Challenge

Stadio Olimpico
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Gijsbert ter Kruimer made the kick off which started today's match. 3 minutes into the match, Gustaaf Groeneveldt had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Kaloyan Birazov. Laziali's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Gustaaf Groeneveldt was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. 9 minutes into the match, Laziali's goal looked a bit too open when Wim Wilmes came free, but Kaloyan Birazov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 10th minute of the match Netherlands got a corner. Laziali's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Gijsbert ter Kruimer ran over to the corner to take the kick. Kaloyan Birazov 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 14th minute. 16 minutes had been played when some careless play by Laziali'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. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Laziali's goalie and right to Gustaaf Groeneveldt. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Laziali's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. In the 18th minute, Blagoy Dabizhev hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Kaloyan Birazov took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Gustaaf Groeneveldt, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Kaloyan Birazov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Wim Wilmes in the 25th minute of play. In the 26th minute Gijsbert ter Kruimer shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Kaloyan Birazov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Wim Wilmes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Kaloyan Birazov showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Wim Wilmes in the 29th minute of the match. A collision led to Netherlands getting a freekick after 32 minutes play. Mathijn Doctor hit a great ball. In the 35th minute, Wim Wilmes left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Netherlands fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-3. 39 minutes into the match, Lars Meesters notched a goal, 0-4, to the right of Laziali's Kaloyan Birazov. Kaloyan Birazov was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After a defensive mix-up in Laziali's zone, Wim Wilmes stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kaloyan Birazov came out of the goal and Wim Wilmes tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. 44 minutes into the match, Laziali's goal looked a bit too open when Gijsbert ter Kruimer came free, but Kaloyan Birazov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Laziali's Kaloyan Birazov played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 46th minute of play. In the 47thth minute of the game Gijsbert ter Kruimer who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Laziali's Kaloyan Birazov was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. In the 47thth minute of the game Gijsbert ter Kruimer who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Laziali's Kaloyan Birazov was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. The Laziali players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Netherlands were winning 0-4.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Naum Mentov was the one to do the kick off. A collision led to Laziali getting a freekick after 51 minutes play. Radomir Groshkov hit a great ball. After a defensive mix-up in Laziali's zone, Gustaaf Groeneveldt stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kaloyan Birazov came out of the goal and Gustaaf Groeneveldt tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Laziali's defense didn't have a chance, in the 54th minute, when Wim Wilmes scored to the left of an out of position Kaloyan Birazov, making the score, 0-5. Wim Wilmes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 57th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A collision led to Laziali getting a freekick after 61 minutes play. Tzenko Donkovski hit a great ball. In the 64th minute, Doncho Tzvetkov left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Laziali fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-5. Wim Wilmes's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Kaloyan Birazov read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 67th minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 71st minute, Gijsbert ter Kruimer managed to get in a good position for a shot. Netherlands's supporters rose to their feet, but Gijsbert ter Kruimer was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Kaloyan Birazov breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After a defensive mix-up in Laziali's zone, Lars Meesters stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kaloyan Birazov came out of the goal and Lars Meesters tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 76th minute, Gustaaf Groeneveldt managed to get in a good position for a shot. Netherlands's supporters rose to their feet, but Gustaaf Groeneveldt was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Kaloyan Birazov breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 79th minute, Gustaaf Groeneveldt made a precise shot to the right of Kaloyan Birazov. Laziali's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-6. Laziali's Kaloyan Birazov played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 83rd minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 86th minute of play forced Laziali's goalkeeper Kaloyan Birazov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Netherlands's Lars Meesters got a good chance for a goal in the 87th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Kaloyan Birazov made an important save on a dangerous shot by Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 88th minute. If Gijsbert ter Kruimer had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 90th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Netherlands's players went to the stands to thank the travelling support. The fan's backing had helped spurr the team on to a fine performance that won them the match.