Challenge

Gigante de Ardiles
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Donato Venerando kicked off to start the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 3rd minute of play forced Ardiles's goalkeeper Erik Kassentoft to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 4th minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. 8 minutes into the match, Ardiles's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Erik Kassentoft reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A nice corner shot did that Joel Gaona got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Erik Kassentoft quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. The audience was convinced that Joel Gaona's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Erik Kassentoft was relentless in the 15th minute of the game. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 16th minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 20th minute of play forced Ardiles's goalkeeper Erik Kassentoft to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With a little luck, Mexico's Dante Lacasa got control of the ball when Cristo Basajaun tried to sneak it across the goal line. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 21st minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. Dante Lacasa made an important save on a dangerous shot by Donato Venerando in the 24th minute. In the 30th minute, Jimeno Abastas hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 36th minute of the match Mexico got a corner. Ardiles's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Joel Gaona ran over to the corner to take the kick. After a rather tough play, Mexico's Luca Rouco got a free kick in the 36th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 41st minute of play forced Ardiles's goalkeeper Erik Kassentoft to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 42nd minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Erik Kassentoft saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of Mexico booed when Ardiles was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 47 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lino Telesforo didn't get a good kick on the ball. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Joel Gaona to make the kick off. In the 51st match minute, Ardiles was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Alfonso Astudillo to maneuver through the defense. Joel Gaona was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 51st played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jimeno Abastas in the 61st minute of the match. The supporters of Ardiles booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 63 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lautaro Mancebo didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 68 minutes of play, Mexico's Alberto Tafalla made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Erik Kassentoft was left in no man's land by his defense there! Ardiles's Erik Kassentoft proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 71st minute of the match, managed to save Ardiles from getting a goal against them. Ardiles's Erik Kassentoft proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 72nd minute of the match, managed to save Ardiles from getting a goal against them. Joel Gaona struck a weak shot in the 77th minute. Erik Kassentoft didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. 79 minutes into the match, Ardiles's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Erik Kassentoft reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After a rather tough play, Ardiles's Santos Eguen got a free kick in the 80th minute. When Lautaro Mancebo came up free with the goalie in the 81st 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 Lautaro Mancebo couldn't finish the play. After a defensive mix-up in Mexico's zone, Indiana Jones stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Dante Lacasa came out of the goal and Indiana Jones tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Ardiles's Erik Kassentoft proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 85th minute of the match, managed to save Ardiles from getting a goal against them. In the 88th minute, Facundo Cadaval 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 91st minute Feliberto Ramirez shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 94th minute Alberto Tafalla shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Erik Kassentoft saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mexico's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Joel Gaona in the 95th minute. The corner led Mexico's Joel Gaona to fire away a dangerous shot which Erik Kassentoft despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. A collision led to Ardiles getting a freekick after 96 minutes play. Jimeno Abastas hit a great ball. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Mexico eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.