Challenge

Kolomna Arena
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Joel Gaona started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 5th minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. In the 11th minute Veniamin Markov 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. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 12th minute of play forced Unica FC's goalkeeper Nikita Gudkov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Nikita Gudkov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Gaona in the 14th minute of play. 15 minutes had been played when some careless play by Unica FC's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Joel Gaona was slow to take the kick. During this time Mexico's players had a chance to rest. A collision led to Mexico getting a freekick after 16 minutes play. Macos Graciani hit a great ball. 19 minutes into the match, Unica FC's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Nikita Gudkov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Facundo Cadaval had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 27th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 29th minute, Joel Gaona made a precise shot to the right of Nikita Gudkov. Unica FC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-2. After some careless play in the Unica FC defense, Lautaro Mancebo kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Nikita Gudkov. The Unica FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Nikita Gudkov should have stopped the shot. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 38th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 40 minutes into the match, Unica FC's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Mancebo came free, but Nikita Gudkov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 41st match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Luca Rouco to maneuver through the defense. Lautaro Mancebo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 43rd minute. Nikita Gudkov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 45th minute, Luca Rouco hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 47th minute Unica FC were awarded a corner. Aybar Bayezit went to the cornerflag to take it. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-3 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Veniamin Markov to make the kick off. 51 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Aybar Bayezit came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Mexico's goalie and right to Yaromir Sharapov. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Mexico's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. In the 54th minute the ball was on its way in behind Unica FC's goalkeeper Nikita Gudkov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 56th minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. Lautaro Mancebo made a great header on Mexico's corner, it was just that Unica FC's Nikita Gudkov managed to reach the ball for a save. In the 59th minute Veniamin Markov 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. The supporters of Mexico booed when Unica FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 64 match minutes in a wonderful position. Klim Leonov didn't get a good kick on the ball. 69 minutes into the match, Unica FC's Sevastyan Lemeshevskiy sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Dante Lacasa narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 72 minutes into the match, Unica FC's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Mancebo came free, but Nikita Gudkov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 73rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Unica FC's goalkeeper Nikita Gudkov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. 74 minutes into the match, Unica FC's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Nikita Gudkov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Nikita Gudkov made a fantastic save in the 82nd minute, when Lautaro Mancebo sent off a good shot on target. Lautaro Mancebo made a well adjusted shot against goal in the 83rdth minute coming free in front of the goal, but Nikita Gudkov would not let the ball come through at any expense and made a nice save by the left post. 85 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Veniamin Markov came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Unica FC's Veniamin Markov got a good chance for a goal in the 88th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 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.