THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-664

664 The Final Push

The game trudged on, with France relentlessly attacking and throwing everyone forward in a desperate bid to break the deadlock. But the Ivorians defended like mad and held their ground.

The intent of the Ivorian players was clear to everyone watching: they would allow France to dominate possession, but there was no way in hell they would let the French forwards break through the middle and threaten their box. Keeping their lines tight, they constantly discouraged the French from making meaningful forward passes.

Minutes ticked by without any significant events, and finally, it was the 90th minute, with the score still 2-2. The fourth official on the sidelines put up the board, indicating an added six minutes of injury time.

The French players, noticing the added time, seemed to muster the strength for a few last pushes, hoping to score a winning goal and prevent the game from going into extra time.

France started their build-up from the defensive midfield, with the substitute defensive midfielder Steven Nzonzi playing the ball to the right wing to find Benjamin Pavard, the right-back.

Since all the Ivorian players were defending in front of the ball, Pavard had all the space he needed to make a daring run through the wing. He drove the ball forward before finally passing it to Kylian Mbappé, France's right winger.

Mbappé, phenomenal ever since he scored France's first goal, controlled the ball well and tried to step past Maxwel Cornet, the Ivorian left-back, who had fallen back to defend. But Mbappé's efforts soon turned fruitless as Adama Traoré, the wing-back, rushed forward to double-team him, stopping him from breaking inside..

Undeterred, Mbappé expertly played the ball into the space behind the two Ivorian players, finding Antoine Griezmann, who had timed his run perfectly towards the edge of the box.

Griezmann controlled the ball close to the left side of the box before cunningly squaring it back towards the circle of the eighteen and finding the arriving Paul Pogba.

Pogba received it and tried a swift snapshot from outside the box, hoping to recreate more heroics and score the winner. But Serey Dié threw himself forward, blocking the shot and stopping it from continuing on its trajectory to the goal.

The blocked ball rebounded and flew towards the right side of the box, where Serge Aurier received it. Ousmane Dembélé was closing him down, but Aurier skipped away gracefully.

Spotting Zachary already racing towards the other side of the pitch on the left wing, Aurier's instincts kicked in. He immediately fed the ball along the line, aiming to find Zachary and initiate a counterattack.

Aurier's pass was perfect, and Zachary connected with it on the half-turn, noting Steven Nzonzi closing down on him. Composed, Zachary feigned a rush along the touchline toward French territory.

Nzonzi, taking the bait, charged to block Zachary's run. But in the nick of time, Zachary abruptly halted, spinning past the defensive midfielder with the ball glued to his left foot. His elegance was unmatched, and suddenly, the field opened before him.

He saw that Rapha?l Varane and Samuel Umtiti, the French center-backs, were out of position, having been involved in France's last build-up for their attack. His heart raced, and he didn't hesitate.

Heart racing, he bolted away from Nzonzi, who was now trying to grab his shirt, and charged toward France's box. Varane and Umtiti scrambled to catch up, but Zachary's SSS-grade speed was not for show.

Although he still felt the pain from N'Golo Kanté's earlier tackle, he pushed through, racing toward the box like a comet shooting through the sky.

The pain in his shin tried to slow him, but Zachary pushed it to the back of his mind. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as it was the 90th minute, and Zachary had a clear chance to score and put Ivory Coast ahead again.

Hugo Lloris, the French keeper, rushed out to meet him. But Zachary boldly held onto the ball a moment longer, and as Lloris approached, he dug his boot under the ball and looped it over the keeper's outstretched hands.

Tension mounted, the stadium holding its breath as the ball arced perfectly and bounced toward the back of the net. Rapha?l Varane, having made a desperate recovery, charged back, hoping to intercept it. But before he could reach it, the ball bounced over the goal line, signifying that Zachary had just scored Ivory Coast's third goal in the 91st minute.

The stadium exploded with cheers from the Ivorian fans as the score on the jumbotron changed to 3:2. Zachary had completed a counterattack, scored a hat-trick, and bagged the 11th goal of his World Cup campaign, potentially the winning goal of the final.

