Challenge

Melates Arena
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Norbert Rakowski kicked off to start the match. The throw-in from Jose Sanz in the 3rd minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by MELATES F.C.'s Avraam Skarpathiotis. A collision led to Paraguay getting a freekick after 5 minutes play. Primitivo Escribano hit a great ball. After 10 minutes, Hector Covarrubias mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Paraguay and the MELATES F.C. players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, Paraguay's Hector Covarrubias got a free kick in the 10th minute. Paraguay's Jacobo Nores proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 12th minute of the match, managed to save Paraguay from getting a goal against them. After taking down the ball on MELATES F.C.'s corner Avraam Skarpathiotis fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Jacobo Nores quite easily take care of the ball. Kleanthis Ifantis's late challenge caught a Paraguay's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Kleanthis Ifantis helped the player get up and apologised. In the 18th minute, Alan Campos hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Norbert Rakowski scored 1-0 in the 19th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Jacobo Nores, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. In the 25th minute, Paraguay's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Norbert Rakowski fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. After 25 minutes, Jaime Pardo mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Paraguay and the MELATES F.C. players grew even worse after the yellow card. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Jaime Pardo in the 27th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Iason Plexioudas saved MELATES F.C. from getting behind. When Jaime Pardo was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 33 minutes had been played. MELATES F.C.'s Avraam Skarpathiotis quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Jose Sanz, made in the 37th minute of the game. Alan Campos sent away a hard shot on goal in the 39th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Paraguay's Hector Covarrubias managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Iraklis Leontokardos in the 46 minute of the game. Af the end of the first half the score was 1-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Hector Covarrubias was the one to do the kick off. Jacobo Nores came out of the goal in the 53rd minute to try and stop a shot by MELATES F.C.'s Norbert Rakowski. But to his dismay, Norbert Rakowski quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-0. Paraguay's attentive Hector Covarrubias managed to snatch the ball when Iraklis Leontokardos made a throw-in in the 57th minute of the game. 59 minutes into the game, Jose Sanz threw the ball into play from the sideline. MELATES F.C.'s Panos Chasiotis quickly snatched the ball and retained possesion. The supporters of Paraguay booed when MELATES F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 61 match minutes in a wonderful position. Norbert Rakowski didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 67th minute of the match Paraguay got a corner. MELATES F.C.'s goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Jose Sanz ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner led Paraguay's Jose Sanz to fire away a dangerous shot which Iason Plexioudas despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. Panos Chasiotis's late challenge caught a Paraguay's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Panos Chasiotis helped the player get up and apologised. After 68 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for MELATES F.C.! Norbert Rakowski sent away a hard shot on goal in the 74th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Paraguay's Jacobo Nores played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Dimosthenis Tzalakostas in the 75th minute of play. In the 75th minute, Dimosthenis Tzalakostas ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Jacobo Nores was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-1. A collision led to Paraguay getting a freekick after 80 minutes play. Hector Covarrubias hit a great ball. Hector Covarrubias struck a weak shot in the 89th minute. Iason Plexioudas didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Paraguay. After some fancy dribbling in the 95th minute, Dimosthenis Tzalakostas managed to get in a good position for a shot. MELATES F.C.'s supporters rose to their feet, but Dimosthenis Tzalakostas was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Jacobo Nores breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Paraguay's supporters were dissatisfied at the end of the match because MELATES F.C. had won, even though Paraguay had held more of the ball.