THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-662

662 The Daring Solo Dash and the Roars of Abidjan

The second half of the World Cup final between Ivory Coast and France commenced with the referee's whistle piercing the tense atmosphere of the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

The Ivorians had the kick-off this time, and Wilfried Zaha, the center forward, stepped up to restart the gameplay. Positioned at the center spot, he booted the ball back into the Ivorian midfield, finding Franck Kessié with a precise pass.

Kessié was swift, knowing the French players were already charging forward. He took a single touch before passing to Zachary.

As Zachary prepared to receive the ball, he noted Olivier Giroud closing down on him. But panic was not in Zachary's nature. He swiftly brought the ball under control with his left foot and nudged it forward, just a step ahead, baiting Giroud to go for it.

When the ball was just outside Giroud's reach, Zachary suddenly stopped it with his foot, his SS+ dribbling skills, balance, and coordination working wonders. With a graceful rotation, he completed a stunning Marseille turn, leaving Giroud behind and eliciting cheers and gasps from the crowd.

The second half had just begun, but Zachary was eager to exploit every opportunity against the French defense. He revved forward, leaving the disoriented Giroud behind.

His acceleration was reminiscent of a Dodge Challenger—and within seconds, he was at his top speed, gliding past Antoine Griezmann with a simple side-step and heading toward French territory, his silhouette a flash of orange cutting through the middle.

He remained alert, and as he crossed the center line, he caught a flash of movement to his left. With his incredible dynamic visual acuity, he identified the fast-approaching N'Golo Kanté, who seemed to be preparing to sweep him with a sliding tackle.

Zachary's instincts kicked in. He slowed down, dug his boot under the ball, and leaped up just as Kanté's tackle flashed past where he had been an instant before. Zachary landed back on the green, the ball seemingly glued to his foot, eliciting more gasps of admiration from the spectators.

In his peripheral vision, Zachary saw Pogba rushing in from the right, attempting to close him down. But Zachary gave the French midfielder no chance, accelerating again and pulling away, his strides a blur like the rims of a speeding motorcycle.

Everything around him faded into the background, and before he knew it, he was stepping into the final third, facing off against the French center-backs – Varane and Umtiti. They held their positions, wary of Zachary's potent dribbling.

But Zachary had other plans. He spotted Zaha making a run on his left. Without hesitation and with eyes fixed on the center-backs, he unleashed a no-look pass reminiscent of peak-Ronaldinho style.

The ball gracefully found the sprinting Zaha. With elegance and agility, Zachary circumvented the center-backs, whose attention was momentarily diverted by Zaha. He raced past them just in time to receive a perfectly timed return ball from Zaha.

Controlling the ball mid-stride, Zachary found himself with only Hugo Lloris, the French keeper, to beat. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he focused solely on the goal, the crowd's roar fading into the background.

He saw Lloris rushing out to meet him but remained steadfast. With a well-timed move, he rounded the keeper, leaving Lloris grasping at thin air. The goal was now gaping, and Zachary smashed the ball into the back of the net, scoring Ivory Coast's second goal in the 46th minute.

A stunned silence fell over part of the crowd. The players and bench were momentarily speechless, and even the commentators paused. But the Ivorian fans didn't care. The score read 2-0 in favor of their team, the Elephants, and they couldn't help but erupt in wild celebration, yelling like mad.

Zachary had made another of his signature runs through the middle, breaking down France almost single-handedly before finding the back of the net and doubling Ivory Coast's lead. This was his tenth goal of the World Cup campaign, and he rushed toward the bench to celebrate with his coaches, substitutes, and teammates.

The second half had barely begun, yet Zachary had already delivered a decisive blow that could crush France's hopes for a comeback.

—–

Meanwhile, far away in Abidjan, Ivory Coast's capital… the atmosphere could only be described as explosive. As Zachary's goal hit the back of the net in the 46th minute, a long-drawn-out eruption of noise swept across the city like a powerful bomb.

The Ivorian fans celebrated the goal with a collective intensity that seemed to make the whole city beat as one. Whether in homes, taxis, buses, or pubs, everyone was yelling, their voices united in a chorus of euphoria as they sensed World Cup glory inching closer.

