Rise of a Football God

FWEEE!

The game started.

And immediately, both nations sought to assert dominance.

On paper, Belgium had the stronger midfield but Sweden approached this game with only one objective in mind… to win.

They would not make it easy for the Belgian players.

This was why despite the fact that Belgium had the likes of Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, and Kevin De Bruyne all in midfield, Belgium failed to assert early dominance over this game, even just the midfield battle.

Sweden met them man to man, showing exactly what they were capable of as the Swedish players abused their physicality to slow down Belgium's game.

For the first 10 minutes of the game, Kevin De Bruyne was marked and isolated, hassled by 2 players who prevented him from settling down long enough on the ball to throw his trademark deadly passes.

And with Kevin De Bruyne marked out of the game, Belgium struggled.

From the right, Belgium tried to create with Jeremy Doku, Leandro Trossard also causing some trouble down the left but the Swedish defenders dug in, marking the players so tightly like their life was on the line.

Belgium was suffocated, their game plan strangled.

10 minutes passed.

And then, they lost cohesion.

Whoosh!

Karlstrom, one of the Swedish midfielders slid in from the side, stealing the ball from De Bruyne before quickly pouncing back to his feet, rushing after the ball and hitting it forward.

It was literally Sweden's first meaningful attack of the game, but you could feel the trepidation among the rapidly back-pedaling Belgian players.

Karlstorm hit the ball towards the left side, towards Alexander Isak.

Meunier, the Belgian right back tried to close the striker down but with a drop of his shoulder, Isak deftly evaded the right back, before kicking the ball forward and exploding forward with speed.

Thud! Thud!

His boots hit the pitch, eating yards of space like they were not there with his pace as he approached the 18-yard box from the left.

There, he met Debast, the Belgian center back and Amadou Onana who was approaching from the right.

Alexander Isak slowed down, and then…

His legs went haywire!

BZZZ!

His legs exploded, rapidly stepping over the ball in silky smooth step overs.

Debast staggered.

That was Isak's cue to move.

He moved!

He kicked the ball forward, past Debast and towards the goalkick where he intercepted it. But before Isak could run into the 18-yard box, he saw Debast again who already recovered despite being dribbled past already.

Besides, Amadou Onana was now closer than ever before.

Isak didn't think though.

As soon as Debast approached, he hit the ball, nutmegging the center back.

Gasps erupted around the stadium, but then…

Whoosh!

Amadou Onana slid in for the killer tackle.

Isak noticed it too late.

'I can't pass,' he realized immediately and then he improvised, flicking the ball to the right even as he fell down.

It was supposed to be a penalty, but the referee didn't blow.

Why?

Advantage.

Isak's flick was not a desperate play, rather, it was a calculated pass towards an onrushing teammate… Dejan Kulusevski.

Kulusevski didn't slow down, rushing at the ball with the same speed, even as he swung his leg with power, and then…

POW!

Inside the 18-yard box, he struck the ball with killer power and speed.

Sels reacted, swinging his arms, but it was a helpless movement as the ball tore past him with speed, tearing its way into the net.

"GOALLLLLL…!"

The Mercedez Benz Stadium in USA erupted as Swedish fans celebrated.

Kulusevski ran towards the corner flag, celebrating exuberantly, swinging his arms wildly.

12 minutes, 1-0 to Sweden.

But the lead didn't last.

Just 2 minutes after the goal, Kevin De Bruyne finally forced a pass through Sweden's defense to the right where Jeremy Doku received it behind the defense.

The rapid winger exploded with the ball, eating yards of space with his pace and his ball control.

As soon as he entered the 18-yard box, Sema, one of the Swedish center backs stuck out his leg. Doku reacted at the last moment, kicking the ball away, but Sema's leg caught him, and immediately, Doku fell in the 18-yard box, screaming.

FWEEEE!

Penalty!

"Wow! What a crazy game!"

"Penalty just after Sweden scored!"

Romelu Lukaku stepped up to take the penalty. He didn't miss a beat, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way before burying it in the right corner of the net to make it 1-1.

Belgim was not done yet though.

Those 2 goals ignited the game. Lukaku scored the penalty in the 15th minute of the game, and then in the 19th minute, Belgium exploded again.

This time, Lukaku was the creator, playing his holding 9 role to perfection as he cut the ball back for Youri Tielemans to rifle into the net with power.

POW!

Another piledriver this game.

Sweden's goalkeeper could not save the ball despite going on a full stretch dive.

19 minutes, 1-2 to Belgium.

In the 26th minute, Sweden raised their defiant head again, and this time, it was Victor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres received an Isak pass in the box, held his markers off with his incredible physicality, and once the space opened, he unleashed the shot.

Bam!

He squeezed it through, towards the bottom left corner.

GOAL!

26 minutes, 2-2.

What a game it was already.

And yet, the action was not over yet. Not close.

In the 30th minute, Jeremy Doku exploded to life, stinging 2 Swedish players with his rapid dribbling, cutting through the middle before curling a shot with his left foot straight into the top left corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.

Golazo! The stadium exploded again.

30 minutes, 2-3 to Belgium.

But 7 minutes later, in the 37th minute of the game, Victor Gyokeres struck again, this time from a corner kick.

He rose highest in the Belgium box, powering a header towards the top right corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.

GOAL!

The Mercedez Benz Stadium was ignited for the umpteenth time this game.

3-3!