Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 50: No Penalty!

Chapter 50: No Penalty!

The tempo of the match didn’t falter after Anzhi Makhachkala’s opening goal. Instead, both teams seemed to up their intensity.

AZ Alkmaar knew they had no choice but to respond quickly, while Anzhi Makhachkala who were emboldened by their lead, looked to press home their advantage.

The game restarted, and AZ Alkmaar immediately surged forward.

Martens took the ball in midfield, darting past an Anzhi Makhachkala midfielder before threading a pass to Gudmundsson on the left wing.

The winger controlled the ball deftly and drove toward the byline where Anzhi Makhachkala’s right-back, Logashov, charged towards him to stop his run.

Gudmudsson read his opponent’s movement and his quick feet allowed him to slip past Logashov and fire a cross to the 18-yard box. But his cross into the box was met by the towering Christopher Samba, who cleared it with ease.

[And that’s AZ Alkmaar’s first real attempt in the second half to claw their way back into the game, but Samba’s there again to snuff out any danger,] Willem said, his tone balanced with cautious optimism.

[They’re not giving up, Willem. Gudmundsson did well there to slip past Logashov, but look at Samba’s positioning and clearance—it’s impeccable. That’s why he’s so crucial for this Anzhi Makhachkala’s defense,] Paul added.

As AZ Alkmaar pressed higher up the pitch, it left gaps for Anzhi Makhachkala to exploit.

In the 56th minute, Lassana Diarra intercepted a loose pass in the middle of the park and immediately launched a counterattack.

He released the ball to Lacina Traoré, who used his strength to shrug off his marker before switching play to Willian on the left wing.

Willian, now considered the danger man for Anzhi Makhachkala in this game, controlled the ball and sprinted towards the 18-yard box.

His run towards the box was met by two obstacles in the form of markers. But a Brazilian as he was, continued undaunted and he skillfully danced past the two markers, Viergever and Adam.

Viergever and Adam were shaken off by Willian who soon found himself free of space and so he decided to fire a curling shot toward the far corner.

The ball flew with pace towards the far corner of the post and for a moment it looked like it was going to nestle into the back of the net, but Alvarado, leapt across his goal with his arms outstretched and tipped the ball just over the bar.

[Oh, what a save by Alvarado! He’s keeping AZ Alkmaar in this game single-handedly!] Paul exclaimed, his voice tinged with admiration.

[Unbelievable reflexes from the Costa Rican! But Paul, you’ve got to wonder—how much longer can he hold off this relentless Anzhi attack?] Willem replied.

The resulting corner saw more drama.

Zhirkov whipped in a dangerous ball from the corner and it flew into the 18-yard box while curling inwards to the edge of the box.

The players clustered within the 18-yard as they shoved and pushed to meet the incoming ball, but Christopher Samba rose highest to meet the ball with a powerful header.

His header seemed destined for the back of the net, but Henrikson, stationed on the goal line, cleared it with a desperate lunge.

The AZ Alkmaar bench collectively sighed in relief, while Gertjan Verbeek barked instructions from the technical area, urging his team to push forward.

In the 60th minute, AZ Alkmaar found their best chance of the half.

Henrikson combined brilliantly with Martens on the edge of the box. A quick one-two left Martens with a clear sight of goal, and he unleashed a powerful shot.

The ball swerved dangerously through the air, forcing Anzhi Makhachkala’s goalkeeper, Vladimir Gabulov into a full-stretch save which saw the ball strike the goalpost before going out of play.

[AZ Alkmaar aren’t out of this yet! That’s their captain leading by example—what a strike from Martens!] Paul’s voice brimmed with excitement.

[And a top-class save to match, Paul. Gabulov showing why he’s one of the best goalkeepers in Russia,] Willem responded.

The game’s rhythm became frantic, with end-to-end action.

Anzhi Makhachkala’s attacking trio of Willian, Eto’o, and Traoré continued to torment the AZ Alkmaar defense, while the Dutch side relied on quick counterattacks to create opportunities.

In the 65th minute, Gertjan Verbeek made his move. Elm and Berghuis replaced Adam and Bereens, injecting fresh energy into the midfield and attack.

On the bench, Benjamin watched on with his brows furrowed in thought as he wondered if he’d get a chance to feature in this game.

The commentators speculated as well.

[Two changes for AZ Alkmaar now, in the 65th minute. Elm brings a physical presence in midfield, and Berghuis—well, we know he can be a game-changer,] Willem observed.

[But look at the bench, Willem. There’s the Young Benjamin Rijkaard who hasn’t been called upon by Gertjan Verbeek. Would he get a chance to feature in this game tonight?] Paul wondered aloud.

The clock ticked on, and AZ Alkmaar’s urgency grew. In the 70th minute, the substitute, Viktor Elm, found space and sent a lofted ball into the 18-yard box.

Berghuis rose awkwardly to meet the ball after a small nudge to the back from Zhirkov which went unoticed to the referee and his header looping over Gabulov—but it clipped the crossbar and went out.

The AZ Alkmaar supporters groaned in unison, hands clutching their heads in disbelief.

Berghuis immediately stood up in complaint, clamoring for a penalty, but his protests was waved off by the referee

[Agonizingly close! Berghuis was inches away from pulling an equalizer for AZ Alkmaar! What a delivery from the substitute, Viktor Elm] Paul said, his voice tinged with mirrored disappointment of the away supporters.

[You have to feel for Berghuis there, Paul. That slight nudge from Zhirkov—it might have been subtle, but it was enough to disrupt his header. Should the referee have called it?] Willem asked, his tone heavy with contemplation.

[It’s one of those decisions, Willem. In a game like this, with so much at stake, you’ve seen them given—and you’ve seen them ignored. But look at Berghuis; he’s furious. He feels hard done by, and you can’t blame him,] Paul replied.