Challenge

kAtteGat
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Walter Giardino took the kick off in the first half of the match. Gijsbert ter Kruimer received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 4th minute. José Sá tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Arnout Reekers didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Telis Ntasios went, in the 6th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. In the 15th minute Wim Wilmes shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but José Sá saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A well-hit corner resulted in Kees Mooiweer heading the ball towards the goal, but to his dismay he misdirected it and missed the goal completely. Arnout Reekers made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Walter Giardino in the 19th minute of play. Egemen Tavgaç kicked well hit freekick during the 29th minute of the match. In the 33rd minute Gijsbert ter Kruimer shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but José Sá saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 35th minute, Gijsbert ter Kruimer ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. José Sá was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-1. A collision led to tHe SOnS of rAGnar getting a freekick after 41 minutes play. Grigoris Kornaros hit a great ball. In the 42nd match minute, tHe SOnS of rAGnar was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Giannis Papoutsakis to maneuver through the defense. If Wim Wilmes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 43rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 45th minute of play forced tHe SOnS of rAGnar's goalkeeper José Sá to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Gijsbert ter Kruimer made a kick off. The supporters of Netherlands booed when tHe SOnS of rAGnar was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 50 match minutes in a wonderful position. Giannis Papoutsakis didn't get a good kick on the ball. Wim Wilmes's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but José Sá firmly grabbed it by the left post. If Gustaaf Groeneveldt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 53rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 56 minutes of play, tHe SOnS of rAGnar's Alexis Alexandris made it 3-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Arnout Reekers was left in no man's land by his defense there! 61 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Walter Giardino came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Netherlands's Arnout Reekers played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Alexis Alexandris in the 63rd minute of play. 70 minutes into the match, tHe SOnS of rAGnar's goal looked a bit too open when Wim Wilmes came free, but José Sá reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. tHe SOnS of rAGnar's Kosmas Salaminiotis was substituted for Grigoris Kornaros. 72 minutes had been played when some careless play by tHe SOnS of rAGnar's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Gijsbert ter Kruimer was slow to take the kick. During this time Netherlands's players had a chance to rest. When Gijsbert ter Kruimer came up free with the goalie in the 74th minute, the Netherlands fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Gijsbert ter Kruimer couldn't finish the play. A throw-in in the 76th minute of the game was made by Kees Mooiweer with Gijsbert ter Kruimer as target, who quickly passed the ball forward. Through an outstanding action, after 77 minutes, José Sá successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Wim Wilmes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 78th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 90th match minute, Netherlands was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Kees Mooiweer to maneuver through the defense. An unexpectedly hard shot by Walter Giardino in the 92nd minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Gustaaf Groeneveldt could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 96th minute of the match, but José Sá made a huge save.