Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 203: Tit-For-Tat

Chapter 203: Tit-For-Tat

AZ Alkmaar wasted no time resetting after the missed chance from Lieder.

Alvarado quickly placed the ball down and signaled for his teammates to push forward.

With a sharp, controlled kick, he sent it toward the right flank where Berghuis was already making a run.

[Smart thinking from Alvarado,] Mike noted. [He knows RKC Waalwijk are still recovering from that miss]

Berghuis leapt, bringing the ball down with a deft touch before spinning away from his marker. The AZ Alkmaar winger didn’t hesitate—he drove forward, his pace forcing Martin Kenny to backpedal.

[Berghuis is in full flight now!] the co-commentator added. [Kenny’s in trouble here]

The stadium noise swelled as Berghuis neared the edge of the final third. Options were limited ahead, but he spotted Henriksen making a late run into the 18 yard box. With a slight drop of the shoulder, Berghuis created just enough space to whip in a cross.

The ball curled beautifully toward the penalty spot, curling away from the defenders and into a dangerous area.

[Perfect delivery!] Mike shouted. [Altidore’s lurking—]

But it was Benjamin who arrived first. The young winger had ghosted in behind the defenders, timing his run to perfection. With a controlled leap, he met the ball with the inside of his boot, redirecting it on target.

[Benjamin with the volley—]

Van den Kieboom reacted instinctively, diving low to his left. The ball struck his outstretched glove before bouncing awkwardly back into play.

[What a save! But it’s not cleared yet!]

The rebound spilled directly into the six-yard box. Henriksen, reacting quickest, lunged forward, stretching out a leg to poke it home—

But Van den Kieboom recovered, throwing himself at the ball and smothering it just before Henriksen could get the final touch.

[Unbelievable double save!] the co-commentator gasped. [That looked like a certain goal!]

Henriksen slammed the ground in frustration before jogging back, shaking his head. Van den Kieboom, still on the ground, clutched the ball to his chest before finally getting to his feet.

The RKC defenders rushed to pat him on the back, recognizing the moment he had just produced.

[AZ Alkmaar are throwing everything at them,] Mike said, shaking his head. [But Van den Kieboom refuses to let this game slip away just yet]

[He’s keeping RKC Waalwijk in this, Mike,] his co-commentator added. [But how much longer can he hold them off?]

The goalkeeper took a deep breath before launching the ball forward. RKC Waalwijk weren’t about to go into halftime without one last attempt.

Boukhari controlled the long pass and immediately looked for Lieder. Despite his earlier miss, the forward was still eager, still searching for a way back into the match.

[Here comes RKC Waalwijk again,] Mike said, his voice rising. [Can they make this one count?]

El Makrini joined the attack, sprinting through the midfield with the ball at his feet. AZ Alkmaar’s defense dropped back, but the danger was real.

[This is a good spell for RKC Waalwijk,] the co-commentator noted. [They just need the final ball]

El Makrini lifted his head and chipped a perfectly weighted pass over the defense, aiming for Lieder once again.

[That’s a brilliant ball! Lieder’s through—]

Lieder, desperate to redeem himself, took it down on his chest before attempting a first-time strike.

But just as he swung his leg back, Viergever lunged in with a last-ditch sliding tackle, knocking the ball away before the shot could be taken.

[Viergever with a massive tackle!] Mike shouted. [That’s top-class defending!]

The AZ Alkmaar defender popped back to his feet immediately, pumping his fist as his teammates swarmed him in appreciation.

[That could be just as important as a goal,] the co-commentator said. [Lieder was about to pull the trigger!]

The RKC Waalwijk bench groaned in frustration, knowing they had just let another opportunity slip. The momentum swung again, and AZ Alkmaar seized it.

The ball was worked quickly upfield, Benjamin once again at the center of it. He darted past one defender before sliding a pass out to Gorter on the left.

Gorter wasted no time, swinging in a first-time cross—

[Another dangerous delivery!]

Altidore muscled his way past his marker, launching himself into the air.

[Altidore with the header—]

The ball thundered off his forehead, rocketing toward the bottom corner—

Van den Kieboom was rooted to the spot—

But the ball skimmed just inches wide of the post.

[Ohhh, that was close!] Mike exclaimed. [Altidore thought that was in!]

The big striker ran a hand through his hair in frustration before jogging back, while the AZ Alkmaar fans groaned in disbelief.

[They could have buried this game by now,] the co-commentator said. [They’ve had chance after chance!]

The fourth official soon raised the board—three minutes of added time.

[One or two last push before halftime,] Mike said. [Can AZ Alkmaar find that killer goal?]

Benjamin picked up the ball near the center circle, looking up as the clock ticked toward 45:00. There was still time for one or two more attack.

Benjamin turned sharply, weaving past an incoming challenge before threading a pass to Henriksen.

The attacking midfielder took a touch and scanned the field. AZ Alkmaar were relentless, pressing for a goal before halftime.

[They’ve been knocking on the door,] Mike observed. [One last push before the break?]

Henriksen spotted Berghuis making a run down the right and played a perfectly weighted pass into space. Berghuis accelerated, beating his marker with ease before cutting inside.

[Berghuis again, causing problems! He’s been a nightmare for Kenny all half!]

Berghuis feinted left, then shifted right, creating just enough space to whip in another cross. The ball curled toward the back post where Altidore was waiting.

[This is it—Altidore’s there—]

But just as Altidore leapt, Wouters rose with him, getting a faint but crucial touch to divert the ball out of danger.

[Excellent defending from Wouters! AZ Alkmaar will feel frustrated, but you have to give credit to RKC Waalwijk’s resilience.]

The clearance, however, wasn’t perfect. The ball fell to Gorter at the edge of the box. He took a touch, set himself up, and struck a low, driven shot toward the bottom corner—

Only for Van den Kieboom to dive low and parry it away once more.

[Another save! He’s having the game of his life!]

The rebound bounced back into play, and chaos ensued. Henriksen lunged in, looking to get a foot on it—