Challenge

Nilton Santos
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Daniel Zorita took the kick off in the first half of the match. 4 minutes had been played when some careless play by Ecuador's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Álvaro Melo was slow to take the kick. During this time Botafogo MZRJ's players had a chance to rest. After taking down the ball on Botafogo MZRJ's corner Álvaro Melo fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Julio Vera quite easily take care of the ball. A collision led to Botafogo MZRJ getting a freekick after 6 minutes play. Jailson Capixaba hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gilmar Couto in the 7th minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Daniel Zorita in the 10th minute of play forced Botafogo MZRJ's goalkeeper José Vítor Netto to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Felix Montenegro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 12th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A throw-in in the 14th minute of the game was made by Primitivo Andino with Daniel Zorita as target, who quickly passed the ball forward. The audience was convinced that Gilmar Couto's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 18th minute of the game. Felix Montes kicked well hit freekick during the 19th minute of the match. Botafogo MZRJ's Álvaro Melo shoveled away a really nice long shot in the 20th minute of play. The shot was stopped by Julio Vera but with some difficulty. After 29 minutes Ecuador's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Álvaro Melo who took care of the corner kick. It was a well-played corner which Jailson Capixaba managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. In the 31st minute the ball was on its way in behind Botafogo MZRJ's goalkeeper José Vítor Netto, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. José Vítor Netto showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Cristian Sancho in the 35th minute of the match. Ecuador's Julio Vera proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 37th minute of the match, managed to save Ecuador from getting a goal against them. Primitivo Andino made in the 44th minute of the game a sloppy throw-in which Felix Montenegro however managed to control. A collision led to Botafogo MZRJ getting a freekick after 44 minutes play. Álvaro Melo hit a great ball. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 2-0 at half-time.

In the 53rd minute, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind José Vítor Netto. José Vítor Netto yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-1. When Jailson Capixaba came up free with the goalie in the 61st minute, the Botafogo MZRJ 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 Jailson Capixaba couldn't finish the play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Gilmar Couto in the 66th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Julio Vera prevented the ball from getting in the gole. The Botafogo MZRJ fans' excitement grew in the 66th match minute when Botafogo MZRJ's Gilmar Couto looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 3-2 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. Daniel Zorita could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 73rd minute of the match, but José Vítor Netto made a huge save. The audience was convinced that Gilmar Couto's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 75th minute of the game. After having played for 78 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 82nd minute Gilmar Couto 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. The crowd rose to their feet as Ecuador's Agustín Saelices slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of José Vítor Netto. That made the score 3-3 after 84 minutes of play. Álvaro Melo hit a great freekick 87 minutes into the match. Silas Lara struck a weak shot in the 89th minute. Julio Vera didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Botafogo MZRJ. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gilmar Couto in the 93rd minute of play. José Vítor Netto took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Luis Andino, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 95th minute, Luis Andino made a precise shot to the right of José Vítor Netto. Botafogo MZRJ's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 3-4.