Challenge

VHD STADIUM
Spectators: 43 (Terracing: 33, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Gijsbert ter Kruimer kicked off to start the match. Ramiro Lleir kicked well hit freekick during the 3rd minute of the match. In the 3rd minute of the match Gijsbert ter Kruimer sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Iker Madrid skillfully saved the ball. The audience was convinced that Wim Wilmes's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Iker Madrid was relentless in the 8th minute of the game. 13 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Santiago Abreu. Florin Simuţ could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 14th minute of the match, but Arnout Reekers made a huge save. Mathijn Doctor was astounded when the referee showed him the red card after a seemingly innocent challenge, 18 minutes into the match. Iker Madrid made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lars Meesters in the 21st minute of play. Fabio Iago's late challenge caught a Netherlands's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Fabio Iago helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Celestiales's Fabio Iago got a free kick in the 28th minute. Arnout Reekers stood somewhat misplaced when Santiago Abreu came free in front of goal and shot 2-0 to the left of him in the 36 minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Santiago Abreu in the 39th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The throw-in from Gust Ennemans in the 43rd minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by Celestiales's Ariel Valiente. After a rather tough play, Netherlands's Lars Meesters got a free kick in the 46th minute. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 2-0.

The wind increased when Santiago Abreu made the kick off in the second half. A collision led to Celestiales getting a freekick after 52 minutes play. Fabio Iago hit a great ball. In the 57th minute the ball was on its way in behind Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Celestiales's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Jiang Sha in the 58th minute. Celestiales's Jiang Sha was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Arnout Reekers in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. In the 69th minute, Lars Meesters hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Lars Meesters kicked well hit freekick during the 70th minute of the match. In the 73rd minute Netherlands were awarded a corner. Gijsbert ter Kruimer went to the cornerflag to take it. A nice corner shot did that Lars Meesters got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Iker Madrid quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. After a rather tough play, Celestiales's Ariel Valiente got a free kick in the 74th minute. Iker Madrid was out of position in the 75 minute of play, and Gustaaf Groeneveldt capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Gustaaf Groeneveldt really showed his touch with that goal: 2-1. In the 78th minute Jiang Sha shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Arnout Reekers saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A sloppy throw-in by Gust Ennemans in the 79th minute of the game went astray and was snapped up by Celestiales's Ramiro Lleir. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jiang Sha in the 80th 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 88th minute of the match, but Iker Madrid made a huge save. If Eustaquio Eudoxio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 95th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The Celestiales fans cheered their team off the field, for while Netherlands had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.