Challenge

Pepsi Arena
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Joshua Sammut Castelletti took the kick off in the first half of the match. Guillermo Mariano kicked well hit freekick during the 5th minute of the match. Joshua Sammut Castelletti recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 6th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Lv Yuan Kuan's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 9thth minute, Jonathan Ferrant skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. A well placed Lv Yuan Kuan short distance shot in the 11th minute ended with a hard ball which without a chance for the goalkeeper went staright up into the goalkeepers left cross. If Patricio Costa had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 14th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 18th minute, Lv Yuan Kuan reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Jonathan Ferrant. The goal made the score 2-0. After 22 played minutes Venezuela got a freekick which was hit by Tomas Illescas. After some fancy dribbling in the 23rd minute, Joshua Sammut Castelletti managed to get in a good position for a shot. FC Pepsi's supporters rose to their feet, but Joshua Sammut Castelletti was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Jonathan Ferrant breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Patricio Costa received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 24th minute. Paul Holmstedt tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 32 minutes had been played when some careless play by Venezuela's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Ludvig Ahlroht was slow to take the kick. During this time FC Pepsi's players had a chance to rest. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Venezuela's goalie and right to Kurt Lundin. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Venezuela's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. Cao Rong Jian hit a great freekick 35 minutes into the match. In the 36th match minute, Venezuela was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Patricio Costa to maneuver through the defense. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Joshua Sammut Castelletti in the 38th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jonathan Ferrant saved Venezuela from getting behind. 41 minutes into the match, Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Lv Yuan Kuan. Lv Yuan Kuan scored 4-0 in the 41st match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Jonathan Ferrant, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. The supporters of Venezuela booed when FC Pepsi was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 43 match minutes in a wonderful position. Kurt Lundin didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 48th minute, Tomas Illescas managed to get in a good position for a shot. Venezuela's supporters rose to their feet, but Tomas Illescas was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Paul Holmstedt breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Tomas Illescas was the one to do the kick off. Paul Holmstedt took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tomas Illescas, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. When Lv Yuan Kuan came up free with the goalie in the 55th minute, the FC Pepsi 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 Lv Yuan Kuan couldn't finish the play. FC Pepsi's Paul Holmstedt proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 60th minute of the match, managed to save FC Pepsi from getting a goal against them. Jonathan Ferrant made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lv Yuan Kuan in the 63rd minute of play. In the 65th minute FC Pepsi were awarded a corner. Ludvig Ahlroht went to the cornerflag to take it. After taking down the ball on FC Pepsi's corner Lv Yuan Kuan fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Jonathan Ferrant quite easily take care of the ball. 66 minutes had been played when some careless play by Venezuela's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Ludvig Ahlroht was slow to take the kick. During this time FC Pepsi's players had a chance to rest. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Lv Yuan Kuan in the 69th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jonathan Ferrant saved Venezuela from getting behind. In the 72nd minute Joshua Sammut Castelletti shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jonathan Ferrant saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 73 minutes into the match, Venezuela's goal looked a bit too open when Lv Yuan Kuan came free, but Jonathan Ferrant reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Kurt Lundin took the ball and in the 75 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Jonathan Ferrant. Jonathan Ferrant dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 5-0. FC Pepsi's Kanu Kanu was substituted for Lv Yuan Kuan. After some careless play in the Venezuela defense, Joshua Sammut Castelletti kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Jonathan Ferrant. The Venezuela fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Jonathan Ferrant should have stopped the shot. After some careless play in the Venezuela defense, Kurt Lundin kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Jonathan Ferrant. The Venezuela fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Jonathan Ferrant should have stopped the shot. In the 90th minute, Kanu Kanu made a precise shot to the right of Jonathan Ferrant. Venezuela's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 8-0. There was no doubt that FC Pepsi were the better team. FC Pepsi's players enjoyed the ovations of the crowd after the victory.