Rise of a Football God

Chapter 269 The grand finale; matchday 38 [2]

"Liverpool lead 1-nil in Anfield while Fulham are barely hanging on in Craven Cottage, surely this is the end of the premier league title race this season".

"The West London club fought a good fight".

"They pushed Liverpool all the way to the end, but alas, they just had to play against Manchester City in their final matchday of the season".

"They didn't lack for effort, what they lacked for was luck".

While the commentator kept on talking on the pitch, making the mood of the home supporters even more foul, there was a solemn silence in the Fulham dressing room as they reflected on themselves after their first half performance.

Coach Marco Silva gave his players 1 or 2 minutes for their atrocious performance in the first half to sink in, and then he started his speech.

"Is this how you guys want it?" He placed his hands on his hips akimbo. "After all the effort we put in from matchday 1, after staying in the fight for so long, this is how you want us to end the season?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Pathetic". He muttered.

Hearing that term, Sam shuddered, instinctively clenching his fists but he could not say a word as he kept his head down, wondering what went wrong.

Yes, he played 'Lose Yourself by Eminem', yes he already did his best to be calm but he just couldn't stop the pressure from getting to him.

As soon as he stepped into the pitch, it came and overwhelmed him

'So this is the pressure of a premier league title race'. He thought, amazed even as he looked at his trembling hands.

At this moment, Sam felt even more respect for the legendary group of Manchester City players who've competed and won the last 4 straight premier league titles in England.

But his coach was not done yet.

"Is this the extent to your ambitions? 2nd place?" Coach Marco Silva shook his head disappointedly.

"The 300, the battle of Thermopylae, the Spartans are war maniacs but you think they wanted to be stuck in such a losing battle?" He chuckled mirthfully.

"They were forced by the situation, their backs were pushed against the wall and they didn't want to lose, so they fought. They fought, and fought, and fought again, repeatedly, relentlessly till they pushed their enemies against the wall".

"You think it's already over?" He looked round at them. "You think we can't score 4, 5, 6 goals and catch up to Liverpool this second half?"

"Why? Because they're Man City?" He chuckled, shaking his head again. "The moment you begin to think that, you've lost already".

"What is there to not overcome?"

"Unlike the Spartans, you're not outnumbered!" He slammed his fist for emphasis. "It's a game of 11 vs 11, it's a fair matchup and you think you can't blow them away with impunity?"

"Come on guys!" Coach Marco Silva's face twisted in rage. "Is this the mentality of the players that I trained? Is this the limit of your ambitions?"

"F*ck weakness, wake up!" He growled.

Sam was shocked, this was his first time hearing his coach say a swear word.

"Look at me," he pointed at his chest, tapping it aggressively. "We still have 45 minutes in this game, more time enough time to turn it all around!"

"Let's go out there and create history!"

"Let's go and create our own luck!"

"Let's go there and immortalize our names in history!"

"You better not give up on me, you better not, not after coming this far, not after raising my hopes up".

"Come on!"

In that moment, all the Fulham players felt strange, it was like a fire was lit up in their heart and left unattended to.

Now, this fire burned, blazing into a firestorm!

When the Fulham players walked down the tunnel for the second half, their opponents could not help but feel that something was different about them.

It was almost like they had a halo around them.

A halo… of fiery zeal and passion.

FWEEEE!

When the referee's whistle sounded, the game changed immediately.

BOOM!

Like rabid dogs, the Fulham team went all-out attack!

Sam led his team, abusing his stamina and running like a guard dog.

At first, Manchester City were caught off-guard, struggling to cope with the sudden intensity but then they adapted, playing and defending like a team for 10 minutes till a moment of individual brilliance tore the game open.

After receiving a cross from Castagne in the Man City 18-yard box, Sam killed its momentum with his chest and as he landed, his right leg swung.

…knuckle ball shot!

POW!

Ederson only saw an afterimage!

The next moment, his net already rippled even as Craven Cottage exploded in ecstasy in the 55th minute of this game.

55 minutes, 2-1 to Fulham…

Game on!

Manchester City tried to get back into the game but after that goal, Sam decided to be defiant as he was unleashed.

Just 4 minutes later after he scored, channeling his inner Lionel Messi, Sam went on a solo run all the way from the half-way line, dribbling through multiple players and eventually the Man City goalkeeper too as he scored in the 59th minute.

"GOALLLLL…!!!" Craven Cottage was electric.

