Third Game

Three days later, Utrecht prepared for their next challenge: another home match against Vitesse Arnhem. The city was still abuzz from the NAC miracle. On the morning of the game, local newspapers featured Amani's photo, celebrating, with headlines like "Wonderkid Sparks Utrecht" and "Hamadi: Future of FC Utrecht?".

Amani saw them briefly in the clubhouse but tried not to get caught up in the hype. Coach Wouters had pulled him aside during the final training session and, while smiling, cautioned: "Teams will be watching you now. They'll try to shut you down. Keep it simple and play your game." Amani took the words to heart. He felt a healthy pressure - he'd set a high bar, and now he had to show consistency.