World League

Giuseppe Meazza
Spectators: 7538 (Terracing: 5655, Seating: 1733, VIP seats: 150) San Lorenzo's Federico Chan 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. Petruț Fințescu received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 6th minute. Zé Paulo Valadares tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Zé Paulo Valadares showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Petruț Fințescu, who was totally free with the ball in the 9th minute. After 9 minutes of play, Argentinos Juniors's Petruț Fințescu made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Zé Paulo Valadares was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 20th minute, Fausto Estebano hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 21st minute of the match Celedonio Madeo sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Zé Paulo Valadares skillfully saved the ball. Rigoberto Nazario showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Federico Chan, who was totally free with the ball in the 23rd minute. Argentinos Juniors's Petruț Fințescu got a good chance for a goal in the 33rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After a rather tough play, Argentinos Juniors's Celedonio Madeo got a free kick in the 47th minute. Disappointed in the 0-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

The wind increased when Sven de Zwaan made the kick off in the second half. Rigoberto Nazario showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Eduardo Soriano in the 51st minute of the match. Sven de Zwaan in the 54thth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Zé Paulo Valadares, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. Rigoberto Nazario made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Federico Chan in the 55th minute of play. A collision led to San Lorenzo getting a freekick after 56 minutes play. Kara Melo hit a great ball. Zé Paulo Valadares made an important save on a dangerous shot by Petruț Fințescu in the 60th minute. With a little luck, San Lorenzo's Zé Paulo Valadares got control of the ball when Petruț Fințescu tried to sneak it across the goal line. Petruț Fințescus short, quick shot in the 68thth minute got Zé Paulo Valadares to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Salvador Dalmai's late challenge caught a Argentinos Juniors's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Salvador Dalmai helped the player get up and apologised. Salvador Dalmai kicked well hit freekick during the 69th minute of the match. The supporters of Argentinos Juniors booed when San Lorenzo was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 71 match minutes in a wonderful position. Salvador Dalmai didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some careless play in the San Lorenzo defense, Sven de Zwaan kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Zé Paulo Valadares. The San Lorenzo fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Zé Paulo Valadares should have stopped the shot. An unexpectedly hard shot by Sven de Zwaan in the 74th minute of play forced San Lorenzo's goalkeeper Zé Paulo Valadares to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 78th minute Eduardo Soriano shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rigoberto Nazario saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 81 minutes into the game, Argentinos Juniors's Petruț Fințescu nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Zé Paulo Valadares made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-4. An unexpectedly hard shot by Federico Chan in the 84th minute of play forced Argentinos Juniors's goalkeeper Rigoberto Nazario to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a rather tough play, San Lorenzo's Federico Chan got a free kick in the 88th minute. In the 90th minute, Fausto Estebano hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Celedonio Madeo, 90 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Rigoberto Nazario didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Delmiro Tabor went, in the 94th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-4 was the resulting score. After 97 minutes of play, San Lorenzo's Federico Chan made it 3-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Rigoberto Nazario was left in no man's land by his defense there! The Argentinos Juniors players were relieved to hear the final whistle blow to end the match. The away crowd was happy to see their team win after a very tight game.