Bab 34: Chapter 34:- The Kabir Show: A Hat-trick to Remember
Booom!!!!!!
[South Korea has scored. Son scores the second goal. This meant that South Korea has now taken the lead.]
The jubilant South Korean footballers couldn't contain their joy and began their celebrations as if they had emerged victorious from the match. They surrounded their teammate, Son, hugging and cheering ecstatically. Their victory dance was so premature and exaggerated that it inflamed the rivalry that had already been brewing.
Kabir, their opposing player, stood stoically at the midfield line, his gaze fixated on Son and his celebratory teammates. His focus shifted momentarily when he noticed Kim Shin-Wook, the South Korean Centre Forward, arrogantly throwing a derisive smile in his direction.
The mocking smirk from Shin-Wook only stoked the burning flames of Kabir's already simmering rage. His determination to score against the South Korean team, which was already high, now shot through the roof. This fierce interaction didn't go unnoticed, thanks to the omnipresent cameras that broadcast every moment to the anticipating audience.
"Who does he think he is?" One enraged fan blurted out. Another chimed in, "Kabir's one leg has scored more goals than his entire international football career." The audience's discontent was palpable, and they weren't shy about voicing it. In an outpouring of dissatisfaction, the entire stadium started to jeer and boo at the South Korean team. Some fans, unable to contain their fury, even began hurling objects at the South Korean players. Shin-Wook's face morphed into an expression of disbelief and anger as he watched the scene unfold.
As the game resumed, Arifur strategically passed the ball to Kabir. Upon receiving the ball, Kabir was at once joined by his three fellow attackers who began advancing towards the penalty area, almost as if they had foreseen Kabir's next move. This time around, Ibrahim and Ahamad, the two midfielders, abandoned their usual defensive play. Their indignation towards the South Korean team had instilled a fiery hunger in them to score.
The trio played a tight, strategic game, passing the ball amongst themselves while gradually deepening their reach towards the goal. Kabir, with an intuitive move, passed the ball to the right midfielder before bolting towards the penalty arc. Ibrahim caught the defenders' attention by passing the ball to the right winger. Matin, the right winger, juggled the ball for a few seconds before returning it to Ibrahim.
Ibrahim smoothly flicked the ball towards Kabir who had taken a position in the penalty arc. As the ball rolled towards him, Kabir realized he had a very narrow window to make his move before the defenders could reach him.
And then, something spectacular happened. Kabir activated Zone, and a crimson lightning started flowing out of his body. He commanded, "System, convert my 70 points into 7 attribute points and then add them to the long shot." An immediate response followed, [Ding! Your 'Long shot' has reached 65].
He sidestepped to the right side of the penalty arc, his eyes locked on the net. Seeing the right opportunity, he didn't waste a second. Anticipating Kabir's shot, a South Korean player lunged to tackle him. But before he could reach Kabir, it seemed as if Kabir had vanished into thin air.
The confusion was palpable as the player wondered, 'Where did he go?' Panic set in for a moment until he spotted Kabir stepping back, now standing a few meters away from the penalty arc. Without giving the least bit of attention to the player who had attempted to tackle him, Kabir used his left foot, harnessing the power of the Zone, to make his shot.
The football blasted off from Kabir's foot and soared through the air, cutting a diagonal path towards the top left corner of the net. The velocity of the ball was such that it seemed to have been fired from a rocket. It was too fast for the goalkeeper, who barely had a chance to react. Everything seemed to happen in a flash. Before the goalkeeper could even twitch a muscle, the ball was nestled snugly inside the net.
Boooom!!!!
"Kabir scores! At the 42nd minute of the game, Kabir has come through for his team once more! This pivotal goal has now equalized the score. Bangladesh are still very much in the thick of this match!" The commentator's voice boomed through the stadium's speakers.
A sudden silence descended upon the stadium. Fans, fellow players, and even his opposition watched in stunned disbelief as Kabir sprinted towards the right corner of the field, performing Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic celebration.
The spectators were dumbstruck. The fact that Kabir was a long shooter wasn't something they had anticipated. He had never shown this specific talent on the pitch before. Their shock didn't last long though. Within a heartbeat, the entire stadium was consumed by a volcanic eruption of cheers. The fans roared, wildly applauding their champion.
Kabir's teammates, in a show of ecstatic solidarity, made a beeline for him. Encircling him in a collective embrace, they cheered on their captain, who had scored a breathtaking goal within just three minutes of their opponent's goal, balancing the scales once again.
"With this, Kabir has notched up his 16th goal! Now, he's just two goals shy of becoming the top goal scorer for Bangladesh. And, I have a gut feeling that this record might be shattered in this very match itself." The commentator's prediction rang through the stadium.