In one bustling pub, Kwame Bamba, Adeoluwa Soro, and Yannick Goué, the three university students in their final year, were among the sea of fans. They yelled and celebrated like there was no tomorrow, matching the intensity of everyone around them. The bar reverberated with vigor—like a living organism pulsating with hope and excitement.

Then, the replay of Zachary's stunning solo run appeared on the large screen. The pub fell silent as all eyes were fixated on the display. They watched in awe as Zachary dribbled past one French player after another, his grace a blend of Zidane's elegance and Ronaldinho's flamboyance.

He did the almost impossible, weaving through the French midfield and defense before slotting the ball into the net. It was like a dream for every Ivorian fan in the pub, and Kwame, Adeoluwa, and Yannick were no different.

The eyes of the three students glistened with tears, but as men, they pushed the overwhelming emotions to the back of their minds, bracing for the next wave of tension as the game restarted.

The commentator's voice resonated through the speakers, exclaiming how Zachary, the flash of orange, had struck again to double Ivory Coast's lead. But he warned that the French were now more determined than ever.

The bar watched, silence again reining supreme as the game resumed with France launching an immediate offensive. Paul Pogba quickly found Antoine Griezmann, who played the ball to Blaise Matuidi on the left wing..t

Matuidi drove forward, attempting to skip past Serge Aurier, Ivory Coast's right wing-back. But Aurier was having none of it. He slid in with a hard tackle, sweeping Matuidi off his feet and sending the ball out of play.

The referee's whistle blew, awarding France a free kick close to the touchline while giving Aurier a stern verbal warning.

The French took the free kick quickly. Antoine Griezmann sent a curling ball over the Ivorian defense toward the box, but the alert Eric Bailly sped back and intercepted it, smashing it out of play for a throw-in.

The bar erupted in cheers and sighs of relief, Ivory Coast having survived another onslaught. Time seemed to be crawling as it was only the 50th minute.

The French took the throw-in with urgency. Lucas Hernandez launched the ball to Blaise Matuidi, who tried to control it with his chest but was immediately engaged by Franck Kessié. They fought for possession, jostling and pushing until the ball went out of play, this time for an Ivorian throw-in.

Kwame Bamba leaned over, commenting, "It seems Coach Hervé Renard and the boys are starting to manage the game."

Adeoluwa Soro nodded, adding, "That's the right thing to do at this point of the game. We're two goals ahead. We've got to waste as much time as possible and constantly break the play to stop France from building momentum."

Yannick Goué also chimed in, eyes brimming with hope. "We must stop France from scoring even a single goal. If the French get one back, the game will become tenser. I don't want to suffer a heart attack because of the pressure during the final minutes."

The others laughed to let off some steam as the game continued on the big screen.

The French players tried to link play together and penetrate through the wings, but the Ivorian players were relentless. They fouled, tackled, and used every tactic in the book to break up the play. Each disruption brought cheers from the bar, the tension easing slightly with each passing minute.

Gradually, the game approached the 65th-minute mark. The score remained 2-0 in favor of Ivory Coast. Though still tense, the fans in the pub began to believe that their dream of World Cup glory might just come true. Every pass, tackle, and save was met with cheers or groans, the emotional rollercoaster of the match reflected in their extreme reactions.

Kwame, Adeoluwa, and Yannick huddled together, their eyes never leaving the screen. "We're so close," Kwame muttered, his voice tinged with hope and anxiety.

"It's already the 70th minute, and only 20 more minutes of normal playing time remain," Adeoluwa replied, his fists clenched. "We just need to hold on."

Yannick, ever the optimist, grinned, masking his anxiety. "We will. This seems to be our time. For sure, we can win."

The game pressed on, and with each passing second, the dream of victory seemed closer to becoming a reality. In Abidjan, the city's heartbeat pounded with anticipation, every cheer a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Ivorian people.

But suddenly, the Ivorian fans grew quiet as the situation changed on the screens. Tension gripped the entire city as Paul Pogba suddenly played the ball expertly over the defense to find Kylian Mbappé unmarked and sprinting on the right flank.