Challenge

BULLS ARENA
Spectators: 50 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 1) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Nuralp Akbal took the kick off in the first half of the match. Manuel Campens took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Zaccheo Andolina, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Flavio Vittori made a fantastic save in the 9th minute, when Nuralp Akbal sent off a good shot on target. In the 11th minute Zaccheo Andolina shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Manuel Campens saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Zaccheo Andolina recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 21st minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Ionel Mirea hit a great freekick 27 minutes into the match. In the 29th minute of the match Italy got a corner. Pagos FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Sigfrido Auletta ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner led to Italy's Siricio Liotta getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. In the 36th minute Porziano Marchitelli shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Manuel Campens saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Italy's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Sigfrido Auletta in the 37th minute. When the match clock showed 38 minutes, the score became 1-1 when Zaccheo Andolina sped through Pagos FC's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Manuel Campens. In the 40th minute, Carlos Augusto Novaes hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. When the match had been going on for 41 minutes Sigfrido Auletta shot a great shot from long distance. It looked like a certain goal, but the audience witnessed a really smashing save by Manuel Campens when he caught the ball only just under the crossbar. After 44 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Italy! Italy:s Flavio Vittori showed great skill when he stopped Nuralp Akbal:s penalty. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Zaccheo Andolina made a kick off. In the 60th minute Nuralp Akbal shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Flavio Vittori saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Porziano Marchitelli might have been able to make a better finish in the 65th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Manuel Campens. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Porziano Marchitelli ran back to his position shaking his head. 68 minutes into the match, Italy's goal looked a bit too open when Nuralp Akbal came free, but Flavio Vittori reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With his leg Manuel Campens managed to avoid a goal in the 74thth minute, when Italy's Zaccheo Andolina fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Pagos FC's Christos Bartzokas was substituted for Nuralp Akbal. In the 80thth minute of the game Zaccheo Andolina who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Pagos FC's Manuel Campens was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. The crowd rose to their feet as Italy's Zaccheo Andolina slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Manuel Campens. That made the score 1-2 after 84 minutes of play. 89 minutes into the match, Christos Bartzokas had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Flavio Vittori. Italy's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Christos Bartzokas was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-2. Pagos FC succeeded in salvaging a draw, even though Italy had controlled the match.