Challenge

XMAS park
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Ernesto Minichiello made the kick off which started today's match. In the 3rd minute, Jaime Pardo 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. Christian Zaccardi charged in rather forcefully in the 4th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Christian Zaccardi the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Paraguay booed when XMAS was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Christian Zaccardi didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 6th minute Jaime Pardo shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Armando Polidori saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 8th minute Ennio De Nardis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jacobo Nores saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Hector Covarrubias hit a great freekick 8 minutes into the match. In the 11th minute, XMAS's Ernesto Minichiello ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Jacobo Nores. Jacobo Nores yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-0. 16 minutes into the match, Paraguay's goalkeeper Jacobo Nores had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Ennio De Nardis. Paraguay's Hector Covarrubias quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Alberigo Gianfrancesco, made in the 18th minute of the game. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Bruno Alessandrini during the 20th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Bruno Alessandrini hit a great freekick 20 minutes into the match. In the 21st minute of the match Jaime Pardo sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Armando Polidori skillfully saved the ball. The audience was convinced that Jaime Pardo's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Armando Polidori was relentless in the 26th minute of the game. Ennio De Nardis's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 31stth minute, Jacobo Nores skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. Jacobo Nores came out of the goal in the 36th minute to try and stop a shot by XMAS's Ennio De Nardis. But to his dismay, Ennio De Nardis quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-0. The throw-in from Alessio Ascoli in the 46th minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by Paraguay's Primitivo Escribano. If Jaime Pardo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 47th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-0.

Jaime Pardo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 62nd minute. Armando Polidori tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Ferruccio Cesaroni came up free with the goalie in the 64th minute, the XMAS fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Ferruccio Cesaroni couldn't finish the play. After 66 played minutes XMAS got a freekick which was hit by Ennio De Nardis. Jaime Pardos short, quick shot in the 67thth minute got Armando Polidori to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. The supporters of XMAS booed when Paraguay was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 70 match minutes in a wonderful position. Primitivo Escribano didn't get a good kick on the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Ernesto Minichiello in the 71st managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jacobo Nores saved Paraguay from getting behind. Jaime Pardo recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 73rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Christian Zaccardi hit a great freekick 74 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberigo Gianfrancesco in the 75th minute of play forced Paraguay's goalkeeper Jacobo Nores to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a defensive mix-up in Paraguay's zone, Christian Zaccardi stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Jacobo Nores came out of the goal and Christian Zaccardi tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Jacobo Nores showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Ernesto Minichiello, who was totally free with the ball in the 84th minute. When the match had gone on for 86 minutes, Ernesto Minichiello put it in 3-0 from a short distance just to the right of Jacobo Nores. Bruno Alessandrini got his second yellow card in the match during the 89th minute which meant that he had to leave the ground. In the 89th match minute, XMAS was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Bruno Alessandrini to maneuver through the defense. If Jaime Pardo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 90th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience was convinced that Alberigo Gianfrancesco's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Jacobo Nores was relentless in the 92nd minute of the game. After a rather tough play, Paraguay's Primitivo Escribano got a free kick in the 93rd minute. XMAS's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.