U18 World League

Academy Arena
Spectators: 7593 (Terracing: 5696, Seating: 1746, VIP seats: 151) Stars Academy's Amado Leite 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. If Antonello Garibaldi had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 12th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When Franco Nicolai came up free with the goalie in the 17th minute, the Medoacus Maior 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 Franco Nicolai couldn't finish the play. Amado Leite could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 19th minute of the match, but Flavio Corrente made a huge save. Amado Leite took the ball and in the 21 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Flavio Corrente. Flavio Corrente dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. The supporters of Stars Academy booed when Medoacus Maior was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 24 match minutes in a wonderful position. Fabrizio Piccirilli didn't get a good kick on the ball. A collision led to Stars Academy getting a freekick after 26 minutes play. Homero Brochado hit a great ball. In the 28th minute Cristoforo Barbanti shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Almiro Benevides saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Antonello Garibaldi in the 29th minute of play forced Stars Academy's goalkeeper Almiro Benevides to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Homero Brochado during the 30th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After having played for 31 minutes, Franco Nicolai managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Medoacus Maior's supporters crossed their fingers, but Franco Nicolai was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Homero Brochado kicked well hit freekick during the 34th minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Antonello Garibaldi in the 37th minute of play forced Stars Academy's goalkeeper Almiro Benevides to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Carlo Di Blasio kicked well hit freekick during the 40th minute of the match. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Antonello Garibaldi stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. The audience thought a goal was coming when Cristoforo Barbanti got free with Almiro Benevides in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 55th minute, Antero Rebocho left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Stars Academy fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-1. A collision led to Stars Academy getting a freekick after 57 minutes play. Homero Brochado hit a great ball. With an all-out effort, Medoacus Maior's Almiro Benevides threw himself towards the right post 59 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Cristoforo Barbanti, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. After 60 minutes, Franco Nicolai mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Medoacus Maior and the Stars Academy players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Medoacus Maior getting a freekick after 60 minutes play. Franco Nicolai hit a great ball. In the 64th minute Antero Rebocho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Flavio Corrente saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 65th minute Celso Estrada shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Flavio Corrente saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Antonello Garibaldi in the 68th minute of play forced Stars Academy's goalkeeper Almiro Benevides to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Almiro Benevides made an important save on a dangerous shot by Antonello Garibaldi in the 70th minute. Flavio Corrente showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Amado Leite in the 81st minute of the match. Cristoforo Barbanti blasted a shot towards the goal in the 84th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Almiro Benevides having to make a save. Flavio Corrente made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Amado Leite in the 88th minute of play. Stars Academy were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Medoacus Maior for a fine match.