First Official U17 Match II - Domination

As the PSV goalkeeper rolled the ball out to restart play, Amani jogged back to his position, heart thumping with excitement. The System's first objective echoed in his mind: Make Utrecht dominate possession. So far, PSV had come at them strongly, but Utrecht had shown they could play out and even threaten. He could feel the momentum balancing.

Around the 10-minute mark, the game settled into a rhythm. PSV still saw plenty of the ball – their defenders knocking it side to side, their midfielders showing for passes – but Utrecht were no longer just chasing shadows. With Amani orchestrating, they started to keep the ball for longer stretches, stringing together patient sequences of passes to draw PSV out of shape.

Amani constantly made himself available, drifting cleverly into pockets of space between PSV's midfielders. Whenever a Utrecht defender won the ball or a clearance found its way to midfield, Amani was there – an open outlet, always showing for the pass. He was becoming the fulcrum of Utrecht's possession. A simple touch here, a short pass back to reset, then darting into another space to receive again. The ball circulation began to flow through him.

Even when he was marked tightly, he'd use a feint or a quick give-and-go with Amrabat to shake free. Bit by bit, Utrecht's confidence on the ball grew. It was subtle, but by the quarter-hour mark one could see PSV's players frowning, frustrated that they weren't bossing the game as expected.

On the sideline, one of the PSV coaches yelled in Dutch for his team to, "Press higher, win it back!" The next time Utrecht built from the back, PSV heeded the call. Their front three and midfield pressed in a structured but fluid swarm, the hallmark of their academy training.

As Utrecht's center-back rolled a pass out to the right-back, a PSV forward sprinted at the receiver, while simultaneously a midfielder slid across to cut off the angle to Amani in the middle. The right-back, feeling the heat, played it back to the keeper.

Immediately PSV's striker and other winger closed in on the keeper and left center-back, hemming them on that side. It was coordinated pressing: like a red-and-white net cast over Utrecht's attempts to play out.

Unfazed, Utrecht tried the other side. The keeper chipped a pass towards the left-back. Amani could see another PSV midfielder already anticipating this, shifting over even before the pass was made. The left-back managed to nod the ball down to Amrabat under pressure. But a PSV attacker was at Amrabat's heels instantly. With two opponents bearing down, Amrabat coolly clipped the ball forward, a lofted pass into midfield hoping to find Amani.

It wasn't an ideal situation – a 50/50 ball hung in the air between Amani and the PSV captain. Win your duels, the mission reminded somewhere in Amani's mind. He gritted his teeth and launched himself upward.

Both players went up, shoulder-to-shoulder, suspended for a moment against the gray sky. The PSV captain was a tall, sturdy lad – he probably had a few centimeters on Amani even now – but Amani timed his jump perfectly and got his forehead to the ball first. Thump! The ball flicked off Amani's head and skidded toward the center circle, where Utrecht's striker had dropped back to collect. Amani landed and immediately felt the PSV captain try to muscle him aside.

But a year of intense physical training had toughened Amani's core; he held his ground firmly, even giving a little shoulder back for good measure. The PSV captain staggered ever so slightly, surprised that Amani didn't budge. Amani offered a thin smile – another duel won. It wasn't pretty, but it drew a small cheer from Utrecht's bench, Malik pumping a fist.

By winning that aerial contest, Amani had broken PSV's press for a moment. The ball was with Utrecht's striker who quickly laid it off to Dani. Dani swung it out right to the free fullback, and Utrecht was out of the trap. Now was the time to maintain possession and make PSV chase. Amani quickly got open to receive the next pass from the fullback and turned upfield.

He noticed PSV had pressed so many forward that their shape was stretched – an opportunity. Rather than forcing a risky forward ball, he opted to recycle possession. Amani pinged a firm pass back to one of his center-backs to slow the tempo. Utrecht began a deliberate spell of keep-ball, knocking it around the back and midfield. PSV's players rushed to adjust positions, but Utrecht calmly shifted the point of attack from right to left and back again.

This was a new experience for the PSV side – being made to chase on their own turf. Amani could sense it: Utrecht was starting to dictate the pace. He received another pass in midfield, under less pressure this time, and chose to slow things down further, executing La Pausa not just in one-on-ones but in the overall tempo. Instead of immediately playing the way he faced, he gently rolled his sole over the ball and waited a half-second, inviting a midfielder to come to him.

