Challenge

PAO Arena
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Julio Vera stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Dexter Holt's shot from short distance in the 3rd minute. Daniel Zorita struck a weak shot in the 13th minute. Mario Dutton didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. Cristian Sancho recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 14th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. With a little luck, Ecuador's Julio Vera got control of the ball when Dexter Holt tried to sneak it across the goal line. Daniel Zorita hit a great freekick 23 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Dexter Holt in the 23rd minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 28th minute Dexter Holt 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. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 29 minutes play. Juan Sebastián Puig hit a great ball. 29 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when 乔光云 came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Paul Iftodi in the 30th minute. 38 minutes into the match, Panathinaikos FC's goal looked a bit too open when Daniel Zorita came free, but Mario Dutton reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Ecuador booed when Panathinaikos FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 41 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ken Griffith didn't get a good kick on the ball. After the first half Ecuador were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Daniel Zorita to make the kick off. Cristian Sancho's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Mario Dutton read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 54th minute of play. The audience was convinced that Paul Iftodi's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 55th minute of the game. Camilo Gisbert hit a great freekick 57 minutes into the match. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from 乔光云, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Glauco Nascimento in the 59th minute of play. Dexter Holt scored 1-1 in the 68th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Julio Vera, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. 73 minutes into the match, Dexter Holt had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Julio Vera. Ecuador's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Dexter Holt was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-1. After some careless play in the Ecuador defense, Dexter Holt kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Julio Vera. The Ecuador fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Julio Vera should have stopped the shot. Ecuador's supporters were dissatisfied at the end of the match because Panathinaikos FC had won, even though Ecuador had held more of the ball.