Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 164: One-up

Chapter 164: One-up

Guðmundsson retrieved the loose ball near the right sideline, his first touch smooth as he turned and drove forward.

With a quick glance, he spotted Beerens making a darting run into the 18 yard box. The winger wasted no time, curling in a teasing cross between the defense and goalkeeper.

[That’s a dangerous ball in—]

Beerens stretched, getting the faintest of touches, but Nienhuis reacted quickly, smothering the ball before it could roll towards goal.

[Good goalkeeping there,] the co-commentator said. [He had to be sharp because that was almost the perfect delivery from Guðmundsson]

[AZ Alkmaar looking lively in these early stages of the first half. You feel it’s only a matter of time before they break through]

Nienhuis booted the ball long, hoping to relieve some pressure. Kolder challenged in the air, flicking it on toward Bannink, but Lam read it well, stepping in front to win possession.

Without hesitation, he passed to Overtoom, who instantly turned and drove forward.

[Look at the way AZ Alkmaar recycles possession,] the commentator noted. [SC Veendam just can’t get a foothold here]

Overtoom played a quick one-two with Adam, who drifted past his marker before threading a clever pass into the feet of Aron Jóhannsson.

The striker, positioned just inside the 18 yard box, let the ball roll across his body before attempting a first-time shot—

Smack!

Mulder lunged in with a last-ditch block, deflecting the ball wide for a corner.

[Fantastic defending! That had goal written all over it]

[And yet again, SC Veendam are hanging on by a thread,] his co-commentator added. [Jóhannsson found just a yard of space, but Mulder put his body on the line to deny him]

Another corner for AZ Alkmaar.

Overtoom stood over the ball, his eyes scanning the crowded box before whipping in an outswinger.

The ball curled toward the penalty spot where Wijnaldum once again leapt highest, towering over his marker. He met it with a thunderous header—

[Denied!]

Nienhuis, once more, flew to his right, fingertips pushing the ball onto the post before it was hacked away by a scrambling defender.

[Oh, what a save! Nienhuis keeping SC Veendam in this match single-handedly!]

[That’s a good stop by the Dutchman,] the co-commentator agreed. [He had no right to reach that! AZ Alkmaar are throwing everything at them, but still no breakthrough]

The pressure continued to mount. SC Veendam barely had a moment to breathe before another wave of AZ Alkmaar attacks came surging forward.

Beerens, seeing space ahead, shifted gears and sprinted down the right flank, his pace leaving Boussaboun behind. He cut inside, dodging a sliding challenge before rolling the ball across the face of goal.

Jóhannsson lunged, stretching out his right foot—

But it rolled ust wide!

Gasps filled the stadium as the ball whistled past the far post.

[He should have buried that!]

[So close! Jóhannsson had the goal at his mercy, but it just trickled wide]

SC Veendam were living dangerously. Every clearance made by their defense felt like a temporary relief, and every possession under constant threat.

AZ Alkmaar weren’t just dominating—they were literally suffocating and playing them half-field.

SC Veendam desperately needed to regroup, but AZ Alkmaar smelled blood. The tempo never dropped, and the waves of attack never ceased.

It only took a minute after Jóhannsson’s miss for him to make amends.

SC Veendam had barely caught their breath when Adam stepped in once more, pressing high to win the ball just inside the opposition half.

His interception was clean, and in an instant, he flicked the ball forward to Overtoom, who was already scanning for options.

[And here comes AZ Alkmaar again! They’re relentless!]

Overtoom didn’t hesitate. A quick turn, a glance up, and he slipped a perfectly weighted ball through the defensive line.

Beerens timed his run to perfection, ghosting behind Mulder before latching onto the pass. His first touch was delicate, just enough to keep the ball moving as he closed in on goal.

[Beerens is in! He’s got space here—]

The winger kept his composure, lifting his head as Nienhuis rushed off his line with arms spread wide. But Beerens wasn’t looking to score.

Instead, he squared the ball across the six-yard box with precision, rolling it into the path of Jóhannsson.

[Across the face of goal—Jóhannsson—]

The striker, this time, made no mistake. He slid in, his right foot guiding the ball into the empty net before crashing into the post.

[GOOOOOOAL! AZ ALKMAAR TAKE THE LEAD!]

The stadium erupted. The home crowd roared as Jóhannsson picked himself up, fists clenched, before wheeling away in celebration.

[He wasn’t going to miss that one!]

[Absolutely not! That was a striker’s goal—right place, right time, and a brilliant team move! Overtoom with the vision, Beerens with the awareness, and Jóhannsson with the finish! Simple, but effective!]

The replay showed the buildup again—Adam’s pressure, Overtoom’s perfectly weighted pass, Beerens’ unselfish assist. Everything about the goal was smooth, precise, clinical.

[That’s AZ Alkmaar at their best,] the co-commentator added. [High press, quick transitions, and devastating end product. SC Veendam are in for a long night if this continues]

As the players jogged back to their positions, SC Veendam’s heads were already dropping. It had taken just ten minutes into the first half, and they were already chasing the game.

SC Veendam tried to regroup, passing the ball around cautiously from the restart, but AZ Alkmaar’s press didn’t let up. Every pass they made felt rushed, and every touch heavy under the pressure.

[They need to settle down here,] the commentator observed. [It’s still early, but they’re struggling to string together more than two or three passes]

[That’s credit to AZ Alkmaar,] his partner added. [They’re hunting in packs, giving SC Veendam no time to breathe]

It showed soon enough, their lack of cohesion. A miscontrolled touch from Menting in midfield was all it took.

Adam was on him instantly, nicking the ball away before spinning into space.

[And they’ve lost it again! Adam... oh, look at that turn!]