THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-181

Zachary reacted immediately on seeing Lund Hansen punch the ball away from the goal. While still gasping for breath, he bolted from the box and chased after it, his long strides eating yards of space across the green in mere seconds.

As he was mid-sprint, he felt someone try to pull at his shirt. He instantly knew his old bodyguard was trying to pull off his antics once more. So, without turning back, he stepped from side to side, his body moving from left to right and back, repeatedly—to shake himself away from his opponent's intended grip. He also upped his pace and was soon close to the bouncing ball near the touchline on the right flank—long before any other player, whether opponent or teammate.

From there, he didn't even halt to control the ball. Instead, he flicked it ahead with a deft first touch and chased after it, his stride frequency peaking to propel him forward like a rocket just out of a grenade launcher.

The counter-attack was on. Most of the Molde players, save for a few defenders, had all been mounting relentless attacks on Rosenborg's goal. They'd grown confident and, just maybe, thought that Rosenborg no longer had the capability to threaten them.

Zachary was intent on taking advantage of that laxity and creating a match-winning opportunity for his team.

So, he forced his mind to forget all about his fatigue and ran with the ball across the touchline. He zoomed towards Molde's half with incredible pace. At that moment, he felt that he could probably give Usain Bolt a run for his money if both of them ran with the ball.

Knut Olav Rindaröy, one of Molde's center-backs, soon closed him down, intending to halt his run with a reckless sliding tackle.

However, Zachary slowed down a bit before digging his right boot beneath the ball and flicking it over the defender. Without any pause, he jumped high—over the defender and then continued following after the ball amid the steadily growing cheers of the Rosenborg fans.

Etzaz Hussain, a defensive midfielder that had also stayed back to defend, was the next person to try to put a stop to Zachary's mad dash. But that time around, Zachary didn't try to dribble. Instead, he quickly passed to Nicki Nielsen, the Rosenborg number-9, who'd long opened himself up to receive the pass in the middle of the field.

Zachary didn't halt, though, after relinquishing the ball to Nicki. Instead, he circumvented Etzaz Hussain and continued rushing across the left flank. To his relief, Nicki reacted fast and flicked the ball to the space ahead of him immediately.

Zachary managed to get to the end of Nicki's through-pass. He began cutting into the pitch, approaching Molde's goal like the wind.

He could already feel his stamina reserves starting to dwindle and empty as he stepped into the final third. But he held on with sheer determination and continued racing towards Molde's box.

Örjan Nyland, the Molde goalkeeper, came out of his goal to meet him. But Zachary was already in high gear and wouldn't let anyone stop him at that moment. He circumvented the goalkeeper by relying on his long strides and keeping his composure. He followed that up by firing home from around the edge of the box to score Rosenborg's third goal, sending Lerkendal into a frenzy of wild cheering.

After scoring, Zachary didn't halt. He continued his run—making his way around the goal to the corner flag to celebrate the goal. By the time he made it there, his heart was already working in overdrive and his happiness so intense that it scared him.

But he still managed to remember the coach's warning and resisted the urge to take off his shirt and throw it to the fans. Instead, he spread out his hands as if he was the sole owner of the world. He closed his eyes to savor the feeling of scoring in a very tough-to-win fixture. But his teammates didn't allow him the time to immerse himself in the moment of joy by himself. They soon reached him and jumped all over him to celebrate the goal.

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Tears of joy shimmered in Kristin's brown eyes as she craned her neck to watch the on-pitch celebrations. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile when she saw the Rosenborg substitutes and technical staff join the onfield players to celebrate the goal. At that moment, she could hardly recall a match that had made her happier and given her a level of satisfaction compared to the one that day.

"In the 88th minute, Rosenborg has managed to score and retake their lead," She heard Kjell Roar, the commentator, yell out loud. His loud voice even dwarfed the wild cheering and clapping of the passionate Rosenborg fans. "It is now three goals for Rosenborg and two for Molde. Unbelievable stuff on the field today. Rosenborg has done what was almost impossible and managed to take the lead once again. Not even the red card can stop the Troll Kids from displaying their brilliance here in Trondheim."

"What a night for both Nicki and Zachary. The two of them have worked well together and created all of Rosenborg's three goals for today. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his boys should be in tears now. What a game! Harald! I can see you smiling once again."

Kristin heard Harald, the pundit, chuckle softly. "When I recall that lightning-fast counter-attack, I can't help but smile," he said. "That run across the right flank by Zachary was truly electrifying. What pace! What composure! I'm at a loss for words."

"Zachary has already scored two goals with the potential to compete for the goal of the season award," Kjell Roar chipped in. "And he should also be on course to win the player of the month award this May. His tally at the moment is six goals and five assists in five matches. I think no other player in the Tippeligaen has played better than him this month."

"Yes, I agree," Harald concurred. "He should be the top candidate for the award if we factor in that bicycle kick of his a few weeks ago plus today's performance. Moreover, if Rosenborg can hold on and win this game, he'll end the night as a hero in the hearts of the Rosenborg fans."

"Then let's wait and see how the match ends," Kjell Roar intoned, his voice rising. "For now, let's take you back to the live-action on the pitch. The match has just restarted with Molde's kick-off..."

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