Challenge

KLEANTHIS VIKELIDIS
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) After a defensive mix-up in ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C.'s zone, Agustín Saelices stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Mahmud Alp came out of the goal and Agustín Saelices tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Cristian Sancho sent away a hard shot on goal in the 16th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 19th minute Matthis Paelemans 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. Chu Zhen Xun recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 20th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. When Cristian Sancho came up free with the goalie in the 23rd minute, the Ecuador 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 Cristian Sancho couldn't finish the play. After a defensive mix-up in Ecuador's zone, Chu Zhen Xun stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Julio Vera came out of the goal and Chu Zhen Xun tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out 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 30th minute. The corner first didn't look so dangerous but when Luis Andino got the ball he succeeded in some way to get through the defenders to deliver a very hard score. Result 0-1. 30 minutes into the match. In the 40th minute of the match ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. 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. Chu Zhen Xun ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Ecuador's goalie and right to Kornel Brahm. 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. Mahmud Alp took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Felix Montenegro, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-2.

When Cristian Sancho came up free with the goalie in the 54th minute, the Ecuador 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 Cristian Sancho couldn't finish the play. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 55 minutes play. Cristian Sancho hit a great ball. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Chu Zhen Xun in the 56th minute of play. In the 61st minute the ball was on its way in behind ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C.'s goalkeeper Mahmud Alp, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After 62 played minutes ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. got a freekick which was hit by Kutlualp Parskan. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Matthis Paelemans, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After 73 played minutes Ecuador got a freekick which was hit by Antonio Arias. After a rather tough play, Ecuador's Antonio Arias got a free kick in the 74th minute. Felix Montenegro struck a weak shot in the 82nd minute. Mahmud Alp didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. The supporters of Ecuador booed when ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 87 match minutes in a wonderful position. Simos Kozapalidis didn't get a good kick on the ball. After having played for 87 minutes, Daniel Zorita managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ecuador's supporters crossed their fingers, but Daniel Zorita was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 90th minute, Abubakar Kamarád 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. The supporters of Ecuador booed when ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 91 match minutes in a wonderful position. Simos Kozapalidis didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 94 minutes, Chu Zhen Xun mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. and the Ecuador players grew even worse after the yellow card. Ecuador's Max Alvarado was substituted for Primitivo Andino. When the match was over Ecuador could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than ARIS THESSALONIKI F.C. throughout the match.