Published at 8th of May 2024 6:42 am

Chapter 624 In the Lead

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Wilfried Zaha was bursting with anticipation as he saw Zachary's timely through pass heading his way. The thrill of playing alongside a skilled midfielder like Zachary was always a highlight for him. Zaha took a calculated risk and made a daring run to outpace the defense, but Zachary's eagle-eye vision spotted him just in the nick of time, and he delivered the ideal pass. It was a moment of pure magic that any footballer would envy.

Zaha didn't let his excitement affect his performance. He connected with Zachary's pass and controlled the ball with an outstretched leg. Then, with lightning-fast reflexes, he whirled around and fed the ball past Graeme Shinnie, Scotland's left-back, before beating him for pace.

As he cut into the pitch from the right flank, Kevin McDonald, one of the Scottish defensive midfielders, tried to stop him. But Zaha was too quick for him, and with a simple change of pace, he effortlessly glided past the midfielder and continued his mad dash towards the box.

Scott McKenna, the Scottish center-back, was the next person in line who tried to stop Zaha. However, Zaha made the right decision and chose not to tango with the defender. Instead, he quickly squared the ball into the box, hoping to find one of his Ivorian teammates.

In the box, Gervinho reacted to Zaha's pass and slid forward, trying to tap the ball into the back of the net. But a slight interference from Jack Hendry, the other Scottish center-back, took the ball away from him, thus denying the Ivorian forward a chance to score.

But was that the end of the wave of attack from Ivory Coast? The answer was a big NO, as the deflected ball glided towards the left flank where Nicolas Pépé, Ivory Coast's left-winger, was lurking.

Nicolas Pépé wasted no time as he collected the ball and bolted towards Scotland's box, his speed fast and furious. His audacious move caught the attention of the entire Scottish defense, and a few defenders scrambled to stop him. They lunged forward, hoping to prevent him from delivering a cross into the area.

However, Nicolas Pépé had a trick up his sleeve. Instead of unleashing a cross into the box, he outsmarted everyone on the pitch by passing the ball backward to the edge of the box where Zachary was arriving.

Zachary's heart raced as the ball glided towards him. It was a make-or-break moment, and he had to rely on his instincts and unleash his ball skills to score a goal. With lightning-fast reflexes, he kicked the ball with all his might, sending it soaring towards Scotland's goal with breathtaking speed and power.

The ball was like a guided missile, rocketing through the air, leaving everyone in awe. But, just as it was about to hit the target, it took a deflection off the thigh of one of the Scottish defenders. It was a moment of pure uncertainty, and before anyone could react, it homed into the back of the net, signifying that Ivory Coast had scored its first goal of the match during the 35th minute of gameplay.

What followed was a period of ecstasy for Zachary and his teammates. Without a moment's delay, they all ran straight to the corner flag, jumping and high-fiving each other in a frenzy of excitement. The air was electric with the energy of their accomplishment, and they yearned to keep going. The game was far from over, but that first goal had lit a fire within them - and they were ready to blaze a trail to the finish line!

Once the players positioned themselves, the referee signaled the start of the game with a whistle, and the match resumed.

The tension was high as the first half of the game between Scotland and Ivory Coast was already coming to a close. Scotland was trailing behind by one goal, but the players were not ready to give up. They decided to take a risk and started attacking with all their might. Long balls and crosses into the box became the order of the evening as the Scottish players pushed forward.

But the Ivorian defenders were not to be underestimated. They remained disciplined and organized, thwarting every attempt that came their way. The Scottish players were frustrated as they struggled to break through the compact defense. And so, as the teams made their way down the tunnel for half-time, the score remained 1:0 in favor of Ivory Coast. But there was still the second half, and it was still anyone's game for the taking.

At half-time, the Ivorian coach, Hervé Renard, made a bold move that got everyone following the friendly game talking. He subbed out every starting player except the goalkeeper and sent out a different team. What was Hervé Renard thinking? Well, the French tactician wanted to use the friendly match as an opportunity to assess the progress made by the players on the bench. He wanted to see if they had what it took to make it to the starting line-up.

Zachary was sitting on the bench during the second half of the game, feeling a bit fidgety. The Ivorian second-string players were now battling against the Scottish side, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as he watched them run up and down the field. Despite his restlessness, Zachary was still rooting for his team, hoping they would come out on top.

In the meantime, the Scottish players persisted with their strategy, relentlessly attempting to score an equalizer against Ivory Coast by employing long balls and crosses. It was a nail-biting series of minutes for everyone on the bench, and Zachary could feel the tension in the air as the game unfolded before his eyes.

Eric Bailly voiced his concern to Zachary, "The Scots are starting to dictate the pace of the game. If we're not careful, they might score anytime."

"Don't worry," Wilfried Zaha reassured them. "Our boys are still warming up. That's why the Scots have the upper hand at the moment. Once we settle in, we'll regain control of the game. Zachary, what's your opinion?" The forward turned to him.

"Let's wait and see," Zachary responded. Although he had been a member of the Ivory Coast team for three years, he still wasn't well-versed in the team's second-string players. As a result, he couldn't offer an accurate assessment of them.

Wilfried Zaha steered the conversation in a new direction, as nothing noteworthy was yet to happen on the field. "Hey, Zachary!" he called out. "We really missed you during the AFCON last year."

"Unfortunately, I couldn't join you guys due to my injury," Zachary explained. "I kept up with the game on TV and saw that we lost to Egypt in the round of sixteen."

Serge Aurier said from the side, "Oh, don't remind me of that game. We held Egypt for the entire 90 minutes. But we conceded a stupid goal during additional time. It was Mohamed Elneny who scored the winning goal against us."

Eric Bailly sighed deeply and said, "I hope we can perform better in the World Cup and qualify out of the group by beating Portugal and Spain."

Zachary exuded confidence, "We can take on any opponent and go even further in the World Cup. All we need to do is give it our all and leave no room for regrets."

Wilfried Zaha interjected, "Zachary is right! We have to treat every game as the finals. With the best midfielder in the world on our team, we can beat anyone." He gave Zachary a knowing look.

Eric Bailly jokingly remarked, "Yeah, with a Maestro like Zachary on our side, what have we got to fear? As long as we give him the ball, goals will come our way." His comment elicited chuckles from the rest of the group.

"Guys..." Zachary was on the edge of his seat, ready to say something, but he stopped as something crucial happened on the field.

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