U23 World League

Giuseppe Meazza
Spectators: 7792 (Terracing: 5845, Seating: 1792, VIP seats: 155) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Elias Freire kicked off to start the match. Black Diamond's Mircea Stroia pulled a muscle in his back after 8 minutes and couldn't finish the game. Júnior Berger's late challenge caught a Black Diamond's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Júnior Berger helped the player get up and apologised. In the 10th minute of the match Cazimir Zbuchea shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Juninho Freire showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. When Motta Futebol Clube's Elias Freire in the 11th minute got a chance for a shot 11th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Black Diamond's goalie prevented a goal. A collision led to Motta Futebol Clube getting a freekick after 14 minutes play. Elias Freire hit a great ball. The supporters of Black Diamond booed when Motta Futebol Clube was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 17 match minutes in a wonderful position. Elias Freire didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 21 minutes of play, Black Diamond's Pompiliu Moromete made it 1-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Juninho Freire was left in no man's land by his defense there! Nechifor Zbuchea stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Elias Freire's shot from short distance in the 27th minute. Juninho Freire made an important save on a dangerous shot by Pompiliu Moromete in the 29th minute. The audience was convinced that Elias Freire's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Nechifor Zbuchea was relentless in the 31st minute of the game. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Elias Freire in the 36th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Nechifor Zbuchea prevented the ball from getting in the gole. In the 37th minute Elias Freire shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nechifor Zbuchea saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 44thth minute of the game Elias Freire who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Black Diamond's Nechifor Zbuchea was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. The nice shot from Dragoş Potopea in the 47thth minute just in front of the goal should have ended in point on the board, but Juninho Freire had a great feel for the game and superbly saved the ball from getting in by the left post.

In the 51st minute, Pompiliu Moromete left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Black Diamond fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-0. Júnior Berger received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Nechifor Zbuchea tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Pompiliu Moromete in the 58th minute of play forced Motta Futebol Clube's goalkeeper Juninho Freire to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Nechifor Zbuchea showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Elias Freire in the 62nd minute of the match. After a rather tough play, Black Diamond's Cătălin Geangu got a free kick in the 64th minute. Elias Freire received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 66th minute. Nechifor Zbuchea tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Nechifor Zbuchea took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Júnior Berger, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The corner ended in Elias Freire almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Black Diamond's Nechifor Zbuchea did a great save. With a little luck, Black Diamond's Nechifor Zbuchea got control of the ball when Elias Freire tried to sneak it across the goal line. A collision led to Black Diamond getting a freekick after 90 minutes play. Dragoş Potopea hit a great ball. When %teams%'s Júnior Berger was free in front of goal, he didn't hesitate to shoot 2-2 just inside the left pole, 92 minutes into the game. Nechifor Zbuchea was annoyed at himself for letting in the shot. Mac Oña hit a great freekick 95 minutes into the match. Juninho Freire made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Pompiliu Moromete in the 96th minute of play. Neither set of supporters seemed pleased with the draw, but both teams had played equally well today.