Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 201: Champions Don’t Sulk, They Respond

Chapter 201: Champions Don’t Sulk, They Respond

Benjamin wiped the sweat off his brow, his heart still pounding from the near miss. He glanced toward the penalty area, where his teammates were still buzzing, the frustration visible in their body language.

[Another corner for AZ Alkmaar,] Mike said, his voice steady. [They’re piling the pressure on RKC Waalwijk now]

[You get the feeling something has to give,] his co-commentator added. [But at the same time, RKC Waalwijk have shown real resilience—can they weather this storm?]

Benjamin took a deep breath and stepped up to the corner flag once more. He lifted his arm, signaling for another outswinger. The ball curled in with pace, dipping right toward the crowded six-yard box.

[Here it comes—]

Van Mosselveld and Reijnen clashed mid-air, their bodies tangling as they both went up for the header.

The ball took a deflection, looping toward the far post. Henriksen reacted first, stretching out his boot—

[Henriksen again—]

—but before he could make proper contact, Boukhari lunged in with a desperate clearance, hacking the ball away.

[RKC Waalwijk survive again! But hold on—]

The clearance wasn’t perfect. The ball fell right to Martens near the edge of the 18-yard box. Without hesitation, he rifled a shot toward goal.

[Martens—first-time hit!]

The ball rocketed through the air, but van den Kieboom was alert, diving low to parry it away.

Before any AZ Alkmaar player could react, Dustley Mulder pounced on the loose ball and immediately launched it forward.

[RKC Waalwijk could counter here!]

The crowd’s noise shifted from anticipation to sudden tension.

Mulder’s clearance found Mohamed Nasir, who had peeled away into space near the halfway line. With a single glance, he spotted Mart Lieder making a darting run behind Viergever.

[Look at this, Mike! They’ve got numbers forward!]

Nasir didn’t hesitate. He drilled a pinpoint through-ball between the retreating defenders, sending Lieder racing into open space.

[Lieder’s through! AZ Alkmaar are in trouble!]

Alvarado recognized the danger immediately, charging off his line in an attempt to close the angle.

The stadium collectively held its breath.

Lieder reached the 18-yard box, his eyes locked onto the goal. With one smooth motion, he opened up his body and curled a shot toward the far post.

[Mart Lieder—]

Alvarado lunged to his right, fully outstretched—

[ALVARADO—]

The ball slipped past his fingertips.

Silence.

For a split second, time seemed to freeze as the ball spun toward the goal.

Then—

It kissed the inside of the post and nestled into the back of the net.

GOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!

[And just like that—RKC Waalwijk have pulled one back and It’s 1-2 after 36 minutes of play!] Mike roared. [What a counterattack!]

The home fans erupted in celebration, while the AZ Alkmaar players stood stunned, hands on their heads.

[That is ruthless,] his co-commentator said in disbelief. [AZ Alkmaar were inches away from scoring the third, and now they’re feeling the pressure of a comeback from their opponents. That’s football for you!]

Lieder sprinted toward the corner flag with his arms spread wide as his teammates swarmed him.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, Altidore slammed his fists into the ground in frustration.

[AZ Alkmaar have been all over RKC Waalwijk, but they’ve been caught with a sucker punch,] Mike said, shaking his head. [They’ve got work to do now]

As the RKC Waalwijk players celebrated, Gertjan Verbeek paced furiously on the touchline, barking orders.

AZ Alkmaar had controlled the game. They had created chance after chance. But in one devastating moment, they found themselves losing control of the match.

[What a moment this is,] Mike said. [How will AZ Alkmaar respond?]

The ball was placed back at the center circle, but AZ Alkmaar’s players were still reeling.

Henriksen and Berghuis exchanged quick words, their frustration evident. Benjamin, hands on his hips, took a deep breath, then clapped his hands together, urging his teammates forward.

[Now we see what AZ Alkmaar are made of,] Mike said, his voice steady but laced with anticipation. [They’ve dominated this game, but that goal has flipped the momentum]

[It’s a real test of their character,] the co-commentator added. [Do they let their heads drop, or do they go again?]

Fweeee!~

The referee’s whistle blew, and AZ Alkmaar wasted no time.

Altidore tapped the ball to Martens, who immediately shifted it to Henriksen. The Dane didn’t hesitate, driving forward with intent.

[There’s no hesitation here! Henriksen leading the charge straight away!]

Henriksen surged into space, cutting inside past his marker. He spotted Benjamin peeling away on the left flank and delivered a crisp pass.

Benjamin controlled it smoothly and lifted his head. His quick feet danced over the ball as he sized up his defender.

[He’s looking dangerous again,] Mike noted. [He wants to make something happen]

A sudden burst of acceleration took Benjamin past his man, the defender lunging but missing the ball entirely. The young winger now had space to deliver.

[He’s got time—good delivery here, and AZ Alkmaar could be back in business!]

Benjamin whipped in a curling cross, bending dangerously toward the penalty spot.

Altidore was already moving, jostling with van Mosselveld, his powerful frame giving him just enough leverage.

[Altidore’s in position—]

He leaped, twisting his body mid-air as he met the ball with a thunderous header.

The connection was perfect.

The ball rocketed toward goal, and the stadium held its breath.

Van den Kieboom reacted, diving full stretch—

[KIEBOOM —]

—but he was beaten... The net rippled.

GOOOAAAAALLLLLL!

[And that’s the response of a top team!] Mike roared. [Jozy Altidore! He wasn’t going to be denied this time!]

The AZ Alkmaar players rushed toward Altidore, their celebrations filled with raw emotion. The American striker pumped his fist, roaring toward the away fans.

[Brilliant from Benjamin, and an even better header from Altidore!] the co-commentator exclaimed. [That’s how you hit back after conceding!]

In the dugout, Gertjan Verbeek clenched his fists, nodding in approval. On the opposite side, RKC Waalwijk’s coach threw his hands up in frustration.

[We were just talking about how AZ Alkmaar would respond,] Mike said, shaking his head in amazement. [Well, that’s your answer!]

[And that, Mike, is why they’re fighting at the top of the table,] his partner added. [Champions don’t sulk, they respond]