Challenge

Algarve XXI
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Zaccheo Andolina took the kick off in the first half of the match. Qiu Chuan Ran took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Zaccheo Andolina, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Gonzalo Lixandro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 3rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 5th minute the ball was on its way in behind Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s goalkeeper Qiu Chuan Ran, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After 6 minutes Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Sigfrido Auletta who took care of the corner kick. Siricio Liotta was in a good position and managed to take a shot, but he missed just to the outside of the post. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s Qiu Chuan Ran played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Zaccheo Andolina in the 9th minute of play. 10 minutes had been played when some careless play by Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Sigfrido Auletta was slow to take the kick. During this time Italy's players had a chance to rest. Qiu Chuan Ran showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Zaccheo Andolina in the 14th minute of the match. If Zaccheo Andolina had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 15th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Zaccheo Andolina's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Qiu Chuan Ran read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 23rd minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rodolfo Faria in the 24th minute of play forced Italy's goalkeeper Flavio Vittori to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Zaccheo Andolina in the 27th minute of play forced Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s goalkeeper Qiu Chuan Ran to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 30th minute Zaccheo Andolina shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Qiu Chuan Ran saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 32 minutes into the match, Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s goal looked a bit too open when Zaccheo Andolina came free, but Qiu Chuan Ran reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Zaccheo Andolina sent away a hard shot on goal in the 36th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 46 minutes into the match, Sigfrido Auletta had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Qiu Chuan Ran. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Sigfrido Auletta was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. After the first half Italy were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Gonzalo Lixandro to make the kick off. 51 minutes into the game, Menelaos Damianos threw the ball into play from the sideline. Italy's Siricio Liotta quickly snatched the ball and retained possesion. 52 minutes into the match, Italy's Zaccheo Andolina sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Qiu Chuan Ran narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Italy's Siricio Liotta quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Menelaos Damianos, made in the 53rd minute of the game. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s Qiu Chuan Ran proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 55th minute of the match, managed to save Sporting Clube V.R.S.A. from getting a goal against them. After 56 minutes, Gonzalo Lixandro made it 1-1 with a short kick to the right side. Italy's Flavio Vittori tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. In the 60th minute the ball was on its way in behind Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s goalkeeper Qiu Chuan Ran, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Flavio Vittori made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gonzalo Lixandro in the 63rd minute of play. In the 64th minute, Zaccheo Andolina left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Italy fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-2. Porziano Marchitelli received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Qiu Chuan Ran came out and tried to block the shot, but Porziano Marchitelli slotted it home off the left post making it 1-3 in the 69th minute. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A. made a substitution. Claudemiro Madureira replaced Israel Carvalhal. 73 minutes into the game, Italy's Zaccheo Andolina nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Qiu Chuan Ran made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-4. Italy's Zaccheo Andolina got a good chance for a goal in the 76th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 79th minute, Zaccheo Andolina got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. In the 81st minute, Eliseo Cutri hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Italy made a substitution. Adriano Curto replaced Zaccheo Andolina. After 82 played minutes Italy got a freekick which was hit by Eliseo Cutri. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s Gonzalo Lixandro got a good chance for a goal in the 83rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Sporting Clube V.R.S.A.'s Qiu Chuan Ran played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Adriano Curto in the 85th minute of play. In the 87th minute Raimundo Ventura 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. The audience thought a goal was coming when Adriano Curto got free with Qiu Chuan Ran in the 93rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 95 minutes of play, Italy's Adriano Curto made it 1-5 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Qiu Chuan Ran was left in no man's land by his defense there! Italy's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.