Amani's legs itched to run. At the break, as veterans gulped sports drink, he reflected on his dream last night: to make a difference in this final match. The locker room door opened. From the tunnel emerged Jan Wouters, called him aside, and spoke quietly: "Hamadi, you're on for the second half. Trust your instincts."
A grin broke on Amani's face as he nodded and popped a menthol lozenge. Back on the pitch, the referee blew the whistle for the restart.
Jan Wouters turned to his bench at the break. Amani gulped and tied his boots tighter. "Kid, warm up quick," the coach shouted over the roar.
The tension in the stadium was palpable. Fifty-five minutes had bled from the clock, and the score remained deadlocked at 1-1. FC Utrecht had traded blows with Roda JC, but neither side could find the decisive edge.
On the Utrecht bench, Amani Hamadi bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, his gaze fixed on the unfolding drama. His legs itched to run, a familiar sensation amplified by the weight of this crucial match. Coach Jan Wouters had pulled him aside during the break, the quiet intensity in his voice cutting through the locker room noise: "Hamadi, you're going on. Trust your instincts."
Now, the moment had arrived. The fourth official's board illuminated, displaying red number 24 Frank Demouge OFF and green number 37 Amani Hamadi ON. A wave of anticipation rippled through the Utrecht supporters.
At just fifteen years old, Amani was already a known quantity, a prodigy whispered about in hushed tones. As he jogged onto the pitch, the roar intensified. Demouge offered a weary but encouraging clasp of the shoulder, while veterans like Édouard Duplan gave him reassuring pats on the back. The air crackled with energy, a physical force Amani absorbed as he took his position.
The game restarted, and Roda, perhaps sensing vulnerability in the substitution, pressed forward. But Amani, fueled by his S-rank Mentality and Elite Composure, settled instantly. Almost immediately, 'Game Intelligence: A+' allowed him to process the game's rhythm; he sensed the space he'd analyzed: Roda's diamond was stretched at the flanks.
He spread out wide on the left, touch-light and alert. Catching a pass from Takagi on the left wing, he pumped the ball forward in stride, drawing two defenders in his wake. Seeing Duplan on the right wing streaking through the box, Amani slid a perfect through-pass between the backline.
"Listen to this!" observed Leo Driessen, voice cracking with awe. "Amani Hamadi, 15 years old, is coming on at Roda – history in the making!" John van Loen smiled to the camera, "Remember this moment. The stadium's on its feet for a kid who's only just turned 15 2 months ago."
In that instant, the world seemed to narrow for Amani. Every second was in slow motion: the fans, the clapping coaches, the TV cameras. And then, in the deepest recesses of his mind, as if a coach from above, a digital display flickered:
***
Mission Activated:
>1 Goal contributions (score goals or assists)
Win 4+ aerial/ground duels (show competitive grit)
Maintain 85% + pass accuracy (keep the ball)
Make 2+ defensive clearances/blocks (help out at the back)
***
He shook his head as if waking from a daydream – none of this was real… yet the challenge hung in his mind like a game HUD. With a nod, he sprinted down the sideline to join the play.
The game resumed. Roda, reeling, immediately tried to hit Utrecht on the break. In the 58th minute, a lofted cross from Vormer nearly caught Utrecht sleeping, but Amani read it perfectly – he sprinted back and cleared the ball off the goal-line with a diving header.
***
(Stat: Clearances: 1/2.)
***
Gradually, Amani's presence shifts the momentum. His first touch is precise; he threads short passes out wide with Visionary Pass intuition – a trait giving him almost a sixth sense for openings. One sees him calmly play catch with fullback Martijn Monteyne, splitting Utrecht's midfield line.
The pass accuracy climbs – already he's over 88%, and the coaching board buzzes when it updates him past the 90% mark. He is safety first, yet electric with the ball. In the 60′, sensing a break, he rolls a weighted through-ball into space that Roda's wing nearly reaches. Van Loen whoops, "There's that Weighted Through Pass – looks like he unlocked it from training
Then, at 62′, Amani's passing shone. He dropped a short give-and-go to Asare, then, with the return ball, threaded a Weighted Through Pass splitting Roda's midfield. Mulenga latched on and slipped it to Takagi, whose curling shot rattled the post.
***
Montage of quick passes – 6 out of 6 completed, pass accuracy 100% so far.
***
As Utrecht flusters, Amani doesn't let up. In the 64′ he pounces on a loose ball and clears it off his goal line to deny Takagi a shot. In the 67′ he executes a perfectly-timed block on a Mulenga cross.
That's two defensive interventions in as many minutes – precisely what his training calls the De Zwarte Doos intuition (the "black box" processing in his mind for defensive reads). John van Loen notes, "He's everywhere! Offensively, defensively – it's like watching a mini-matrix on the field."
