Challenge

ALFORNELOS ARENA
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Joel Gaona took the kick off in the first half of the match. Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Bóas Bolas, made in the 3rd minute of the game. In the 6th minute, Vinícius Junior fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Dante Lacasa, passed just outside the right post. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 8th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 10th minute of play forced ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's goalkeeper Dário Veríssimo to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Lautaro Mancebo's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Dário Veríssimo read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 11th minute of play. 11 minutes into the game, Lautaro Mancebo cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Dário Veríssimo was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. After a defensive mix-up in ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's zone, Joel Gaona stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Dário Veríssimo 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. After a defensive mix-up in Mexico's zone, Jedrzej Bazan stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Dante Lacasa came out of the goal and Jedrzej Bazan tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Spyros Kouklakis hit a great freekick 24 minutes into the match. Joel Gaona recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 25th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Dário Veríssimo took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Lautaro Mancebo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 30th minute Frederico Salazar shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Alberto Tafalla might have been able to make a better finish in the 41st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Dário Veríssimo. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Alberto Tafalla ran back to his position shaking his head. Jedrzej Bazan could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 43rd minute of the match, but Dante Lacasa made a huge save. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Frederico Salazar to make the kick off. Jedrzej Bazan scored 1-1 in the 52nd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Dante Lacasa, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. When Joel Gaona came up free with the goalie in the 58th 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 Joel Gaona couldn't finish the play. In the 60th minute, Mexico's Luca Rouco seemed to kick out at an opponent. The referee saw this and, surprisingly, showed Luca Rouco the red card, dismissing him from the pitch. The coaching staff of Mexico protested bitterly, but the referee would have none of it, and Luca Rouco had no choice but to slowly walk off the pitch. In the 59th minute, one of Mexico:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Mexico. 66 minutes into the match, ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Dário Veríssimo reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jedrzej Bazan in the 67th minute of play. 68 minutes into the match, ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's goal looked a bit too open when Luca Zorita came free, but Dário Veríssimo reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 70 minutes ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC'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. The corner led Mexico's Luca Zorita to fire away a dangerous shot which Dário Veríssimo despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. 71 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Frederico Salazar came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Hasan Dokuzer during the 72nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 73rd minute of the match Joel Gaona shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Dário Veríssimo showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. It seemed to be an obvious goal in the 75th minute, but Dário Veríssimo got his fingers on the ball or the save, leaving ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC hanging dry this time. Dário Veríssimo took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Lautaro Mancebo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Bóas Bolas, who was totally free with the ball in the 82nd minute. Alberto Tafalla fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 84th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dário Veríssimo having to interfere. The supporters of ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 86 match minutes in a wonderful position. Facundo Cadaval didn't get a good kick on the ball. 88 minutes into the match, ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's goalkeeper Dário Veríssimo had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Lautaro Mancebo. After having played for 91 minutes, Spyros Kouklakis managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Spyros Kouklakis was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC's Dário Veríssimo proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 92nd minute of the match, managed to save ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC from getting a goal against them. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Spyros Kouklakis during the 95th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 95th minute, Spyros Kouklakis hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Lorenzo Cazalla kicked well hit freekick during the 97th minute of the match. ALF⚽RNEL⚽S FC succeeded in salvaging a draw, even though Mexico had controlled the match.