Challenge

Claudio D. Borghi
Spectators: 39 (Terracing: 30, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Ecuador's Daniel Zorita started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. After 2 played minutes Argentinos Juniors got a freekick which was hit by Mats Falch. The audience thought a goal was coming when Ruperto Matei got free with Julio Vera in the 5th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Daniel Zorita in the 8th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Rigoberto Nazario saved Argentinos Juniors from getting behind. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Petruț Fințescu in the 12th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Julio Vera saved Ecuador from getting behind. After 14 minutes Ecuador'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. In the 14th match minute, Argentinos Juniors was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Celedonio Madeo to maneuver through the defense. Daniel Zorita recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 16th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Agustín Saelices kicked well hit freekick during the 18th minute of the match. 21 minutes into the match, Argentinos Juniors's goal looked a bit too open when Felix Montenegro came free, but Rigoberto Nazario reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 24th minute Petruț Fințescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Eleuterio Milian in the 25th minute of play. With his leg Julio Vera managed to avoid a goal in the 26thth minute, when Argentinos Juniors's Sven de Zwaan fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Felix Montenegro blasted a shot towards the goal in the 28th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Rigoberto Nazario having to make a save. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 29th minute of play forced Argentinos Juniors's goalkeeper Rigoberto Nazario to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 31 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Petruț Fințescu came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Mats Falch made a great header on Argentinos Juniors's corner, it was just that Ecuador's Julio Vera managed to reach the ball for a save. Through an outstanding action, after 34 minutes, Julio Vera successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. When Ecuador's Luis Andino in the 36th minute got a chance for a shot 36th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Argentinos Juniors's goalie prevented a goal. If Ruperto Matei had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 38th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 40 played minutes Ecuador got a freekick which was hit by Cristian Sancho. In the 42nd minute, Sven de Zwaan 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 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 Petruț Fințescu to make the kick off. 52 minutes into the match, Luis Andino notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Argentinos Juniors's Rigoberto Nazario. Rigoberto Nazario was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After a defensive mix-up in Ecuador's zone, Sven de Zwaan stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Julio Vera came out of the goal and Sven de Zwaan tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Mats Falch hit a great freekick 60 minutes into the match. Argentinos Juniors's Robert Wilson was substituted for Eleuterio Milian. In the 61st match minute, Argentinos Juniors was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Mats Falch to maneuver through the defense. The audience was convinced that Sven de Zwaan's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 63rd minute of the game. After having played for 65 minutes, Petruț Fințescu managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Argentinos Juniors's supporters crossed their fingers, but Petruț Fințescu was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. 68 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Sven de Zwaan came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ruperto Matei in the 69th minute of play. In the 71st minute Luis Andino shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rigoberto Nazario saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Antonio Arias kicked well hit freekick during the 75th minute of the match. In the 76th minute, Mats Falch ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Julio Vera was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. Daniel Zorita sent away a hard shot on goal in the 78th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Daniel Zorita had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 81st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Robert Wilson fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 84th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Julio Vera having to interfere. Rigoberto Nazario made an important save on a dangerous shot by Cristian Sancho in the 88th minute. A collision led to Argentinos Juniors getting a freekick after 90 minutes play. Roberto Trotta hit a great ball. Daniel Zorita's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Rigoberto Nazario read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 91st minute of play. In the 93rd minute, Cristian Sancho 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. In the 94th match minute, Argentinos Juniors was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Bartlomiej Mosiniak to maneuver through the defense. 95 minutes into the match, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita broke free and took a long shot that unfortunately flew wide. A fine initiative that could have resulted in a goal.