Challenge

Arturo Valerio
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Davide La Marca took the kick off in the first half of the match. Alberto Tafalla received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 3rd minute. Eraldo Bulla tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Alberto Tafalla's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Eraldo Bulla read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 7th minute of play. The audience was convinced that Alberto Tafalla's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Eraldo Bulla was relentless in the 9th minute of the game. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 10th 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 Davide La Marca in the 11th minute of play. Dante Lacasa took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Davide La Marca, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Lautaro Mancebo's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Eraldo Bulla read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 18th minute of play. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Davide La Marca, who was totally free with the ball in the 19th minute. 22 minutes into the match, As Melfi 1929's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Eraldo Bulla reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Luca Rouco during the 24th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The audience thought a goal was coming when Napoleon Walaszkiewicz got free with Dante Lacasa in the 28th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 31st minute the ball was on its way in behind As Melfi 1929's goalkeeper Eraldo Bulla, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Dante Lacasa made an important save on a dangerous shot by Carlo Miccio in the 32nd minute. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Fox 武松 in the 33rd minute of the match. In the 34th minute of the match As Melfi 1929 got a corner. Mexico's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Napoleon Walaszkiewicz ran over to the corner to take the kick. Napoleon Walaszkiewicz made a great header on As Melfi 1929's corner, it was just that Mexico's Dante Lacasa managed to reach the ball for a save. Eraldo Bulla showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lautaro Mancebo, who was totally free with the ball in the 37th minute. When Joel Gaona came up free with the goalie in the 47th 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. 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 home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Joel Gaona was the one to do the kick off. Lautaro Mancebo struck a weak shot in the 52nd minute. Eraldo Bulla didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. In the 54th minute of the match, Lautaro Mancebo got a very nice opportunity to score, but Eraldo Bulla was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. In the 60thth minute of the game Joel Gaona who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but As Melfi 1929's Eraldo Bulla was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Lautaro Mancebo's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Eraldo Bulla firmly grabbed it by the left post. 63 minutes in the game, the ball went up into the seats when Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo fired away a shot that was just a little bit too high. He walked away shaking his head. In the 64th minute Alberto Tafalla shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Eraldo Bulla saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Joel Gaona struck a weak shot in the 69th minute. Eraldo Bulla didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Fox 武松 in the 77th minute of play. In the 79th match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Facundo Cadaval to maneuver through the defense. When Facundo Cadaval came up free with the goalie in the 85th 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 Facundo Cadaval couldn't finish the play. Eraldo Bulla made a fantastic save in the 88th minute, when Lautaro Mancebo sent off a good shot on target. 90 minutes into the match, Mexico's Alberto Tafalla sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Eraldo Bulla narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Mexico were awarded a corner in the 91th minute after As Melfi 1929's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Joel Gaona took the corner. After taking down the ball on Mexico's corner Joel Gaona fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Eraldo Bulla quite easily take care of the ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Alberto Tafalla got free with Eraldo Bulla in the 94th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 96 minutes of play, Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo made it 0-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Eraldo Bulla was left in no man's land by his defense there! The Mexico supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Mexico would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.