Challenge

RFK Stadium
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Cassius Byrne got the match started through his kick off. USA's Zach Harrison pulled a muscle in his leg after 6 minutes and couldn't finish the game. After 6 minutes, Henning Valler mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Sperides and the USA players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 7 played minutes Sperides got a freekick which was hit by Henning Valler. If Edward Mcdonald had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 8th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cassius Byrne in the 12th minute of play forced Sperides's goalkeeper Hibai Olano to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 13 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Lucero Mezquita came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 16 minutes Sperides's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Cassius Byrne who took care of the corner kick. Monty Rogers made a great header on USA's corner, it was just that Sperides's Hibai Olano managed to reach the ball for a save. If Henning Valler had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 18th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 18th minute Henning Valler 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. Henning Valler's long shot made the audience stand up and applaude when it rumbled by Marco Day on his right side and into the goal. 18 minutes into the game it was 0-1. An unexpectedly hard shot by Roberto Peto in the 21st minute of play forced USA's goalkeeper Marco Day to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Pablo-Enrique Lopez charged in rather forcefully in the 22nd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Pablo-Enrique Lopez the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 22nd minute, Pablo-Enrique Lopez hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Hibai Olano showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Monty Rogers in the 23rd minute of the match. 24 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Lucero Mezquita came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lucero Mezquita in the 32nd minute of play forced USA's goalkeeper Marco Day to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Pablo-Enrique Lopez got his second yellow card in the match during the 34th minute which meant that he had to leave the ground. Hibai Olano made a fantastic save in the 37th minute, when Jacob May sent off a good shot on target. After a defensive mix-up in USA's zone, Lucero Mezquita stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Marco Day came out of the goal and Lucero Mezquita tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Sperides made a substitution. Lucas Darling replaced Roberto Peto. Sperides's Adriano Santalla was substituted for Henning Valler. 55 minutes into the match, Lucero Mezquita notched a goal, 0-2, to the right of USA's Marco Day. Marco Day was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Hibai Olano showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cassius Byrne, who was totally free with the ball in the 59th minute. In the 66th minute, Sperides's Jakub Kiwior seemed to kick out at an opponent. The referee saw this and, surprisingly, showed Jakub Kiwior the red card, dismissing him from the pitch. The coaching staff of Sperides protested bitterly, but the referee would have none of it, and Jakub Kiwior had no choice but to slowly walk off the pitch. In the 66th minute, one of Sperides:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Sperides. Hibai Olano had in the 67thth minute some difficulties stopping Cassius Byrne's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. When Adriano Santalla came up free with the goalie in the 74th minute, the Sperides fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Adriano Santalla couldn't finish the play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Monty Rogers in the 80th minute of play forced Sperides's goalkeeper Hibai Olano to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Hibai Olano took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sam Campbell, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Monty Rogers in the 87th minute of play forced Sperides's goalkeeper Hibai Olano to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Hibai Olano took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Monty Rogers, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After some careless play in the Sperides defense, Monty Rogers kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Hibai Olano. The Sperides fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Hibai Olano should have stopped the shot. In the 98th minute Sam Campbell shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Hibai Olano saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. USA were unable to convert their possession into goals, allowing Sperides to leave the ground with a draw.