The Greatest of All Time

Chapter 71 - Battle Of The Underdogs II

Zachary found himself cornered by two defenders as soon as he stepped into the penalty arc, a couple of meters away from ADO Den Haag's eighteen-yard box. Without panicking, he braked instantly, stopping just in front of the two center-backs. They'd positioned themselves well so that he wouldn't get through.

It was in such moments that Zachary wished for a smaller physique, like the Argentinian star Messi. If he had a smaller size, he would have wriggled his way between them without much effort. But with his tall physique, he wasn't going anywhere.

"You're not going anywhere," one of the defenders bellowed in heavily accented English.

The two of them continued trying to box him in, angling their motions to direct him away from the box. They didn't commit themselves fully to tackling the ball away. They stood their ground instead, blocking his path towards their goal.

He could tell they were good defenders right away. Most defenders that had tried to deal with him in the past would usually come in wholesale, with either flying tackles or big lunges, to win the ball. He found getting past such hasty players much easier than dealing with those who stood their ground.

Zachary kept his eye on the feet of the two defenders as he flicked the ball speedily between his feet. One of the defenders finally stuck out a leg, intending to tackle the ball. He smiled since the reaction from the defenders was what he'd been anticipating.

A face-off between a defender and a forward was like a full game of poker, but lasting only a few seconds. The first to show the intention to fold would expose his weakness, putting himself at a disadvantage.

Zachary didn't waste the opportunity. He flicked the ball past the defender—towards the left, attempting to circumvent him.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a sliding tackle coming in from his left. It was well-directed towards the ball, and if he didn't react accordingly, he would lose possession.

Zachary hardened his resolve, deciding on the burdensome route. There would be very few opportunities to score in a semifinal match. So, he had to create chances for his team to the best of his ability. That involved weathering a little bit of discomfort.

Zachary swiftly stuck out his left foot between the ball and the incoming boot, just before the tackle made contact. He made sure not to plant his foot firmly on the ground to avoid a potential injury. He intended to either protect the ball or win a freekick if the defender went through with his tackle.

The defender made slight contact with his left boot, as he'd expected. Zachary jumped slightly, leaving his body at the mercy of the sliding tackle from the defender. He let the defender's momentum sweep him away before landing back down on the ground. He had controlled his fall with practiced perfection to avoid injury to his body.

"Foul," Zachary heard Coach Johansen bellowing from the sidelines while he was still on the ground.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The referee's whistle followed, confirming the foul.

"He dived," Zachary then heard the ADO Den Haag defender disputing the referee's decision as he picked himself from the ground.

Zachary did not bother arguing. He'd taken a gamble, risking his body, and come out as the winner. He'd done his best to boost his team's chances of emerging victorious in the semifinal by winning a freekick at the edge of the box. Zachary didn't bother explaining himself to an opponent. He only focused on his left foot, stretching it, and checking whether it had any damage from the challenge.

"Are you all right?" Sigrid Olsen, NF Academy's team medic, jogged to his side and asked.

"I'm okay," Zachary replied, smiling. He was sure he hadn't gotten injured after stretching his foot. However, the team medic seemed not to believe him. She eyed him with skepticism as he wriggled his foot, trying to show that he wasn't injured.