Challenge

Mineirão
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Duarte Félix 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. Arthur Bufi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Wim Wilmes in the 3rd minute of play. Netherlands's Gijsbert ter Kruimer got a good chance for a goal in the 10th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 0-1 became the score in the 17th minute when Gijsbert ter Kruimer elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. Arnout Reekers showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Brock Friend, who was totally free with the ball in the 20th minute. Brock Friend blasted a shot towards the goal in the 22nd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Arnout Reekers having to make a save. In the 25th minute, Lars Meesters 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. Wim Wilmes might have been able to make a better finish in the 26th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Arthur Bufi. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Wim Wilmes ran back to his position shaking his head. Wim Wilmes fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 34th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Arthur Bufi having to interfere. In the 38th minute Gijsbert ter Kruimer shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Arthur Bufi saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 39 minutes into the match, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's goal looked a bit too open when Gijsbert ter Kruimer came free, but Arthur Bufi reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 40th minute Netherlands were awarded a corner. Gijsbert ter Kruimer went to the cornerflag to take it. Netherlands's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 41st minute. Kees Mooiweer kicked well hit freekick during the 42nd minute of the match. Duarte Félix fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 43rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Arnout Reekers having to interfere. Netherlands's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 47th minute. The corner ended in Kees Mooiweer almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Arthur Bufi did a great save.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Gijsbert ter Kruimer to make the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 57th minute of play forced Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's goalkeeper Arthur Bufi to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Ramón Aguiar was substituted for Enrique de Mendonça. The supporters of Netherlands booed when Cruzeiro Esporte Clube was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 66 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ramón Aguiar didn't get a good kick on the ball. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 68th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Arthur Bufi prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Arthur Bufi was a little too slow when Gustaaf Groeneveldt got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 70th minute. The score was now 0-2. Gustaaf Groeneveldt blasted a shot towards the goal in the 73rd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Arthur Bufi having to make a save. In the 75th 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. 77 minutes into the match, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's goal looked a bit too open when Wim Wilmes came free, but Arthur Bufi reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's attentive Gong Fan managed to snatch the ball when Gust Ennemans made a throw-in in the 87th minute of the game. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Arthur Bufi played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gijsbert ter Kruimer in the 88th minute of play. Arthur Bufi came out of the goal in the 89th minute to try and stop a shot by Netherlands's Gustaaf Groeneveldt. But to his dismay, Gustaaf Groeneveldt quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-3. Netherlands's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.