The flight to Bratislava carried with it the weight of expectation and opportunity. FC Utrecht needed just a point to guarantee top spot in Group A, but Amani and his teammates had no intention of settling for a draw. They had come too far, played too well, to approach any match with anything less than the ambition to win.
Slovakia in December was a world away from the familiar surroundings of Utrecht. The Tehelné pole stadium, with its communist-era architecture and passionate home support, provided a stark reminder of football's ability to transcend borders and cultures. As the team bus wound through the streets of Bratislava, Amani found himself reflecting on how far his journey had taken him - from the slums of Mombasa to the capital of Slovakia, chasing European glory with a team that had become his family.
