Challenge

Elland Road
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Costa Rica's Axel Tasis started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. After a rather tough play, Costa Rica's Eliseo Noboa got a free kick in the 3rd minute. Hugo Ferrant hit a great freekick 5 minutes into the match. Aaron Kvist sent away a hard shot on goal in the 9th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 11 minutes into the match, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Benito Sanz, 1-0. After having played for 17 minutes, Aaron Kvist managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Leeds United FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Aaron Kvist was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 22nd minute, Axel Tasis hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 23 minutes, Axel Tasis mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Costa Rica and the Leeds United FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. When the match had gone on for 26 minutes, Aaron Kvist took a quick shot and it went in 2-0 without a chance for Benito Sanz to make any attempt to save it. Elliott Levander made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lautaro Puig in the 32nd minute of play. In the 34th minute, Börje Lindsten ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Benito Sanz was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-0. In the 37th minute Aaron Kvist shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Benito Sanz saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 40th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 42 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Börje Lindsten came free, but Benito Sanz reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 3-0.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Aaron Kvist to make the kick off. Benito Sanz made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Kennet Bergqvist in the 51st minute of play. In the 53rd minute, Hugo Ferrant hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Efrain Moruga charged in rather forcefully in the 56th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Efrain Moruga the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. 60 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's Axel Tasis sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Elliott Levander narrowly saved just below the crossbar. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 65 minutes play. Aaron Alcocer hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Eliseo Noboa in the 70th minute of play forced Leeds United FC's goalkeeper Elliott Levander to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With a little luck, Leeds United FC's Elliott Levander got control of the ball when Axel Tasis tried to sneak it across the goal line. Hugo Ferrant struck a weak shot in the 76th minute. Elliott Levander didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Costa Rica. In the 78th minute Axel Tasis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Elliott Levander saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Axel Tasis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 81st minute. Elliott Levander tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Benito Sanz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Kennet Bergqvist in the 83rd minute of the match. A collision led to Leeds United FC getting a freekick after 87 minutes play. Nicklas Hultman hit a great ball. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. Leeds United FC had played much better football throughout.