Chapter 43 - The Champions League Begins
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78th Minute – Stamford Bridge
Corner kick.
The pressure had been relentless. A siege under floodlights. The kind of tension that tightened lungs and made seconds feel like hours.
Nathan jogged toward the corner flag, jersey clinging to his back, lungs dragging in heavy breaths. The roar of the away fans followed him like a drumbeat—loud, wild, desperate for one more miracle.
Haaah…
He placed the ball down and glanced into the box. Zirkzee. Bruno. Varane. All jostling in the crowd of blue shirts.
He raised his hand, then delivered.
Whip!
The cross spun in like a scythe. Kepa lunged, punched—but not clean.
Crack!
The ball ricocheted off Colwill's knee. Chaos. Bodies everywhere.
Bruno reacted first—BOOM!—
a snap volley through traffic.
Blocked.
The rebound popped up, spinning mid-air.
Nathan didn't shoot.
He read it.
Controlled it with his chest, calm in the eye. Time slowed as defenders swarmed.
He didn't panic.
