U23 World League

Dionisio Fernanco
Spectators: 7462 (Terracing: 5597, Seating: 1716, VIP seats: 149) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Marciano Maxin started the match with the kick off. The throw-in from Raimundo Primo in the 3rd minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by DZ Blue's Daniel Hamnberg. In the 7th minute, Arnaldo Johansson made a precise shot to the right of Abelardo Cristofor. Sportivo Ben Hur's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. Börje Fristedt kicked well hit freekick during the 15th minute of the match. Fabricio Martxot fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 16th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Isidoro Valentine having to interfere. Marciano Maxin's late challenge caught a DZ Blue's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Marciano Maxin helped the player get up and apologised. Marciano Maxin kicked well hit freekick during the 24th minute of the match. The supporters of Sportivo Ben Hur booed when DZ Blue was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 25 match minutes in a wonderful position. Torbjörn Engman didn't get a good kick on the ball. Isidoro Valentine made a fantastic save in the 26th minute, when Fabricio Martxot sent off a good shot on target. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Marciano Maxin in the 30th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Isidoro Valentine saved DZ Blue from getting behind. Marciano Maxin did some fancy footwork in front of goal and succeeded to deceive the defenders so he could slam the ball in 1-1 to the left of a surprised Isidoro Valentine 32 minutes into the match. Abelardo Cristofor made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Arnaldo Johansson in the 35th minute of play. If Arnaldo Johansson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 40th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience was convinced that Marciano Maxin's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Isidoro Valentine was relentless in the 42nd minute of the game. In the 45th match minute, DZ Blue was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Torbjörn Engman to maneuver through the defense. 46 minutes into the match, DZ Blue's goalkeeper Isidoro Valentine had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Marciano Maxin. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Arnaldo Johansson to make the kick off. The audience thought a goal was coming when Arnaldo Johansson got free with Abelardo Cristofor in the 53rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. The throw-in from Felix Malvin in the 58th minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by DZ Blue's Daniel Hamnberg. When Arnaldo Johansson came up free with the goalie in the 60th minute, the DZ Blue 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 Arnaldo Johansson couldn't finish the play. DZ Blue's Ola Holmgren was substituted for Arnaldo Johansson. Isidoro Valentine made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Marciano Maxin in the 69th minute of play. After 71 minutes, Jakob Sjöö mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the DZ Blue and the Sportivo Ben Hur players grew even worse after the yellow card. Sportivo Ben Hur made a substitution. Bruno Maraman replaced Fabricio Martxot. In a very dangerous position, a player in DZ Blue fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 71st minute. Penalty! In the 76th minute, Felix Malvin had to be helped off the field due to a pulled leg muscle. In the 78th match minute, DZ Blue was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Daniel Hamnberg to maneuver through the defense. DZ Blue's Isidoro Valentine played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Marciano Maxin in the 78th minute of play. 79 minutes into the match, DZ Blue's goal looked a bit too open when Bruno Maraman came free, but Isidoro Valentine reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 80 minutes into the game, Claes Rudqvist was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. DZ Blue's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Sportivo Ben Hur the free kick. After a rather tough play, DZ Blue's Claes Rudqvist got a free kick in the 80th minute. 89 minutes into the match, DZ Blue's goal looked a bit too open when Desiderio Tancredo came free, but Isidoro Valentine reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Isidoro Valentine came out of the goal in the 92nd minute to try and stop a shot by Sportivo Ben Hur's Bruno Maraman. But to his dismay, Bruno Maraman quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-1. Marciano Maxin sent away a hard shot on goal in the 97th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The Sportivo Ben Hur players were eager to celebrate when the final whistle sounded. They had somehow managed to win, even though the away team had held the majority of the possession.