Challenge

JUAN ANTONIO RUSSO
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Melquiades Garaona took the kick off in the first half of the match. 5 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Olgierd Prusek came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 8 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Melquiades Garaona came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 10 minutes of play, EL RUSSO FC's Melquiades Garaona made it 1-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Dante Lacasa was left in no man's land by his defense there! The audience thought a goal was coming when Max Ferro got free with Dante Lacasa in the 14th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Mexico's Alberto Tafalla got a good chance for a goal in the 15th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 17th minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. Lautaro Mancebo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 18th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tao Cheng Zhi having to interfere. When the match had gone on for 20 minutes, Luca Zorita put it in 1-1 from a short distance just to the right of Tao Cheng Zhi. A collision led to Mexico getting a freekick after 23 minutes play. Felix Luque hit a great ball. Dante Lacasa stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Gaztea Valensuela's shot from short distance in the 24th minute. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Max Ferro, who was totally free with the ball in the 26th minute. Max Ferro could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 38th minute of the match, but Dante Lacasa made a huge save. Max Ferro came free with the goalkeeper in the 48th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Dante Lacasa could save by the left post. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Joel Gaona stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. An unexpectedly hard shot by Facundo Cadaval in the 53rd minute of play forced EL RUSSO FC's goalkeeper Tao Cheng Zhi to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Max Ferro in the 55th minute of play. After a rather tough play, Mexico's Macos Graciani got a free kick in the 58th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Max Ferro in the 61st minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The supporters of Mexico booed when EL RUSSO FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 66 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ludomir Dziatkowski didn't get a good kick on the ball. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 67th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Gaztea Valensuela received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 70th minute. Dante Lacasa tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Gaztea Valensuela sent away a hard shot on goal in the 73rd minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Tao Cheng Zhi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla in the 76th 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 Melquiades Garaona in the 77th minute of play. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Max Ferro in the 80th minute of play. Mexico's Alberto Tafalla got a good chance for a goal in the 83rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When Alberto Tafalla came up free with the goalie in the 87th 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 Alberto Tafalla couldn't finish the play. In the 92nd minute, Max Ferro left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The EL RUSSO FC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-1.