Challenge

RFK Stadium
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. 4 minutes into the game, Hernan Louis was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Santa Lucia de Merlo's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave USA the free kick. Cassius Byrne fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 5th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Florentino Herauso having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by M. Agus Young in the 6th minute of play forced USA's goalkeeper Marco Day to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 15th minute, Pascal Som hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 18 minutes into the game, Monty Rogers cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-0. Florentino Herauso was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 28 minutes into the match, Santa Lucia de Merlo's goal looked a bit too open when Cassius Byrne came free, but Florentino Herauso reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With a little luck, Santa Lucia de Merlo's Florentino Herauso got control of the ball when Cassius Byrne tried to sneak it across the goal line. A nice corner shot did that Cassius Byrne got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Florentino Herauso quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. In the 40th match minute, Santa Lucia de Merlo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Carlos Cubero to maneuver through the defense. After a defensive mix-up in USA's zone, M. Agus Young stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Marco Day came out of the goal and M. Agus Young tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 45th match minute, USA was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jacob May to maneuver through the defense. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 1-0 at half-time.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when M. Agus Young stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. The audience thought a goal was coming when M. Agus Young got free with Marco Day in the 58th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Marco Day made a fantastic save in the 60th minute, when M. Agus Young sent off a good shot on target. Florentino Herauso made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cassius Byrne in the 61st minute of play. 67 minutes into the game, Cassius Byrne cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 2-0. Florentino Herauso was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. USA's Sam Campbell was substituted for Cassius Byrne. After 74 minutes of play, Santa Lucia de Merlo's Polo Quinteros made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Marco Day was left in no man's land by his defense there! Edward Mcdonald fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 78th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Florentino Herauso having to interfere. USA made a substitution. Marco Baker replaced Edward Mcdonald. Khalid Parry struck a weak shot in the 81st minute. Florentino Herauso didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for USA. Jenson Smith hit a great freekick 84 minutes into the match. After a defensive mix-up in Santa Lucia de Merlo's zone, Marco Baker stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Florentino Herauso came out of the goal and Marco Baker tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. USA fully deserved thier win.