THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME-Chapter 45: Friendly Matches

"To prepare for the Riga Cup, we'll be playing a few friendly matches against some third division teams," Coach Johansen announced. He let his gaze roam across the academy players seated in a semicircle around him. Zachary and his teammates had just finished their training at the academy grounds that Friday evening.

"Our goal is to compete in four matches before the harsh winter sets in," the coach continued. "I expect you to put more effort into your preparations over the next few months. Our goal is to win every single game, starting with Byåsen Toppfotball next Friday. Be ready..."

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At the start of October, Zachary and his academy teammates faced the Byåsen Toppfotball Club in a closely contested game at the NF grounds. The club played in the 3rd Division of the Norwegian Football League. They had several experienced players, especially in their defense, who caused the academy team a lot of trouble.

The game remained at a stalemate until the 88th minute. With a spark of individual brilliance, Zachary released Örjan Börmark with a teasing through-pass, from close to the center-circle, during a counter-attack.

The NF academy's lone striker dashed past the defenders and latched on to the inch-perfect pass behind the defenders. He proceeded to fire the ball past Byåsen's hapless goalkeeper, sealing a sweet 1:0 victory for the academy.

However, Zachary wasn't in the best of moods even after the win. He felt empty after failing to score against the third division team. That was the first time he had been unable to add his name to the score sheet in a game since his arrival in Norway.

Zachary's mind could no longer find satisfaction in simply playing the game. He felt a burning urge to score goals. So, he worked harder, aiming to better his performance in the next friendly match.

The outdoor and gym workouts got him the fresh air he needed to put the match behind him. He could feel his lungs expand, his heartbeat stronger with each session. In those moments of pushing past his limits, he sharpened his focus and readied himself for the next match.

A month later, the NF academy faced-off against the NTNUI university sports club. Zachary worked hard for all 90 minutes, playing like he was in the Euro Champions League.

Right after kickoff, he conquered the midfield. He tackled opposing midfielders, intercepted passes in the center of the pitch, and above all, let-loose several passes into the wings that caught the NTNUI's defenders several times off-guard.

In the 23rd minute, Zachary unleashed a defense-splitting pass towards the right-wing, catching the opposing defenders and midfielders—off-guard. The NTNUI players couldn't react to the threat in-time since they'd been attacking the NF academy's box during a corner kick.

Kasongo collected the pass in the right-wing and took off like the wind towards NTNUI's 18-yard box. No players stood between him and the goal except the goalkeeper. His pace was swift. He'd gotten faster after following a training plan designed specifically for him by Coach Johansen.

Zachary watched Kasongo expertly loop the ball over the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper. 1:0 in favor of the academy. He was glad to see his friend score for the first time since arriving in Trondheim. He hoped the goal would bolster Kasongo's confidence and encourage him to work harder.

That strike opened the floodgates. Zachary and his teammates played with newfound vigor, dictating play against the university team. Whenever they lost possession, they used high-pressing tactics to win the ball back quickly.

The academy players defended high up the field, pushed play wide, and prevented any NTNUI possession in the midfield. Zachary forced several turnovers and would quickly move towards the opposition's box whenever he won the ball. His first touches were perfect, and his passes like snipper bullets, always finding their targets. His transitions were swift and fierce; he played the link between defense and striking with perfection.

Zachary scored twice and provided two assists that resulted in goals that day. In the 30th minute, he dribbled past four defenders using one of his signature-runs, finding his way into the box. Zachary then smashed a right-footed shot into the top right corner, making it 2:0 in favor of the academy.

Zachary's second goal was an exact copy of the first, the only exception being; he cut into the box from the wings. He looked unstoppable as he bolted and weaved through the gaps in-between the defenders like a sewing machine's needle through the seams of a cloth. He blasted the ball into the back of the net in the 55th minute, making the score 3:0.

As the match progressed, the NF academy sustained its dominance in all aspects of gameplay. The boys in the dark blue jerseys were on fire. They were on a rampage around the pitch. Zachary zig-zagged through the defense two more times, releasing Örjan Börmark and Paul Otterson—who scored in the 60th and 72nd minutes of the game.

