Football singularity

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Pulisic, with a burst of acceleration, took a sharp touch inside, bypassing Asta before threading a pass to Matteo, who had dropped just outside the box. Bella-Kotchap moved in fast, stepping up to close the space, but Matteo shifted the ball quickly onto his stronger right foot. With a split-second opening, he let loose a powerful strike aimed at the bottom corner. The crowd held its breath as the ball skidded off the wet grass, rocketing towards the goal.

The ball skimmed just inches above the grass, heading straight toward the bottom corner of Luca Unbehaun's goal. The German goalkeeper reacted in a flash, diving low and stretching out a strong right hand.

"Oh, it's a rocket from Matteo Smith!" Paul Gartner exclaimed, his voice cracking with excitement. "He's not waiting around—testing Unbehaun from the get-go!"

"Luca's reflexes are on full display here," Jamie Oliver added. "If you ask me, that early strike could've easily nestled into the net if he wasn't fully alert. Great read by the German keeper."

Unbehaun's fingertips managed to parry the ball out for an early corner, electrifying the American fans behind that goal. Pulisic jogged over to the corner flag, quickly placing the ball as the big men—McKenzie and Richards—took up position in the box.

The resulting corner came in fast and low, but Bella-Kotchap, reading the flight perfectly, rose high at the near post to head it clear. It fell at the feet of Jamie Leweling, who wasted no time, looking to spring the quick counter. With a swift pass to Florian Wirtz—who, in turn, flicked a clever first-time ball toward Rakim on the left flank—Germany came bursting forward to the overwhelming roar of disapproval from the USA fans who were in the majority.

The jeers and boos seemed to intensify the moment Rakim touched the ball as the fans did their best to rattle him. He did not care though and simply raised his head as his long legs pushed the ball forward tearing up the turf. In no time he had reached full speed and was tearing up the left flank with surgical precision as he crossed the halfway line.

Sensing the open space ahead, Rakim pushed the ball forward once more, his feet dancing over it as a he mixed blend of step-overs and feints. Sergiño Dest sprinted across from the American back line to engage, determined to keep him from slicing any deeper into U.S. territory. Rakim's eyes flicked over Dest's approach, a quick shift of weight to the left forced Dest to plant his feet. Then, with lightning speed, Rakim flicked the ball back to the right, following it up with a sudden step-over that sent a ripple of excitement through the German crowd—along with another wave of loud boos from the American majority.

Despite the hostility, the winger pushed forward, forcing Dest into a desperate slide to block his path. "Dest is giving it everything right now," Paul Gartner remarked, his voice echoing across the stadium. "He can't afford to give Rakim so much as an inch."

However, it wasn't enough as Rakim managed to tiptoe around Dest's challenge at the last second, barely keeping the ball in play as it skidded along the sideline. More boos erupted, but he charged ahead anyway. He powered toward the edge of the box, where Chris Richards who had tracked back from the corner stepped up and quickly closed down the angle.

Forced to come to a sudden stop as he saw no viable option through without being fouled and the lack of runs being made into the box he decided to calm things down. Performing a few stepovers mixed with the occasional flip-flap as he feinted a breakthrough he kept the defender at bay. This gave Team USA a chance to regroup and the German contingent a chance to orderly push up the field.

Just as it looked like the scene would settle down Rakim suddenly dragged the ball back with his right foot before nudging it up the flank with his left foot. It was just in time to dodge a risky slide tackle from Dest who came sliding in a second later. That wasn't the end as Rakim performed a reverse elastico liking the ball up as he skipped forward.

His two shoulders collided with Richards on one side who had reacted to Dest's sudden charge and Weston McKennie USA's defensive midfielder. He wasn't bodied to the ground like most home team spectators had expected but instead, it was the two American players who were sent stumbling back as he used his arms to fight through the obstacle. Slipping past them he nudged the ball past another player as deafening boos descended once again but he didn't care as he drew his leg back for a shot.

Ignoring the pull on his left arm that was yanking him to the ground Rakim swiped his foot along the ball and sent a curling shot towards goal before crashing to the ground. A sharp hush fell over the crowd as the ball spun off Rakim's foot, slicing through the air with a deadly curl. For a moment, time seemed to slow. CJ dos Santos, the USA goalkeeper, lunged to his right, arms outstretched in a desperate attempt to save. The stadium lights gleamed off the ball, tracing its path toward the top corner of the net.

Paul Gartner's voice soared above the din. "What a strike! That shot has dos Santos beaten if it drops in time!"

Beside him, Jamie Oliver practically jumped from his seat. "No way we're letting that go in! C'mon CJ, get to it!" a moment of silence so loud one's heartbeat could be heard lingered. "I mean CJ is made for the big moments," he quickly corrected as the ball curled towards the near corner.

With a last-second twist, the ball smacked against the outside of the post and ricocheted away—harmlessly bouncing out for a goal kick. The American fans erupted in relieved cheers, while a few scattered German supporters groaned at the near miss. Rakim lay on the ground for a split second, glaring at the official as if to ask for a foul, but no whistle came followed by a crescendo of claps from the home supporters over the decision.

"Lucky break for the US there," Jamie Oliver said, exhaling hard. "They've got to tighten up in defence. That was way too close for comfort."

Rakim slowly stood up, rolling his shoulder to ease the sting where he'd been pulled back. The shower of boos returned, but he barely acknowledged it, only flicking an irritated glance at the referee before jogging back into position.

CJ dos Santos wasted no time placing the ball for the goal kick, eager to keep Germany on the back foot. He launched a booming pass deep into midfield. McKennie rose high to beat Tauer in the air, heading the ball toward Pulisic's feet. Pulisic cushioned it expertly, then instantly played it forward to Giovanni Reyna, who was drifting between the German midfield and back line.

"Oh, just look at that link-up from the American wunderkinds," Jamie Oliver chimed in, excitement painting his words. "Pulisic and Reyna—what a dynamic combo for the Stars and Stripes!"

Reyna darted forward with quick, precise touches, trying to find room. Armel Bella-Kotchap rushed out to close him down, but Reyna dished the ball wide to Timothy Weah before the big centre-back could make contact. Weah turned on the jets, blazing down the right flank. Noah Katterbach scrambled to keep up, but Weah's pace gave him a tiny window to cross from near the corner flag.

It was a sizzling, low cross, and Matteo Smith broke free from his marker at the near post. He lunged to connect first-time with his right foot, only for Kevin Ehlers to sweep across with a perfectly timed slide tackle, sending the ball spinning out of the box and into open space.

"Wow, Ehlers with the crucial intervention!" Paul exclaimed, nearly shouting into his mic. "Smith was poised to pull the trigger there." The loose ball rolled toward the edge of the box where Angelo Stiller comfortably collected it as he deftly turned avoiding a tackle from Giovanni.

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To Be Continued...