660 The Turning Point
Zachary lay on the grass, wincing as he massaged his shin where N'Golo Kanté's boot had caught him. The pain was sharp but manageable. It was more a result of the impact than any significant injury. As he sat up, Wilfried Zaha, Eric Bailly, and Franck Kessié were already by his side, their faces etched with worry.
"Are you alright?" Zaha asked, extending a hand to help him up.
Zachary smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine," he said, grasping Zaha's hand and quickly rising to stand back on his feet.
"Watch out for Kanté," Zaha warned. "He's out to get you."
Zachary chuckled. "I will," he replied, turning his attention to the rest of the field. He immediately saw Salomon Kalou and Serey Dié arguing with the referee, their gestures animated.
"Calm down, guys," Zachary called out as he hurried over to them. "Don't play into their hands. Focus on our game."
The two players nodded, eventually heeding his advice, and returned to their positions. Seconds later, the referee gave N'Golo Kanté a stern verbal warning before blowing his whistle to restart the game.
Zachary quickly took the free-kick, passing it short to Franck Kessié. But as soon as Kessié received the ball, Antoine Griezmann was upon him, forcing a quick pass back to Eric Bailly.
Bailly was also under pressure from Olivier Giroud, so he wasted no time before passing the ball to Sylvain Gbohouo, the Ivorian goalkeeper. Gbohouo scanned the field and saw Kylian Mbappé sprinting towards him. Deciding not to take any risks, he launched the ball high and far downfield.
Wilfried Zaha positioned himself near the edge of the final third, ready to contest the aerial ball with the French center-backs - Samuel Umtiti and Raphaël Varane. Using his body effectively, Zaha held them off and expertly chested the ball down, playing it back into the midfield, where Zachary was charging forward.
But Zachary wasn't alone. N'Golo Kanté was right on his heels, sticking to him like a shadow. Zachary, though, grinned, knowing his superior SSS grade agility could leave Kanté behind. He accelerated, pulling away—but then felt a tug on his shirt. Kanté had grabbed him, pulling him back.
Incensed, Zachary stopped and turned to face Kanté, who quickly apologized. "It was instinct," Kanté said hurriedly. "I didn't mean to."
Zachary couldn't help but find the situation ironic. Twice now, Kanté had fouled him and claimed it was unintentional. The referee intervened, stepping between them and showing a yellow card to Kanté.
The French players and fans groaned in frustration. A yellow card this early in the 20th minute meant Kanté would have to play cautiously for the rest of the match.
Zachary took a deep breath, pleased with the decision. He positioned himself for the free-kick, the stadium watching with bated breath. He knew this was a critical moment. It was only 20 minutes into the game, but the intensity had already reached unprecedented levels.
The referee's whistle cut through the noise, signaling the restart. Zachary glanced at the French wall comprised only of two players, then at his teammates, before focusing on the ball.
He struck it with practiced skill, sending it curling into the box. The French defense scrambled, clearing the ball, but it fell to Franck Kessié at the edge of the area. Kessié took a touch and fired a shot, but it was blocked by Varane.
The ball ricocheted back towards Zachary, who controlled it with an almost effortless deft touch. He looked up, spotting Zaha making a run into the box.
His instincts churned, and without hesitating, Zachary flicked the ball over the defense, and Zaha met it with a powerful header. Unfortunately, the French goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, made a spectacular save, tipping the ball over the bar.
The crowd roared in appreciation of the thrilling sequence. The Ivorians were undeterred, lining up for the corner kick with renewed determination. Zachary also jogged into the box, his mind clear, his focus sharp. He knew they had the momentum. The game was still young, and they had to capitalize on every opportunity.
The referee's whistle soon pierced the air, signaling Nicolas Pépé to take the corner kick. Positioned before the corner spot, Pépé delivered a beautifully curling ball into the box.
Zachary timed his run perfectly, using his 6'4 frame to tower over the French defenders. His eyes were locked on the fast-approaching ball, ready to guide it into the net with a powerful header.
But then, another figure entered his line of vision—Samuel Umtiti, rising to meet him in an aerial duel. Zachary didn't back down, angling his head to win the battle. The ball sped towards them, and just as Zachary prepared to connect, he saw the ball hit Umtiti's slightly raised arm.
Umtiti flinched but quickly pretended nothing had happened, deflecting the ball away. Paul Pogba seized the opportunity, booting the ball clear of the box.
Zachary and his teammates erupted, yelling at the referee for a penalty, waving their arms frantically. But the referee waved off their pleas, motioning for the play to continue.
In the meantime, Antoine Griezmann swiftly collected the cleared ball, turning and passing to Kylian Mbappé, who was already sprinting down the right wing, ready to launch a counterattack.
Just then, another twist happened. The referee blew his whistle again and pointed to his ear, signaling a VAR check. The stadium's jumbotron flashed "Checking Possible Penalty" and "Handball," sending shockwaves through the pitch. Mbappé, frustrated, halted his run while an anxious atmosphere settled over the crowd.
The French players surrounded the referee, arguing their case, but he waved them off and soon jogged to the pitch-side monitor. He reviewed the replay of Umtiti's handball, clearly seeing the ball strike the defender's hand. The crucial questions now were whether Umtiti's hand was in a natural position and if the handball was intentional or denied a goal-scoring opportunity.
The referee made his decision and ran back to the pitch, pointing to the penalty spot and awarding Ivory Coast a penalty. He also showed Umtiti a yellow card, much to the relief and joy of the Ivorian fans and players. The French fans, however, erupted in outrage, cursing the intrusion of VAR into the beautiful game of football.
But all that had nothing to do with Zachary. He stepped forward, his heart pounding with the weight of the moment.
It was the 23rd minute, and he had the chance to put Ivory Coast ahead. The stadium fell into a tense silence as he placed the ball on the spot. He took a deep breath, blocking out the noise and pressure, focusing solely on the goal before him.
Hugo Lloris, the French goalkeeper, stood poised, his eyes locked on Zachary. Zachary took a few steps back, visualizing the shot. The referee blew the whistle, and in that instant, time seemed to slow down. Zachary surged forward, striking the ball with composure and practiced skill.
Everything that followed happened so fast, and the ball sailed through the air, curving away from Lloris's outstretched arms and burying itself in the back of the net.
The stadium erupted into thunderous cheers and groans, a symphony of contrasting emotions. Zachary sprinted towards the corner flag, his teammates piling onto him in celebration. Ivory Coast was ahead, 1-0, and the dream of lifting the World Cup grew closer.