Jaime was utterly taken aback. 'I had no idea he had this ability to score from outside the penalty box.' He was both shocked and filled with admiration for Kabir. 'Such youth, yet so many skills. By the time the 2022 World Cup rolls around, I can't even begin to imagine how formidable Kabir will be. If his teammates put in the hard work to match the skill levels of other countries, a World Cup victory might not be such a far-fetched dream.' With these thoughts, Coach Jaime mentally began preparations for the 2022 World Cup. Despite understanding the massive leap from the AFC Asian Cup to the World Cup, he felt confident. With Kabir on their side, Bangladesh had a real shot.
On the other end, Son and his South Korean teammates were overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. Their Coach had instructed them to deny Kabir entry into the penalty box with the ball. Yet, Kabir had exceeded their expectations by netting a goal from outside the box. 'Is there any possible way to halt him?' This thought played on the mind of the defender who had twice attempted to tackle Kabir. 'It appears that three, perhaps even four of us, are needed to stop this man.' This stunning goal had struck a significant blow to the South Koreans' confidence.
Once the momentary shock had passed, the match resumed, only to be halted a few minutes later by the half-time whistle. Kabir, along with the other players, retired to the locker room. Inside, Coach Jaime, recognizing Kabir's scoring prowess even from outside the penalty box, gave him a free hand. He allowed Kabir to play as he saw fit while instructing the other players to provide Kabir with assistive passes and create space for him. After a 15-minute break, the second half commenced.
This time around, the Korean team adopted a cautious approach, choosing to keep the ball in their possession rather than launching an attack. This, they believed, would minimize the risk of Kabir intercepting the ball. But in the 59th minute, their worst fear was realized when Kabir intercepted a pass meant for Son. Spotting the goalkeeper outside the penalty box, Kabir decided to try his luck.
The very next second, Kabir mustered all his strength and sent the ball flying towards the goal. The goalkeeper, realizing the impending danger, hastily sprinted back to block the shot. But alas, he was a second too late. The ball had already found its home in the net.
Booooom!!!!!
"It's a goal! Kabir has achieved the remarkable feat of a hat-trick!" The commentator announced ecstatically.
Meanwhile, Kabir was himself stunned. He had shot the ball from the center line, half expecting the goalkeeper to block it, but the ball had managed to find its way past him, right into the net.
Overwhelmed with joy, Kabir's teammates raced towards him, wrapping him in a victorious group hug. Kabir stood at the heart of the pitch, still trying to process the reality of what he had achieved.
On the other hand, Son and his Korean teammates were absolutely shocked. Their shock quickly turned into a chorus of curses directed at their goalkeeper for this blunder at such a crucial stage of the match. It was clear that after today's performance, the Korean coach would seriously consider finding a replacement for their goalkeeper.
With Bangladesh now leading the score, the Korean players were under immense pressure. They had a challenging 30 minutes ahead of them to score another goal, or they would face defeat.
Fuelled by their desperation to score, the Korean players amped up their attacks. But in their frantic pace, they ended up making multiple errors, leading to frequent loss of ball possession.
As time ticked away, South Korea couldn't find a single opening to make a shot at the goal. Every time they managed to take the ball near the penalty box, the Bangladeshi team would spring into action to halt their advance.
In the 89th minute, Son decided to take a chance and made a long shot from outside the box in hopes of leveling the score. But this time, the Bangladeshi goalkeeper was ready and deflected the ball successfully.
After the save, the goalkeeper quickly passed the ball to Ahamad, who then transferred it to Nabib. Seeing the unfolding play, Kabir activated his Zone and started his run towards the goal. With Korea desperate to score, their defense had been left unguarded, offering a golden opportunity to anyone who could transport the ball to the other end.
Son, along with six other Korean players, made a rush to stop Nabib. Anticipating their approach, Nabib deftly executed a diagonal pass across the field.
Kabir received the ball and sprinted ahead, his speed rendering the Korean players helpless to catch up. "Kabir is storming towards the penalty box! Could we be on the brink of witnessing another Kabir goal?" The commentator's voice echoed throughout the stadium, amplifying the tension of the final moments.
The Korean goalkeeper, seeing Kabir's swift approach, made a desperate run toward him, vowing to himself, "I am not letting you score." However, he was unaware that his haste was about to lead to a significant blunder.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Kabir's mouth as he gently struck the ball with the top of his left foot. Every eye in the stadium followed the path of the ball as it soared over the goalkeeper's head, bouncing straight into the net.
Boooom!!!!!!
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