Challenge

NEM CT Stadium
Spectators: 50 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 1) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Abram Sarmiento made the kick off which started today's match. After a defensive mix-up in Colombia's zone, Edgardo Silva stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Pedro Manzanares came out of the goal and Edgardo Silva tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Jeremy Nicholas didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Kevin Mastache went, in the 6th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. A collision led to New England Minas getting a freekick after 10 minutes play. Glen Conklin hit a great ball. The audience held their breath when Axel Montenegro in the 12th minute of the game managed to trick the opponents defenses and fired away a shot outside the goal on the Jeremy Nicholas's left hand side. The throw-in from Joshua Garrido in the 17th minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by New England Minas's Alperen Öksüz. In the 18th match minute, New England Minas was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Glen Conklin to maneuver through the defense. Jeremy Nicholas showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Abram Sarmiento in the 19th minute of the match. If Edgardo Silva had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 21st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Pedro Manzanares made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Edgardo Silva in the 21st minute of play. When Edgardo Silva came up free with the goalie in the 22nd minute, the New England Minas 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 Edgardo Silva couldn't finish the play. Pedro Manzanares didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 24th minute, which inside left pole to 1-1. 31 minutes into the match, Edgardo Silva had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Pedro Manzanares. Colombia's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Edgardo Silva was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-1. In the 35th minute Santino Seco shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jeremy Nicholas saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of New England Minas booed when Colombia was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 37 match minutes in a wonderful position. Antonio Indiano didn't get a good kick on the ball. New England Minas's Jeremy Nicholas played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Santino Seco in the 42nd minute of play. In the 46th minute of the match Colombia got a corner. New England Minas's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Axel Montenegro ran over to the corner to take the kick. After taking down the ball on Colombia's corner Luis Cazalla fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Jeremy Nicholas quite easily take care of the ball. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 2-1.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Edgardo Silva to make the kick off. Jeremy Nicholas made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Abram Sarmiento in the 51st minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Abram Sarmiento in the 56th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jeremy Nicholas saved New England Minas from getting behind. Edgardo Silva received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 59th minute. Pedro Manzanares tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. New England Minas made a substitution. Tio Lio replaced Alperen Öksüz. The audience thought a goal was coming when Axel Montenegro got free with Jeremy Nicholas in the 65th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 67 played minutes New England Minas got a freekick which was hit by Oscar Nordmark. Oscar Nordmark hit a great freekick 68 minutes into the match. Abram Secada's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 69thth minute, Jeremy Nicholas skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. In the 74th minute Abram Secada shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jeremy Nicholas saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Thanks to some nice moves Abram Secada could shoot a difficult shot in the 77th minute, which Jeremy Nicholas however easily saved by the left post. 83 minutes into the match, Colombia's Kevin Mastache sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Jeremy Nicholas narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 88 minutes into the match, New England Minas's goal looked a bit too open when Ignacio Mastache came free, but Jeremy Nicholas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Jeremy Nicholas took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Ignacio Mastache, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The teams fought very hard right up to the final whistle. Both sets of players were happy to go away with a draw.