THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-647

The cheers of the African fans were still echoing through the Fisht Olympic Stadium as Gervinho's jubilant celebration faded into the background. The scoreboard now read 1-1, an emblem of Ivory Coast's resilience and ability to stage a comeback. As the game restarted, anticipation hung thick in the air. Fans of both teams braced themselves for a fierce battle, expecting the teams to ramp up their attacking efforts and quickly search for the winner. But instead, the game took on a more cautious tone.

Ivory Coast, lifted by their equalizing goal, now adopted a more prudent approach. The memory of Croatia's early goal was still fresh, a brutal reminder of how quickly things could go wrong. So, they remained defensive, opting to weather through the next few minutes without taking unnecessary risks.

Zachary, Wilfried Zaha, Nicolas Pépé, and even Gervinho, who had been relentless in their offensive pursuits, were now forced to repeatedly fall back to support their defense. The Ivorian strategy had shifted; it was no longer just about scoring but also about preventing Croatia from finding the back of the net again.

Surprisingly, Coach Hervé Renard, who was often attack-minded, now supported their approach. His voice repeatedly echoed from the sidelines, urging his Ivorian players to play smart and focus on defense for the next few minutes. His tactical adjustments were evident in their play. The team had now formed a compact unit with tight defensive lines and meticulously coordinated movements in their 4-2-3-1 formation. They weren't going to give Croatia any space to exploit.

On the other side, Croatia was not content with just sitting back. Their midfield maestros, Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić, continued orchestrating creative plays with their usual flair and precision. Modrić, in particular, seemed determined to break through the Ivorian defenses at all times. His eyes constantly scanned the field, looking for any opportunity to send a defense-splitting pass towards Mario Mandžukić or the speedy wingers – Ivan Perišić and Ante Rebić.

His brilliance was a threat again during the 27th minute after he received the ball near the center circle. With a quick glance upfield, he spotted Mandžukić making a run behind the Ivorian backline before unleashing yet another pass that caught the Ivorian defense off guard. Modrić's pass was another beauty of a through ball, curving and dipping perfectly into Mandžukić's path, who controlled it expertly. But before Mandžukić could pull the trigger, Eric Bailly surged forth like a storm, sliding in with a perfectly timed tackle to clear the danger. The Ivorian fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The game continued in this manner, a tense tactical match where every move was carefully calculated. The Ivorians defended with determination, their backline and midfielders working tirelessly to intercept passes and block shots. A few more minutes passed without much happening until Croatia had another opportunity during the 36th minute. This time around, Rakitić found himself with space just outside the box. He unleashed a powerful shot, but Sylvain Gbohouo was up to the task, diving to his right to parry the ball away. The rebound fell to Perišić, who attempted a quick follow-up, but Serge Aurier was there, blocking the shot with his body and clearing the ball to safety. But that wasn't the end of the excitement, as the failed attempt swiftly turned into a counterattacking opportunity for Ivory Coast.

Franck Kessié, one of Ivory Coast's midfielders, quickly picked up the ball before unleashing a long-range pass toward the right wing. Seemingly out of nowhere, Wilfried Zaha appeared and chested the ball down. He then raced forward like the wind and soon initiated a 2-versus-2 scenario.

Eventually, Zaha cut inside and squared the ball toward Coratia's box, where Gervinho was arriving. The captain rushed forward to tap the ball home, but his attempt lacked the power to trouble Subašić, who made a comfortable save.

As the half-time whistle approached, the usual tension that one would expect from such a stage of the World Cup had lessened, as both teams hadn't created any noteworthy opportunities over the past few minutes. And when the referee finally blew for half-time and the players walked off the field, it wasn't surprising that the score was still level at 1-1.

As the Ivorian players returned to the dressing room, a solemn air enveloped them. Coach Hervé Renard soon stood before them, his eyes ablaze with intensity. He clapped his hands to draw their attention and began his half-time pep talk.

