Challenge

Cruz de Malta
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Daniel Zorita kicked off to start the match. George Buffon made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cristian Sancho in the 3rd minute of play. In the 11th minute, Cristian Sancho 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: 0-1. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 15th minute of play forced Three Lions FC's goalkeeper George Buffon to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ecuador's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Daniel Zorita in the 16th minute. Felix Montes was in a good position and managed to take a shot, but he missed just to the outside of the post. When Cristian Sancho fell near the penalty area in the 18th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Ecuador's protests and gave Cristian Sancho a yellow card for diving instead. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by George Messi in the 19th minute. 22 minutes into the match, Three Lions FC's goal looked a bit too open when Cristian Sancho came free, but George Buffon reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Three Lions FC's George Buffon played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Daniel Zorita in the 25th minute of play. In the 28th match minute, Three Lions FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Gunnar Ekeroth to maneuver through the defense. After some fancy dribbling in the 32nd minute, Felix Montenegro managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Felix Montenegro was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. George Buffon breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 34th minute the ball was on its way in behind Three Lions FC's goalkeeper George Buffon, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from George Mbappè in the 38th minute of play. In the 41st minute, Cristian Sancho ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. George Buffon was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-2. 45 minutes had been played when some careless play by Three Lions FC's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Daniel Zorita was slow to take the kick. During this time Ecuador's players had a chance to rest. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 1-2.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when George Messi stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. George Messi received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 52nd minute. Julio Vera tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 59th minute George Messi 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. George Buffon didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Cristian Sancho went, in the 60th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-3 was the resulting score. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by George Mbappè in the 67th minute of play. A collision led to Three Lions FC getting a freekick after 70 minutes play. George Messi hit a great ball. Cristian Sancho received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. George Buffon came out and tried to block the shot, but Cristian Sancho slotted it home off the left post making it 1-4 in the 72nd minute. In the 79th minute George Messi 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. Through an outstanding action, after 81 minutes, George Buffon successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. After 82nd play minutes George Messi shot 2-4, a short shot which went by Julio Vera and just under the crossbar into goal. 87 minutes into the match, Three Lions FC's goalkeeper George Buffon had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Cristian Sancho. Luis Andino might have been able to make a better finish in the 89th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over George Buffon. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luis Andino ran back to his position shaking his head. Daniel Zorita's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 91stth minute, George Buffon skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. The audience was convinced that George Messi's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 95th minute of the game.