Challenge

Babbis Chatzios DPLD
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Joel Gaona got the match started through his kick off. Nedim Emekli's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Dante Lacasa firmly grabbed it by the left post. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 14th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. With an all-out effort, Mean Machine's Dante Lacasa threw himself towards the right post 17 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Miltos Makris, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Mean Machine's Menios Chloros played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 18th minute of play. Menios Chloros took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Joel Gaona, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Menios Chloros didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Joel Gaona went, in the 27th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. Carles Pujol fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 31st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dante Lacasa having to interfere. Alberto Tafalla fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Menios Chloros having to interfere. Daniil Bonoris hit a great freekick 38 minutes into the match. In the 39th minute, Luca Zorita left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Mexico fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-2. Mean Machine's attentive Lakis Mantarinakis managed to snatch the ball when Macos Graciani made a throw-in in the 45th minute of the game. The Mean Machine players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Mexico were winning 0-2.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Nedim Emekli made a kick off. Macos Graciani got a throw-in 53 minutes in the game and the ball was received by Joel Gaona. 53 minutes into the game, Joel Gaona cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-3. Menios Chloros was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Mean Machine's Menios Chloros played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 57th minute of play. 60 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Carles Pujol came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 62nd minute Nedim Emekli 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. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Nedim Emekli in the 65th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Dante Lacasa prevented the ball from getting in the gole. In the 67th minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Menios Chloros saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 69 minutes Mean Machine'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. A sloppy throw-in by Macos Graciani in the 76th minute of the game went astray and was snapped up by Mean Machine's Ermis Xintarianos. An unexpectedly hard shot by Carles Pujol in the 79th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 80 minutes into the game, Mexico's Joel Gaona nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Menios Chloros made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-4. In the 83rd minute, Macos Graciani hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Joel Gaona's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Menios Chloros read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 86th minute of play. Menios Chloros showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Joel Gaona in the 87th minute of the match. Menios Chloros showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. Carles Pujol hit a great freekick 89 minutes into the match. Carles Pujol fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 91st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dante Lacasa having to interfere. Mean Machine's Nedim Emekli got a good chance for a goal in the 93rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 95th minute, Nikos Kioupouroglou hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Mexico's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.