However, he couldn't celebrate as the dash from the wing to the goal had taken everything out of him. The pain from his shin spiked, and he felt he couldn't continue, no matter how much he tried to force himself.

His teammates rushed to celebrate with him, but Zachary hurriedly told them he was injured. Wilfried Zaha, Eric Bailly, and the others narrowed their eyes, restraining themselves from jumping on him in celebration. They then signaled the referee and the technical bench, and the medics rushed onto the pitch.

When the medics pulled down Zachary's stocking, everyone gasped at the sight of his swollen shin. They couldn't believe he had sprinted past the French defenders with such an injury. What kind of tenacity did he have?

Zachary calmed them down. "It actually looks worse than it is," he assured them. Seeing them nod, he continued, "I'm sorry I can't continue. But keep fighting and hold on to the lead."

His teammates thumped their chests, with Zaha taking the lead. "You have done your part, Zachary. Now, rest well, and we'll see this through. We promise," they said one after another.

Zachary nodded and was then carried off the pitch on a stretcher. Cheick Doukouré immediately took his place, and the game resumed. The French players, now desperate, threw everything into their attempts to equalize.

They played like men possessed, launching offensive after offensive at the Ivorian defense. Even Rapha?l Varane, known more for his defensive prowess, surged forward to initiate the attack.

Wilfried Zaha moved to intercept him, but Varane executed a perfect diagonal pass to Ousmane Dembélé on the left wing. Dembélé chested the ball down and attempted to sprint past Serge Aurier. However, Aurier, always sharp, executed a hard sliding tackle, sending Dembélé tumbling to the ground.

The French players cried foul, and the referee rushed to the scene, issuing a yellow card to Aurier and awarding France a free-kick.

Zachary was now watching from the bench while receiving treatment. He felt his heart clench. Such free-kicks were dangerous as they provided golden opportunities for the opponents to launch the ball into the box.

He watched with bated breath as Antoine Griezmann stepped up to take the free-kick. Griezmann sent a long, curling ball over the Ivorian defense towards the box. Players from both teams rushed to contest it, but Varane perfectly timed his run and came out on top. He angled his head, guiding the ball towards the top corner with textbook precision.

Zachary's heart sank as he saw the ball heading for the back of the net. He hoped for a miracle, perhaps for the ball to hit the post, but his wishes were in vain.

Unfortunately, the ball flew past Sylvain Gbohouo's outstretched hands and found the back of the net. On cue, the French fans, players, and coaches cheered with renewed vigor, their voices shaking the stadium.

Zachary felt something inside him break, tears welling up as he realized France had equalized. The game was headed into extra time, and he was already off the pitch. He covered his face with his hands, hoping to conceal his frustration and tears from the ever-watching cameras.

But just as he hit his lowest point, the atmosphere in the stadium suddenly changed. The cheers of the French fans abruptly stopped, replaced by groans and boos.

Zachary quickly removed his hands from his face and was pleasantly surprised. His mood lifted as he saw the referee pointing to his ear while the stadium jumbotron flashed the words "Checking Goal" and "Possible Offside." His spirits lifted from the depths, his heart pounding as the stadium waited with bated breath for the decision.

Finally, after a few tense moments, the VAR officials reached a decision. The words "Decision, No Goal" appeared on the large screen, indicating Varane was offside.

On seeing the verdict, Zachary was overwhelmed with emotion. He jumped up and yelled, wincing just as abruptly as his shin throbbed with pain. The medics who had just attended to him urged him to calm down, but Zachary couldn't let his injury dampen his joy.

Amidst the excitement, the pitch was engulfed in chaos as the French players swarmed the referee, passionately arguing their case. The linesmen intervened to restore order, and eventually, the situation calmed down.

As the game resumed, France made a final desperate attempt to turn the tables. However, the Ivorians, showing newfound composure, focused on keeping the French at bay.

Time seemed to crawl as France struggled to create any significant opportunities. But they couldn't find the back of the net, and after an excruciating eight minutes of added time, the referee finally brought the World Cup final to a close. Ivory Coast had finally emerged victorious.