Challenge

Old Trafford
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Marcel da Rocha kicked off to start the match. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 3rd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Braulio Gartxot prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Braulio Gartxot showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Gustaaf Groeneveldt, who was totally free with the ball in the 5th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Marcel da Rocha in the 11th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Wim Wilmes might have been able to make a better finish in the 14th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Braulio Gartxot. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Wim Wilmes ran back to his position shaking his head. Marcel da Rocha fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Arnout Reekers having to interfere. In the 19th minute, Wim Wilmes made a precise shot to the right of Braulio Gartxot. Red Devils's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. A collision led to Red Devils getting a freekick after 22 minutes play. Gwidon Okropny hit a great ball. After a rather tough play, Red Devils's Dawid Kalak got a free kick in the 23rd minute. In the 25th minute David Eikelkamp shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Braulio Gartxot saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When Wim Wilmes came up free with the goalie in the 28th 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 Wim Wilmes couldn't finish the play. After having played for 31 minutes, Marcel da Rocha managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Red Devils's supporters crossed their fingers, but Marcel da Rocha was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. When Red Devils's Marcel da Rocha in the 31st minute got a chance for a shot 31st didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Netherlands's goalie prevented a goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Wim Wilmes in the 32nd minute of play forced Red Devils's goalkeeper Braulio Gartxot to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Braulio Gartxot made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 33rd minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Wim Wilmes in the 36th minute of play forced Red Devils's goalkeeper Braulio Gartxot to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Braulio Gartxot stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Gijsbert ter Kruimer's shot from short distance in the 37th minute.

The wind increased when Gijsbert ter Kruimer made the kick off in the second half. Red Devils's Braulio Gartxot proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 52nd minute of the match, managed to save Red Devils from getting a goal against them. Red Devils's Braulio Gartxot played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Wim Wilmes in the 59th minute of play. After some careless play in the Red Devils defense, Gijsbert ter Kruimer kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Braulio Gartxot. The Red Devils fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Braulio Gartxot should have stopped the shot. The audience thought a goal was coming when Gustaaf Groeneveldt got free with Braulio Gartxot in the 71st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 76 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Simone Spano came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 78th minute of play forced Red Devils's goalkeeper Braulio Gartxot to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The supporters of Red Devils booed when Netherlands was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 78 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gustaaf Groeneveldt didn't get a good kick on the ball. Red Devils's Kazimierz Deyna was substituted for Radoslaw Solibieda. Gustaaf Groeneveldt hit a great freekick 79 minutes into the match. Slawomir Trzaskoma received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 85th minute. Arnout Reekers tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Simone Spano in the 86th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The Netherlands supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Netherlands would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.