Challenge

SC Braga Arena
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Joel Gaona made the kick off which started today's match. In the 5th minute Zigmantas Gimbutas shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Quintino Carvalhais might have been able to make a better finish in the 6th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Dante Lacasa. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Quintino Carvalhais ran back to his position shaking his head. Dante Lacasa made an important save on a dangerous shot by Quintino Carvalhais in the 6th minute. In the 8th minute, Zigmantas Gimbutas ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Dante Lacasa was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-0. André Jordão hit a great freekick 12 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Zigmantas Gimbutas in the 17th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Antonio Adán took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Joel Gaona, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Antonio Adán didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Luca Zorita went, in the 23rd minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. Antonio Adán showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Luca Zorita in the 25th minute of the match. In the 26th minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. 28 minutes had been played when some careless play by SC Braga's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Joel Gaona was slow to take the kick. During this time Mexico's players had a chance to rest. It was a well-played corner which Luca Zorita managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. Antonio Adán took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Alberto Tafalla, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Quintino Carvalhais got free with Dante Lacasa in the 33rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Antonio Adán showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Joel Gaona in the 35th minute of the match. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Zigmantas Gimbutas in the 36th minute of the match. 36 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Zigmantas Gimbutas came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Antonio Adán made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla in the 37th minute of play. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 41st minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The wind increased when Zigmantas Gimbutas made the kick off in the second half. After 53 played minutes SC Braga got a freekick which was hit by Amado Parente. Lautaro Mancebo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 54th minute. Antonio Adán tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. A collision led to SC Braga getting a freekick after 55 minutes play. Lu Xun Lei hit a great ball. SC Braga's Antonio Adán proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 64th minute of the match, managed to save SC Braga from getting a goal against them. Through an outstanding action, after 68 minutes, Antonio Adán successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. An unexpectedly hard shot by Antonio Cieri in the 72nd minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 74 minutes into the match, SC Braga's goal looked a bit too open when Luca Zorita came free, but Antonio Adán reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 78th minute SC Braga were awarded a corner. Lu Xun Lei went to the cornerflag to take it. The corner led SC Braga's Lu Xun Lei to fire away a dangerous shot which Dante Lacasa despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. Antonio Adán was out of position in the 82 minute of play, and Alberto Tafalla capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Alberto Tafalla really showed his touch with that goal: 1-2. If Antonio Cieri had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Dante Lacasa came out of the goal in the 92nd minute to try and stop a shot by SC Braga's Antonio Cieri. But to his dismay, Antonio Cieri quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-2. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Antonio Cieri in the 95th minute of play. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.