The match clock ticked past 80 minutes. FC Utrecht led 5-2, and the home fans were in full voice, celebrating what was turning into a festive rout. On the field, Amani Hamadi still played with energetic focus, determined to finish strong.
He chased down a lost cause ball into the corner, earning appreciative applause for his hustle. He linked up with Kali in midfield, showing calmness in possession beyond his years. Every touch he took drew murmurs of admiration from the stands – the supporters could sense they were witnessing the birth of something extraordinary.
In the 85th minute, Utrecht pushed forward once more. Despite the comfortable lead, Amani was hungry and alert, reading the flow of the attack. He drifted out to the right wing as Utrecht built patiently from the back.
Anouar Kali pinged a diagonal pass towards Cedric van der Gun, who had come on as a substitute on the right flank. Van der Gun controlled it and saw Amani ahead near the touchline, nodding for the ball.
With a defender closing him down, van der Gun slid the ball into Amani's path and overlapped, expecting a return. Instead, Amani noticed the defender over-committed. With a silky first touch, he skipped past the challenge, nudging the ball down the right sideline and cutting inside toward the penalty area.
Suddenly Amani found himself in an attacking pocket of space near the right edge of the 18-yard box, a couple of yards from the goal line. The angle was extremely tight – he was almost at the baseline, about six yards out, with the VVV goalkeeper advancing to cover the near post.
Most would expect a cut-back cross from this position. Two Utrecht players lurked near the penalty spot, anticipating a pass. But Amani's sharp eyes noticed the keeper had left a sliver of space – a gap barely larger than the ball – between himself and the near post.
In a split second, Amani's mind flashed to a highlight he had watched with Coach Mark De Vries in training: Maicon's famous goal for Brazil in 2010, when he scored from an "impossible" tight angle. Maicon had cracked one in with the outside of his foot, catching the keeper off. Here was a similar chance to defy the odds.
Amani made his decision in an eyeblink. He stepped into the ball and struck it with the outside of his right boot, aiming ambitiously for that sliver of gap. The contact was pure. The ball cannoned off his foot with a wicked swerve. It screamed toward the goal from a ridiculously sharp angle.
The VVV keeper, expecting a cross, was late to react. The ball zipped between the goalkeeper and the near post, somehow threading that needle, and curved into the side netting at the far post. For a split second, everyone's brain stalled – had that really gone in? Then the net bulged and the realization hit: GOAL!! An impossible goal! Amani Hamadi had scored a stunner from an acute angle to make it 6-2.
The stadium erupted into cheers so loud it was almost disorienting. Leo Driessen practically lost his voice: "Ohhhh my word! HAMADI SCORES! Can you believe it? That is reminiscent of Maicon's strike in the World Cup – physics-defying from the tightest of angles!"
His co-commentator's jaw hung open before he laughed in astonishment: "Fifteen years old, first match, and he does that! This is unreal!" On the pitch, Amani found himself sprinting towards the corner flag, mouth open in joyous disbelief. He yanked off his protective headband – a relic of his training gear – and flung it into the air. His teammates were in pursuit, utterly jubilant.
The normally stoic captain Alje Schut was grinning ear to ear as he chased the youngster. Alexander Gerndt caught up first and practically lifted Amani off the ground in a bear hug. Several players piled on, pats raining on the back of Amani's head and ruffling his hair. "What a goal, kerel! Wat een doelpunt!" shouted Mark van der Maarel, switching to Dutch in excitement as he slapped Amani's back.
In the stands, fans were jumping and hugging each other, the noise swelling in waves. Seasoned supporters rubbed their eyes, convinced they had never seen a debut like this in all their years.
A chant began to form in sections of the crowd: "Ha-ma-di! Ha-ma-di!" It grew louder and louder, and soon the whole stadium was singing the name of their new hero. High above, the Stijn family, who had been skeptical at kickoff, were now screaming with joy. The father turned to his son with a grin: "Remember this day, jongen. We'll be talking about it forever." The son, eyes shining, just yelled Amani's name again, scarf aloft.
Abigail, in the press area, was feverishly typing into her laptop, her hands shaking from excitement. "A star is born in Utrecht tonight," she wrote, "Fifteen-year-old Amani Hamadi caps his debut with a goal of astonishing brilliance. A goal any veteran would envy." She glanced up at the field, making sure to absorb the scenes: Amani being mobbed by teammates, the entire stadium serenading a boy who, an hour ago, was unknown to most of them. This was more than a football story – it was a fairy tale.
The noise finally subsided enough for the stadium announcer to boom out, "Goal for FC Utrecht… scored by Amani Hamadi!" The roar that followed could probably be heard across the city. Up in the VIP section, Kristen Stein had both hands over her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks now.
Carlos Stein, eyes wet as well, kept clapping slowly, as if in a trance. "He did it," Kristen whispered, voice quavering. "He really did it." They both stood there, arm in arm, basking in the moment of vindication and pride. All those scouting trips worldwide, all the paperwork and training arrangements to bring a boy from Kenya to the Netherlands – this moment repaid it a hundredfold.
Carlos thought of Amani's family back in Malindi, imagining their joy when they hear the news. "This kid is going to inspire a lot of people," he murmured. Kristen nodded, already composing an excited message on her phone to Coach Juma back in Kenya: "He scored on his debut! And how!"
