Challenge

FC NATIONAL ARENA
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) FC NATIONAL's Apostolis Polychronopoulos 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. If Luis Andino had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Daniel Zorita recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 8th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Paraskevas Sorin's late challenge caught a Ecuador's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Paraskevas Sorin helped the player get up and apologised. Paraskevas Sorin kicked well hit freekick during the 10th minute of the match. 11 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Octavian Popescu. The supporters of Ecuador booed when FC NATIONAL was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 12 match minutes in a wonderful position. Iulian Miu didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 13th minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Bogdan Lobonț saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Bogdan Lobonț didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Daniel Zorita went, in the 13th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. In the 21st minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Bogdan Lobonț saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Octavian Popescu in the 25th minute. Bogdan Lobonț made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 27th minute of play. After 27 minutes of play, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita made it 0-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Bogdan Lobonț was left in no man's land by his defense there! It was a well-played corner which Diego Mancebo managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. Felix Montes kicked well hit freekick during the 37th minute of the match. FC NATIONAL's Isidoro Heriberto shoveled away a really nice long shot in the 38th minute of play. The shot was stopped by Julio Vera but with some difficulty. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos, who was totally free with the ball in the 39th minute. After 39 minutes of play, FC NATIONAL's Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos made it 1-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Julio Vera was left in no man's land by his defense there! Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Apostolis Polychronopoulos in the 43rd minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 47th minute, Cristian Sancho managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Cristian Sancho was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Bogdan Lobonț breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After the first half Ecuador were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Daniel Zorita made a kick off. Thanks to some nice moves Diego Mancebo could shoot a difficult shot in the 53rd minute, which Bogdan Lobonț however easily saved by the left post. With a little luck, FC NATIONAL's Bogdan Lobonț got control of the ball when Cristian Sancho tried to sneak it across the goal line. Agustín Saelices received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 60th minute. Bogdan Lobonț tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 63 minutes of play, FC NATIONAL's Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos made it 2-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Julio Vera was left in no man's land by his defense there! Daniel Zorita's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Bogdan Lobonț firmly grabbed it by the left post. The audience thought a goal was coming when Cristian Sancho got free with Bogdan Lobonț in the 67th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 70 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of FC NATIONAL booed when Ecuador was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 71 match minutes in a wonderful position. Antonio Arias didn't get a good kick on the ball. A collision led to FC NATIONAL getting a freekick after 76 minutes play. Mukul Muka hit a great ball. Luis Andino's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Bogdan Lobonț read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 81st minute of play. Agustín Saelices struck a weak shot in the 83rd minute. Bogdan Lobonț didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. An unexpected shot in the 85th minute by Daniel Zorita got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos in the 87th minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Bogdan Lobonț was a little too slow when Daniel Zorita got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 88th minute. The score was now 2-3. The audience was convinced that Apostolis Polychronopoulos's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 92nd minute of the game. The crowd rose to their feet as Ecuador's Cristian Sancho slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Bogdan Lobonț. That made the score 2-4 after 93 minutes of play. The FC NATIONAL fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Ecuador were clearly better and deserved to take the win.