One-on-one with the legendary Ter Stegen. Anyone would be pressured.
Ter Stegen sprinted out to meet Isaac while making his body as large as possible. Isaac observed the keeper, but he saw past the keeper. He saw the net from behind, and he knew where he wanted to go.
Like an archer pulling back the string of a bow, Isaac drew back his leg. He could lob the keeper and score a cool, and amazing goal. However, that was not what Isaac wanted. You see, what he wanted was... a goal. A scrappy, ugly goal, he did not care. He wanted a goal.
As the archer let go of his bow, as Isaac swung his leg, all watched with bated breath. The arrow flew.
BOOM!
The ball was sent flying at a dangerous speed, and it easily sped past Ter Stegen who had tried to save it. It continued its way, and time seemed to still as Isaac watched the ball near the goal.
Kshck!
The ball nestled in the back of the net. Isaac sped past the keeper and collected the ball before darting to the halfway line. He put it down on the green grass and settled in his position, waiting for the play to continue.
"He can't possibly think they could make a comeback?" Many questioned as they witnessed his enthusiasm.
That, however, was exactly what he believed.
He could've settled with being happy with a single goal, but he couldn't do that. Never. He could score how many goals, but if they did not win, it was all in naught.
Determination surged through his veins, like a turbulent stream. Isaac set his hawk-like eyes on Barcelona, as they began play. Then, he waited in his half for the Catalan club to come forward. They came. Play continued, and Barcelona kept penetrating through Antwerp's defense. Shot after shot. unease. relief. Most of all Desperation.
Still, he stayed patient. He stayed hungry.
In the 80th minute, it paid off.
Finally, Isaac touched the ball for a second time, this time on the left side of his half. This was the few times his team had even touched the ball in the last 10 minutes he had been on the field. This was an important opportunity.
Isaac was sure he'd make good use of the opportunity.
Isaac had already observed that there was a space through the center of the pitch, and he identified that as a gateway to escape the Barcelona midfield. He had to first breach this unbreakable wall to create a chance.
Isaac ran into the space in the middle of the pitch, while players tried to stop him. The ball stuck to Isaac's feet, as he dribbled through. Isaac wrestled off Gundogan, as he charged forward, and his height helped him come out on top. He ran in a curved trajectory until he once again ended up on the left wing.
Isaac was one-on-one with kounde. Since Barcelona played with an attacking inverted fullback, they had kounde move to the right to cover the space. Isaac had passed him once, and he would do it again.
Isaac pushed the ball to his right with his left foot. Then, with one sudden, jerking movement, he leaned to his right. Kounde reacted, and Isaac slid the ball through his legs. Isaac charged behind him and began speeding down the left wing. Kounde recovered quickly, however, and stuck to Isaac like glue. Isaac found himself nearly falling, as the defender pressured him.
Kounde was on his right, and he was pushing against Isaac, trying to body-weight him. Isaac struggled to hold him off before he decided to do something. Just like he had seen Cristiano Ronaldo do so many times before, Isaac executed his skill.
He used his left foot to hit the ball behind his right foot, before chasing the ball. Kounde was left behind. With a simple chop, he had escaped the defender's harassment.
He was surrounded. Oriel Romeu and Sergi Robert were already closing him down. The defensive midfield signing tackled, hoping to get the ball before Isaac could control it. Isaac however, whipped his right foot over the ball, before using his left foot to push the ball to the right. He moved with the ball, before receiving it with the inside of his right leg.
He looked up. He was unmarked. Yards of space available to him. He had a little time. He could decide, he could smash a through ball to the striker. He could shoot. 40 yards, most would miss. Isaac was most.
He was unique.
He pulled his leg back and pulled the trigger.
BOOM!
Like a freed pigeon, the ball soared through the sky. It was beautiful. It was graceful. It was free.
22 players, hundreds of thousands of spectators, millions all over the world, they all watched one object. Football was amazing, what it could do...
Closer... and closer...
Hope grew brighter by the second... brighter.. and brighter.
One man's hope is another's darkness. Ter Stegen saw such a darkness.
As agilely as a cat leaping off the ground, the German keeper soared through the sky. He was like an eagle; he ruled the skies.
With bated breath, all watched. Isaac Adam's shot was beautiful, and Ter Stegen's dive was as stunning. The real question, however, was this:
In the next few seconds, would they witness a beautiful goal, or would they witness a beautiful save?
Find out next time on Drag...