Challenge

San Nicolò Arena
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Gijsbert ter Kruimer took the kick off in the first half of the match. A collision led to San Nicolò Kings getting a freekick after 2 minutes play. Damiano Silvagni hit a great ball. Gustaaf Groeneveldt fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 7th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Franco Catucci having to interfere. After 12 minutes of play, Netherlands's Gijsbert ter Kruimer made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Franco Catucci was left in no man's land by his defense there! After having played for 17 minutes, Lars Meesters managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Netherlands's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lars Meesters was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Netherlands's Wim Wilmes got a good chance for a goal in the 20th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 31 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Nedo Nadi. 35 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Ernesto Tagliente came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of San Nicolò Kings booed when Netherlands was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 35 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gijsbert ter Kruimer didn't get a good kick on the ball. Wim Wilmes took the ball and in the 39 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Franco Catucci. Franco Catucci dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-3. An unexpectedly hard shot by Davide Bertolini in the 41st minute of play forced Netherlands's goalkeeper Arnout Reekers to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 42nd minute Gustaaf Groeneveldt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Franco Catucci saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After the first half Netherlands were leading 0-3. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Davide Bertolini to make the kick off. 51 minutes into the match, Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Davide Bertolini came free, but Arnout Reekers reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Through an outstanding action, after 52 minutes, Franco Catucci successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. In the 55th minute of the match Netherlands got a corner. San Nicolò Kings'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. A well-hit corner resulted in Egbert Nijveldt heading the ball towards the goal, but to his dismay he misdirected it and missed the goal completely. Netherlands's Wim Wilmes got a good chance for a goal in the 57th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Arnout Reekers took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Davide Bertolini, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Damiano Silvagni hit a great freekick 62 minutes into the match. Wim Wilmes received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 63rd minute. Franco Catucci tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Arnout Reekers showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Nedo Nadi, who was totally free with the ball in the 65th minute. With an all-out effort, Netherlands's Franco Catucci threw himself towards the right post 67 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Gijsbert ter Kruimer, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Franco Catucci made a fantastic save in the 69th minute, when Wim Wilmes sent off a good shot on target. In the 71st minute Gijsbert ter Kruimer shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Franco Catucci saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Franco Catucci made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lars Meesters in the 72nd minute of play. Franco Catucci came out of the goal in the 72nd minute to try and stop a shot by Netherlands's Lars Meesters. But to his dismay, Lars Meesters quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-4. Gijsbert ter Kruimer took the ball and in the 76 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Franco Catucci. Franco Catucci dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-5. Franco Catucci showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 80th minute of the match. Wim Wilmes hit a great freekick 81 minutes into the match. In the 84th minute, Gijsbert ter Kruimer got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. After some careless play in the San Nicolò Kings defense, Wim Wilmes kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Franco Catucci. The San Nicolò Kings fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Franco Catucci should have stopped the shot. Franco Catucci made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 90th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 93rd minute of play forced San Nicolò Kings's goalkeeper Franco Catucci to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When the final whistle sounded Netherlands left the ground with the victory after a much better performance than San Nicolò Kings.