Three days later, Utrecht prepared for their next challenge: another home match against Vitesse Arnhem. The city was still abuzz from the NAC miracle. On the morning of the game, local newspapers featured Amani's photo, celebrating, with headlines like "Wonderkid Sparks Utrecht" and "Hamadi: Future of FC Utrecht?".
Amani saw them briefly in the clubhouse but tried not to get caught up in the hype. Coach Wouters had pulled him aside during the final training session and, while smiling, cautioned: "Teams will be watching you now. They'll try to shut you down. Keep it simple and play your game." Amani took the words to heart. He felt a healthy pressure - he'd set a high bar, and now he had to show consistency.
By the time the Utrecht vs Vitesse match kicked off at Galgenwaard, the stands were packed and lively. The evening air was cool, and excitement hung palpable. Amani started on the bench again - Wouters opting for experience to begin - but everyone knew he would be Utrecht's secret weapon.
From the sidelines, Amani watched intently as the match unfolded. Utrecht took an early lead through a header by Mulenga, igniting the crowd. But Vitesse responded with two goals by halftime, exploiting Utrecht's defensive lapses to make it 1-2.
The home side equalized shortly after the break (Gerndt finishing a slick move for 2-2), yet the momentum was teetering. By the 65th minute, the teams were locked in a tense 2-2 battle, and the flow of the game hung in the balance. Coach Wouters glanced down his bench and nodded at Amani, who was already loosening up. It was time for him to enter the fray.
As Amani jogged on, fans greeted him with cheers of expectation. He could even hear a group in the upper stands chanting a now-familiar refrain: "Ha-ma-di, Ha-ma-di!" The match situation was very different from the NAC game - this was not about chasing a comeback but rather about seizing control and finding a way to win.
Amani quickly slotted into his attacking midfield role. He felt a wave of confidence - the nerves of his second game were gone, replaced by focus. The first time he got the ball, he didn't rush. Instead, he gently rolled his foot over it and slowed the tempo, scanning the field as a Vitesse midfielder closed in.
At the last moment, Amani nudged the ball away and drew a foul. It was a small play, but it earned Utrecht a free kick and allowed the team to push up. From the stands, an appreciative ripple: they saw the youngster's composure, milking seconds and space with a veteran's savvy.
Amani began orchestrating the midfield like a seasoned conductor. He directed traffic with simple passes, drawing Vitesse out of their defensive shape. His decision-making was remarkably mature.
At times, he would hold onto the ball an extra half-second - la pausa, the art of pausing - to let a teammate make an unchecked run. Other times, he'd play a quick one-touch layoff to accelerate a counter. Vitesse's players grew visibly uneasy; the rhythm of the game was now under this teenager's spell.
One Vitesse defender shouted at his midfield to press Amani faster, but Amani was already adapting. He glided into pockets of space, always an option for his teammates, forcing Vitesse's shape to stretch and twist.
In the 78th minute, Utrecht built an attack patiently from the back. Amani received the ball near the center circle and noticed Vitesse's midfield line stepping up aggressively to challenge him.
Instead of panicking, he invited them forward with a feint touch and a slow turn, baiting them. Two opponents converged, thinking they had him, but at the last second, Amani pinged a crisp pass wide to the right flank and darted forward past the startled Vitesse players. The crowd sensed the opportunity as Utrecht's right winger sprinted onto the ball in space.
Amani continued his run, pulling defenders with him like a puppeteer tugging strings. The right winger saw Amani's central run and threaded a low pass toward him at the edge of the box - but Amani let it run past, dummied it cleverly, because he knew who was behind him. A Utrecht forward collected the dummy, now completely unmarked, thanks to Amani dragging the defenders away.
The forward unleashed a powerful drive at goal. Vitesse's keeper parried it desperately, the ball spilling to the left… right into the path of another Utrecht attacker who slammed it into the net! GOAL!!! 3-2 to Utrecht!
The stadium erupted in joy. Though Amani didn't touch the ball on that final sequence, his fingerprints were all over the goal. The Utrecht players celebrated wildly, and a few ran to Amani, congratulating him for his role. "That dummy was genius, jongen!" one defender laughed, patting his back.
Amani beamed, the praise energizing him. In the stands, fans chanted his name again, recognizing his impact beyond the stat sheet. High in the main stand, a group of scouts and journalists exchanged nods - they were seeing an old head on young shoulders.
