And it came after a week of training, finishing missions from the system, and his fire not burning out, he finally got a chance as matchday arrived again - this time FC Utrecht vs NAC Breda at home. The past few days had been a blur for Amani. On Friday, Coach Wouters had finally beckoned him over after training.
Amani's heart had raced as Wouters said, "You're in the squad tomorrow. Be ready to come off the bench if we need you." Those words had played on repeat in Amani's head ever since. Now, as he sat among the substitutes at Stadion Galgenwaard, he felt the electric buzz of the crowd of 20,000 singing and stomping.
Under the floodlit skies of Stadion Galgenwaard, a restless crowd of red-and-white-clad fans pressed forward in their seats. Fans in the stands craned their necks, catching every detail; the roar of "U-T-R-E-C-H-T" chanted by the home supporters throbbed through the concrete bowl of the stadium.