THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
A Game Of Twists And Turns

The two teams' squads have already taken their positions on the field. However, the kick-off was slightly delayed by the substitution of VfB Stuttgart players just after halftime.

Zachary stood just outside the centre circle, studying VfB Stuttgart's line-up on the other side of the pitch. He was surprised to learn they had changed their initial formation completely.

Timo Werner and Felix Lohkemper have shifted inward from the wing. They stood on either side of the ball, at the halfway point, waiting for the kick-off of the second half.

Four VfB Stuttgart midfielders have structured themselves in the form of tightly knitted diamonds, pressing space in the middle. From the way they stood on the pitch, Zachary guessed they intended to play with a 4-4-2 formation rather than the 4-3-3 system they used in the first half.

It seems that VfB coach Stuttgart intends to make use of the wing play and cross passes to the two strikers. They have left their typical playing style featuring steady passes through midfield.

Zachary couldn't begin predicting how those changes would affect the game. But he knows very well that they are at a high risk of losing if they concede even a goal despite still leading. He hopes the defenders will do their job perfectly and keep VfB Stuttgart forward as they did in the first half.

*FREEEE*

The referee finally blew his whistle. The second round of the Riga Cup final began with the kick-off of VfB Stuttgart.

The attack took place at the NF Academy like a storm that swept through a coastal village right after kick-off. Joshua Kimmich received the ball and made the first pass to the left wing where Phillipp Mwene, left-back, was waiting.

The left-back received the ball and quickly advanced to near the edge line of the field, heading towards the NF Academy half-court. Kasongo, the NF Academy's right winger, was extremely vigilant and immediately shut him down.

However, Mwene passed the ball to Kaan Akkaya, the substitute midfielder who replaced Sinan Gums in the first half.

VfB Stuttgart, number 16, had the ball beautifully in left midfield, passing Simen Giaever, one of the NF Academy's defensive midfielders, with his first touch. He then looked up and unleashed a pass that split the defence towards the right wing, where Adrian Grbic, former VfB Stuttgart centre-forward, lurked. The bait soared above the NF Academy players and led to the right wing, without a hitch.

Adrian, right winger VfB Stuttgart, dribbled down, pushing him towards Simon Wilske, right-back.

Simon had the ball in the middle of the sprint on the right wing. He did not use any more time to direct himself and immediately darted towards the corner flag.

Robin Jatta, the left-back of NF Academy, came to intercept him soon after. However, Simon immediately sent a tempting cross into the box before Robin could close it.

Timo Werner, one of the two VfB Stuttgart attackers, floated into the box like a ghost, escaping his bodyguards skillfully. He connected with a fantastic cross and attempted to surprise the goalkeeper with a snapshot— of his right boot.

But the goddess of fortune seemed to be on the side of the NF Academy back then. His shot hit the right post and bounced off the left wing.

Robin Jatta, the NF Academy left-back, greeted the ball as it came out of the box and secured it.

NF Academy narrowly escaped conceding just three minutes into the second half.

"Focus, kids!" coach Johansen shouted from the sidelines. "The defenders, don't let their attackers get ahead of you when the ball goes into the box" he added with all his might, although the players in question didn't seem to be listening.

Over the next fifteen minutes, the players of VfB Stuttgart increased their attacks. Their midfield is further compacted into a diamond shape, allowing for a more stable passing force and a faster release of the ball to forwards and wingers. Their backline was constantly pressed to the center, ready to send the ball back to the NF Academy area.

As the match progressed, Zachary realized that VfB Stuttgart had switched to a strategy similar to that used by ADO The Hague in the semifinals. The midfielders gave passes to the wing as quickly as possible. The winger and full-back ran alongside the sidelines, then dribbled slightly before delivering a cross behind the defence.

The entire Stuttgart VfB squad relentlessly put more pressure on their opponents' defences. The NF Academy defenders and goalkeepers were constantly fidgeting, watching crosses and running into the box by two VfB Stuttgart attackers. Nonetheless, they persisted, denying all VfB Stuttgart's chances of writing their name on the score sheet.

Zachary saw a problem with his team as time approached the 70th minute. The defenders started to get frustrated after holding off VfB Stuttgart's attack for much of the second half. Some of them start making reckless challenges, hoping to win the ball back as quickly as possible.

In the 72nd minute, Yvind Alseth, the NF Academy right-back, tackled Adrian Grbic on the right wing. He had committed an offense in the process of trying to stop the skipper from going through it.

The referee blew his whistle, signifying a free kick.

NF Academy defended against free kicks successfully.

However, that does not end the dilemma. The tackle continued to fly all over the NF Academy's field side.

In the 75th minute, Robin Jatta, the NF Academy's number 3, knocked out another opponent, making him fall to the ground on the left wing.

The referee showed no mercy at the time. He gave VfB Stuttgart a free-kick once again and showed Robin a yellow card.

The anger in the final flared to an irresistible level as the final whistle drew near.

