Challenge

Emirates Stadium
Spectators: 50 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 1) Nino Schurter made the kick off and thus started the match. Arnout Reekers took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rogelio Montez, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience was convinced that Wim Wilmes's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Gregor Kobel was relentless in the 11th minute of the game. After 12 minutes Espen Steelers's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Gijsbert ter Kruimer who took care of the corner kick. If Alain Berset had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 13th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. With a little luck, Netherlands's Arnout Reekers got control of the ball when Rogelio Montez tried to sneak it across the goal line. Wim Wilmes might have been able to make a better finish in the 17th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Gregor Kobel. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Wim Wilmes ran back to his position shaking his head. Rogelio Montez could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 18th minute of the match, but Arnout Reekers made a huge save. Gregor Kobel showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Wim Wilmes, who was totally free with the ball in the 20th minute. After some careless play in the Espen Steelers defense, Gijsbert ter Kruimer kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Gregor Kobel. The Espen Steelers fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Gregor Kobel should have stopped the shot. In the 24th minute Gustaaf Groeneveldt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gregor Kobel saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Gregor Kobel 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 24th minute. 32 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Rogelio Montez came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 33rd minute of the match, Rogelio Montez got a very nice opportunity to score, but Arnout Reekers was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gustaaf Groeneveldt in the 35th minute of play forced Espen Steelers's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 39th minute of the match, Nino Schurter tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Arnout Reekers saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. 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.

An unexpectedly hard shot by Lars Meesters in the 55th minute of play forced Espen Steelers's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Arnout Reekers made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Nino Schurter in the 57th minute of play. After 59 played minutes Espen Steelers got a freekick which was hit by Rogelio Montez. Wim Wilmes fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 60th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gregor Kobel having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nino Schurter in the 63rd minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 63 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Nino Schurter came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Gijsbert ter Kruimer received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 66th minute. Gregor Kobel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Espen Steelers made a substitution. Tobie Canclini replaced Calistrat Velicu. The crowd rose to their feet as Wim Wilmes kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Gregor Kobel. That made the score 1-2 in the 69 minute of play. Arnout Reekers showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Nino Schurter in the 72nd minute of the match. In the 74th minute Espen Steelers were awarded a corner. Williams Imholz went to the cornerflag to take it. Netherlands's Arnout Reekers played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ştefan Lupea in the 78th minute of play. Arnout Reekers showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Ştefan Lupea, who was totally free with the ball in the 78th minute. In the 81st minute, Bas Tuitert hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Williams Imholz was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 82nd played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. Arnout Reekers made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Nino Schurter in the 86th minute of play. In the 88th minute, Ştefan Lupea hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Arnout Reekers took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Ştefan Lupea, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Arnout Reekers took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Nino Schurter, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Alain Berset fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 92nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Arnout Reekers having to interfere. The teams fought very hard right up to the final whistle. Both sets of players were happy to go away with a draw.