Challenge

Claudio D. Borghi
Spectators: 39 (Terracing: 30, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Petruț Fințescu got the match started through his kick off. The crowd rose to their feet as Argentinos Juniors's Petruț Fințescu slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Jonathan Ferrant. That made the score 1-0 after 3 minutes of play. After 9 played minutes Argentinos Juniors got a freekick which was hit by Leon Richie. In the 12th minute, Eleuterio Milian left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Argentinos Juniors fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-0. Jonathan Venegas's late challenge caught a Argentinos Juniors's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Jonathan Venegas helped the player get up and apologised. Jonathan Venegas kicked well hit freekick during the 21st minute of the match. Argentinos Juniors's Rigoberto Nazario played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Tomas Illescas in the 24th minute of play. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 28th minute of the game. One of Argentinos Juniors:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Venezuela:s goal. Argentinos Juniors:s Rigoberto Nazario showed great skill when he stopped Tomas Illescas:s penalty. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Petruț Fințescu in the 31st minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Jonathan Ferrant prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Tomas Illescas hit a great freekick 34 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Tomas Illescas in the 35th minute of play forced Argentinos Juniors's goalkeeper Rigoberto Nazario to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 38 minutes into the match, Venezuela's goal looked a bit too open when Petruț Fințescu came free, but Jonathan Ferrant reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When Camilo Gaos fell near the penalty area in the 42nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Venezuela's protests and gave Camilo Gaos a yellow card for diving instead. In the 47th minute, Tomas Illescas ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Rigoberto Nazario was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-1. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

In the 52nd minute, Jose Correa hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Argentinos Juniors's Sven de Zwaan got a good chance for a goal in the 54th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 56th minute, Venezuela's Tomas Illescas dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 3-2. Jonathan Ferrant took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sven de Zwaan, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After 59 minutes Venezuela's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Mats Falch who took care of the corner kick. Rigoberto Nazario made a fantastic save in the 61st minute, when Tomas Illescas sent off a good shot on target. 4-2 became the score in the 63rd minute when Petruț Fințescu elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. Argentinos Juniors made a substitution. Robert Wilson replaced Eleuterio Milian. If Mats Falch had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 68th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 70 minutes had been played when some careless play by Venezuela's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Mats Falch was slow to take the kick. During this time Argentinos Juniors's players had a chance to rest. Argentinos Juniors's Mats Falch was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Jonathan Ferrant in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. An unexpectedly hard shot by Tomas Illescas in the 74th minute of play forced Argentinos Juniors's goalkeeper Rigoberto Nazario to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 79 minutes into the match, Robert Wilson notched a goal, 5-2, to the right of Venezuela's Jonathan Ferrant. Jonathan Ferrant was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. When the match had gone on for 81 minutes, Robert Wilson put it in 6-2 from a short distance just to the right of Jonathan Ferrant. 84 minutes in the game Leon Richie did a throw-in, and the ball was quickly in game thanks to Ruperto Matei. After 86 minutes, Sven de Zwaan made it 7-2 with a short kick to the right side. Venezuela's Jonathan Ferrant tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Argentinos Juniors made a substitution. Eustacio Raebert replaced Sven de Zwaan. Robert Wilson received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 90th minute. Jonathan Ferrant tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Robert Wilson fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 92nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jonathan Ferrant having to interfere. Robert Wilson charged in rather forcefully in the 96th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Robert Wilson the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Robert Wilson hit a great freekick 96 minutes into the match. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The Argentinos Juniors fans cheered their team off the field, for while Venezuela had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.