Not a single player in the NF Academy defense would let an opponent pass through them, especially in the last quarter of an hour. They only did their best to deny VfB Stuttgart a chance to score.

The defenders kept pressing VfB Stuttgart forward, sometimes turning them upside down, as they tried to break through the box. As a result, three other NF Academy players got a yellow card in the 78th minute.

Things don't look good for Zachary's team.

He's frustrated. He barely got a touch on the ball in the second half. Four VfB Stuttgart midfielders have created a pressing zone around him. They had managed to block most of the bait on their way towards him. In addition, the German team has changed their attacking strategy to the wings, pushing the action of the game further away from him. He plays in desert ball.

However, he did not mind the status quo. As long as his team maintained its lead, he would gladly accept remaining isolated. He understood that the more midfielders concentrated on him, the less damage they could do to NF Academy in advance.

His mind only changed when signs of frustration began to show in the playing style of his team-mates. They do a lot of unnecessary tackles and risk receiving a red card. He had to do something to calm their nerves. The best way to achieve that is to attack and give them hope that they are closer to winning the game. But he had to find a way to escape his thoughts first.

**** ****

In the stands, Emily watches the game closely, capturing every second of the game. As the match progressed, the tension he felt increased.

He could not understand why he was so engrossed in the ups and downs of that match. He 'just' came to watch his client's game, yet he ended up being the NF Academy's biggest fan.

The experience was scary.

Every part of him shook with anxiety as he watched Zachary's team endure the relentless assault of VfB Stuttgart. He never expected more of the referee to blow the final whistle.

Emily has lost count of how many times VfB Stuttgart has come close to scoring. An unrelenting cross flew into the NF Academy box while occasional shots hit the post after a failed attempt.

But what worried him the most was the sheer number of breaches committed by the NF Academy's defense. He couldn't understand why Zachary's team-mates couldn't stay calm and play the same way they did in the first half.

Only Kendrick, the goalkeeper, was able to maintain his high level of performance. The rest seem substandard. Emily is considering recruiting him as her second client from Norway. But, he intended to see more of her appearance before making a decision.

Emily sighed, shaking her head. The obnoxious commentators kept raving about how the NF Academy would most likely lose. They commented on every NF Academy mistake with glee, as they hoped Zachary's team would lose. He didn't like their voices, not a bit.

"I think the NF Academy players finally collapsed under pressure," he heard Andres Ricardo yell with his heavy accent. "It was a lovely pass that split the defence from Joshua Kimmich. But, Felix Lohkemper, the VfB Stuttgart forward, failed to score once again. Vincent! What do you think is wrong with VfB Stuttgart? We were already in the 82nd minute, yet they failed to pass NF Academy—tim whose performance was poor since the beginning of the second half!"

"Ricardo, let me correct you there" said Vincent McManaman, the second commentator. "NF Academy is not performing poorly. They 'just' can't handle a much stronger German team."

"So, why can't VfB Stuttgart score?" Ricardo asked in an amused tone.

"Perhaps, bad luck befell them" said Vincent, his voice steady. "I'm really not sure. But if they manage to score one goal in the next five minutes— they can put two more past NF Academy in no time. They 'just' need to get the first goal past the defence. . That's what they should be focusing on right now." He emphasizes.

"Let's wait and..." Ricardo, the first commentator, paused in the middle of the sentence. "Yes God! What do we have here? Ayi, ya—ya—ya! Geez! The referee points to the penalty spot. What's going on?"

Emily's attention was on the field at the time. A cross came into the box from the left wing, threatening to find Felix Lohkemper, the VfB Stuttgart attacker. However, one of the defenders came in and cleared the ball to safety. He did not understand why the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

"And here it is" cried Ricardo Andres, the commentator, solving his doubts. His tone had changed to climate. "Daniel Kvande, the NF Academy's centre-back, has handled the ball in the box. This is a handball inside the box—and that means a penalty has been awarded to VfB Stuttgart. But what does that mean for Daniel, the young NF Academy? central defender? He's got a yellow card."

Emily felt her mood sink as she listened to the comment. [Will my client lose his first competitive final?] He wondered, continuing to follow the process in the stadium.

"Geez!" Ricardo continued in a dramatic tone after a slight pause. "The referee has issued the second yellow card—and now he takes the red card from his pocket. Holy hooch! What an amazing event!" His voice became a crescendo. "NF Academy must finish the game with one player. It was a red card in the 84th minute. Vincent, what do you think of this?"

"This is an opportunity for VfB Stuttgart to take the lead" said Vincent McManaman, the second commentator calmly. “They have so many phenomenal players in their squad. They can take advantage of this and reverse the NF Academy's lead in the next five minutes plus injury time. It seems we are ready for an exciting game that ends in the Riga Cup final. "

Emily could only sigh when she saw the NF Academy defender walking miserably off the field.

NF Academy is in a precarious situation.

**** ****