Rise of a Football God

(FIFA Club World Cup!)

(Second round results:)

>Leon 0-1 Urawa Reds<

>Date: 15th December, 2023<

…

>Enyimba FC 3-0 Al-Ittihad<

>Date: 15th December, 2023<

…

(Semifinal fixtures:)

>Fluminense – Enyimba FC<

>Date: 18th December, 2023<

…

>Urawa Reds – Man City<

>Date: 19th December, 2023<

To Enyimba FC, the most glorious fact of the second round of the FIFA Club World Cup was not the fact that they swept Al-Ittihad under the rug, qualifying at their expense, but rather the fact that they ended on the other side of the draw.

It would have been even more painful after all their efforts, hoping to meet Manchester City in the final of the tournament, they ended up meeting them prematurely in the semifinal.

At it seems though, the goddess of luck was smiling on them.

Enyimba FC didn't have the luxury to focus on a distant Manchester City side though. This was because in the semifinal, they met another stern test in the form of Fluminense, the South American club.

As the reigning champions of the Copa Libertadores, a trophy that was even more highly rated than the CAF champions league, Enyimba FC were not delusional to not be wary of their strong opponents.

Fluminense were in strong form and Enyimba FC respected them for it but they didn't approach the game with fear, rather approaching it with the same mentality that they approached the Al-Ittihad game.

The vibe in the club was a positive one.

For 3 days, alongside his teammates, Sam trained intensely even as Coach Yemi Daniel also did his work, taking care of the tactical aspects of the game.

For the upcoming game, Sam had an even more difficult task, he would be taking on his first free role since starting his football career.

Due to his impressive ball retention ability and his improved dribbling activity, and his stamina, Coach Yemi Daniel wanted him to be the thorn in the side of the strong South American side.

In essence, for 90 minutes, Sam was expected to run himself to the ground, making sure that he was a menace in the South American side.

It was difficult but Sam was up to the challenge.

Before the game, he visited the rest room where he looked at his reflection in the mirror; he grinned. 'This is it…, the moment that the system always wanted'.

'The moment that it even had to bend reality just to make possible'.

'Games like this, they're what defines a career'.

Thinking of this, he remembered a song that his father recommended to him earlier in the year. "Lose yourself," he muttered, smiling.

"It's now or never".

He left, going back to the pitch, then…

FWEEEE!

It was a blockbuster encounter against two strong teams with recent incredible achievements. Fluminense was in greater form but from the first minute, Enyimba FC set a marker on the game.

They were not going down without a fight!

The first half was a tight and cagey affair as both teams played physical football with great intensity, not giving their opponents time on the ball, rushing to win it back and kickstart their own attack almost immediately.

In most parts, the first half was chaotic but a certain player thrived in the chaos, Samuel Moses.

Sam was still playing at an elite level compared to the standards of the NPFL, but compared to his debut season, his level dropped a bit this season.

He noticed it and worked extra hard but with time, he learned that it was not just because of him, but his team.

He was already outgrowing the Enyimba FC team.

By now, he was the out and out best player of the team.

And though he didn't want to admit it, Sam knew that Enyimba's performances this season were part of the reason why the attention on him after his record-breaking debut season reduced.

It was also the reason why Lille was not pushing yet to get his signature.

At some point, it left him depressed but after enough time of reflecting on it, it only left him yearning for more, yearning to prove them wrong.

'I can do more!'

'I will do more!'

And what better time than now to do more?

Amid the chaos, Sam thrived, imprinting his footsteps all over the pitch for Enyimba FC as he helped his team hold the fort against the rampant Fluminense.

The game was an even encounter throughout the first half, but in the 45th plus 2 minutes, a moment of individual brilliance opened it up.

Receiving the ball close to the halfway line, Sam held it, facing his side of the pitch even as 3 Fluminense players immediately closed him down.

As they did, this was when he pulled out another moment of magic from his trick box.

Touching the ball with the heel of his boots, Sam did a feint, moving as if he intended to continue rushing towards his side of the pitch before dragging the ball back with the heel of his boots, leaving the 3 Fluminense players for dead.

"…!" Gasps erupted around the Saudi Arabian stadium.

In one move, Sam eliminated 3 opposition players before charging towards the left side of the pitch with the ball.

He evaded more challenges, deftly flicking the ball and pushing it above the outstretched legs of 2 more Fluminense players.

By now, Sam was already close to the Fluminense 18-yard box from the left.

He was initially running towards the corner flag with the ball when he stopped, cutting the ball back to his right.

Immediately after he did this, reading him, a Fluminense midfielder immediately rushed in for the tackle…, but it was the wrong move.

Whoosh!

Sam's legs moved so swiftly that it almost seemed like a snake's bite, dragging the ball one way with his right leg before rapidly cutting it back at an acute angle with the same right leg to his left.

"Oh my God! An Elastico…!" The commentator screamed.

"And that Fluminense player is left praying to dead gods, what an ankle-breaker move!"

"What a piece of individual skill!"

"Sam is free, will he shoot? Oooohhh…!" The commentator exclaimed. "And what a cut! Can you see this Drake?" The commentator laughed. "That guy is sliding to Jerusalem; and Sam is back on his right foot!"

"Will he…? And yes he did!"

Sam was already in the zone state.

After eliminating the first player with an elastico dribble, with his spatial awareness, he saw it as the Fluminense player slid in for a tackle.

Sam reacted fast, cutting the ball and skipping away from the player.

At that moment, for a second, he was left unmarked.

Sam took one look at the goal, bent his body before curling the inside of his right boot around the ball, lifting it up with a perfect curling shot.

The ball rose into the air, rotating rapidly even as the Fluminense goalkeeper jumped on a full-stretch dive.

"Will the goalkeeper catch it? Will he? And ooohhh…!"

"What a goal!"

"An absolute banger!"

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"They call him the African Zidane, and here again, he's done it!"

"What a first half performance!"

The Fluminense goalkeeper's hand nicked the ball, but it was not enough as the ball slipped through, nestling into the net.

As the commentator sang his praises, Sam ran off towards the corner flag, spreading his arms to acknowledge the adoration of his fans.

"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"

They chanted loudly.

And then, he slid on his knees, pointing a finger at his head in celebration.

His teammates slid after him, hugging him excitedly from behind.

FWEEEE!

The game soon restarted but it was too little time for Fluminense to do anything, the first half ended 0-1 in Enyimba FC's favor.