Challenge

Gigante
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Cassius Byrne started the match with the kick off. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Krakaca Neto in the 6th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Marco Day saved USA from getting behind. In the 7th minute of the match Futuros FC got a corner. USA's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Pedro Luís Furtado ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner led Futuros FC's Pedro Luís Furtado to fire away a dangerous shot which Marco Day despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. 10 minutes into the match, Monty Rogers notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Futuros FC's João Carlos Andrade. João Carlos Andrade was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. 14 minutes into the game, Mai Xun Kang was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Futuros FC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave USA the free kick. After 15 played minutes Futuros FC got a freekick which was hit by Mai Xun Kang. Monty Rogers fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 16th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without João Carlos Andrade having to interfere. Futuros FC were awarded a corner in the 20th minute after USA's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Pedro Luís Furtado took the corner. 28 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Krakaca Neto came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After a rather tough play, USA's Fabian Brown got a free kick in the 32nd minute. After having played for 33 minutes, Pedro Luís Furtado managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Futuros FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Pedro Luís Furtado was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. If Monty Rogers had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 35th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 40 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Marcos Fernandes came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. João Carlos Andrade showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cassius Byrne, who was totally free with the ball in the 46th minute.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Krakaca Neto was the one to do the kick off. Marco Day took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Marcos Fernandes, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Marco Day made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Krakaca Neto in the 53rd minute of play. 57 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Krakaca Neto came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Futuros FC's João Carlos Andrade played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cassius Byrne in the 58th minute of play. After a rather tough play, Futuros FC's Krakaca Neto got a free kick in the 63rd minute. Futuros FC's Beto Smith was substituted for Vicente Dantas. Krakaca Neto hit a great freekick 64 minutes into the match. João Carlos Andrade made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Monty Rogers in the 65th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Krakaca Neto in the 67th minute of play forced USA's goalkeeper Marco Day to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. USA's Sam Campbell was substituted for Cassius Byrne. In the 71st minute, Pedro Luís Furtado hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 73 minutes into the match, USA's Sam Campbell sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that João Carlos Andrade narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 75 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Marcos Fernandes came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. João Carlos Andrade didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Monty Rogers went, in the 76th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-2 was the resulting score. USA's Marco Baker was substituted for Edward Mcdonald. In the 82ndth minute of the game Krakaca Neto who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but USA's Marco Day was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Sam Campbell received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 85th minute. João Carlos Andrade tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Marco Baker's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but João Carlos Andrade was relentless in the 87th minute of the game. If Beto Smith had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The supporters of Futuros FC booed when USA was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 89 match minutes in a wonderful position. Koby Fletcher didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 90th minute of the match Pedro Luís Furtado shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Marco Day showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched USA eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.