Challenge

Vasile Bratianu
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Cassius Byrne started the match with the kick off. In the 6th minute Galati Harbour Cats were awarded a corner. Dan Petrescu went to the cornerflag to take it. Cassius Byrne received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 7th minute. Octavian Soare tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of USA booed when Galati Harbour Cats was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Valeriu Zdrobiş didn't get a good kick on the ball. Claudiu Manolescu recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 18th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Monty Rogers in the 29th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Octavian Soare prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Marco Day made an important save on a dangerous shot by Shi Li in the 33rd minute. USA's Marco Day proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 34th minute of the match, managed to save USA from getting a goal against them. Shi Lis short, quick shot in the 34thth minute got Marco Day to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Galati Harbour Cats's Octavian Soare played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cassius Byrne in the 36th minute of play. In the 40th minute Shi Li shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Marco Day saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 41st minute of the match Galati Harbour Cats got a corner. USA's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Dan Petrescu ran over to the corner to take the kick. Ianis Man fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 43rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Day having to interfere. Jenson Smith hit a great freekick 45 minutes into the match.

The wind increased when Shi Li made the kick off in the second half. Ianis Man received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 51st minute. Marco Day tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Edward Mcdonald fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 53rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Octavian Soare having to interfere. Galati Harbour Cats's Octavian Soare proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 57th minute of the match, managed to save Galati Harbour Cats from getting a goal against them. Marco Day showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Claudiu Manolescu, who was totally free with the ball in the 59th minute. 60 minutes into the match, Galati Harbour Cats's goal looked a bit too open when Monty Rogers came free, but Octavian Soare reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 66th minute Shi Li shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Marco Day saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The audience was convinced that Shi Li's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Marco Day was relentless in the 66th minute of the game. After some fancy dribbling in the 68th minute, Monty Rogers managed to get in a good position for a shot. USA's supporters rose to their feet, but Monty Rogers was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Octavian Soare breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. USA made a substitution. Sam Campbell replaced Cassius Byrne. In the 71st minute Monty Rogers shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Octavian Soare saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 72nd minute USA were awarded a corner. Monty Rogers went to the cornerflag to take it. Ianis Man charged in rather forcefully in the 74th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Ianis Man the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Ianis Man kicked well hit freekick during the 74th minute of the match. USA's Marco Baker was substituted for Edward Mcdonald. USA's Khalid Parry was substituted for Monty Rogers. After 81 minutes Galati Harbour Cats's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Jenson Smith who took care of the corner kick. Jenson Smith made a great header on USA's corner, it was just that Galati Harbour Cats's Octavian Soare managed to reach the ball for a save. In the 88th minute, Shi Li left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Galati Harbour Cats fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-0. Sam Campbell could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 92nd minute of the match, but Octavian Soare made a huge save. Octavian Soare showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jenson Smith in the 94th minute of the match. Thanks to some nice moves Sam Campbell could shoot a difficult shot in the 95th minute, which Octavian Soare however easily saved by the left post. USA's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.