Rise of a Football God
Chapter 518 - 518: Round of 32; Nigeria vs Ukraine

[FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 32]

[Match 5: Nigeria vs Ukraine]

[Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, USA]

[Date: July 2nd, 2026]

[Kick-off: 17:00 local time]

[Referee: Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)]

Over 68,000 fans, tens of thousands of Nigerians in green and white filled the Allegiant Stadium on the evening.

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric; a dry pitch, tense air, the right conditions for perfect drama.

Las Vegas hadn't seen a show like this in years.

Nigeria, group winners for the first time in modern World Cup history, had captured the imagination of the world with their electric football and fearless starby: Samuel Moses, or as the fans called him… SAM.

Like the pundits said:

"It's been decades since we last saw a Nigerian squad this fearsome".

"This Nigerian squad had always been filled with talent, with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Viktor Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman, and the likes plying their trade for them, but it was with the addition of Sam that this team truly exploded".

"Sam was the missing link that they needed to form an all-conquering team".

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Sam's moment".

"This is his stage".

"This is Sam's Nigeria".

"Jay Jay Okocha? Kanu Nwankwo? Well, in just a single year of unmatched brilliance, Sam is already carving a legacy that's almost about rivalling these Nigerian footballing legends".

"He's already won the AFCON trophy".

"He singlehandedly dragged Nigeria to World Cup qualification, when it seemed like all hope was over".

"He singlehandedly dragged them to top spot in a World Cup group for the first time in what feels like forever".

"Sam is the ONE!"

"Watch him, admire him, respect him".

With all the hype surrounding fans after his legendary season with Barcelona to what Nigeria already did in the World Cup so far, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric and filled with tension between both nations.

Nigeria clearly had the media on their side, but Ukraine?

They came into the game sharp, focused, and with one plan: stop the boy who couldn't be stopped.

The only question was… could they do it?

Only time would tell.

Both nations started with their best starting XI.

Nigeria started in their regular 4-2-3-1 with Stanley Nwabali in goal, while ahead of him was a defensive quadruple of Ola Aina, William Troost Ekong, Samuel Ajayi, and Zaidu Sanusi.

In midfield was the duo of Wilfried Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, while the creators in chief for the night were Samuel Chukwueze down the right, Sam down the middle, and Ademola Lookman on the right.

Victor Osimhen played through the middle as the striker.

As for Ukraine, starting in a 4-3-3 formation, they had Anatolii Trubin in goal, with a defensive quadruple of Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, and Mykolenko ahead of him.

In midfield was the trio of Stepanenko, Malinovskyi, and Sudakov, while in attack was the trio of Mykhailo Mydryk, Dovbyk, and Yarmolenko.

FWEEE!

The referee's whistle sounded, and the game started.

The first half was a cagey affair.

From the first touch, Ukraine made their intentions clear: Sam was not to breathe.

Having watched and seen what Sam could do with a ball at his feet in this tournament, the last things the Ukrainians wanted was to give him an inch, and so they set aside a man to man-mark him, tightly.

Stepanenko was glued to him like a shadow, and anytime Sam got on the ball, three yellow shirts would collapse on him.

With so many people on him and so much interference to his game, Sam couldn't breathe. He was suffocated.

His first touch? Heavy. His second? Hacked.

By the 10th minute, he'd already been fouled three times.

And then, it started…

In the 21st minute, Ukraine exploded on a lightning break from the left. Mudryk left Aina for dead and rifled a shot just inches wide. Warning signs.

Just 8 minutes later, in the 29th minute of the game, Osimhen also threatened for Nigeria, coming close to getting the opener.

Chukwueze danced down the right and whipped in a devilish cross. Osimhen rose highest; his header thundered off the bar.

The game turned heated by the minute as both nations played end to end football, leaving it all on the pitch.

All the while, Sam was hassled and forced into a physical duel all game.

Frustrated, in the 41st minute of the first half, Sam went in late on Malinovskyi, and he was booked. A yellow crowd.

Sam groaned.

The crowd murmured. Nigeria's diamond was being ground down.

The first half came to an end 0-0.

Tense, taut, and tactical.

Ukraine's plan was working. Sam had touched the ball just 17 times in 45 minutes, a career low.

During halftime, Eric Chell had a few words for his players.

Sam? His frustration was bubbling into motivation, a devilish head and voice rearing its way in his head once again.

'Win!' 'Win!' 'Win!'

The voice was back.

The second half started, and the tension rose.

Nigeria began to open up as they dug in.

Lookman tucked inside, Ndidi pushed higher. Sam? He began to drift; left, deep, false nine, he was everywhere, trying to break the leash.

In the 54th minute, the fans rose to their feet.

SAVE!

Yarmokenlo fired a low drive from the top of the box. Stanley Nwabali came to the rescue, going on a full stretch to deny.

In the 62nd minute, Sam hit the crossbar!

For the first time, he found space. A one-two with Osimhen, and then, like a demon, he erupted.

He curled one from 25 yards out, only for it to ping off the crossbar.

So close.

The crowd gasped.

"F*CKKKKKKK!" Sam screamed, frustrated.

In the 75th minute, Ukraine switched to a 5-4-1.

Having accepted their inability to break Nigeria's defense down, they were playing for penalties now. The wall was set, the door locked.

Extra time seemed inevitable now. Both sides were even.

But then, in the 89th minute…

Zaidu Sanusi burst down the left, whipping a desperate, high cross into the penalty area.

Osimhen challenged, but the ball looped high… too far… too deep… drifting…

Until Sam appeared… like lightning in the air.

BICYCLE KICK.

Mid-air pirouette. Time slowed. His back to goal, both feet off the ground.

His right boot connected clean.

BAM!

The ball lashed through the air like a missile. Trubin didn't move. It hit the net like a shot from heaven.

GOAL!

Nigeria 1-0 Ukraine.

The world exploded!

BOOM!

The crowd leapt. Nigerian fans cried.

The camera zoomed in: Sam wasn't celebrating wildly. He just stood there, arms outstretched, staring at the sky.

Cold.

He had broken the cage. In the 89th minute of Nigeria's toughest game in the tournament so far, their first knockout game, he wrote his name in World Cup lore.

[FULL-TIME: Nigeria 1-0 Ukraine]

Nigeria went through.

Ukraine fell to their knees; brave, brilliant, but out.

And of course, Sam won the man of the match award with his incredible game winning goal, his 4 chances created, 9 fouls drawn, and 2 yellow cards earned from opponents.

According to the commentators:

"He was hunted. Pressed. Tripled. And still, he rose".

It was one of the toughest games of his career, and still, he did it, he found a way to shine.