Challenge

Estádio Muqui
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. In the 4th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Muqui FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner led Ecuador's Daniel Zorita to fire away a dangerous shot which Best Taffarel despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. Best Taffarel came out of the goal in the 7th minute to try and stop a shot by Ecuador's Cristian Sancho. But to his dismay, Cristian Sancho quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. The audience was convinced that Daniel Zorita's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Best Taffarel was relentless in the 11th minute of the game. Best Taffarel showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristian Sancho, who was totally free with the ball in the 16th minute. After 17 minutes Muqui FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Daniel Zorita who took care of the corner kick. The corner ended in Daniel Zorita almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Muqui FC's Best Taffarel did a great save. When Luis Andino, who was free, got the in front of the goal in the 17 minute he wasn't focused and tipped the ball just over the goal. The Best Taffarel was delighted since the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. Felix Montenegro might have been able to make a better finish in the 19th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Best Taffarel. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Felix Montenegro ran back to his position shaking his head. Daniel Zorita received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 23rd minute. Best Taffarel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Daniel Zorita in the 26th minute of play forced Muqui FC's goalkeeper Best Taffarel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After taking down the ball on Ecuador's corner Luis Andino fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Best Taffarel quite easily take care of the ball. After a rather tough play, Muqui FC's Luiz Fernando de Azevedo got a free kick in the 32nd minute. Best Taffarel made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Luis Andino in the 35th minute of play. Muqui FC's Best Taffarel played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Daniel Zorita in the 37th minute of play. Cristian Sancho received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 38th minute. Best Taffarel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 40th minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Best Taffarel saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 42 minutes into the match, Muqui FC's goal looked a bit too open when Daniel Zorita came free, but Best Taffarel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 45 minutes into the game, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Best Taffarel made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-2. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 1-2 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 Gabi Orange to make the kick off. Daniel Zorita could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 51st minute of the match, but Best Taffarel made a huge save. The audience thought a goal was coming when Daniel Zorita got free with Best Taffarel in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 53rd minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Best Taffarel saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 55th minute, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Best Taffarel. Best Taffarel yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-3. After a defensive mix-up in Muqui FC's zone, Cristian Sancho stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Best Taffarel came out of the goal and Cristian Sancho tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Daniel Zorita got free with Best Taffarel in the 59th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 60th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Muqui FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. Cristian Sancho sent away a hard shot on goal in the 63rd minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 71st minute Matheus Brodel 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. In the 71st minute, Matheus Brodel ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Julio Vera was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-3. If Daniel Zorita had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 74th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Matheus Brodel in the 76th minute of play. In the 78th minute Muqui FC were awarded a corner. Luiz Fernando de Azevedo went to the cornerflag to take it. Best Taffarel was out of position in the 81 minute of play, and Daniel Zorita capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Daniel Zorita really showed his touch with that goal: 2-4. 84 minutes into the match, Ecuador's Felix Montenegro sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Best Taffarel narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After 86 minutes Muqui FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Daniel Zorita who took care of the corner kick. The corner ended in Felix Montes almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Muqui FC's Best Taffarel did a great save. In the 89th minute, Cristian Sancho reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Best Taffarel. The goal made the score 2-5. The audience was convinced that Patrick Amaral's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 93rd minute of the game. In the 94th match minute, Muqui FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Espen Hollner to maneuver through the defense. Ecuador's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.