Challenge

El Amalfitani
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Vassilis Vonortas started the match with the kick off. 7 minutes into the game, Vassilis Vonortas recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Benito Sanz. Vassilis Vonortas showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-0. 9 minutes into the game, Eliseo Noboa cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Fulgencio Intxixu was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. In the 14th minute Eliseo Noboa shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Fulgencio Intxixu saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 18 minutes play. Lautaro Puig hit a great ball. Alexander Carballo made in the 22nd minute of the game a quick throw-in and Aaron Alcocer immediately put the ball in play. Eliseo Noboa's late challenge caught a Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Eliseo Noboa helped the player get up and apologised. In the 22nd match minute, Costa Rica was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Eliseo Noboa to maneuver through the defense. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 23 minutes play. Efrain Moruga hit a great ball. Fulgencio Intxixu showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lautaro Puig, who was totally free with the ball in the 25th minute. Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s attentive Bona Corona managed to snatch the ball when Hugo Ferrant made a throw-in in the 28th minute of the game. He Ting Zhou sent away a hard shot on goal in the 29th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Axel Tasis in the 36th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Fulgencio Intxixu saved Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√ from getting behind. 39 minutes into the game, Bona Corona was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Costa Rica the free kick. Bona Corona kicked well hit freekick during the 39th minute of the match. In the 41st minute, Aaron Alcocer hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The audience thought a goal was coming when Faustino Lawrence got free with Benito Sanz in the 45th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 46 minutes into the match, Axel Tasis notched a goal, 1-2, to the right of Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s Fulgencio Intxixu. Fulgencio Intxixu was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Disappointed in the 1-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Axel Tasis to make the kick off. After having played for 52 minutes, Jiang Lang Jian managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s supporters crossed their fingers, but Jiang Lang Jian was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 55 minutes play. Abel Carballo hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Vassilis Vonortas in the 57th minute of play forced Costa Rica's goalkeeper Benito Sanz to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 60th match minute, Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√ was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Arnaldo Bihar to maneuver through the defense. Eliseo Noboa fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 62nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Fulgencio Intxixu having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Vassilis Vonortas's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Benito Sanz was relentless in the 64th minute of the game. After 65 minutes, Vassilis Vonortas made it 2-2 with a short kick to the right side. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. After having played for 74 minutes, Cirilo Osorio managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√'s supporters crossed their fingers, but Cirilo Osorio was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. 78 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Vassilis Vonortas came free, but Benito Sanz reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Benito Sanz took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cirilo Osorio, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Benito Sanz showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Vassilis Vonortas, who was totally free with the ball in the 81st minute. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bona Corona in the 83rd minute of play. In the 84th minute, Vassilis Vonortas ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Benito Sanz was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-3. Benito Sanz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vassilis Vonortas in the 89th minute of the match. In the 91st minute, Elano de Sousa made a precise shot to the right of Benito Sanz. Costa Rica's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 4-3. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. Đ∈p○rㄒﺃν○ ∈kдㄒ○m√ had played much better football throughout.