The counterattack was on, and Zachary's heart thumped against his chest like a drum as he charged ahead. His eyes were fixed on the other side of the pitch, but he couldn't ignore the looming figure of João Moutinho, the Portuguese central midfielder, who had positioned himself to stop his advance.
As Zachary approached, Moutinho advanced with the same intensity, ready to initiate a tackle. But Zachary remained calm and collected. He executed a dazzling step-over, leaning his body to the left as if he were going to break through that direction. Moutinho mirrored his movements, leaning in the same direction, his eyes fixed on the ball.
But what João Moutinho didn't realize was that the slight shift of Zachary's body was just a feint, a clever trick to throw off his opponent's judgment. As Moutinho leaned in, Zachary took advantage of the opportunity and shifted his center of gravity.
