Five dribbles to immortality: Yassin makes history with a masterpiece goal

Invariably, the Saturday after the date of a Master Game is announced, a large number of players turn up, making their presence in the starting 11 of the forthcoming MG the key priority. That’s only natural: featuring in the team picture just before kick-off in the biggest game of the season guarantees, among other things, entry into the life of millions of adoring fans who collect the item and stick it into their football album, dreaming one day of rubbing shoulders with FDs and FKs.

The 22 players knew full well that with only 7 games to go (MG11 is on 15th June) any time is a good time to impress and make the grades. Both teams featured a good mix of youngsters and heavyweights, with Orange having in Paride the advantage of a regular goalkeeper, while Colours had to rely on the rotating system. That was, though, offset initially by the extra player and later by two in the Colours’ ranks.

Once again, it was the unassuming yet clinical finisher Ishan who opened the scoring and then doubled up soon after.

Orange held the keys of midfield with Yassin’s perpetual motion, flanked by the fine touches of Yuness and Giancarlo, while up front Nizar was at war with Massimo — and the noise was heard in Croydon too. This was not the only clash of titans, as on the opposite front no less than Hossam and Daoud lit up a fierce battle, knowing that whoever won most likely would have won the war.

Looking at the stats, preventing Daoud from scoring is virtually impossible, but reducing him to one goal only is a hell of an achievement. In fact, the striker halved the gap for the Colours and all of a sudden the game was up for grabs.

But then something happened: as everyone who saw Maradona score against England, dribbling half the team from midfield for the goal of the century, will never forget it, the same — in a shorter space and faster pace — happened today. Yassin picked up the ball, dribbled vertically past five players, and found himself in front of goal — at which point everyone, including opposing Colours and their fans, prayed that he scored so they could claim to have witnessed the impossible.
Prayers were fulfilled as Yassin put the final touch to his masterpiece and entered the history of football through the main door.

Was it the best goal ever? Many felt so — but something more was needed to substantiate it. A bunch of data ranging from distance covered, density (number of players/space), speed, players dribbled, etc., were input into ChatGPT and other AI tools which, simultaneously and without hesitation, produced a flashing red WR code: unmistakably a World Record!

A goal like this could have annihilated any team, but the truth is that if you wear an FD or FK shirt, giving up is a luxury you simply cannot afford.

Hope for Colours took the shape of the ever-mobile Aurian, who scored with a timely header in a crowded space: at 3-2 for Orange, it was game on yet again.

There were heroics at both ends. Yuness did a couple of overhead kicks which would have deserved a better outcome: just by watching them, some of the senior players had instant back pain — but were able to carry on! There was constant pressure on the Colours’ defence, especially from pinpoint corners by Nizar.

Colours tested Paride to the limit and went close to scoring with Aurian and rookie Matteo, a friend of Massimo, who was denied by superb saves and wide shots.

It looked like Orange could capitulate at any time, but the old guard made sure the game was over when Giancarlo sealed the 4-2 with a half-volley from distance.

Perhaps the final score was too penalising for Colours, and it was only fair that they could get the consolation of the golden goal: not for the first time, it was Al who grabbed it with an impressive shot from outside the box, for the joy of the Colours fans who could then look forward to a nice weekend.

Without that goal, the Man of the Match award would have been a widely contested exercise.

Paride was impeccable in the air and on the ground. Anton and Gillian were brilliant both defending and coming out of the box. Hossam and Massimo were hard as rock and flexible as rubber, depending on circumstances.

Giancarlo scored one, saved another and, more importantly, completed three nutmegs — further distancing the competition for the golden nutmeg award. Besides, today he officially scored the goal by the oldest FD on record.

Ishan is now a default top scorer with a wide range of skills to do so.

But luckily that goal was scored, and the otherwise revered Man of the Match award looked like a tiny thing compared to the immensity of Yassin’s timeless masterpiece.

ORANGE-COLOURS 4-3

GOALS
ORANGE: Ishan (2), Yassin, Giancarlo
COLOURS: Daoud, Aurian, Al (gg)

TEAMS
ORANGE: Paride, Hossam, Anton, Gillian, Matej, Yassin, Yuness, Giancarlo, Ishan, Nizar
COLOURS: Massimo, Bijan, Andrea M, Thomas, Julien, Gabbi, Dan, Diego F, Aurian, Matteo, Al, Daoud