Chapter 90: The Iconic Strike
The clock on the giant stadium screen read 90+1'.
The score was 4–4.
The away fans were on their feet, chanting "Ace! Ace! Ace!" non-stop. The home supporters were stunned into silence, watching a game that had been 4-0 in their favour only thirty minutes earlier. Galaxy were in 6th place in the Western Conference — just one single point above the playoff cut-off line. A draw tonight would keep them alive. A win would be a miracle. The team below them still had a game in hand. The season was still a fight for survival, but Alex Rivera had turned the match into something unforgettable.
Alex stood in the centre circle, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. Number 33 on his back was soaked. He had scored two goals and provided two assists since coming on at 65'. The team had come back from 0-4 down to 4-4. The momentum was completely with Galaxy.
The referee indicated four minutes of added time.
The visitors were desperate. They threw one last attack forward. A dangerous cross came in from the right. Alex tracked back and headed it clear with power. He immediately started a counter, beating two players with quick changes of direction. The crowd chanted his name even louder.
90+2'
The visitors fouled him hard as he surged forward. The referee blew for a free-kick.
Free-kick. 35 yards out. Slightly left of centre.
The stadium suddenly grew louder. The away fans sensed something special. The giant screens showed Alex's name and number 33 in massive letters. The commentator's voice rose with excitement:
"Free-kick for the Galaxy! Number 33, Alex Rivera, stands over the ball. The 15-year-old starter has already scored two goals and given two assists. The crowd is on its feet!"
Alex placed the ball carefully. He took three steps back, eyes locked on the far top corner of the net. The wall of five visiting players stood ten yards away, arms linked, jumping nervously. The goalkeeper was shifting left and right on his line, shouting instructions that no one could hear over the growing roar.
Alex took a final deep breath. His eyes narrowed. The world seemed to slow down. He could hear his own heartbeat. He could feel the cool night air on his skin. The grass, the lights, the roar — everything disappeared except the ball at his feet and the goal 35 yards away.
They need this win. The team is barely surviving in sixth place. I will give them the victory. This is my moment.
He ran up.
Three steps.
Plant.
Strike.
The contact was pure perfection — a replica of the iconic Roberto Carlos long-range free-kick from 1997. His right foot whipped through the ball with a whip-like snap, the outside of his boot connecting with the perfect angle. The ball left his foot spinning viciously, rising fast over the jumping wall. For a split second the entire stadium held its breath.
The ball dipped at the last possible moment — a wicked, impossible curve that bent in the air like it defied physics. It arrowed toward the top corner, the goalkeeper diving full stretch but unable to reach it. The ball kissed the inside of the post with a loud thud before slamming into the back of the net.
5–4
The stadium exploded.
A deafening, earth-shaking roar erupted from 28,000 throats at once. The noise was so loud it felt like the stands were shaking. Fireworks of sound rolled across the pitch as every single fan in the Galaxy end rose to their feet.
"Ace! Ace! Ace! Ace! Ace!"
The chant started instantly and spread like wildfire through every section of the stadium. It grew louder, faster, more powerful with every repetition. The giant screens flashed his name and number 33 over and over. The commentator lost his mind on the broadcast:
"GOOOOOOAL! GOOOOOOAL FOR THE GALAXY! Number thirty-three, Alex Rivera! The 15-year-old starter has done it again! An iconic long-range free-kick! A replica of Roberto Carlos! From 0-4 down to 5-4 up! The Inglewood kid has just completed one of the most incredible comebacks in league history! This is the rise of a star! This is the moment that will be talked about for years! Alex Rivera has just announced himself to the world! What a player! What a free-kick! What a night for number 33!"
The TV anchors in the studio were visibly shocked. The main commentator, a veteran of the league, leaned forward, voice cracking with excitement:
"I have never seen anything like this in my career. A 15-year-old boy comes on when his team is 0-4 down and single-handedly turns the game into a 5-4 win. A free-kick that bent like Roberto Carlos at his absolute peak. Two goals and two assists. This is not normal. This is generational talent. Alex Rivera is not just a prospect. He is the future. The rise of a star right in front of our eyes. The entire league will be talking about this for years. Galaxy were dead at 0-4. Now they are alive and fighting for the playoffs. This kid is special. This is the birth of a superstar."
Teammates sprinted toward him from every direction.
Captain Marco "El Rey" Delgado reached him first. He lifted Alex clean off the ground in a massive bear hug, screaming in his ear, "You did it again! You told us you would score it and you did! Number 33! You won the game for us!"
The experienced striker piled on next, laughing and shouting, "You called it! You actually called it! Then you scored two more and assisted the others! You're a monster, 33!"
The entire squad mobbed him. The pile grew bigger and bigger as more players jumped on top of Alex. They were shouting, laughing, crying, slapping his back, ruffling his hair. The crowd kept chanting his name louder and louder:
"ACE! ACE! ACE! ACE! ACE!"
Alex stood in the middle of the pile, arms wide, soaking in the noise. His face broke into a wide, genuine smile. The floodlights felt like they were shining just for him. The stadium was his.
The referee blew the final whistle seconds later.
Final Score: LA Galaxy 5 – 4 Opponent
The stadium erupted once more. Galaxy had earned a massive three points that kept them in 6th place — still one point above the playoff line, but now with momentum.
Alex Rivera had started his first game, scored a hat-trick (including the iconic long-range free-kick), and provided two assists, turning a 0–4 deficit into a 5–4 victory.
Number 33 had just made his place in the first team permanent.
He slid on his knees toward the away stand, arms wide open, the crowd chanting his name louder than ever.
The celebration had begun.