Challenge

Amager Arena
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Alberto Tafalla might have been able to make a better finish in the 2nd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Kenneth Strandsgaard. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Alberto Tafalla ran back to his position shaking his head. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 2nd minute of play forced Amager FC's goalkeeper Kenneth Strandsgaard to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 4th minute, Joel Gaona ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Kenneth Strandsgaard was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. In the 8thth minute of the game Birger Strømvad who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Mexico's Dante Lacasa was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Dante Lacasa stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Birger Strømvad's shot from short distance in the 12th minute. Joel Gaona received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 13th minute. Kenneth Strandsgaard tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo got a good chance for a goal in the 15th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 18th match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Felix Luque to maneuver through the defense. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Birger Strømvad in the 21st minute of play. In the 21st match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Luca Rouco to maneuver through the defense. When the match had gone on for 24 minutes, Lautaro Mancebo put it in 0-2 from a short distance just to the right of Kenneth Strandsgaard. Kenneth Strandsgaard took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Lautaro Mancebo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 31st minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. After a defensive mix-up in Amager FC's zone, Joel Gaona stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kenneth Strandsgaard came out of the goal and Joel Gaona tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Erhard Lovelady during the 41st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 41 played minutes Amager FC got a freekick which was hit by Erhard Lovelady. 42 minutes into the match, Amager FC's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Mancebo came free, but Kenneth Strandsgaard reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience thought a goal was coming when Birger Strømvad got free with Dante Lacasa in the 44th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Amager FC's Kenneth Strandsgaard played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 45th minute of play. After the first half Mexico were leading 0-3. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Joel Gaona made a kick off. In the 52nd minute Luca Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Kenneth Strandsgaard saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 56 minutes into the match, Joel Gaona notched a goal, 0-4, to the right of Amager FC's Kenneth Strandsgaard. Kenneth Strandsgaard was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 59th minute the ball was on its way in behind Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The crowd rose to their feet as Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Kenneth Strandsgaard. That made the score 0-5 after 63 minutes of play. After 67 minutes of play, Amager FC's Birger Strømvad made it 1-5 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Dante Lacasa was left in no man's land by his defense there! Amager FC's Kenneth Strandsgaard played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 70th minute of play. With his leg Kenneth Strandsgaard managed to avoid a goal in the 74thth minute, when Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 81st minute of play forced Amager FC's goalkeeper Kenneth Strandsgaard to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a rather tough play, Amager FC's Sigvald Maya got a free kick in the 82nd minute. Amager FC made a substitution. Anders Gjalbech replaced Seyit Sözmen. Amager FC's Samuel Bitsch was substituted for Birger Strømvad. After 83 played minutes Amager FC got a freekick which was hit by Sigvald Maya. After a defensive mix-up in Amager FC's zone, Alberto Tafalla stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kenneth Strandsgaard came out of the goal and Alberto Tafalla tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. If Amin Rostvold had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 94th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Dante Lacasa stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Samuel Bitsch's shot from short distance in the 95th minute. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Mexico eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.