League

Gigante de Arroyito
Spectators: 7202 (Terracing: 5403, Seating: 1656, VIP seats: 143) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Rodolfo Etxepare started the match with the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rodolfo Etxepare in the 3rd minute of play forced Ateneo Estrada's goalkeeper Benjamin Belmiro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. A collision led to Ateneo Estrada getting a freekick after 4 minutes play. Delmiro Goiz hit a great ball. Saul Abecia's late challenge caught a Rosario Central's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Saul Abecia helped the player get up and apologised. 6 minutes into the game, one of Ateneo Estrada:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. Natalio Lizar fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 12th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Benjamin Belmiro having to interfere. Rodolfo Etxepare was extremely unlucky when he, in the 16th minute, took a shot that hit the right post and went out. In the 18th minute, Adrian Herena hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Rosario Central were awarded a corner in the 21th minute after Ateneo Estrada's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Reynaldo Ponc took the corner. The corner ended in Reynaldo Ponc almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Ateneo Estrada's Benjamin Belmiro did a great save. 21 minutes into the game, Gervasio Vistruario was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Rosario Central's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Ateneo Estrada the free kick. The supporters of Ateneo Estrada booed when Rosario Central was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 21 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gervasio Vistruario didn't get a good kick on the ball. Rodolfo Etxepare received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 24th minute. Benjamin Belmiro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 28 minutes into the match, Santiago Lauro notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Rosario Central's Rolando Mel. Rolando Mel was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Pastor Koldo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Rolando Mel having to interfere. With an all-out effort, Rosario Central's Benjamin Belmiro threw himself towards the right post 45 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Rodolfo Etxepare, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. After the first half Ateneo Estrada were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Santiago Lauro stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. After some fancy dribbling in the 51st minute, Sixto Bakar managed to get in a good position for a shot. Rosario Central's supporters rose to their feet, but Sixto Bakar was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Benjamin Belmiro breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Pastor Koldo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 53rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Rolando Mel having to interfere. Natalio Lizar kicked well hit freekick during the 57th minute of the match. Ateneo Estrada's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Saul Abecia in the 60th minute. Santiago Lauro struck a weak shot in the 62nd minute. Rolando Mel didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ateneo Estrada. In the 64th minute Rodolfo Etxepare shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Benjamin Belmiro saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of Ateneo Estrada booed when Rosario Central was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 70 match minutes in a wonderful position. Natalio Lizar didn't get a good kick on the ball. When Santiago Lauro came up free with the goalie in the 71st minute, the Ateneo Estrada fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Santiago Lauro couldn't finish the play. 80 minutes into the match, Rosario Central's goal looked a bit too open when Adrian Herena came free, but Rolando Mel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Rosario Central's Natalio Lizar got his second yellow card of the match in the 81st minute. The referee ordered Natalio Lizar off the ground. After 82 played minutes Rosario Central got a freekick which was hit by Natalio Lizar. Through an outstanding action, after 84 minutes, Rolando Mel successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Rolando Mel made an important save on a dangerous shot by Pastor Koldo in the 86th minute. If Delmiro Goiz had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Pastor Koldo could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 90th minute of the match, but Rolando Mel made a huge save. After taking down the ball on Ateneo Estrada's corner Saul Abecia fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Rolando Mel quite easily take care of the ball. Benjamin Belmiro made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Gerardo Maria in the 94th minute of play. Rolando Mel showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Santiago Lauro in the 96th minute of the match. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. Ateneo Estrada walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.