Challenge

Azadi Stadium
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Léopold Castro took the kick off in the first half of the match. After 2nd play minutes Daniel Zorita shot 0-1, a short shot which went by Santos Perez and just under the crossbar into goal. Santos Perez took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniel Zorita, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 12th minute, Daniel Zorita ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Santos Perez was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. After 17 played minutes Persepolis F.C. got a freekick which was hit by Wang Yi Kun. When Persepolis F.C.'s Arden Poulin in the 18th minute got a chance for a shot 18th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Ecuador's goalie prevented a goal. Santos Perez stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Daniel Zorita's shot from short distance in the 20th minute. 21 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Avery Merrill came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Santos Perez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 24th minute of play. Santos Perez showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristian Sancho, who was totally free with the ball in the 25th minute. In the 26th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Persepolis F.C.'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 ended in Daniel Zorita almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Persepolis F.C.'s Santos Perez did a great save. Léopold Castro struck a weak shot in the 28th 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 Persepolis F.C.. In the 32nd minute Ecuador were awarded a corner. Daniel Zorita went to the cornerflag to take it. Luis Andino made a great header on Ecuador's corner, it was just that Persepolis F.C.'s Santos Perez managed to reach the ball for a save. The audience was convinced that Agustín Saelices's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Santos Perez was relentless in the 34th minute of the game. In the 41st minute the ball was on its way in behind Persepolis F.C.'s goalkeeper Santos Perez, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 41st minute, Daniel Zorita left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Ecuador fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-3. Santos Perez came out of the goal in the 47th minute to try and stop a shot by Ecuador's Daniel Zorita. But to his dismay, Daniel Zorita quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-4. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-4 lead.

Abraham Dutton kicked well hit freekick during the 53rd minute of the match. Cristian Sancho blasted a shot towards the goal in the 61st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Santos Perez having to make a save. Léopold Castro fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 62nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Julio Vera having to interfere. Persepolis F.C. made a substitution. Andy Duff replaced Gwidon Seliga. Avery Merrill scored 1-4 in the 66th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Julio Vera, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Daniel Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 70th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Santos Perez having to interfere. Julio Vera didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Arden Poulin went, in the 72nd minute, to the upper right corner, 2-4 was the resulting score. 77 minutes into the match, Ecuador's Cristian Sancho sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Santos Perez narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 79thth minute of the game Arden Poulin who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Ecuador's Julio Vera was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Daniel Zorita sent away a hard shot on goal in the 81st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Daniel Zorita received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 86th minute. Santos Perez tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 88 minutes into the match, Persepolis F.C.'s goalkeeper Santos Perez had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Agustín Saelices. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Arden Poulin in the 91st minute of the match. Persepolis F.C. were awarded a corner in the 92th minute after Ecuador's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Arden Poulin took the corner. The supporters of Persepolis F.C. booed when Ecuador was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 93 match minutes in a wonderful position. Felix Montes didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 94th minute Arden Poulin 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. 96 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Arden Poulin came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Ecuador's players went to the stands to thank the travelling support. The fan's backing had helped spurr the team on to a fine performance that won them the match.