Chapter 171: The Perfect Start I

As usual, Kristin was present for the match in the stands of Lerkendal together with her flatmate. She jumped up from her seat and started cheering with the rest of the fans when Nicki Nielsen, the highly clinical Rosenborg number-9, put the ball into the back of the net.

"It is only the fourth minute, and Rosenborg is already ahead by one goal," she heard Kjell Roar, the commentator, say. His mellifluous voice boomed through the stadium's loudspeakers, dwarfing the loud cheering of the Rosenborg fans in the stadium.

"Thanks to the quick thinking of Zachary and Nicki, the Rosenborg players have themselves a perfect start in this highly contested Tippeligaen fixture," the commentator continued as the cheering started to die down. "What incredible stuff from the Rosenborg number-33, Zachary Bemba. The vision and composure to spot that possibility and take the free-kick quickly while the Molde players were still sleeping was simply genius. I'm at a loss for words regarding the ingenuity of this 18-year-old player."

"No, you aren't," Kristin heard the voice of Harald Brattbakk, the pundit for the day, chipping in. "If you're at a loss for words, then what about the Molde fans or even Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer himself? One look at him on the visitor's bench, and you'll understand what it means to be at a loss for words."

Kjell Roar laughed at that. "I wouldn't blame the coach, though," he said, his voice lowering. "Conceding that goal was without a doubt the fault of all Molde players. Why on earth is it that none of them kept an eye on Zachary when he picked up the ball? Instead, they kept arguing with the referee and didn't even bother to mark Rosenborg's two most dangerous players. I'm really perplexed."

"Why do you sound like a Molde fan?" Harald, the Rosenborg legend and pundit for the day, queried.

"No, I'm not," Kjell Roar was quick to reply. "It's just that it has been a long time ever since I witnessed such a goal. For a moment there, I thought the referee would cancel it since he hadn't yet arranged the wall when Zachary took that lightning-fast free-kick."

"That must be the thought running through the heads of all the Molde fans watching the game both live in the stadium and back at home on their screens," Harald cut in. "But, let me assure you: the goal is a hundred percent legit. Zachary managed to make that assist without breaking any of the rules of the game."

"Think about it for a moment," the pundit continued. "Zachary just took advantage of the situation and delivered the ball to Nicki when the Molde players were still sleeping. He didn't commit any punishable offense, such as a foul, during the entire process."

"Nicki, who was clearly onside, took the opportunity and did what he does best. He put the ball in the back of the net without any pressure. So, remind me why the referee should cancel the goal."

Kristin heard Kjell Roar chuckle at that. "Tell that to the Molde players," he said. "They're all over the referee, still arguing against the quickly taken free-kick. But the referee is still standing firm regarding his decision."

"Let's talk about Zachary for a bit as we wait for the match officials to solve the chaos on the field," Kjell Roar said, his voice steadily growing spirited. "Over the past few days, he was quite outspoken regarding what he thought about Molde. And today, he has backed his words with actions by providing that assist in the fourth minute. What do you think about this, Harald?"

Harald chuckled. "I watched Zachary's two post-match interviews," the pundit replied. "And as you said, Zachary was quite outspoken regarding Molde. I understand that some might think that he was a bit arrogant in the interviews, but I have a different opinion. Have you considered that he might not be that self-important but outright confident?"

"Look at the game today," the pundit continued, without giving Kjell a chance to answer the question. "He stated that there was no way Molde would defeat Rosenborg considering their past fixtures, especially at Lerkendal. In the fourth minute, Molde has already made a mistake and conceded a goal. And that goal was in part created by him. So, tell me: is he arrogant or confident?"

"Well," Kjell Roar said. "The game has just started, and we'll have the answer to that question at the end of the 90 minutes. For now, let's take you back to the live-action. The game has just restarted with Molde's kick-off. However, the players in blue still seem rattled. They haven't managed to settle down into the game after conceding the early goal. Their passing and positioning are messy beyond measure, and they're finding it hard to hold possession. Is this really Molde, the reigning Tippeligaen champion and the team coached by one of the Norwegian legends of the game?"

Kristin returned her full attention to the pitch after the cheering died down. She watched as Molde tried to hold on to the possession, passing the ball through the middle with quick one-touch and two-touch passes. For the next few minutes, they gave the impression that they were trying their best to settle into the game and dictate the tempo.

But the Rosenborg players didn't let them. The troll kids had taken the counter-pressing strategy to the extreme. They ran at any Molde player with the ball as if their lives were on the line, trying their best to win back possession as quickly as possible. They didn't allow the players in blue any second to settle down with the ball. Thanks to that, they managed to force the Molde defensive midfielders to play the ball high towards the other side of the field.

Hope fluttered inside Kristin's as she watched Mike Jensen, one of Rosenborg's double-pivots, control the ball while skipping past a Molde player. Without wasting time, he kicked it towards Zachary, who'd already opened himself up beyond the zone of intense rival pressure in the center circle.

But just as Zachary was about to receive the pass, Jo Inge Berget, the Molde attacking midfielder, was instantly upon him. He collided aggressively into Zachary's back, trying to win the ball back for his team.

Kristin winced despite herself as she thought Zachary might lose possession soon due to the pressure from Jo Inge. But she was once again surprised after a moment.

Zachary received the pass beautifully with a simple deft touch, while managing to hold off the bearded Jo Inge with his incredible physique. He then faked a pass down the field before spinning around and initiating an exquisite Cruyff-turn that threw off the midfielder, leaving him disoriented and ignorant of what had happened.