Two minutes later, the first glimpse of his potential unfolded. Receiving a pass from the holding midfielder near the center circle, Amani scanned the field. His 'Ruud Gullit's Visionary Pass' activated, not as a flashing light, but as an intuitive understanding of unfolding geometry, the 'phantom lanes' revealing themselves.
He spotted Yoshiaki Takagi making an intelligent diagonal run from the right wing towards the box. With seemingly effortless grace, Amani executed a 'Weighted Through Pass', calibrated perfectly using his unique 'Echo Mapping' ability to judge the distance and spin.
In the commentary box, Leo Driessen suddenly rose to his feet, voice rising sharply in anticipation. "Hamadi, looking up, what can the young man see from there? Wait, he's threaded the needle brilliantly, what a sensational pass!"
Beside him, John van Loen's voice jumped with excitement: "Oh, that pass is perfection! It sliced open Roda's defense beautifully!"
On the pitch, the ball arced beautifully, bypassing two Roda defenders and landing precisely in Takagi's stride. The Japanese winger took one touch to control and then clinically slotted the ball past the Roda goalkeeper. 2-1 Utrecht! The stadium erupted. Amani pumped a fist, a silent acknowledgment.
"Takagi scores! Utrecht take the lead!" Driessen shouted above the stadium's roar. "But take nothing away from Amani Hamadi that assist was world-class. He has announced himself again on the big stage with that visionary play!"
The goal shifted the momentum firmly in Utrecht's favor. Amani began to orchestrate from midfield, his 'Anchoring Influence' subtly calming his teammates, his passes crisp and accurate, easily maintaining the high percentage demanded by his internal standards.
His 'De Zwarte Doos' spatial awareness allowed him to find pockets of space, turning defense into attack with quick transitions. Roda struggled to contain his influence, his A+ technique evident in every touch, this shows that he is gaining confidence in the big stage.
The clock ticked past the 75-minute mark. Utrecht was controlling possession, probing for another opening. Amani received the ball deep in Roda's half, surrounded by opponents. Time seemed to momentarily warp around him, a subtle manifestation of his Clutch Performer trait activating as the game entered its critical phase.
He feigned a pass to the left, drawing defenders, then executed a swift turn, his Spatial Puppeteer ability manipulating the space around him. Spotting Édouard Duplan ghosting into the penalty area from the opposite side, Amani threaded another pass, this one low and driven, splitting the Roda center-backs.
In the commentary box, Leo Driessen's voice surged with excitement, "Hamadi again such incredible composure! Look at that! He's opened them up once more!"
Beside him, John van Loen marveled openly, "He's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. That pass has completely unlocked Roda's backline!"
It wasn't just a pass; it was a statement delivered with the precision of his Visionary Pass. Duplan met the ball first-time, hammering it into the net.
"GOAL, Utrecht!" Driessen cried, voice echoing above the jubilant cheers from the traveling Utrecht fans. "And it's another assist for the brilliant young Amani Hamadi, what a performance we're witnessing today!"
Van Loen jumped in, nearly breathless, "He's running the show out there. Two assists and counting, Amani has taken over the game!"
3-1 Utrecht! Teammates mobbed Amani, recognizing the brilliance of the setup as he keeps stepping up when his team needs him.
He turned to the Utrecht fans, arms outstretched, letting the adulation wash over him.
***
(Stat Update) Goal contributions: 2
Duels won: 3/4, Pass accuracy: 96%
Defensive actions: 2/2.
***
Roda looked deflated, their challenge fading against Utrecht's Amani-inspired surge. The final fifteen minutes approached, and Amani felt the familiar surge of his Time Fracture ability, his perception sharpening, the game slowing down just for him, granting him that crucial edge.
He continued to dictate play, his passes keeping Roda pinned back, his defensive contributions interceptions and timely tackles breaking up their attempts to counter.
Whenever Roda attacked, Amani tracked back. he stuck out a foot to block a Lukaku-esque low shot from Vormer. Late in the game, he sprinted alongside Mitchell Donald in the air and won an aerial duel to head clear a dangerous cross. By now the stat bars were filling:
***
(Stat Update′) Goal contributions: 2
Duels won: 4/4, Pass accuracy: 92%
Defensive actions: 2/2.
***
In the 89th minute, Amani provided the final flourish. Embarking on a driving run from midfield, he drew multiple defenders towards him near the edge of the Roda box. Just as they converged, anticipating a shot, he unleashed another perfectly weighted pass.
This time, it was a clever reverse ball, played against the grain of his movement, utilizing his enhanced peripheral vision. Jacob Mulenga, anticipating the move thanks to Amani's clear intent, had made a sharp run into the space Amani had created. The pass found him perfectly.
