Now fully facing the pitch, Zachary lifted his head. His breathing was steady. His vision was clear. And more than anything, he could feel the trust radiating from his teammates. Without a single word spoken, they had all started running.
Divock Origi peeled away to the left flank with a burst of acceleration. Mohamed Salah darted down the right channel. Roberto Firmino dropped between the lines to find space. Jordan Henderson powered through midfield. Even Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were charging forward from their fullback positions, sensing blood in the water.
They were all betting on one thing, and that was that Zachary would deliver.
Zachary, on his part, didn't let the moment rush him. As he edged forward with the ball under control, he scanned everything ahead of him in a heartbeat. City had overcommitted, leaving open lanes behind their high line. The defensive midfield was retreating in desperation, and the back four were scrambling to regain shape.
