Challenge

ΑΓ.ΣΟΦΙΑ-OPAP ARENA
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Gijsbert ter Kruimer got the match started through his kick off. David Eikelkamp received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 4th minute. Ciro Del Pizzo tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 6 minutes of play, ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s Christos Kostis made it 1-0 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! Ciro Del Pizzo made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 8th minute of play. Wim Wilmes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 12th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A collision led to Netherlands getting a freekick after 14 minutes play. Mathijn Doctor hit a great ball. After 20 played minutes ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ got a freekick which was hit by Eber Ludueña. Gijsbert ter Kruimer sent away a hard shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Alketas Tsirakis could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 24th minute of the match, but Arnout Reekers made a huge save. After 26 minutes, Rex Drake mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ and the Netherlands players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 26th minute of the match Gijsbert ter Kruimer sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Ciro Del Pizzo skillfully saved the ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Alketas Tsirakis got free with Arnout Reekers in the 30th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Wim Wilmes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 31st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 36th minute Gijsbert ter Kruimer shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ciro Del Pizzo saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Arnout Reekers made an important save on a dangerous shot by Christos Kostis in the 37th minute. 41 minutes into the match, ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s goal looked a bit too open when Gustaaf Groeneveldt came free, but Ciro Del Pizzo reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 44th match minute, ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Eber Ludueña to maneuver through the defense. Arnout Reekers made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alketas Tsirakis in the 47th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alketas Tsirakis in the 47th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers 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.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Christos Kostis to make the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Christos Kostis in the 60th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ciro Del Pizzo made a fantastic save in the 64th minute, when Gustaaf Groeneveldt sent off a good shot on target. 65 minutes had been played when some careless play by ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'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. An unexpectedly hard shot by Christos Kostis in the 70th minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Arnout Reekers showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alketas Tsirakis, who was totally free with the ball in the 71st minute. When Gijsbert ter Kruimer came up free with the goalie in the 73rd 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. ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s Dionysis Souanis was substituted for Christos Kostis. ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s Maarten De Malier was substituted for Eber Ludueña. Arnout Reekers took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Dionysis Souanis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 77 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Harry Kane came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Netherlands booed when ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 79 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mehmet Emin Sönmezalp didn't get a good kick on the ball. Ciro Del Pizzo showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lars Meesters, who was totally free with the ball in the 80th minute. Gustaaf Groeneveldt received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Ciro Del Pizzo came out and tried to block the shot, but Gustaaf Groeneveldt slotted it home off the left post making it 2-2 in the 84th minute. 87 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Dionysis Souanis came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 91 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Paraskevas Panagiotakos came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When Gijsbert ter Kruimer fell near the penalty area in the 92nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Netherlands's protests and gave Gijsbert ter Kruimer a yellow card for diving instead. After a rather tough play, Netherlands's Gijsbert ter Kruimer got a free kick in the 92nd minute. Arnout Reekers made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Paraskevas Panagiotakos in the 95th minute of play.