Post-Match Excitement

A deep sense of contentment swelled within Zachary when he was presented with the match ball by the referee right after the final whistle. He had managed to bag three goals in a single match, accomplishing his first-ever hat-trick on the professional stage. Moreover, he'd moved closer to the pinnacle of the list of top scorers. Only Nicki Nielsen still lay ahead of him by a single goal.

"Zach," Mikael Dorsin, the acting captain, hollered out to him. "You don't have to keep gawking at the match ball. It's not going anywhere."

Zachary could only smile wryly in response to the acting captain's verbal jabs. He didn't want to respond since any reply from him would elicit more teasing by the eccentric veteran defender.

"Anyways," Mikael continued after seeing him remain silent. "Jokes aside. Come, join us. Let's thank our fans for traveling so far to support us."