Challenge

San Jacopino Arena
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Daniel Zorita kicked off to start the match. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Fedele Marzo in the 5th minute of the match. The audience was convinced that Cristian Sancho's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Aurelio Di Luca was relentless in the 7th minute of the game. Cristian Sancho received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 10th minute. Aurelio Di Luca tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. With a little luck, Ecuador's Julio Vera got control of the ball when Baltasar Baristo tried to sneak it across the goal line. Er Didia could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 12th minute of the match, but Julio Vera made a huge save. After having played for 13 minutes, Cristian Sancho managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ecuador's supporters crossed their fingers, but Cristian Sancho was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Er Didia's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 18thth minute, Julio Vera skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. 23 minutes into the game, Daniel Zorita cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Aurelio Di Luca was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 26 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Fedele Marzo came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Ecuador's Julio Vera proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 32nd minute of the match, managed to save Ecuador from getting a goal against them. The audience thought a goal was coming when Er Didia got free with Julio Vera in the 43rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 46 minutes into the game, Fedele Marzo recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Julio Vera. Fedele Marzo showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 2-1. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Er Didia stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Er Didia in the 58th minute of play. In the 59th minute, Daniel Zorita hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ecuador's Daniel Zorita got a good chance for a goal in the 62nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After having played for 66 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. Atletico San Jacopino made a substitution. Alessandro Federici replaced Baltasar Baristo. Thanks to some nice moves Daniel Zorita could shoot a difficult shot in the 76th minute, which Aurelio Di Luca however easily saved by the left post. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Amos Atroce, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Er Didia in the 85th minute of play. Daniel Zorita struck a weak shot in the 86th minute. Aurelio Di Luca didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. After some fancy dribbling in the 89th minute, Daniel Zorita managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Daniel Zorita was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Aurelio Di Luca breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Daniel Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 93rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Aurelio Di Luca having to interfere. Despite being the better team, Ecuador failed to find the winning goal and were forced to settle for a single point.