Everyone watching couldn't believe it! Zachary had finally scored Juventus' 3rd goal and closed the score difference between the two teams to only one goal during the 78th minute of the game.
It was an incredible feat that pushed his Champions League goal tally for the season to a whopping 18 goals! And that was not all - he had finally surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 17 goals during the 2013-14 season. He was at the top of Europe, at least in terms of goals!
But Zachary didn't bask in the glory as his team was still trailing Barcelona by one goal. He knew there was still work to do. He quickly retrieved the ball from the back of the net and placed it on the center spot, ready to continue the game.
Juventus FC 3: FC Barcelona 4
"Wow, what a match we have here!" exclaimed Steve Bower, the commentator, as the Juventus fans erupted into cheers in the stadium. "Barcelona had a comfortable lead of three goals to nil before the end of the first half, but Juventus has come back in the second half with a vengeance and narrowed the score difference to just one goal!"
"Juventus has been playing some fantastic football, and it's now anyone's game with just over ten minutes left on the clock. Conor, who do you think will come out on top?" asked Bower eagerly.
"I couldn't tell you, Steve. This has been a rollercoaster of a match from start to finish," replied Conor McNamara, the other commentator. "I had my money on Barcelona at the start of the game, but Juventus has really surprised us with their fighting spirit, especially in the second half."
"During the first half, I obviously thought it would be an effortless win for Barcelona. They were leading by three goals at one point. But the Juventus players came out of the tunnel with boundless fighting spirit and proved me wrong. They quickly found the back of the net twice and narrowed the score difference to only one goal."
"The game was in their reach at that point, but then Barcelona scored the fourth goal. At that point, I thought this is it. I assumed the Catalans would manage the game well and freeze out Juventus for the remaining minutes. But here we are again, and Juventus has already netted the fourth. The result can go either way after all we've experienced."
"Speaking of which, Juventus is on the attack once again!" exclaimed Bower as the game resumed. "They're playing some really beautiful football, keeping possession with short passes and trying to break through Barcelona's defense."
"Pereyra has the ball now, and he's driving through the right wing. He's exchanging some quick passes with Zachary, and he's past Alba!" cried Bower excitedly. "He's heading straight towards the box, and he crosses the ball, looking for Tevez. But Ter Stegen, Barcelona's keeper, is there to punch the ball out of play for Juventus' corner kick! What a save!"
With just minutes left on the clock, it was impossible to predict which way the game would go. But as of now, Juventus had just won itself a crucial corner kick.
Imagine the scene: it was the 85th minute of the Champions League final, and Juventus was down three goals to four against Barcelona.
The tension was already palpable as both teams had fought tooth and nail to claim the most prestigious football title in Europe. The stadium was packed with passionate fans from all over the world, and every single one of them was on the edge of their seat, waiting for the result from the corner kick.
In a desperate bid to equalize, most Juventus players rushed into Barcelona's box, leaving only their shorter counterparts to guard against a counterattack. With the clock ticking down, they crowded the area, determined to outsmart their opponents and benefit from the corner kick.
Of course, the Barcelona players didn't allow them to do as they pleased as the final was on the line. The Catalans were aggressive and even caused a little scuffle within the box while defending their goal. Fortunately, the referee quickly resolved everything before blowing the whistle and signaling for Juventus to take the corner kick.
As Roberto Pereyra, the Juventus player waiting beside the corner flag, skillfully sent a lofted ball towards Barcelona's crowded box, chaos erupted in the box. Players pushed and pulled their opponents before leaping to meet the incoming goal. But then, out of nowhere, a silhouette in a Juventus jersey raced towards the near post.
It was Zachary, who had gone into motion after escaping his marker. He leaped off the ground as if gravity had no hold on him and angled his head to graze the incoming cross from the corner spot. His balance, coordination, and aerial finishing juju worked wonders as he timed his header to perfection and skillfully guided the ball towards the goal.
The whole series of events happened within an instant, and before the Barcelona keeper and defenders could react, the ball was already nestling into the back of the net.
86th minute! Juventus 4: Barcelona 4
Juventus had finally equalized, and the stadium erupted into thunderous cheers. The Juventus fans, who had been quiet for most of the game, were now on fire, jubilating their team's fourth and equalizing goal. They waved their flags and scarves, chanted their team's name, and hugged each other as if they had just won the lottery.
Zachary raced towards the stands, raising his fist to celebrate with all those excited fans. They responded with more pronounced cheers and continued jumping around as if they had achieved some sort of joyful salvation.
Soon enough, the other Juventus players and substitutes arrived to join the celebration. They hugged Zachary, patted him on the back, and shouted words of encouragement to each other. They even joked about how he had set a new unbreakable record for the most goals scored by a single player in a Champions League season.
But Giorgio Chiellini, the assistant captain, was quick to halt the celebrations. "Guys, we have only scored an equalizer," he reminded them. "Let's head back and fight for the Champions League trophy as a team. Let's score another goal and become the champions of Europe. We can do this! We can win the Champions League!"
The rest of the Juventus players made their agreements known with their loud yells. They bumped fists together and returned to the pitch with gazes brimming with boundless fighting spirit.
They were ready to battle Barcelona and score a goal during the remaining few minutes. They hoped to overwhelm their opponents and return to Turin with the most noble of European football titles.