Challenge

Estádio Laranjeiras
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Joel Gaona started the match with the kick off. Edwin van der Sar showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Alberto Tafalla in the 3rd minute of the match. Edwin van der Sar took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Joel Gaona, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Dabi Saens got free with Dante Lacasa in the 8th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 11 minutes had been played when some careless play by União Sport Clube Paredes'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. 14 minutes into the match, União Sport Clube Paredes's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Edwin van der Sar reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. União Sport Clube Paredes's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Dabi Saens in the 16th minute. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Mexico's goalie and right to Alexandre Santana. 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. Mexico's Joel Gaona got a good chance for a goal in the 24th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 28th minute the ball was on its way in behind União Sport Clube Paredes's goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The audience thought a goal was coming when Dabi Saens got free with Dante Lacasa in the 29th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Jerónimo Furtado could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 32nd minute of the match, but Dante Lacasa made a huge save. In the 33rd minute, Felix Luque hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Dante Lacasa didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 33rd minute, which inside left pole to 1-0. Jakub Szczepanowski fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dante Lacasa having to interfere. 37 minutes into the game, Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Edwin van der Sar made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. Jerónimo Furtado who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 40thth minute tested the skills of Dante Lacasa when he managed to save the team from getting behind. União Sport Clube Paredes's Jerónimo Furtado was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 40th play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. 44 minutes into the match, Mexico's Facundo Cadaval sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Edwin van der Sar narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-1.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Jerónimo Furtado to make the kick off. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jerónimo Furtado in the 51st minute of play. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jerónimo Furtado in the 53rd minute of play. Lautaro Mancebo who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 55thth minute tested the skills of Edwin van der Sar when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Dabi Saens, who was totally free with the ball in the 56th minute. União Sport Clube Paredes's Edwin van der Sar proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 58th minute of the match, managed to save União Sport Clube Paredes from getting a goal against them. After 59 minutes União Sport Clube Paredes's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Joel Gaona who took care of the corner kick. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dabi Saens in the 62nd minute of play. In the 64th minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edwin van der Sar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Joel Gaona recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 65th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alexandre Santana, who was totally free with the ball in the 67th minute. Edwin van der Sar was a little too slow when Alberto Tafalla got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 68th minute. The score was now 2-2. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jakub Szczepanowski in the 72nd minute of the match. Through an outstanding action, after 73 minutes, Edwin van der Sar successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. The corner led to Mexico's Luca Zorita getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. União Sport Clube Paredes's Horia Taşcu was substituted for Dabi Saens. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jakub Szczepanowski in the 78th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When Luca Zorita came up free with the goalie in the 80th minute, the Mexico 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 Luca Zorita couldn't finish the play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Horia Taşcu in the 85th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 90th minute, Lautaro Mancebo fired away a shot on goal. He put a little to much spin on the ball and sent it just wide of the right post. In the 92nd minute of the match, Joel Gaona tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Edwin van der Sar saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. In the 93rd minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edwin van der Sar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Joel Gaona kicked well hit freekick during the 95th minute of the match. The supporters of União Sport Clube Paredes booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 95 match minutes in a wonderful position. Luca Rouco didn't get a good kick on the ball.