"Listen up, men. We've already shown them we can score," Renard began, his voice steady and filled with conviction. "Gervinho's goal was just the beginning. We can do it again. We must believe in ourselves and seize every opportunity that comes our way. This game is ours for the taking, but we must stay focused."

The players nodded, absorbing his words. Renard paced the room, his gaze sweeping over each of them. "Stay disciplined. Croatia will come at us hard, but we can't afford to concede another goal. Keep your shape, stay compact, and be vigilant. We cannot let them break through."

He then shifted to tactics, pointing out adjustments on the whiteboard. "Press high when there's a chance, but fall back quickly if we lose the ball. Zachary, Zaha, Pépé, I need you to be quick on the counter. Kessié, Dié, support the defense but be ready to launch forward when needed."

With his final words, Renard raised his voice, "We're not here just to compete; we're here to win. Go out there and play with your hearts. Leave everything on that pitch."

The players responded with a resounding cheer, their spirits lifted by their coach's words. As they returned to the pitch, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric, anticipation hanging heavy in the air.

The second half kicked off, and it was clear that both teams were ready to fight tooth and nail for a place in the semi-finals. The Croatians, eager to regain their lead, started strong. In the 49th minute, Ivan Perišić found himself with space on the left wing and launched an attack. He sprinted towards the Ivorian box, but Serge Aurier was ready. Aurier stripped the ball from Perišić's feet with a perfectly timed tackle and turned over possession.

Serey Dié, positioned nearby, quickly seized the loose ball. He looked upfield and saw Zachary breaking free from his markers. Without hesitation, Dié passed the ball to Zachary, who immediately surged forward, leaving his Croatian pursuers in his wake.

On the sidelines, Croatian coach Zlatko Dalić shouted furiously at his midfielders for allowing Zachary so much space. But Zachary was in a zone, his focus unbreakable. He was moving at breakneck speed, the ball seemingly glued to his feet. He felt an exhilarating rush as if he were flying.

Ivan Rakitić came forward to intercept him, but Zachary executed a flawless step-over and accelerated past him effortlessly. Next, Luka Modrić tried to halt his progress, but Zachary deftly looped the ball over the Croatian playmaker's head and continued his run. The crowd gasped in awe as he evaded a sliding tackle and wove past another Croatian player.

Everything around him was a blur, the crowd's roar like boring roadside music fading away from his ears. Before he knew it, he was already approaching Croatia's box, and the shooting angle was opening up. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Trusting his instincts, he pulled the trigger and smashed the ball with the mighty swing of his left boot.

The ball soared through the air like a missile, its wicked spin making it a formidable target for Danijel Subašić, the Croatian goalkeeper. Subašić dived and stretched out his hand, desperately attempting to save it. But the spin took the ball just beyond Subašić's reach. It ricocheted off the post with a satisfying thud before nestling into the back of the net.

The following moments saw the stadium remain eerily silent as if everyone collectively held their breath. Then, an explosion of sound erupted from the Ivorian supporters. Zachary had done it during the 50th minute, just five minutes after half-time. He had scored a spectacular goal to put Ivory Coast ahead, and the score now read 2-1. It was yet another moment of magic from him.

Zachary's teammates swarmed him, their faces alight with joy and disbelief. Gervinho, Zaha, Pépé, Kessié, and the rest – they all embraced him, patting his back and ruffling his hair. In the stands, the Ivorian fans were still cheering loudly, their voices filled with joy as they waved their flags with pride.

On the Croatian bench, Dalić looked stunned. His players, too, seemed momentarily shell-shocked. But there was no time to dwell on their misfortune. The game was far from over, and both teams knew it.

The referee signaled for the game to resume, and as the ball was placed back in the center circle, the Ivorians took a moment to catch their breath. They were finally in the lead and knew they had to hold on to it.

Renard quickly shouted instructions from the touchline, urging his players to maintain their focus and composure. He was sure of what the response of the Croatians would be. They would approach the rest of the game with renewed vigor, and his team had to be prepared for the onslaught.