Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 230: Ice-cold Spot Kick

Chapter 230: Ice-cold Spot Kick

Udinese restarted quickly, wasting no time. Pinzi picked up the ball in midfield and turned sharply. He spotted Muriel peeling off his marker and played a fast, driven pass toward him.

[Udinese pushing forward again! They know time is running out!]

Muriel controlled it on the half-turn, his acceleration taking him past Reijnen in a flash. The AZ Alkmaar defense was scrambling again.

Viergever backpedaled, and Johansson rushed to cover, but Muriel wasn’t slowing down.

[This is danger! Muriel is charging straight at them!]

Di Natale made his move inside the 18 yard box, pointing where he wanted it. Muriel saw him.

With a quick drop of the shoulder, a feint to the right, and then a sudden cut inside—he lost his man completely.

[Oh, brilliant footwork! Muriel is through!]

He had space... He had time... He had options available... But he went for glory.

Muriel wrapped his foot around the ball, curling it toward the top corner—Alvarado reacted, diving with his arms stretched to the limits.

The stadium froze.

The ball spun toward goal but it grazed the crossbar, heading out for a goalkick.

[OH, HE’S PUT IT WIDE! MURIEL HAD THE WINNER ON HIS BOOT!]

[David, that was the moment! That was it! Udinese had the game right there, and he’s missed!]

Muriel collapsed to the ground with his hands over his face. He couldn’t believe it. Neither could the Udinese bench. Francesco Guidolin turned away, shaking his head, hands on his hips.

The home fans groaned, heads buried in their scarves. They had seen the net ripple in their minds, but the ball had sailed inches past the post.

Alvarado breathed out, sitting up slowly. He had been beaten, completely beaten. But the ball had spared him.

[Marco, you don’t get many chances like that in the dying minutes of a game like this]

[And now, Udinese might not get another one]

Alvarado wasted no time. He grabbed the ball, got to his feet, and pointed upfield.

The fourth official walked toward the sideline, raising the board.

[+2 MINUTES]

The crowd reacted in a mix of urgency and tension. Two more minutes and maybe two more chances.

[David, this is it! Two minutes left! AZ Alkmaar just need to see this through!]

[But they’re not sitting back, Marco! Look at their shape—they’re pushing high, keeping Udinese locked in!]

And they were.

AZ Alkmaar passed with precision, keeping the ball moving. Johansson to Henriksen, Henriksen to Adam, and then back to Viergever. Then wide to Mathias Johansson again.

The Udinese players chased shadows, their legs heavy, and their minds clouded with fatigue. Every pass forced them to shift, stretch, and sprint.

[They’re suffocating Udinese! This is smart from AZ Alkmaar—starving them of the ball, forcing them deeper and deeper]

With a sharp switch of play, Henriksen picked up possession, scanning quickly. Then he saw an opportunity.

A loose opening in the Udinese defense.

Benjamin had peeled off his marker while making sure he was onside. Henriksen threaded a perfect through ball between the tired Udinese defense.

[BENJAMIN’S IN! HENRIKSEN FINDS HIM WITH A BRILLIANT PASS!]

Benjamin took one touch. Then another and soon he was in the 18 yard box now, one-on-one with Domizzi as the only obstacle.

Suddenly, Domizzi went in with a desperate lunge and clipped him.

Fweeee!

The whistle shrieked through the air.

The referee wasted no time, he pointed straight to the penalty spot!

[PENALTY! PENALTY FOR AZ ALKMAAR!]

[Oh, it’s chaos, Marco! Udinese are furious, but Domizzi got that all wrong! He took the risk, and now he’s been punished!]

Domizzi threw his arms up in protest, but the decision was already made. The referee walked over, pulling a yellow card from his pocket and flashing it straight at him.

The Udinese players surrounded the referee, pleading, and arguing. The home crowd roared in frustration.

But it was done.

Inside the 18 yard box, Benjamin sat up slowly, his chest rising and falling. He had felt the contact and had heard the whistle.

And now, Jozy Altidore was walking forward.

[Jozy Altidore steps up. He has the chance to seal it right here]

[David, this is pressure. The stadium is loud, Udinese are desperate, and one kick could settle everything]

Altidore picked up the ball, took a deep breath, and placed it on the spot.

Brkić stood on the line, bouncing lightly, his eyes locked on the ball.

Fweeee!~

The referee blew his whistle.

Altidore took a step back and the entire stadium held its breath.

He started his run-up, eyes fixed on Brkić. The keeper twitched, trying to read him.

Altidore planted his left foot and swung through the ball with his right.

Brkić reacted instantly, diving low to his right. But it was in vain.

The ball rocketed past him, smashing into the bottom corner.

GOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!~

[GOLAZO! ALTIDORE BURIES IT! GAME OVER! AZ ALKMAAR WIN IN ITALY!]

[Cool as you like! Jozy Altidore with ice in his veins! That’s how you take a penalty under pressure!]

[Marco, that is ice-cold from Jozy Altidore! He waited, he picked his spot, and he buried it! That’s how you take a pressure penalty!]

The AZ Alkmaar bench erupted. Players leaped to their feet, fists in the air. Gertjan Verbeek turned and pumped his fist, his staff celebrating around him.

Altidore turned with his arms wide, a wild roar escaping from his chest. His teammates swarmed him, piling on top in celebration.

The AZ Alkmaar bench exploded with joy, fists pumping into the night sky.

On the other side, Udinese players stood frozen with hands on their heads. Brkić slapped the ground in frustration, his fingers digging into the turf.

The home crowd had gone silent, the life drained out of them in an instant.

[What a moment! What a win for AZ Alkmaar!]

[David, they came to Italy, took the lead, got pegged back, but they never folded! This team showed heart, and look at them now—they’re leaving with all three points!]

The referee glanced at his watch, then blew the final whistle.

Fweeee!~ Fweeeeee!~ Fweeeeeeee!~

That was it.

AZ Alkmaar had done it. A 3-2 victory, a massive result in their Europa League opener.

The players ran toward their traveling fans, who were bouncing in the corner of the stadium, their chants ringing through the night.

[Marco, this group is wide open, but AZ Alkmaar just made a huge statement!]

[They did, David. And they’ll take this momentum forward. Tonight belongs to them]