In the commentary booth, Leo Driessen gasped, "Look at Hamadi go, he's pulling the defenders in oh, what a reverse pass! Genius! Absolute genius from the youngster!"
Van Loen couldn't contain his excitement: "It's poetry, pure poetry! Hamadi is writing history right here in Kerkrade!"
Mulenga took a touch and fired a powerful shot into the roof of the net.
"Mulenga scores! 4-1 Utrecht!" Driessen roared, voice cracking with raw emotion. "Three assists in one half from the fifteen-year-old wonderkid, Amani Hamadi!"
Van Loen, awestruck, summed up the moment perfectly: "We are witnessing something truly special tonight. Amani isn't just participating, he's orchestrating. Mark my words, a star is born."
Roda fell apart after that strike. The Utrecht side sensed blood and pressed high. Amani's confidence surged. He continued to shuttle between midfield and attack, pinging passes to keep the pressure.
The commentators almost burst: "Sensational!" Leo Driessen exclaimed. "Amani Hamadi with a magnificent strike – that was unstoppable!" Van Loen added, voice cracking, "Where did that come from? Fifteen years old – the net has a future star in it tonight!" Somewhere in the Roda ranks, young Dutch defender Adil Ramzi muttered, "Well, kid's done well…"
The final whistle blew moments later, Utrecht had won 4-1, drowned out by the roar of the Utrecht faithful chanting Amani's name. The Utrecht fans chanted Amani's name unceasingly, and even Roda fans (respectfully) applauded his brilliance. In mixed Dutch commentary, legends piled praise on the teenager: "That boy's got the world at his feet," said an overjoyed Hans Kraay Jr. on the radio.
Jan Wouters met him at the touchline with a broad grin and a proud clap on the shoulder. Amani Hamadi hadn't just made a difference; he had dominated. The whispers were over; a star was truly born.
"Creating chances and setting up goals like a veteran," agreed a studio pundit, "I haven't seen a debut season like this since Marco van Basten's early days." Back in Utrecht, sports websites erupted with headlines: "Hamadi Ziet Toekomst!", "Rising Star: Amani's Sensational Display".
On the pitch, Amani was swarmed by teammates: Takagi hugged him, calling him a genius; Mulenga slapped him on the back, grinning. Even Demouge lifted him briefly as the crowd chanted. Three assists in just over 35 minutes of play.
Overwhelmed, the boy glanced up to the sky, hands together in silent gratitude. In an instant, he had turned teenage dream into reality, cementing himself as perhaps the most promising young talent in Dutch football. The hype for next season would only grow from here, and he knew – this was just the beginning of his story.
***
Stat Summary (Amani Hamadi):
Goal Contributions: 3 assists
Pass accuracy: 93% (85/91 completed)
Duels won: 6 (ground duels: 4, aerial: 2)
Defensive clearances/blocks: 3 (including last-minute goal-line block)
Key passes/chances created: 4
***
Mission Complete.
***
The local radio announces Amani's stat line and mission ticked off, and social media explodes. The U17 kids in the crowd wave scarves that read "HAMADI." A section of fans break into a chant: "Hij is maar vijftien, hij dikt het spel!" ("He's only fifteen, but he dictates the game!"). Cameras catch their beaming faces.
On the pitch afterward, Amani grants a brief interview to local media. Asked how it felt, he smiles shyly: "I just tried to play my game. The others passed well and the coach believed in me. I'm happy the team won." He's humble, using words like "team" over "I," but his eyes reflect pride. A journalist asks about the noise from the crowd: "Those fans were incredible," he laughs. "I hope I made them proud."
Meanwhile, even the opposition's benches are in awe. Utrecht's coach Jan Wouters admits after the match: "I knew a kid was coming in, but this? He was everywhere. Amani Hamadi is one for the future – Dutch football's future."
On Roda's side, veteran striker Sanharib Malki ruffles his hair and grins, "Man, this boy is special. We saw him play last week, but this… he's something else. I'll take any pass from that kid all day!"
Later that evening on the post-game show, pundits gush. Leo Driessen returns for highlights: "Look at his control, his vision… this isn't luck; this kid is a star in the making." John van Loen nods, "If this is what fifteen-year-olds can do, Dutch football's in good hands." Even international media catch wind: headlines call Hamadi "Dutch wonderkid" and "the boy dictating top-flight football."
Even though the team rose to the 9th position from the 11th position with Amani, it was evident that Amani's rise isn't just a moment. It's a movement.
***
**END OF VOLUME TWO: AMANI- THE FOOTBALL ACADEMY STUDENT**