"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"

The Sam chants already started blasting out.

Sam was already in the zone state.

59 minutes, 3-1…

5 minutes later, in the 64th minute, Sam cut the Man City defense open like a hot knife through butter with an unreal pass, setting Raul Jimenez to score his 2nd goal and Fulham's 4th goal of this game.

64 minutes, 4-1…

2 minutes later, Calvin Bassey rose highest, planting a powerful header past Ederson to score Fulham's 5th goal of the game.

66 minutes, 5-1…

Fulham's game was unrecognizable from how they played in the first half; they were like an entirely different team.

But then, not willing to roll over so easily, Man City scored again courtesy of an absolute thunderbolt shot from Kevin De Bryune in the 69th minute of the game, dousing the Fulham energy and momentum.

5-2, but just as the Fulham players almost started collapsing on the pitch in tiredness, the referee's whistle sounded.

VAR judged that there was a foul in the build-up to the goal!

"YEAHHHH…!!!" The home supporters roared at the top of their lungs, even God seemed to be favoring them today.

In that moment, all the tired Fulham players felt their exhaustion disappearing with the wind, this was a chance!

"My God, what a moment this is!"

"Fulham have switched it on since the start of the 2nd half, and even lady luck is favoring them now. Can they actually do it?"

"Can they create history?"

"The score is still 5-1 in Fulham's favor, massively boosting their goal difference value but Liverpool have not stayed idle, they've scored again".

"Now, Liverpool leads the race by 2 goals".

"Can Fulham somehow score 2 more goals in this game against the reigning champions to make it level with Liverpool's goal difference?"

"Can the script really be that perfect? I doubt".

FWEEEE!

The game continued, and it was end to end.

Feeling humiliated already, Man City attacked the home side, going on attack after attack as they aimed to reduce their deficit but Fulham's defense stayed like a stalwart, protecting the defense like it was their own life.

Calvin Bassey already went as far as getting injured in his clash against the powerful Erling Haaland, but the Nigerian International did not leave the pitch.

As soon as his eye was bandaged, he continued the game!

This was a game of sweat and blood!

The game continued but just like Fulham, Man City's defense also became extremely tight as the last 2 goals to meet Liverpool were not materializing.

70 minutes, no goal…

75 minutes, no goal…

80 minutes, no goal…

85 minutes, no goal…

But then in the 88th minute, after a scramble in the Man City box, Sam rushed after the loose ball like a hurricane.

He received a dangerous off-ball tackle from Nathan Ake that deserved a penalty but refusing to be stopped and pinning his hopes on a penalty that may or may not be awarded, Sam ignored the pain on his legs and rushed forward, and then, he jumped.

Kyle Walker jumped; Sam also jumped and, in the end, both players ended up hitting their heads against each other but Sam just did more.

Even as he felt concussed from the collision, Sam stayed stubborn, refusing to give up, putting just enough in his diving header to hit the ball, sending it past Ederson.

He collapsed to the pitch, bleeding from his head, feeling dizzy but the ball managed to sneak into the Man City net a 6th time and that was all that mattered.

Ignoring the pain, the bleeding and how dizzy he felt, Sam jumped to his feet with dilated pupils, veins popping all over his body as he pumped a fist excitedly in joy. "COME ON…!!!" He roared, riling up the Fulham supporters even more.

"What a game!"

"Jesus! I can't believe what I'm seeing, what a way to end a premier league season, Fulham are now leading 6-1!"

"They need just one more goal; can they get it?!"

"But Sam's head, can he continue this game?"

The medical staff asked Sam the same question but the young Nigerian simply told them to bandage his head and leave him be.

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Sam continued playing this game!

Fulham continued chasing the last goal as they forced Manchester City to defend deep. The pressure in the final few minutes was extremely oppressive, but in the end, Man City did it, they kept the Fulham offense at bay.

FWEEEEE!

The final whistle sounded…, Fulham failed to score.

The Fulham players were devastated.

Thud!

Sam collapsed on his knees even as some of his teammates directly collapsed to the pitch, totally exhausted and even more devastated.

But then, they heard the commentator scream.

"OH MY GOD!!!"

"OH MY GOD…!!!"

"CRYSTAL PALACE JUST SCORED IN THE LAST MINUTE OF THE GAME IN ANFIELD!"

"THE GAME HAS ENDED; LIVERPOOL AND FULHAM ARE LEVEL ON POINTS!"