Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 38: One Last Chance For Victory

Chapter 38: One Last Chance For Victory

As the clock approached full-time, there was an obvious feeling of anticipation in the air.

Encouraged by the equalizer and the cheers of the home crowd, AZ Alkmaar continued to push forward with relentless energy.

The players looked eager to score the winning goal as they thrived on the clamor and encouraging chants from the stands, which grew with each touch of the ball.

Martens took up the ball in midfield shortly after the restart, turning sharply to avoid a challenge from a Heracles midfielder.

After glancing across the field for available options, he sent a diagonal pass that was well struck to Berghuis, who was sprinting down the right wing.

[Berghuis is in space now. He’s got options in the box!]

Berghuis controlled the ball with a deft touch before whipping in a low cross toward the near post.

Altidore who was in position, struggled through a physical scuffle with his marker before leaping to meet the ball with a sliding effort. His boot struck firmly, making a clean contact.

[Altidore! This could be it—"]

Unfortunately, the ball skimmed just inches past the far post, the net rippling slightly as if teasing the home fans.

A collective groan erupted from the stands, followed by scattered applause for the effort.

[So, so close from the American!] the co-commentator exclaimed. [Altidore just needed to angle it a bit more, and that would’ve been the winner!]

On the touchline, Verbeek threw his arms up in frustration, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. He glanced at the bench and then the scoreboard showing the scores and the dwindling time with furrowed brows.

"We’ve got one more chance for a substitution. Do you fancy anyone on the bench making an impact?" his assistant inquired.

Verbeek shook his head regretfully, "They are all defensive options or not up to par. We are pressing for the winning goal...not looking to settle for a draw."

***

The breakthrough seemed to arrive in the 89th minute as Adam caught a sloppy Heracles pass in the middle of the park and pushed forward, linking up with Martens in a quick one-two to bypass the defenders closing in on them.

Martens flicked the ball out wide to Benjamin, who sprinted with the ball towards the corner flag before cutting back sharply to deliver a low cross into the box.

The ball was hit with enough force as it rolled through the edge of 18 yard box toward Henriksen who faked a shot and dummied brilliantly.

He allowed it to run through his legs, towards Berghuis who kept his cool under pressure and slid the ball into Altidore’s path.

Altidore, who didn’t want to disappoint in such moments, chipped it over the advancing Pasveer and into the back of the net with a single move.

[Altidore scores! What a move! That’s team football at its finest!]

The stadium erupted in pandemonium. Fans leapt to their feet, some throwing their arms around strangers as they celebrated what seemed like the winning goal.

Verbeek punched the air, his face lighting up in excitement.

But the celebrations were cut short as the referee raised his arm, signaling for offside. The assistant referee’s flag was up.

Altidore had been just offside before receiving the through pass from Berghuis.

[Oh no! The flag’s up!]

[Heartbreak for AZ Alkmaar! That was a beautifully worked out goal, but sadly it won’t count!]

The crowd’s cheers turned to boos and groans, believing it was a wrong decision from the linesman.

Verbeek slammed his clipboard to the ground, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" he shouted, gesturing toward the referee but was soon cautioned by the fourth official.

Altidore stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the referee in frustration, while Berghuis dropped to his knees, clutching his head in disbelief.

[What a cruel twist for the home side. That was a stunning goal, but the linesman’s flag denies it] the lead commentator said.

***

As the clock struck the 90 minutes mark, Heracles suddenly got a Phoenix-rare chance to snatch the game before full-time.

A quick counterattack caught AZ Alkmaar off-guard. A long ball over the top luckily found their striker who was standing just onside, a few yards off the halfway line.

He pushed the ball before it touched the ground and raced toward the box with only Alvarado to beat. The defenders hurried behind him while hoping for a miracle.

[This could be devastating for AZ Alkmaar! I think we’ve all seen this somewhere before..., It’s an almost identical chance to their second goal] the lead commentator said in alarm as the striker took off with the ball.

Reijnen managed to catch up to the striker and attempted to bring him down but the Heracles number 9 unleashed a powerful shot aimed at the bottom corner from the edge of the 18 yard box.

The spectators watched on and even the commentators fell silent the ball closed in on the target. But Alvarado reacted instinctively, diving at full stretch towards the ball and getting a fingertip to it.

The ball ricocheted off the post and back into play, where Reijnen reacted before the striker to clear it out to safety.

[What a save! Alvarado with an unbelievable stop to keep AZ Alkmaar alive!]

[That’s as good as a goal right there,] the co-commentator added. [Alvarado is the hero of the moment!]

The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting the goalkeeper’s name. On the sidelines, Verbeek clapped furiously, his face filled with relief.

After that heart gripping moment, the fourth official raised the board, signaling two minutes of added time. The announcement brought a renewed rush of energy from the players and fans alike.

[Two minutes! Just two minutes for someone to make themselves a hero!]

Both teams pushed forward despite visible fatigue. The players stumbled over little challenges, their passes were most times not on target, and every tackle drew gasps from the crowd.

In the dying moments, Benjamin received the ball near the halfway line. He opted to drive forward with the intent, his quick feet leaving one defender in his wake.

As he approached the edge of the 18 yard box, a Heracles player lunged in desperately, clipping Benjamin’s ankle.

Benjamin tumbled to the ground, clutching his leg as the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot of the foul.

[Free kick in a dangerous position! This could be AZ Alkmaar’s last chance to win the game!]

The fans roared in anticipation, some chanting Benjamin’s name for drawing the foul in a dangerous position.

[What a moment for the youngster. He’s been instrumental today, and now he’s won his team a golden opportunity,] the lead commentator said.

[This is it. One last chance for AZ Alkmaar. And now, the million-dollar question is: who’s going to step up and take it?]

The tension could be felt as the players lined up, preparing for what could be the decisive moment of the game.

The crowd fell silent, waiting with bated breath.