Challenge

Λάκκος των Λεόντων
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Belgium's Edward Vanderstraeten 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. Casper Claes made an important save on a dangerous shot by Giorgos Ioannou in the 3rd minute. The audience was convinced that Juan Pablo Fuentes's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Casper Claes was relentless in the 4th minute of the game. Belgium's Casper Claes played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Juan Pablo Fuentes in the 10th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Belgium's zone, Eleftherios Poulis stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Casper Claes came out of the goal and Eleftherios Poulis tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Belgium were awarded a corner in the 15th minute after SAPSALOMADA FC's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Edward Vanderstraeten took the corner. Simon Sabbe's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Nikos Nikolaou read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 16th minute of play. Casper Claes was out of position in the 19 minute of play, and Juan Pablo Fuentes capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Juan Pablo Fuentes really showed his touch with that goal: 1-0. Yves Dervaux recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 24th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Nikos Nikolaou took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Edward Vanderstraeten, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Juan Pablo Fuentes got free with Casper Claes in the 28th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 28 minutes into the match, Belgium's goalkeeper Casper Claes had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Juan Pablo Fuentes. Casper Claes took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Eleftherios Poulis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 35th minute Edward Vanderstraeten shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nikos Nikolaou saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Casper Claes made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Juan Pablo Fuentes in the 36th minute of play. Casper Claes made an important save on a dangerous shot by Giorgos Ioannou in the 41st minute. SAPSALOMADA FC were awarded a corner in the 42th minute after Belgium's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Florian Wydrych took the corner. It was a well-played corner which Grzegorz Rostow managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. After some careless play in the SAPSALOMADA FC defense, Edward Vanderstraeten kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Nikos Nikolaou. The SAPSALOMADA FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Nikos Nikolaou should have stopped the shot.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Juan Pablo Fuentes stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. After 51 minutes of play, SAPSALOMADA FC's Eleftherios Poulis made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Casper Claes was left in no man's land by his defense there! After 54 minutes of play, Belgium's Edward Vanderstraeten made it 2-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Nikos Nikolaou was left in no man's land by his defense there! Casper Claes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Juan Pablo Fuentes, who was totally free with the ball in the 58th minute. 59 minutes had been played when some careless play by Belgium's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Florian Wydrych was slow to take the kick. During this time SAPSALOMADA FC's players had a chance to rest. 62 minutes into the match, SAPSALOMADA FC's goalkeeper Nikos Nikolaou had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Edward Vanderstraeten. An unexpectedly hard shot by Eleftherios Poulis in the 66th minute of play forced Belgium's goalkeeper Casper Claes to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With his leg Nikos Nikolaou managed to avoid a goal in the 71stth minute, when Belgium's Simon Sabbe fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Eleftherios Poulis fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 73rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Casper Claes having to interfere. Giorgos Ioannou's late challenge caught a Belgium's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Giorgos Ioannou helped the player get up and apologised. In the 85th minute, Florian Wydrych ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Casper Claes was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-2. SAPSALOMADA FC's Nikos Nikolaou played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Yves Dervaux in the 88th minute of play. Belgium's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Edward Vanderstraeten in the 89th minute. Edward Vanderstraeten made a great header on Belgium's corner, it was just that SAPSALOMADA FC's Nikos Nikolaou managed to reach the ball for a save. After having played for 89 minutes, Simon Sabbe managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Belgium's supporters crossed their fingers, but Simon Sabbe was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. SAPSALOMADA FC were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Belgium for a fine match.