After putting on a highly clinical display for a large part of the opening minutes, Zachary's moment finally came in the 20th minute.

Firmino drifted left, dragging a defender with him. Zachary darted into the space left behind and called for it. Firmino's immediately spotted him, and the return pass was soft and precise.

Zachary took it in stride, touched it forward with the outside of his boot, and glided into the box. The keeper stepped forward, expecting a blast. But Zachary didn't go for power. Instead, he went for precision with a low, curling finish slotted into the far corner, just out of reach.

The net rippled.

He didn't explode. No knee slide. No shouting at the cameras.

Just one hand raised to the crowd. A quick nod to the bench.

It was all business.

He didn't need to scream.

The goal spoke for him.

After that, Liverpool's grip tightened further. The midfield pressed higher. The fullbacks bombed forward. The crowd chanted in waves, feeding the tempo.

Then, just before halftime, Salah made it two.

The ball dropped to him near the edge of the area. With a defender in his shadow, he took one touch, chopped inside, and bent a shot with that trademark left foot. It soared past the outstretched keeper and buried itself in the top corner.

The keeper didn't move.

2–0. Halftime.

Sporting CP came out in the second half with more bite, and they were rewarded with a goal early in the restart after a well-placed shot from distance caught Alisson just beyond his reach. But Liverpool didn't wobble. There was no shift in body language. No loss of rhythm.

The Liverpool players responded with composure.

They passed. They pressed. They passed again. The game became a slow suffocation with Sporting forced to chase shadows.

Then, in the 76th minute, Liverpool struck the final blow.

Zachary dropped deep into a deep midfield position and looked up. One glance was enough. He saw Mané drifting off the back shoulder of the fullback, on the far side of the pitch. The ball left his foot like a guided missile, curling perfectly to complete a 50-yard switch that landed perfectly at Mané's feet.

Mané didn't hesitate. One touch to kill it. Another to cut inside. Then, a clinical low shot tucked just inside the near post.

3–1. Game over.

The final whistle came ten minutes later, but by then, the result was already written. Liverpool had controlled the game, imposed their will, and walked off the pitch not just as winners but as a team rediscovering its sharpness at the perfect moment. The buzz inside Yankee Stadium lingered long after the players left the pitch. It wasn't just about the goals or the win. It was about rhythm, cohesion, and confidence, which were the core pillars of a successful campaign.

After a quiet night's rest in New York, the squad was on the move again the following morning. The next leg of their pre-season journey would take them across the Atlantic, up to Edinburgh, Scotland, where they were scheduled to face Napoli at Murrayfield Stadium on 28th July 2019, which was just two days away.

The flight was smooth, the energy in the cabin mellow. Laughter here and there, earbuds in, heads leaned against windows, legs stretched where possible. For all the flashes of brilliance on the pitch, the schedule was still relentless, and the jet lag didn't care who'd scored or assisted. They arrived the same day, quietly slipping into the Scottish capital under a cloudy afternoon sky.

The next day, Klopp dialed things back. The players went through a light session that included dynamic stretches, rondos, and light pressing drills which were just enough to keep the legs loose. The rest of the day was theirs. Some slept. Others wandered the quiet streets near the hotel. Zachary spent most of it reviewing footage with the analysts and getting his muscles flushed out by the physios.

Then came match day.

Murrayfield was packed. The fans were vocal, full of anticipation, but Klopp had different priorities. With the Community Shield fast approaching and several key players having logged serious minutes in New York, he rotated heavily. Zachary, Salah, Mané, Van Dijk, and others started on the bench or were left out of the squad entirely.

It was a tactical call. It was a rest, not a punishment.

But the result showed the cost. The second string struggled to match Napoli's tempo and sharpness. Carlo Ancelotti's side pressed with intent and moved with discipline, capitalizing on Liverpool's lack of bite in the final third.

Final score: Napoli 2 – 0 Liverpool.

It wasn't a disaster but just a reminder. Of what this stage was. Of who they'd need to be when the real lights came on.

The very next day, the team flew to Geneva, Switzerland, for the final leg of the pre-season. One last game: Liverpool vs. Lyon. The stage was set at Stade de Genève. One more chance to fine-tune everything before silverware was on the line.

This time, Klopp went all in.

The starters returned. The energy returned. The fluidity returned. Zachary, Salah, Mané, Firmino, Henderson, Van Dijk, and the others all started. From kickoff, the difference was undeniable.

Liverpool played with confidence and clarity. Passes zipped. Movements synced. Zachary operated like a metronome in midfield by dictating pace, finding runners, releasing long balls with laser precision. He didn't need to force anything. The game flowed around him, and he moved like a player fully back in rhythm.

Salah opened the scoring early with a crisp left-footed finish. Firmino added another with a clever flick at the near post. Lyon pulled one back just before halftime, but it didn't shake Liverpool's resolve. In the second half, Mané scored off a Zachary through ball that sliced Lyon's backline in half, and then Zachary added the final goal himself with a composed finish from the edge of the box after a recycled corner dropped perfectly into his stride.

4–1. Full-time.

The whistle blew, and with it, Liverpool's pre-season came to a close. Seven matches across two continents with rotations, recoveries, and lessons learned. The rhythm had returned.

Liverpool had done more than tune up. The players had reconnected, found their shape, and rebuilt their edge.

And Zachary? He wasn't just fit but was ready. He'd gone from recovery to rhythm, from cautious touches to decisive plays. He was back in the engine room, steering the game, not just surviving it.

But Zachary couldn't afford to rest as next on schedule was the FA Community Shield against Manchester City. It was Liverpool's first shot at Silverware, and he had to be more than ready. He had to deliver.