With a 3-2 lead, the final 10 minutes required composure. Amani relished the responsibility. He dropped deeper to help Utrecht keep possession and slow the game's pace whenever possible. When Vitesse did manage to secure the ball, Amani was quick to harry their midfielders, pressing with tireless intensity.
His every movement exuded a calm confidence, as if he'd been managing Eredivisie midfields for years. The home supporters sang a classic Utrecht chant, and interwoven were shouts of "A-ma-ni! A-ma-ni!" each time he made a smart play. The team fed off this youthful assurance.
Vitesse's attempts to equalize grew frantic. In the 88th minute, they earned a corner - a nervous hush fell as their tall center-backs lumbered forward. The corner kick curled into the box, but Utrecht's keeper snatched it and immediately looked to outlet. Spotting Amani in a pocket of space near midfield, the keeper threw the ball long.
Amani took it down flawlessly with one touch, drawing a roar of approval. Instead of rushing a forward pass, he smartly dribbled toward the corner flag, eating up precious seconds and forcing a Vitesse player to drag him down. The whistle blew for a free kick, and frustration showed on the Vitesse faces. Amani's game management was on full display - he was dictating the terms, young as he was.
The referee finally blew for full time: Utrecht 3-2 Vitesse. Another victory, with Amani Hamadi again at the heart of it. As the team rejoiced, the stadium loudspeakers announced him as Man of the Match, triggering loud cheers.
Amani walked toward the K-side stands, applauding, and in return, the fans began a rhythmic clap and chant in his honor. He could pick out a tune now: they had crafted a simple song, "Hamadi, Hamadi, our midfield magician!" The words echoed delightfully in the night air. Amani couldn't help but break into a broad smile and clap above his head to the supporters. His heart swelled - not just with pride, but with gratitude.
Up in the press box, commentators marveled at what they'd seen. "This kid controls the tempo like a veteran," one analyst said, shaking his head in astonishment. Another replied, "I haven't seen such composure from a teenager in Utrecht since… ever, really." Pundits on the live broadcast were already analyzing his performance. "He didn't score today, but my word, did he influence the game.
Three matches, three wins since he's been involved - that's no coincidence," a former Dutch international noted. His colleague agreed, adding, "Hamadi has that spatial awareness, that vision. He's making players around him better. You see how he directs others? It's like he's a step ahead in his reading of the game." They tossed around names of famous playmakers for comparisons, but all concluded that Amani was carving out his own reputation rapidly.
As Amani headed down the tunnel, a stadium steward grinned and said, "Goed gedaan, jongen" ("Well done, boy"). He thanked the man politely. In the corridor, he found himself walking alongside one of Vitesse's midfielders - a seasoned 30-year-old. The older player gave Amani a nod of respect. "You have a bright future if you keep this up. Great game out there," he offered. Amani felt a flush of honor. "Thank you," he replied earnestly. Moments like this - earning respect from opponents - were as meaningful as the cheers.
Inside Utrecht's locker room, the atmosphere was jubilant but slightly calmer than the NAC game frenzy. This win felt like confirmation: Utrecht had discovered a new talisman, and ninth place in the table was now within reach.
As the team toweled off and began to change, a couple of veteran players teased Amani: "Don't make us old guys look too bad, eh!" one joked, elbowing him. Amani laughed sheepishly. Another, the goalkeeper who had initiated the counter from the corner, praised him,
"When I saw you take that ball down and run the clock, I wanted to hug you. That was perfect." Amani smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just doing what needed to be done." Inside, he felt a warm glow - this acceptance, this camaraderie, was everything he had worked for.
After media duties and a debrief from the coach.
They walked through the parking lot under the floodlights' hum. Amani gazed up at the night sky for a moment. The same stars that seemed so far away when he first arrived in Utrecht now felt a little closer. He remembered countless nights in Mombasa dreaming of moments like this.
Malik noticed his silence and nudged him playfully. "Already replaying every pass and shot in your head, aren't you?" Amani chuckled. "You know me too well." Malik slung an arm around his shoulder.
"Come on, Maestro, let's get you home. You've got an early recovery session tomorrow - superstar or not." They left with laughter echoing in the cool air.