Challenge

Slovakia Arena
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Slovakia's Metod Mlynar started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. A collision led to Atlanta United F.C. getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Acácio Antunes hit a great ball. Slovakia's Henrich Slany played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Clóvis Ferraz in the 7th minute of play. If Oliver Holub had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 10th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 16th minute of the match Fred Fernandez shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Henrich Slany showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Vavrinec Koleno lost his temper 18 minutes into the game and shoved another player to the ground. He was immediately shown a red card. After a rather tough play, Slovakia's Vavrinec Koleno got a free kick in the 19th minute. 20 minutes into the game, José Maria Freire cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Henrich Slany was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. After a defensive mix-up in Atlanta United F.C.'s zone, Oliver Holub stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Mané França came out of the goal and Oliver Holub tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Mané França made an important save on a dangerous shot by Metod Mlynar in the 25th minute. When Fábio Castro fell near the penalty area in the 27th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Atlanta United F.C.'s protests and gave Fábio Castro a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of Slovakia booed when Atlanta United F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 27 match minutes in a wonderful position. Fábio Castro didn't get a good kick on the ball. 28 minutes into the match, Atlanta United F.C.'s goalkeeper Mané França had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Metod Mlynar. In the 31st minute, Clóvis Ferraz hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Mané França made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Metod Mlynar in the 33rd minute of play. After 40 played minutes Atlanta United F.C. got a freekick which was hit by Joaquim Proença. The audience thought a goal was coming when Metod Mlynar got free with Mané França in the 42nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Mané França made a fantastic save in the 43rd minute, when Oliver Holub sent off a good shot on target. After some careless play in the Atlanta United F.C. defense, Oliver Holub kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Mané França. The Atlanta United F.C. fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Mané França should have stopped the shot. Pavol Koleno struck a weak shot in the 47th minute. Mané França didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Slovakia. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The wind increased when Serafim de Carvalho made the kick off in the second half. A collision led to Atlanta United F.C. getting a freekick after 51 minutes play. Angelo de Souza hit a great ball. Mané França made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Metod Mlynar in the 53rd minute of play. A collision led to Slovakia getting a freekick after 57 minutes play. Metod Mlynar hit a great ball. A collision led to Atlanta United F.C. getting a freekick after 59 minutes play. Angelo de Souza hit a great ball. In the 60th match minute, Atlanta United F.C. was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by José Maria Freire to maneuver through the defense. When Pavol Koleno came up free with the goalie in the 61st minute, the Slovakia 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 Pavol Koleno couldn't finish the play. 66 minutes into the match, Atlanta United F.C.'s goal looked a bit too open when Metod Mlynar came free, but Mané França reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A collision led to Atlanta United F.C. getting a freekick after 69 minutes play. Angelo de Souza hit a great ball. In the 71st minute, Clóvis Ferraz hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Metod Mlynar took the ball and in the 75 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Mané França. Mané França dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. Henrich Slany showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Clóvis Ferraz, who was totally free with the ball in the 78th minute. After 85 played minutes, Atlanta United F.C.'s Fábio Castro shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Henrich Slany came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Atlanta United F.C. reached it. An unexpectedly hard shot by Metod Mlynar in the 87th minute of play forced Atlanta United F.C.'s goalkeeper Mané França to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Metod Mlynar sent away a hard shot on goal in the 88th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. José Maria Freire charged in rather forcefully in the 91st minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed José Maria Freire the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After a rather tough play, Atlanta United F.C.'s José Maria Freire got a free kick in the 91st minute. Slovakia's Pavol Koleno couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 92nd minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for Atlanta United F.C.. Clóvis Ferraz scored 2-2 in the 94th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Henrich Slany, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot.