Challenge

Lusail
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) La Scaloneta's Lion Messi started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. After some careless play in the Ecuador defense, Lautaro Martinez kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Julio Vera. The Ecuador fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Julio Vera should have stopped the shot. Lautaro Martinezs short, quick shot in the 9thth minute got Julio Vera to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. The crowd rose to their feet as La Scaloneta's Lion Messi slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Julio Vera. That made the score 2-0 after 11 minutes of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 14th minute of play forced La Scaloneta's goalkeeper Dibag Martinez to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 14 minutes of play, Ecuador's Cristian Sancho made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Dibag Martinez was left in no man's land by his defense there! Dibag Martinez took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cristian Sancho, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Dibag Martinez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 27th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 33rd minute of play forced La Scaloneta's goalkeeper Dibag Martinez to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Dibag Martinez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 34th minute of play. In the 35th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. La Scaloneta's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. When Cristian Romero fell near the penalty area in the 37th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored La Scaloneta's protests and gave Cristian Romero a yellow card for diving instead. After 38 played minutes, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Dibag Martinez came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Ecuador reached it. Lautaro Martinez's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 40thth minute, Julio Vera skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 45th minute of play forced La Scaloneta's goalkeeper Dibag Martinez to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lion Messi in the 47th minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 2-1 at half-time.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Daniel Zorita to strike the kick off in the second half. After a rather tough play, La Scaloneta's Cristian Romero got a free kick in the 53rd minute. Dibag Martinez made an important save on a dangerous shot by Daniel Zorita in the 54th minute. Daniel Zorita blasted a shot towards the goal in the 57th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Dibag Martinez having to make a save. In the 58th minute Leandro Paredes shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 60 minutes into the game, Lion Messi cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 3-1. Julio Vera was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Leandro Paredes struck a weak shot in the 63rd minute. Julio Vera didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for La Scaloneta. In the 66th minute of the game, Nicolás Otamendi landed unfortunately after trying to head the ball, and pulled a muscle in the back, so badly that he had to leave the field. In the 66th match minute, Ecuador was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cristian Sancho to maneuver through the defense. The supporters of La Scaloneta booed when Ecuador was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 67 match minutes in a wonderful position. Cristian Sancho didn't get a good kick on the ball. Juan Sebastián Puig's late challenge caught a La Scaloneta's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Juan Sebastián Puig helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 69 minutes play. Juan Sebastián Puig hit a great ball. Julio Vera didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Leandro Paredes went, in the 69th minute, to the upper right corner, 4-1 was the resulting score. If Leandro Paredes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 72nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 77th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. La Scaloneta's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner went over the outstretched arms of La Scaloneta's goalie and right to Luis Andino. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. La Scaloneta's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. Daniel Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 80th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dibag Martinez having to interfere. La Scaloneta's Dibag Martinez played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cristian Sancho in the 83rd minute of play. When Ecuador's Cristian Sancho, in the 83rd minute, received a pass right in front of the net, it looked like a certain goal, but his shot went outside. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. Cristian Sancho struck a weak shot in the 87th minute. Dibag Martinez didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. Ecuador's supporters were dissatisfied at the end of the match because La Scaloneta had won, even though Ecuador had held more of the ball.