THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-279

A wave of euphoria washed across the stadium like a Tsunami when Nicki Nielsen scored Rosenborg's second goal. Kristin even noticed some Rosenborg fans taking off their shirts in the heat of the excitement. Unbothered by the cold, they continued waving their shirts in the air, chanting the Rosenborg victory slogans at the top of their voices. The atmosphere was crazy around the stands occupied by Rosenborg supporters.

"The situation remains the same as we head into the last twenty-five minutes of this exciting final," Kristin heard the commentator yell out loud a few minutes later. "Rosenborg Ballklub is still reigning supreme and sustaining a constant barrage of attacks on Molde's goal. As a result, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men have barely gotten opportunities to mount attacks of significance on Rosenborg's goal. What a final! The situation on the pitch is truly unprecedented, considering the history between the two clubs."

"My thoughts exactly," Sigurd Rushfeldt, one of the pundits for the day, chipped in. "It's the first time that we get to see Rosenborg overwhelming Molde in such a ruthless manner for as long as I can remember. We didn't get to see such a display of Rosenborg against Molde even during Coach Nils Arne Eggen's time. It's truly unprecedented."

Kjell Roar suppressed a chuckle. "A few minutes back, when I watched Rosenborg passing the ball around the pitch, I got the misconception that it was Barca rather than a Norwegian side on the field. The way they're executing the Tiki-taka style and passing the ball to hoard all the possession reminds me of the Spanish giants at their best. Their ball possession statistic should be over 70% at the moment. What a phenomenal side!"

"Indeed, what a phenomenal Rosenborg side!" Ulrich Møller, the second pundit, chipped in. "Even though I'm a Molde fan, I still have to applaud the brilliance of the Rosenborg players in this final. The way they're moving the ball around and how they're shaping up on the pitch is incredible. They have the makings of a great team that will easily bat heads with the football giants all over Europe and still put up a good display in the near future. I'm now really looking forward to their next few performances in the Europa League."

"Ulrich!" Kjell Roar, the commentator, interjected. "I'm glad that you've mentioned the point about Rosenborg having the makings of a great team. But what could have enabled Rosenborg to raise their performance to this unprecedented level in only a period of a few months? Do you think it's their new coach, Boyd Johansen? Or is it their young star midfielder, Zachary Bemba, carrying them forward?"

"Well," Ulrich Møller replied after clearing his throat. "That seems like a simple question. But, the answer is not as straightforward as you think. Zachary and the new coach aside, there has been a major change in the way Rosenborg does things over the past year."

"First and foremost," the pundit continued. "Rosenborg brought in a few crucial signings in the mid-season transfer window. Three of those signings, namely: Thomas Partey, Yerry Mina, and Eric Bailly, have been phenomenal in all matches they've played since arriving at Rosenborg. As I speak now, they continue to impress even during today's final. So, I believe they've also contributed to the shift in Rosenborg's playing style over the past few months."

"Ulrich is right," Sigurd Rushfeldt, the other pundit, chipped in with a chuckle. "By now, I believe that there's no one that should have any doubts about the capabilities of either Coach Johansen or Zachary. Their efforts have been quite vital in driving Rosenborg's forward to their current level of success."

"But that aside," the pundit continued. "The new signings have also been incredible in defense. They've created a favorable atmosphere on the team by allowing the rest to focus on their own tasks without any distractions. Nowadays, the Rosenborg attackers, including Zachary, can always attack without worry because of the exceptional defensive efforts of the new signings."

"Thank you, both Sigurd and Ulrich, for your input," Kjell Roar, the commentator, interjected before the pundits could carry on with the discussion. "Let's direct our attention back to the field of play where Nicki Nielsen, the Rosenborg center-forward, has just won a free-kick right in front of the arc of the 18-yard box. It's is an opportunity for Rosenborg to double their lead as we head into the 70th minute of the Norwegian Cup final for sure. However, the bad news is that Nicki Nielsen seems hurt and is still rolling on the ground in pain as he awaits medical attention."

