it… And it's in! Cool as you like! Mark van Bommel scores his very first goal for Manchester City! Calm as you like! His first goal in City colours—and what a moment to open his account!"
The away end erupted instantly.
PHWEEEEE!
The roar of the crowd was quickly cut by the referee's whistle—the halftime whistle.
Just moments after the goal, the first half came to an end. It couldn't have been timed better for City, nor worse for Arsenal.
Van Bommel, still smiling from his goal, walked off the pitch alongside Ronaldo and Zambrotta. The energy was high. The mood, electric.
In contrast, Arsenal's players trudged back toward the tunnel in silence—heads down, jerseys soaked with sweat and frustration. The home crowd murmured restlessly, stunned by their team's first-half collapse.
Inside the tunnel, the mood between the two sides couldn't have been more different.
