U18 World League

Arena Cruzeiro
Spectators: 7640 (Terracing: 5731, Seating: 1757, VIP seats: 152) Fausto Teofilio started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. After a rather tough play, Darkness's Salvador Marino got a free kick in the 5th minute. When Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s Marcelo Falcão in the 5th minute got a chance for a shot 5th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Darkness's goalie prevented a goal. In the 7th minute, Marcelo Falcão 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. After some fancy dribbling in the 10th minute, Carlos Augusto Mazza managed to get in a good position for a shot. Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s supporters rose to their feet, but Carlos Augusto Mazza was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Esteban Balendin breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 12 minutes into the game, Fausto Teofilio was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Darkness's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ- the free kick. The supporters of Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ- booed when Darkness was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Fausto Teofilio didn't get a good kick on the ball. 14 minutes into the match, Hugo Sánchez had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Haroldo Recife. Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Hugo Sánchez was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. Haroldo Recife showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Hugo Sánchez, who was totally free with the ball in the 17th minute. In the 18th minute Darkness were awarded a corner. Modesto Txurio went to the cornerflag to take it. The corner ended in Modesto Txurio almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s Haroldo Recife did a great save. Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s Marcelo Falcão was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 21st play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. With a little luck, Darkness's Esteban Balendin got control of the ball when Marcelo Falcão tried to sneak it across the goal line. Fausto Teofilio's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Haroldo Recife read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 27th minute of play. Haroldo Recife took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Fausto Teofilio, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Marcelo Falcão got free with Esteban Balendin in the 33rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-1 at half-time.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Marcelo Falcão stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Marcelo Falcão in the 51st minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Esteban Balendin prevented the ball from getting in the gole. The audience was convinced that Marcelo Falcão's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Esteban Balendin was relentless in the 54th minute of the game. Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s Luiz Eduardo Domingues got a good chance for a goal in the 55th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When Darkness's Fausto Teofilio in the 57th minute got a chance for a shot 57th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-'s goalie prevented a goal. Jeronimo Aires charged in rather forcefully in the 58th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Jeronimo Aires the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Marcelo Falcão sent away a hard shot on goal in the 62nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 65 minutes Darkness's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Cícero Veiga who took care of the corner kick. The corner first didn't look so dangerous but when Joaquim de Queirós got the ball he succeeded in some way to get through the defenders to deliver a very hard score. Result 3-1. 65 minutes into the match. Hugo Sánchez's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Haroldo Recife firmly grabbed it by the left post. Luiz Eduardo Domingues fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 75th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Esteban Balendin having to interfere. A collision led to Darkness getting a freekick after 85 minutes play. Modesto Txurio hit a great ball. Luiz Eduardo Domingues might have been able to make a better finish in the 91st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Esteban Balendin. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luiz Eduardo Domingues ran back to his position shaking his head. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Marcelo Falcão in the 93rd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Esteban Balendin prevented the ball from getting in the gole. For all the effort they put into the match, the Darkness players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Cruzeiro MZC -DMZ-.