"It would really be bad for Rosenborg to lose Nicki Nielsen to an injury at this stage," Sigurd Rushfeld chimed in with an audible sigh. "However, the Troll Kids can easily turn this disadvantageous situation into the third goal since Zachary is present on the pitch."

"Football is an unpredictable game," Ulrich Møller, the other pundit, said. "Even world-class free-kick takers, like Juninho, Messi, David Beckham, and Pirlo, have a conversion rate of less than 25%. So, we can't be sure that Zachary will score this free-kick."

"For your information, Zachary has maintained a conversion rate of over 80% since turning pro," Sigurd Rushfeld responded in a comical tone. "So, how can you compare him with people who only have a conversion rate of around 20% a season?"

Ulrich, of course, wasn't going to be outdone. "Your ignorance knows no bounds," he said, mimicking the other pundit's tone. "The conversion rate of those players was calculated from hundreds of their attempts when taking free kicks in internationally renowned tournaments. But how many free-kicks has our boy, Zachary, taken this season? If my memory is not failing me, they should be less than a dozen set pieces. So, unless he can maintain his conversion rate over the next four to five years, he shouldn't be mentioned in the same leagues as the best free-kick takers in the world today."

"Hehehe," Kjell Roar chuckled. "That's a good discussion you two are having. However, let's return our attention to the pitch where Zachary is preparing to take the free kick."

**** ****

Olav Brusveen, the TV2 Sportskanalen reporter, was following the proceedings on the field of play from the area designated for the press near the tunnel entrance. He'd shut out all the rumblings of the noisy commentators as he watched Zachary prepare to take the set-piece which could potentially win the final for Rosenborg.

It was the moment of truth, the time for the young player to prove that he could maintain his composure and perform as usual even at a crucial moment of a final. Should Zachary score the free-kick, he would prove to all the critics that he was world-class, at least with regards to set-pieces. But should he miss, the critics would continue dubbing him as another overrated free-kick taker and a player only mimicking the style of David Beckham.

Olav was sure of his conjecture because that was how the world worked. People mostly tended to focus on the negatives more than the positives. Even though Zachary had scored a goal and provided an assist during the final, there would still be critics pointing out his errors during the heat of the game. A missed free kick would be a vital talking point in the sports news the following day. Olav was, of course, eager to be the journalist adding the oil to the fire, should such a situation transpire.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and signaled for Zachary to take the free-kick after the medics had helped Nicki Nielsen, the injured center-forward, off the pitch.

Zachary didn't waste any time taking a few steps back from the ball before looking around to assess the situation in the box. At that instant, his body language and posture were just like those of an apex predator eyeing its favorite prey. He seemed to be radiating an indomitable aura as he readied himself to take the set-piece.

Olav had already done his research. He was sure the boy prodigy was analyzing every factor that could influence his set-piece at that moment. Be it the positioning of the wall, the players in the box, the standing posture of the keeper, and even the direction of the breeze — they were all factors that could impede his accuracy. So, he'd to take note of those influences before his execution.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle again and signaled for Zachary to hurry up and take the set-piece. Olav Brusveen could feel his heartbeat accelerating as he watched the boy prodigy make the standard angled run towards the ball. Without any excess movements, the young midfielder tilted his body backward before unleashing the perfect curveball already familiar to the football community in Norway. His technique was immaculate and pleasing to the eye.

"Make sure that you capture all that," Olav didn't forget to remind his camera crew before Zachary struck. He watched the ball's concave trajectory over the wall with bated breath. Before he could get a response, the ball was already grazing off the post and dipping into the back of the net. The ball's sheer velocity hadn't even allowed the keeper to react.

"Brilliant!"

Olav Brusveen's heart stirred as several headlines for the following day whirled through his mind after witnessing that free-kick from Zachary. He could only conclude that the boy was a genius — or probably a monster, with nerves of steel. Even in a crucial moment in the final, he remained composed and performed as usual while taking the free-kick. The young midfielder was that scary — and Olav could only feel sorry for opposing goalkeepers that would have to go against him in the near future.

**** ****