Challenge

Maravilla Stadium
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. Quentin Gonzalez started the match with the kick off. Zarando Lastras made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cristian Sancho in the 3rd minute of play. If Anders Söderlund had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. 11 minutes into the match, Atlético Maravilla's goal looked a bit too open when Cristian Sancho came free, but Zarando Lastras reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Zarando Lastras showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Daniel Zorita in the 12th minute of the match. In the 15th minute, Quentin Gonzalez 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 17th minute of the match Anders Söderlund sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Julio Vera skillfully saved the ball. Atlético Maravilla were awarded a corner in the 18th minute after Ecuador's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Anders Söderlund took the corner. A nice corner shot did that Anders Söderlund got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Julio Vera quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Zarando Lastras made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 22nd minute of play. Ecuador's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Daniel Zorita in the 23rd minute. If Leopoldo de Queiroz had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 24th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 27th minute of play forced Atlético Maravilla's goalkeeper Zarando Lastras to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Daniel Zorita sent away a hard shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Leopoldo de Queiroz in the 30th minute. Zarando Lastras took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cristian Sancho, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Dionisio Hidalgo scored 1-1 in the 34th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Julio Vera, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Cristian Sancho's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Zarando Lastras read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 38th minute of play. The corner led Ecuador's Cristian Sancho to fire away a dangerous shot which Zarando Lastras despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. After 41 minutes of play, Ecuador's Felix Montenegro made it 1-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Zarando Lastras was left in no man's land by his defense there! Cristian Sancho sent away a hard shot on goal in the 44th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 49th minute of the match Atlético Maravilla got a corner. Ecuador's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Anders Söderlund ran over to the corner to take the kick. After the first half Ecuador were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

53 minutes into the match, Atlético Maravilla's goalkeeper Zarando Lastras had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Daniel Zorita. Daniel Zorita received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Zarando Lastras came out and tried to block the shot, but Daniel Zorita slotted it home off the left post making it 1-3 in the 53rd minute. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Quentin Gonzalez in the 55th minute of play. In the 56th minute of the match Atlético Maravilla got a corner. Ecuador's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Anders Söderlund ran over to the corner to take the kick. After taking down the ball on Atlético Maravilla's corner Anders Söderlund fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Julio Vera quite easily take care of the ball. Anders Söderlund recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 59th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. With a little luck, Atlético Maravilla's Zarando Lastras got control of the ball when Daniel Zorita tried to sneak it across the goal line. In the 62nd minute Quentin Gonzalez 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. Daniel Zorita could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 63rd minute of the match, but Zarando Lastras made a huge save. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Quentin Gonzalez in the 66th minute of the match. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Ecuador's goalie and right to Vykan Passarelli. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Ecuador's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. Daniel Zorita might have been able to make a better finish in the 69th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Zarando Lastras. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Daniel Zorita ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 80th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Atlético Maravilla's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. After 86 minutes, Quentin Gonzalez made it 2-3 with a short kick to the right side. Ecuador's Julio Vera tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. In the 89th minute the ball was on its way in behind Atlético Maravilla's goalkeeper Zarando Lastras, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Quentin Gonzalez, who was totally free with the ball in the 90th minute. In the 93rd minute, Shawn Seracino Inglott made a precise shot to the right of Julio Vera. Ecuador's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 3-3. If Quentin Gonzalez had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 96th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. The final whistle blew with the score still tied, and both teams left the pitch thinking about the missed chances that could have given their team the win.