Down on the touchline, Jan Wouters simply shook his head in disbelief, a broad smile breaking through. He exchanged a glance with his assistant, who was laughing. "Can we sub him off and give ourselves a round of applause?" the assistant joked. Wouters laughed aloud, feeling twenty years younger in that moment. He caught Amani's eye as the players returned to their positions for kickoff. The coach gave him a proud thumbs-up, and Amani beamed back, eyes bright under the floodlights.
As the match restarted (6-2, almost academic now), Amani jogged back into position, adrenaline still surging. He felt weightless, the game flowing around him like a pleasant dream. The strobe training glasses he'd worn in practice were nowhere to be seen – for the first time since he joined senior training, he was playing unencumbered, and it was as if someone had removed a limiter from his abilities.
Everything felt in sync: his touch, his vision, his confidence. He realized something profound: he belonged here. This level, this stage – it was no longer daunting. It was home.
The remaining minutes ticked away with Utrecht knocking the ball around to the tune of olé's. VVV's players were beaten and just waiting for the final whistle. They could hardly believe that a 15-year-old had come on to torment them like this.
One of their defenders shook his head when Amani exchanged a smile with him after a friendly tackle – what could he say? Too good, kid. In the 90th minute, Wouters gave Amani a chance to soak in the applause one more time: he was substituted off to a standing ovation. Every Utrecht supporter was on their feet, clapping and chanting his name as Amani left the pitch.
Leo Driessen's closing commentary captured it: "Standing ovation for Amani Hamadi – this has been a debut for the ages. An assist, a wonder goal, and endless memories for everyone here." Amani raised his arm shyly to acknowledge the crowd, his smile never fading. He high-fived the teammate coming on and nearly bounced to the bench, where Wouters gave him a quick hug and a playful shake by the shoulders. "Fantastisch gedaan, jongen (fantastically done, boy)!" the coach exclaimed, grinning.
Seconds later, the referee blew the final whistle. 6-2 is the final score. FC Utrecht had not only secured a much-needed win, but they had also unveiled a new talisman. The team walked around the pitch, applauding the fans.
When they reached the Bunnikside where the Utrecht Ultras were, the loudest cheer was reserved for the teenager in the middle of the line, who looked almost bashful amid the adulation. Some fans were already chanting a cheeky song about Amani being "the King of Utrecht".
The players began heading down the tunnel, but Amani lingered a moment, turning one last time to soak in the sight: the sea of red-and-white scarves, the flashing cameras, the giant scoreboard still reading HAMADI under the scorers column.
He felt a gentle hand on his back – it was Jacob Mulenga, hobbling along on his crutches. "Go on, enjoy it," Mulenga said with a wink. "This is just the beginning for you." Amani nodded, eyes glistening. He gave a final wave to the crowd and disappeared into the tunnel, the noise of the stadium echoing behind him.
Inside the dressing room, the atmosphere was jubilant. Music blared, and players laughed and recapped the goals. Amani was the center of attention – someone had already fetched the match ball to hand to him as a keepsake. He sat in a corner, jersey soaked in sweat, head spinning with bliss.
The System's interface hovered in his mind's periphery, undoubtedly tallying unbelievable mission rewards for this performance, but for once Amani didn't even think to check it. The pure human experience of this night was reward enough. He closed his eyes for a second, replaying the goal in his head: the angle, the strike, the explosion of joy. A soft chuckle escaped him – it still felt a bit unreal.
As he opened his eyes, he saw his teammates raising their paper cups of sports drink in a mock toast. Anouar Kali cleared his throat, "To Amani – the kid who saved our season tonight!" Laughter and cheers followed, players tapping their cups to his.
Amani flushed and gave a small, humble bow. In the doorway, Jan Wouters watched the celebration with pride. He knew nights like this are rare and precious. Journalists were already clamoring outside for quotes, and he was certain tomorrow's headlines would hail the Wonderkind from the coast of Kenya. But more importantly, he had witnessed the birth of a new star in Dutch football.
Kristen and Carlos Stein waited near the tunnel entrance, having been allowed inside by a grinning club official. When Amani emerged from the locker room, showered and wearing an oversized Utrecht jacket, Kristen rushed forward and enveloped him in a hug. "We are so proud of you," she whispered, voice breaking.
Carlos patted the boy's shoulder firmly. "Tonight you made history, son." Amani smiled wide. He realized he was indeed part of history now. Youngest player, youngest scorer – records shattered in one incredible debut. And yet, as they guided him toward the media area for interviews, Amani felt calm and centered. He had done what he loved, played freely, and followed the System's guidance to enjoy the moment.
Outside the stadium, fans lingered in the cool night air, chattering excitedly about what they had witnessed. The name "Amani Hamadi" was on everyone's lips. Some kids were attempting to re-enact his goal in the parking lot using a crushed cup as a ball. The city of Utrecht felt alive with a new optimism.
In that triumphant 6-2 victory, a symbol of hope had emerged – a reminder of why they love the beautiful game. It wasn't just about the three points tonight; it was about the story, the 15-year-old kid who came from nowhere and lit up the Galgenwaard.
As Amani finally stepped out to meet the press – lights flashing and microphones poised – he took one last deep breath of the night air. He glanced up at the towering stands of Stadion Galgenwaard, imagining them filled with cheering fans again. He knew this was only the first chapter of a much larger journey.
A historic journey had begun under those floodlights, one that would take him to heights yet unimagined. And with the taste of this night still fresh, Amani Hamadi felt ready for everything the future would bring. A star was truly born, and nothing would ever be the same again.
***
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