Published at 8th of May 2024 6:42 am

Chapter 623 Friendly Against Scotland

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As Hervé Renard walked into the room with a grand entrance, Zachary couldn't help but admire how he exuded confidence and ease. The coach went around the room, flashing a warm smile to each of his players and making them feel seen and appreciated. He took the time to engage in small talk, inquiring about everyone's well-being and showing a genuine interest in their lives outside the game.

His players felt a sense of belonging and unity as Hervé's warm and commanding presence filled the room. They knew they were in good hands with a coach who could inspire and motivate them to achieve greatness. As soon as he stepped onto the stage, the coach's charisma permeated the air, attracting everyone's attention and respect. His players were captivated by his words and inspired by his unwavering confidence. After setting the tone with his engaging personality, he began discussing the tactics for Ivory Coast's friendly game against Scotland.

"Tomorrow marks the day we face Scotland in our final friendly match before the World Cup," the coach announced in fluent French. "Since most of you have just joined the team and haven't had the chance to train with your teammates yet, we'll keep the tactics fairly straightforward for tomorrow's game."

"Our game plan remains unchanged from our previous matches. We aim to maintain possession while creating opportunities to score. If there's a turnover, we promptly apply pressure using a high press and try to regain possession as much as possible. Lastly, we deploy a high defensive line and utilize offside traps to frustrate our opponents. I kindly ask you to try your very best to fulfill those requests for tomorrow's game."

"Moving on to the squad," the coach said, scanning the room. "Our starting line-up for the match is as follows: Our keeper will be Sylvain Gbohouo, while Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly, Lamine Koné, and Wilfried Kanon will play as our four defenders. We'll then go with Serey Dié, Franck Kessié, and Zachary Bemba for our midfield. Finally, for our forwards: we'll have Wilfried Zaha and Nicolas Pépé on the flanks while Gervinho will play as our center forward to complete our 4-3-3 formation."

"The players who haven't been mentioned will be on the bench for tomorrow's game," said the coach reassuringly. "But don't worry, there's no limit on substitutes for this friendly match, so everyone will have a chance to step onto the pitch and show off their skills."

"Do you have any questions?" asked the coach.

"No coach," the players responded in near-unison.

Upon completing the squad reading, the coach took a moment to address the players, conveying his contentment with the team's development. "It seems we're on the same page," he said with a smile, "and we're moving in the right direction. However, there's still more work to be done." The coach then announced that the players could take the rest of the day off. However, he emphasized that they had to be fully prepared for the morning training session the following day. "The training session is critical," he stressed, "as we need to fine-tune some of our tactics before our friendly match against Scotland in the evening."

Finally, the coach urged the players to stay focused and disciplined during their rest period. "We need to remain disciplined and keep the momentum going," he said. "We must ensure we're in top shape for the match."

With that said, the coach ended the meeting and sent his players away from the conference room. The players left feeling motivated and eager to work towards their next goal.

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Thursday, June 7th, 2018

Easter Road Stadium

Edinburgh, Scotland

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The atmosphere was electric in Edinburgh as the sun dipped low in the sky. All eyes were fixed on the football stadium, where Scotland was about to play Ivory Coast in a friendly match. The anticipation was palpable, with fans on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting for the game to begin. The energy was infectious, and you couldn't help but feel caught up in the excitement.

On the field, both teams had their top players ready to go. Scotland had an impressive starting line-up featuring the likes of Andrew Robertson, Scott McKenna, John McGinn, and Stuart Armstrong. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast was not to be underestimated, with a formidable team that included Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly, Zachary Bemba, Wilfried Zaha, Nicolas Pépé, and Gervinho, among other prominent names in African football. It was set to be a thrilling match, and the tension was mounting with each passing moment.

At exactly 7:00 PM, the referee glanced at his watch before blowing the kick-off whistle, signaling the start of the battle.

Both teams played it safe while assessing each other's tactics, abilities, and weaknesses in the opening minutes. As a result, the initial phase was uneventful, with neither team willing to take any chances or make mistakes.

Ivory Coast delivered a consistent performance by sticking to their stable game plan. Their strategy involved gradual buildups incorporating short passes and a few runs through the wings. Their game plan routinely paid off as they successfully delivered some well-executed crosses into the box, resulting in some impressive headers that headed straight toward the goal - but were unfortunately thwarted by the Scottish goalkeeper.

While Ivory Coast came out strong and aggressive, the Scottish team took a more cautious approach, prioritizing their defense and determined to not let a single goal slip in during those crucial opening minutes of the match. Executing this strategy demanded plenty of concentration and self-control, but the potential rewards were enormous in the long run.

The score remained deadlocked at 0:0, even after fifteen minutes of gameplay. But despite the lack of significant action on the pitch, the tension in the stadium continued to build as both teams tried to gain an advantage. The crowd cheered every time a player from their team gained possession of the ball, and the players themselves looked focused and determined as they moved the ball around the field. As the minutes ticked by, it became clear that this would be a closely contested match, with neither team willing to give an inch.

The football match continued uneventfully until the 34th minute when Jack Hendry, one of the Scottish defenders, made a terrible mistake that changed the game's tempo. He tried to clear the ball but ended up miskicking it, serving it to the highly agile Gervinho, who was lurking close to the edge of the box.

Being the experienced player he was, Gervinho made the best decision after collecting the ball. He passed it to Zachary, who had just sprinted into the pocket of space close to the border of the final third.

Zachary's eyes scanned the field as he quickly retrieved the ball. His heart was pounding with excitement as he searched for his teammates. He spotted an opening and then, with lightning-fast reflexes, stepped past John McGinn, one of the Scottish defensive midfielders. Zachary then quickly seized the opportunity to take advantage of the opposing team's disorganization caused by the error. Being an SS-graded passing Maestro, he executed a through pass with precision that only he could possess toward the right wing.

The ball soared through the air, guided by Zachary's expert touch. And then, like magic, Wilfried Zaha, Ivory Coast's right winger, appeared like a specter close to the touchline on the right flank. He was sprinting towards Scotland's defensive third at breakneck speed, ready to take on the opposition. Zachary had done his part - now it was up to Zaha to make the most of this golden opportunity.

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