But that was not the end of the action that Friday evening. The academy team was not going to go easy on their opponents. Not with Coach Johansen on the sidelines.

In the 88th minute, Magnus Blakstad, the tall defending central midfielder, timed his run perfectly to connect with a corner kick. He then planted a close-range header close to the left post, making the score 6:0.

The NF academy's game would have been perfect that day if they hadn't conceded in additional time. In the 92nd minute, poor marking within the box allowed one of NTNUI's players to latch on to one of their rare crosses into the academy's box. The NTNUI's number nine powered a header into the top right corner, leaving Kendrick Otterson beaten. The match ended with a score of 6:1 in favor of Zachary and his teammates.

But Coach Johansen was anything but happy. "I already said again and again that you must maintain a high state of concentration until the final whistle," he said, rubbing his bald head in frustration. The players had just concluded the game. They were seated on the sidelines, listening to the post-match analysis by their coach. Some chugged down water, others fanned themselves with their shirts, while others munched on snacks to restore the calories they had burnt up during the match.

"You can't afford to make any careless mistakes, especially when you face some of the top talents in Europe in just a few months." The coach let his fiery gaze rest on Robin Jatta and Lars Togstad, the starting wing-backs. "How could you concede a goal like that in the final minutes?" He scowled at the two players.

All the players remained quiet, waiting for their coach to continue. They had long grown immune to his antics. If one among their ranks blasted a hole in the moon with the sheer power of his shots, Coach Johansen would proceed to ask why their technique couldn't take care of the sun, too.

They had won a game by a margin of five goals, but the 'red beard' was still nitpicking on a single mistake. The players only listened to the critique halfheartedly. Some kept glancing at their phones, seemingly counting down the minutes. They were all eager to be dismissed.

Coach Johansen seemed to read their minds and frowned. "You shouldn't be satisfied with winning against part-time professional players in a 3rd Division team," he said, shaking his head. "When you join the Riga Cup next February, you'll face off against some of the most clinical forwards in your age group. They'll be able to exploit all your mistakes and use them against you."

"I can point out several such mistakes in the match we just played," the coach paused as if to let the information sink into the heads of the players. "Robin, you allowed their striker to make runs behind you thrice in the game. If he'd been a little bit faster, he would have punished us for such carelessness. Magnus, you let several of their players beat you to several high balls in the center of the field. Just imagine if there was a midfielder as good as Zach on the opposing side. We would have conceded more than two goals..."

The coach continued pointing out the mistakes of all players on the team. He nitpicked on every miskick and every mismatch in positioning during the game. He highlighted match situations that could have resulted in goals if the opponents had been more skilled and clinical. By the time he finished his little oration, no one was still jubilant over having won the friendly game.

"We need to focus during the next few months," the coach said, his voice taking on a soft tone. "We shall drill into you as much tactical awareness as we can before the games in Riga. That, I can promise."

"However, you need to do your part, especially in the remaining two friendlies against Gjøvik and Sprint-Jeløy next month. Train like professionals over the next few weeks so that you can perform beyond expectations in those two games. You are—dismissed for today."

Coach Johansen remained true to his words. Over the remaining three weeks of November, he worked the players like oxen on the pitch. He increased their tactical passing and defensive strategy sessions by several hours each day. Most of them silently accepted the training without any complaints. They were eager to improve themselves, and above all, feared facing his wrath if they failed to live up to his expectations.

The seriousness of the players carried on into the matches. They managed to win by 3:0 against Gjøvik FC at the start of December. A week later, they thrashed Sprint-Jeløy 2:0, ending their friendly games before the Christmas break with perfection. They'd managed to hold their own against third division teams without conceding a single goal for two games.

Zachary maintained his perfect form and scored a goal in each of the two matches. His speed was already a nightmare for the third division teams. He was the outlier that pushed the academy team to perform beyond their level against the third division teams. His perfect control in the midfield kept the opponents at bay, denying them any chances to create opportunities to threaten the NF goal.

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