The sun began its slow descent, casting a golden glow over the AFAS Stadion as fans poured into the stands with their red and white scarves spread over proudly around their necks.
The air buzzed with anticipation. It was matchday, and the home crowd had turned up in droves, filling the stadium to near capacity.
Flags waved, chants echoed, and a sea of supporters roared as the players jogged out for the pre-match warmup.
On the pitch, Benjamin joined the others, his heart pounding as he soaked in the atmosphere.
The roar of the crowd was louder than he'd ever experienced, a wall of sound that seemed to vibrate through the ground beneath him.
His boots felt light as he jogged to his position while stretching out his hamstrings before picking up a ball.
The Europa League qualifier against Anzhi Makhachkala had been a hard-fought battle, but tonight was a different kind of challenge.