The moment a PSV player stepped up, Amani nudged the ball safely sideways to Amrabat. PSV stepped to Amrabat; Amrabat then one-touched it back to Amani who had moved a few meters to the side. This little two-man weave bypassed one opponent and drew another out of position. Now a bigger gap appeared in PSV's formation, and Amani immediately slotted a pass through the gap to Utrecht's left-back pushing up. And so it went – Utrecht retained possession, each pass purposeful and composed.

By the 20th minute, Utrecht were actually dominating possession, something almost unthinkable at kickoff.

On the sideline, Coach Pronk's tense posture had relaxed; he was still focused, but he allowed himself a brief satisfied nod seeing his boys knock the ball around confidently. The few spectators present murmured appreciatively – the underdogs were playing with swagger.

Of course, PSV was far too good a team to be penned back completely. They remained dangerous, especially on the break. After one lengthy Utrecht passing sequence high up the field, an overly ambitious forward pass from Tijmen got intercepted. PSV immediately sprang forward with frightening speed – two crisp passes had the ball at the feet of their right-winger, who tore down the flank with their right-back overlapping outside him.

This was one of those overloads in the final third that PSV loved: their right winger, right back, and an advanced midfielder all surging against Utrecht's left-back and a retreating winger. Utrecht scrambled to get numbers back. The PSV right-back received a through pass and hit a low cross toward the penalty spot.

For a heart-stopping second, a PSV forward in the box was free and wound up a shot – but at the last moment, a sliding block from Utrecht's center-back Denov finally met the ball, sending it deflecting wide of the post. The PSV bench groaned; that move had sliced through in classic PSV fashion, and it took desperate defending to stop it.

Amani jogged back into his defensive third, pulse quickening. That was a warning: despite Utrecht's ascendancy in possession, PSV's quality meant any slip could be deadly. He exchanged a quick word with Amrabat, who gave him a thumbs-up and a determined glare. They had to keep concentration high, and Amani knew part of "contributing defensively" meant dropping back when needed.

For the next stretch, Amani made a point to help out in defense whenever PSV got forward. He tracked runners, popped up in his own box to clear a corner with a firm header, and even put in a tackle or two around the edge of the area. On one occasion, PSV's tricky attacking mid tried to dribble past Utrecht's right-back and cut inside; Amani sprinted back and arrived just in time to stick a foot in and nick the ball away, helping Amrabat clean up and launch it clear.

He felt a surge of pride – a year ago, he might not have had the awareness to cover for a teammate like that, nor the strength to win such a 50-50. Now, he was everywhere the team needed him: orchestrating attacks and mucking in on defense.

As the first half wore on towards the 30-minute mark, the game reached a feverish balance. PSV, frustrated at chasing the ball for spells, increased their aggression. Challenges became harder; a couple of late tackles on Amani drew whistle and a stern look from the referee, though no bookings yet.

Amani didn't mind as he bounced up each time, dusting off his kit, refusing to be intimidated. If anything, the physical play only sharpened his resolve to retain the ball and not be bullied off it. He'd shield the ball with his stronger frame, drawing fouls or riding tackles to keep play moving. His ball retention was becoming a nightmare for PSV; no matter how they tried to press or knock him off balance, he very rarely lost possession.

When pressed by multiple opponents, he would execute a quick pivot or a one-two with a nearby teammate, always emerging with the ball still at Utrecht's feet. He was like a magnet in midfield, and the ball just stuck to him under pressure.

It was time to push for a breakthrough. Objective 4 from the System hovered in Amani's mind: Create five goal-scoring chances. So far, Utrecht had maybe one solid look at goal early on. They needed more.

After winning yet another midfield duel – Amani slid in to dispossess a PSV player and immediately hopped up with the ball – he sparked a purposeful attack. Skipping past an opponent, he drove forward through the center. A PSV center-back stepped up to confront him, leaving a sliver of space in behind. Amani instantly spotted Tijmen making a darting run down the right channel, hoping for a through pass. Yes – this was the moment to unleash it, the new skill he'd earned through all those training drills: Weighted Through Pass.

Amani locked eyes with Tijmen's run and calculated the angles and distance in a split second. With a graceful swing of his right foot, he threaded the ball forward between PSV's left center-back and left-back. It wasn't a simple pass – Amani imparted just the right weight and a subtle curve to it. The ball skipped once on the turf and curled gently into Tijmen's path, perfectly weighted to beat the last defenders. It was as if Amani had placed the ball on a silver platter at full sprint. Tijmen didn't have to break stride; the pass met him exactly where he expected. "Yes, Amani!" he yelled in delight as he latched onto it behind the defense.

