Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King-Chapter 269: Second-half Begins

Berghuis took a touch inside, eyes darting. Altidore made a darting run between the center-backs. Berghuis didn’t hesitate.

Rob: [Great ball! Altidore’s through!]

Altidore powered forward, one-on-one with Mäenpää. A goal now would bury VVV-Venlo—

Chris: [Can he finish?]

Altidore opened up his body, looking to curl it around the keeper—

Rob: [ALTI—]

A last-second slide from Promes deflected the shot just enough to send it wide of the post.

Chris: [Unbelievable defending! Promes, out of nowhere, keeps his team alive!"

Rob: [That was perfectly timed! If he was a second late, that’s a penalty!]

The whistle blew, signaling a corner. AZ Alkmaar players threw their hands up in frustration, while Promes clapped his hands, rallying his teammates.

Benjamin exhaled through his nose. That should’ve been it.

Chris: [That’s four, maybe five clear-cut chances now. But somehow, it’s still only 1-0]

Rob: [Football, Chris. Sometimes, the ball just won’t go in]

The corner came in—Mäenpää punched it clear. The referee checked his watch.

Chris: [Looks like we’re approaching halftime]

VVV-Venlo managed a few more passes, but they didn’t push forward.

Then, out of nowhere, the game shifted.

A sloppy pass from Elm, intended for Henriksen, was intercepted by Linssen near the halfway line.

Chris: [VVV-Venlo have a chance here—Linssen on the break!]

Linssen didn’t hesitate. He pushed forward, skipping past a half-hearted challenge from Viergever. The AZ Alkmaar defenders were caught off guard, still adjusting after the corner.

Rob: [Look at the space ahead of him! AZ Alkmaar left themselves exposed!]

Giakoumakis made a sharp diagonal run, dragging his marker wide. Linssen spotted the movement and threaded a perfectly weighted pass between the defenders.

Chris: [Giakoumakis... he’s through on goal!]

The Greek striker took one touch to steady himself. Esteban rushed out, trying to close the angle.

Rob: [Big moment right before halftime! Giakoumakis—]

A quick shift to the left, then a composed strike low and hard toward the far post.

Chris: [GOAL! VVV-Venlo equalize out of nowhere!]

The stadium fell into stunned silence for a moment before the small pocket of traveling VVV-Venlo fans erupted.

Rob: [That is a sucker punch! AZ Alkmaar have dominated the half, but one mistake, one counterattack, and they’ve been punished!]

Giakoumakis slid on his knees, fists clenched, as his teammates rushed to celebrate.

Chris: [You could see that coming as soon as Linssen won the ball. The defense was stretched, and Giakoumakis made no mistake!]

On the touchline, Gertjan Verbeek shook his head in disbelief, barking instructions to his players. The frustration was clear.

Benjamin let out a slow breath. That changed everything.

Rob: [One minute ago, AZ Alkmaar were pushing for 2-0. Now, they’re heading into halftime at 1-1]

Chris: [And you have to say, VVV-Venlo will be the happier side. They’ve barely had a chance, but they’ve made it count]

Fweeee!~ Fweeeee!~

The referee blew for halftime. The AZ Alkmaar players walked off with their heads down, knowing they had thrown away their lead.

Chris: [That’s football, Rob. You don’t take your chances, you leave the door open] freewebnσvel.cøm

Rob: [And VVV-Venlo just kicked it wide open]

***

Benjamin sighed, shaking his head as he leaned back on the couch. That goal had sucked the energy out of him.

AZ Alkmaar had done everything right—except put the game to bed. And now, instead of heading into halftime with a comfortable lead, they were back to square one.

He rubbed his face, exhaling through his nose, then pushed himself up. No point sitting here stewing over it. He needed something cold—maybe a soda. And some snacks.

The floorboards creaked softly as he walked to the kitchen. He pulled open the fridge, the cool air brushing against his skin. His eyes scanned the shelves before settling on a can of Coke. He grabbed it, cracking it open with a sharp hiss.

Reaching up, he pulled a bag of chips from the cupboard. As he tore it open, the scent of salt and oil hit him. He popped one into his mouth, the crunch filling the quiet room.

From the living room, the halftime analysis droned on. The commentators broke down the first half, pointing out missed chances, defensive lapses, and that one perfect counterattack that had undone everything. Benjamin barely listened. He already knew the story.

Taking his drink and snacks, he wandered back to the couch, settling in just as the second half was about to begin.

Chris: [Welcome back! The teams are back on the pitch, and we’re ready for the second half. AZ Alkmaar, frustrated after that late equalizer, will be looking to set things right.]

Rob: [And for VVV-Venlo, they’ve got something to fight for now. That goal changed the game. Let’s see if they can build on it.]

The camera panned to Gertjan Verbeek, standing on the touchline with his arms crossed, deep in thought. On the other side, VVV-Venlo’s manager clapped his hands, shouting instructions.

The referee checked his watch, then blew his whistle.

Fweeeee!~

Chris: [And we’re underway for the second half!]

Benjamin leaned forward, his fingers tapping lightly against the can. Whatever happened now, AZ Alkmaar couldn’t afford to waste any more chances.

AZ Alkmaar pushed forward immediately, moving the ball with urgency. Henriksen received it in midfield, taking a quick glance up before threading a pass to Berghuis on the right flank.

Chris: [AZ Alkmaar wasting no time—look at the intensity already!]

Rob: [They know they need to respond. Dropping points here would be a disaster for them. Especially with Ajax set to play against the bottom team a few hours from now]

Berghuis took a sharp touch inside, shaking off his marker before curling a cross into the 18 yard box.

Altidore muscled his way between the defenders, eyes locked on the ball. He leapt, twisting his body mid-air—

Chris: [Altidore—]

His header was powerful, aimed low toward the corner. Mäenpää dived—

Rob: [Big save! Mäenpää gets down just in time!]

The ball bounced back into play, chaos erupting in the box. Elm reacted first, lunging forward—

Chris: [Still alive! Elm—]