57 Coach Johansen’s Post-Match Team Talk

After the game, Zachary received the match ball from the officials since he had scored a hat-trick. He felt a surge of happiness enveloping him since he had taken the first step towards completing the system mission.

He recalled the final minutes of the game when he had executed the Cruyff turn and Elastico dribble. He had been in a state of complete harmony with the ball, like never before in both his lives. That seemed to be the reason he had been able to execute skills he'd only practiced in his past life. He made a mental note to investigate that state of mind further during his next game.

There were no post-match interviews in the Riga Cup. So, Zachary and his teammates trekked silently back to the dressing room. They had expended all their stamina reserves, defending against the Riga team's relentless attacks in the final minutes.