Tijmen took one touch and then, from a tight angle, whipped a low cross toward the penalty spot before the recovering defender could close him. Utrecht's striker met the cross with a side-foot shot! The ball flew toward goal – but the PSV keeper reacted superbly, diving low to his left and getting fingertips to it. The shot deflected off his gloves and out for a corner. Groans and cheers mingled from the sidelines – Utrecht's bench up in excitement at the chance, PSV's coaches exhaling in relief.

That was the best opportunity of the match so far, carved open by Amani's incisive through ball. As Tijmen jogged past Amani, he slapped him on the back. "Keep those coming, man!" he grinned, breathless. Amani nodded, a fierce grin on his face. Inside, he allowed himself a quick tally: That's one clear chance created.

Four to go.

The game resumed with the corner. Though nothing came of the set-piece, Utrecht were buoyed by that close call. They began to press PSV higher when out of possession, sensing that the opposition was rattled by the near goal.

Amani led by example – harrying PSV's midfielders the moment they got the ball, not giving them time to breathe. More than once, he forced a mishit pass or a panicked clearance, which only helped Utrecht regain the ball and keep the pressure on. PSV's famed composure was cracking; their passes that were crisp in the early minutes were now sometimes overhit or miscommunicated due to Utrecht's relentless work.

At around 35 minutes, Utrecht nearly struck again. After a lengthy spell of patient possession – almost a minute of the ball pinging between Utrecht's players as PSV players chased shadows – Amani saw an opening. He received the ball in the center circle, turned to face forward, and noticed PSV's left back had tucked inside too far, leaving space on the flank.

Without hesitation, Amani clipped a diagonal pass over the top, a bending ball that sailed above a tired PSV midfielder's head and dropped into space on the right wing. It was another Visionary Pass, hit with such precision that Tijmen barely needed to adjust his run. The right winger controlled it brilliantly on his chest (another silky first touch aided by Amani's quality delivery) and dribbled into the box. The PSV left back scrambled out to meet him, and others rushed to cover the middle. Tijmen, instead of shooting from a tight angle, smartly cut a pass back to the top of the box where Amani had arrived unmarked.

The ball rolled invitingly toward Amani some 20 yards from goal. A PSV defender saw the danger and sprinted at him, but Amani was already swinging his foot. He struck a low, curling shot aiming for the bottom left corner. The connection was pure. Time seemed to slow as the ball skidded through the forest of legs.

The keeper, unsighted, reacted late – he dived, but the shot was just inches wide, whiskering past the post! A collective "Ooooh!" came from the few onlookers, and Amani clutched his head in frustration – so close to a dream goal. Tijmen clapped in encouragement, and even Amrabat gave Amani a shout, "Good effort! Keep going!" It counted as another goal-scoring chance in Amani's mental count – not an assist, but a dangerous shot he orchestrated. He was up to two, maybe three if counting the earlier semi-chance.

PSV were on the back foot now. Their captain was yelling instructions, trying to rally his side to regain control. They responded with a bit of possession of their own, slowing the game in the final minutes of the first half to take the sting out of Utrecht's momentum. Amani, still buzzing with energy, had to be careful not to overcommit and leave a gap. He stayed disciplined, moving in tandem with Utrecht's midfield line to block passing lanes. PSV knocked the ball around the back, and Amani used the moment to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow – despite the chill, he was working tirelessly.

Just before halftime, PSV managed a decent move – their left winger finally got isolated one-on-one with Utrecht's right-back thanks to a quick switch of play. The winger danced and managed to swing in a high cross toward the far post.

A tall PSV forward rose above Utrecht's left-back and powered a header toward the top corner. For a split second, hearts jumped into throats – but Utrecht's goalkeeper flew across and tipped the ball over the bar with his fingertips, a spectacular save! Amani let out a breath of relief, giving the keeper an appreciative nod. It was a reminder that the match hung in a balance; one lapse and PSV could still punish them.

The referee's whistle blew twice, signaling half-time, with the score still 0-0. Amani jogged toward the touchline, his legs feeling the pleasant heaviness of hard effort. He glanced at the stat board being kept by one of the assistants: surprisingly, Utrecht had edged possession in that half. He allowed himself a small, proud smile. Objective 1: underway.

All around, his teammates exchanged high-fives and encouraging pats. They had executed their game plan brilliantly so far. But Amani's job was only half done – the System's list was far from fully ticked off.

***

Any kind of engagement is appreciated. Thank you.