Challenge

Dragons Nest
Spectators: 52 (Terracing: 39, Seating: 12, VIP seats: 1) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Joel Gaona made the kick off which started today's match. 5 minutes into the match, Sliema Dragons FC's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but John Balzan reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. John Balzan didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Joel Gaona went, in the 5th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. An unexpectedly hard shot by Luca Zorita in the 7th minute of play forced Sliema Dragons FC's goalkeeper John Balzan to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Arthur Facciol during the 8th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The supporters of Mexico booed when Sliema Dragons FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 8 match minutes in a wonderful position. Arthur Facciol didn't get a good kick on the ball. John Balzan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla, who was totally free with the ball in the 13th minute. After a rather tough play, Sliema Dragons FC's Neil Deguara got a free kick in the 16th minute. If Lautaro Mancebo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 17th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 22nd minute, Joel Gaona ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. John Balzan was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. John Balzan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joel Gaona, who was totally free with the ball in the 26th minute. Alberto Tafalla received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 28th minute. John Balzan tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. A collision led to Sliema Dragons FC getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Colin Pullicino Orlando hit a great ball. 35 minutes into the match, Sliema Dragons FC's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Mancebo came free, but John Balzan reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Joel Gaona fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without John Balzan having to interfere. After having played for 40 minutes, Lautaro Mancebo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lautaro Mancebo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After having played for 43 minutes, Joel Gaona managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Joel Gaona was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. John Balzan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Facundo Cadaval, who was totally free with the ball in the 46th minute. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 48th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Disappointed in the 0-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 53rd minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 54th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 57th minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but John Balzan saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 58th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Sliema Dragons FC's Robert Pullicino was substituted for Ian Depasquale. John Balzan was a little too slow when Alberto Tafalla got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 61st minute. The score was now 0-3. 65 minutes into the game, Colin Pullicino Orlando was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Sliema Dragons FC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Mexico the free kick. After a rather tough play, Sliema Dragons FC's Colin Pullicino Orlando got a free kick in the 65th minute. Sliema Dragons FC's defense didn't have a chance, in the 67th minute, when Lautaro Mancebo scored to the left of an out of position John Balzan, making the score, 0-4. When Alberto Tafalla came up free with the goalie in the 71st minute, the Mexico 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 Alberto Tafalla couldn't finish the play. When Joel Gaona came up free with the goalie in the 76th minute, the Mexico 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 Joel Gaona couldn't finish the play. 78 minutes into the match, Lautaro Mancebo notched a goal, 0-6, to the right of Sliema Dragons FC's John Balzan. John Balzan was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 81st minute, Lautaro Mancebo reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of John Balzan. The goal made the score 0-7. With a little luck, Sliema Dragons FC's John Balzan got control of the ball when Lautaro Mancebo tried to sneak it across the goal line. After taking down the ball on Mexico's corner Joel Gaona fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and John Balzan quite easily take care of the ball. John Balzan made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 89th minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Joel Gaona got free with John Balzan in the 93rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 94th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 95 played minutes Sliema Dragons FC got a freekick which was hit by Neil Deguara. Joel Gaona received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 96th minute. John Balzan tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Mexico's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.