U18 World League

Monumental Arena
Spectators: 7527 (Terracing: 5646, Seating: 1731, VIP seats: 150) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Tuur Van Castel started the match with the kick off. Edison Mendez charged in rather forcefully in the 3rd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Edison Mendez the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Lions United booed when Barcelona de América was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 3 match minutes in a wonderful position. Edison Mendez didn't get a good kick on the ball. Arturo Mina's late challenge caught a Lions United's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Arturo Mina helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Barcelona de América's Arturo Mina got a free kick in the 4th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Christofere Spoelberchs in the 5th minute of play forced Barcelona de América's goalkeeper Guerrero Marva to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Izak Capellemans made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Rosero Agranja in the 7th minute of play. Edison Mendez was astounded when the referee showed him the red card after a seemingly innocent challenge, 16 minutes into the match. After 15 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Barcelona de América! The referee gave Lions United a penalty, 17 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Christofere Spoelberchs, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of Barcelona de América's Guerrero Marva. 0-1. After 21 minutes, Gunter Van Bets mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Lions United and the Barcelona de América players grew even worse after the yellow card. Alexis McAllister fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 33rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Izak Capellemans having to interfere. When Gunter Van Bets came up free with the goalie in the 44th minute, the Lions United 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 Gunter Van Bets couldn't finish the play. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

In the 52nd minute Tuur Van Castel shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Guerrero Marva saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 54 minutes into the match, Lions United's goal looked a bit too open when Rosero Agranja came free, but Izak Capellemans reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience was convinced that Tuur Van Castel's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Guerrero Marva was relentless in the 56th minute of the game. After some fancy dribbling in the 65th minute, Iachetti Blasco managed to get in a good position for a shot. Barcelona de América's supporters rose to their feet, but Iachetti Blasco was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Izak Capellemans breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 69th minute Tuur Van Castel shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Guerrero Marva saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Mitch Hollandts had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 76th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Tuur Van Castel in the 82ndth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Guerrero Marva, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. 89 minutes into the match, Lions United's goal looked a bit too open when Alexis McAllister came free, but Izak Capellemans reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After having played for 92 minutes, Tuur Van Castel managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Lions United's supporters crossed their fingers, but Tuur Van Castel was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. When the referee blew the final whistle jeers and boos were heard from the home team's supporters. They were angered to see Barcelona de América lose a match they had controlled from the kick-off.