Challenge

Sinsin Stadion
Spectators: 43 (Terracing: 33, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) In the 5th minute, Mark Clement hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The supporters of Mexico booed when Sinsin was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 9 match minutes in a wonderful position. Yoachim Dekkers didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 9th minute of the match Joel Gaona shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Bavo Van Eeckhout showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. The Sinsin fans' excitement grew in the 13th match minute when Sinsin's Emanuel Vanooteghem looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-0 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. Joel Gaona received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 17th minute. Bavo Van Eeckhout tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Bavo Van Eeckhout showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Luca Zorita, who was totally free with the ball in the 25th minute. Lautaro Mancebo scored 1-1 in the 33rd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Bavo Van Eeckhout, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. The audience was convinced that Joel Gaona's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Bavo Van Eeckhout was relentless in the 43rd minute of the game. Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 45th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 46 played minutes Sinsin got a freekick which was hit by Garry Clijsters.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Joel Gaona stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Mexico's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Joel Gaona in the 52nd minute. Sinsin's Bavo Van Eeckhout proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 54th minute of the match, managed to save Sinsin from getting a goal against them. After 62 played minutes Sinsin got a freekick which was hit by Garry Clijsters. In the 64th minute of the match Joel Gaona sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Bavo Van Eeckhout skillfully saved the ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Emanuel Vanooteghem during the 64th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 65th match minute, Sinsin was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Emanuel Vanooteghem to maneuver through the defense. Sinsin's Bavo Van Eeckhout played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 66th minute of play. Bernard Pacolet hit a great freekick 68 minutes into the match. A collision led to Mexico getting a freekick after 73 minutes play. Lautaro Mancebo hit a great ball. After 75 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Mexico! When Lautaro Mancebo 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 Lautaro Mancebo couldn't finish the play. In the 90th minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Bavo Van Eeckhout saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 96 minutes of play, Mexico's Luca Zorita made it 2-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Bavo Van Eeckhout was left in no man's land by his defense there! Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.