Challenge

MANDALARENA
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Ariando Higuera started the match with the kick off. In the 3rd minute, Sindo Fernandez hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 7 minutes into the game, Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Roger Zubizarreta made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. If Lautaro Mancebo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 12th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Joel Gaona recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 14th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Lautaro Mancebo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 15th minute. Roger Zubizarreta tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After some careless play in the ALPUJARRAS LIBRE defense, Alberto Tafalla kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Roger Zubizarreta. The ALPUJARRAS LIBRE fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Roger Zubizarreta should have stopped the shot. An unexpectedly hard shot by Sindo Fernandez in the 24th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ariando Higuera received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Dante Lacasa tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Roger Zubizarreta showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lautaro Mancebo, who was totally free with the ball in the 28th minute. In the 33rd minute Facundo Cadaval shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Roger Zubizarreta saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 39 minutes of play, ALPUJARRAS LIBRE's Ariando Higuera made it 1-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Dante Lacasa was left in no man's land by his defense there! Luca Zorita scored 1-5 in the 41st match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Roger Zubizarreta, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Alberto Tafalla took the ball and in the 44 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Roger Zubizarreta. Roger Zubizarreta dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-6. Disappointed in the 1-6 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Lautaro Mancebo struck a weak shot in the 55th minute. Roger Zubizarreta didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. In the 57th minute, Alberto Tafalla reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Roger Zubizarreta. The goal made the score 1-8. Roger Zubizarreta showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joel Gaona, who was totally free with the ball in the 60th minute. Lautaro Mancebo could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 62nd minute of the match, but Roger Zubizarreta made a huge save. The audience thought a goal was coming when Lautaro Mancebo got free with Roger Zubizarreta in the 65th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 66th minute, Mexico's Joel Gaona ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Roger Zubizarreta. Roger Zubizarreta yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-9. 71 minutes into the game, Mexico's Alberto Tafalla nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Roger Zubizarreta made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-10. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Henric Suarez during the 76th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Henric Suarez hit a great freekick 76 minutes into the match. A collision led to ALPUJARRAS LIBRE getting a freekick after 77 minutes play. Antxoka Abancens hit a great ball. After 78 minutes of play, Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo made it 1-11 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Roger Zubizarreta was left in no man's land by his defense there! 82 minutes into the match, ALPUJARRAS LIBRE's goalkeeper Roger Zubizarreta had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Alberto Tafalla. When Alberto Tafalla came up free with the goalie in the 83rd minute, the Mexico 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 Alberto Tafalla couldn't finish the play. After some careless play in the ALPUJARRAS LIBRE defense, Alberto Tafalla kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Roger Zubizarreta. The ALPUJARRAS LIBRE fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Roger Zubizarreta should have stopped the shot. In the 89th minute of the match, Lautaro Mancebo got a very nice opportunity to score, but Roger Zubizarreta was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. Roger Zubizarreta was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Luca Zorita showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 1-13 in the 92 minute of play. When the match was over Mexico could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than ALPUJARRAS LIBRE throughout the match.