Challenge

Estadio Azteca
Spectators: 49 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 0) After a defensive mix-up in Sliema Dragons FC's zone, Joel Gaona stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. John Balzan came out of the goal and Joel Gaona 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 Lautaro Mancebo got free with John Balzan in the 4th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. John Balzan made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Gaona in the 8th minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Lautaro Mancebo got free with John Balzan in the 10th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. John Balzan came out of the goal in the 14th minute to try and stop a shot by Mexico's Alberto Tafalla. But to his dismay, Alberto Tafalla quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 17th minute of play forced Sliema Dragons FC's goalkeeper John Balzan to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Leonardo Leoz hit a great freekick 20 minutes into the match. In the 23rd minute, Alberto Tafalla got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. John Balzan was a little too slow when Joel Gaona got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 27th minute. The score was now 2-0. When Colin Pullicino Orlando fell near the penalty area in the 33rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Sliema Dragons FC's protests and gave Colin Pullicino Orlando a yellow card for diving instead. Lautaro Mancebo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 35th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without John Balzan having to interfere. 36 minutes in the game, Joel Gaona fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without John Balzan having to interfere. Alberto Tafalla fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 41st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without John Balzan having to interfere. Alberto Tafalla fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 46th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without John Balzan having to interfere. John Balzan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla, who was totally free with the ball in the 47th minute. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-0 at half-time.

Lautaro Mancebo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 51st minute. John Balzan tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 52nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. John Balzan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joel Gaona, who was totally free with the ball in the 55th minute. After 57 minutes of play, Mexico's Alberto Tafalla made it 3-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. John Balzan was left in no man's land by his defense there! Sliema Dragons FC made a substitution. Robert Pullicino replaced Ian Depasquale. In the 62nd minute, Alberto Tafalla ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. John Balzan was frozen by the shot and now it was 4-0. Mexico's Alberto Tafalla got a good chance for a goal in the 65th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The supporters of Sliema Dragons FC booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 67 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lautaro Mancebo didn't get a good kick on the ball. 76 minutes into the match, Sliema Dragons FC's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but John Balzan reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 81st minute of play forced Sliema Dragons FC's goalkeeper John Balzan to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 83rd minute, Alberto Tafalla made a precise shot to the right of John Balzan. Sliema Dragons FC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 7-0. John Balzan showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Joel Gaona in the 87th minute of the match. After some fancy dribbling in the 88th minute, Alberto Tafalla managed to get in a good position for a shot. Mexico's supporters rose to their feet, but Alberto Tafalla was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. John Balzan breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 92 minutes into the match, Sliema Dragons FC's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but John Balzan reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. Mexico fully deserved thier win.