Challenge

RUBEN DA SILVA
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Rosario Central's Elias Roldan 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. 5 minutes into the match, Rosario Central's goal looked a bit too open when Felix Montenegro came free, but Cristian Lucchetti reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 6 minutes had been played when some careless play by Rosario Central's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Daniel Zorita was slow to take the kick. During this time Ecuador's players had a chance to rest. A well done corner resulted in Felix Montes drilling the ball in to score 0-1 behind Rosario Central's goalkeeper. Daniel Zorita's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Cristian Lucchetti read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 11th minute of play. In the 17th minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Cristian Lucchetti saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 18th minute Ecuador were awarded a corner. Daniel Zorita went to the cornerflag to take it. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gerson Carneiro in the 21st minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Gerson Carneiro kicked well hit freekick during the 25th minute of the match. After a defensive mix-up in Rosario Central's zone, Daniel Zorita stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Cristian Lucchetti came out of the goal and Daniel Zorita tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Cristian Lucchetti took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniel Zorita, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gerson Carneiro in the 29th minute of play. In the 30th minute Cristian Sancho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Cristian Lucchetti saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 31 minutes play. Cristian Sancho hit a great ball. After having played for 33 minutes, Daniel Zorita managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ecuador's supporters crossed their fingers, but Daniel Zorita was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Rosario Central's Elias Roldan got a good chance for a goal in the 35th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Elias Roldan in the 39th minute of play. In the 40th minute, Daniel Zorita hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Julio Vera stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Elias Roldan's shot from short distance in the 41st minute. The supporters of Rosario Central booed when Ecuador was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 43 match minutes in a wonderful position. Antonio Arias didn't get a good kick on the ball. Cristian Sancho received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 46th minute. Cristian Lucchetti tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-1 lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Daniel Zorita stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. 54 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Elias Roldan came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 56 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Elias Roldan came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After a defensive mix-up in Rosario Central's zone, Daniel Zorita stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Cristian Lucchetti came out of the goal and Daniel Zorita tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. When Gerson Carneiro came up free with the goalie in the 66th minute, the Rosario Central 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 Gerson Carneiro couldn't finish the play. Rosario Central made a substitution. Lautaro Martines replaced Elias Roldan. Gerson Carneiro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 70th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Rosario Central made a substitution. Igor Silvino replaced Gerson Carneiro. Cristian Lucchetti made an important save on a dangerous shot by Cristian Sancho in the 76th minute. Cristian Lucchetti made a fantastic save in the 79th minute, when Daniel Zorita sent off a good shot on target. After a defensive mix-up in Rosario Central's zone, Daniel Zorita stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Cristian Lucchetti came out of the goal and Daniel Zorita tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 81st minute, Jörn Näver hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. A collision led to Rosario Central getting a freekick after 82 minutes play. Eriberto Sol hit a great ball. 87 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Martines came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 88 minutes play. Felix Montenegro hit a great ball. Cristian Sancho sent away a hard shot on goal in the 90th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Daniel Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 94th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Cristian Lucchetti having to interfere. Julio Vera didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Lautaro Martines went, in the 96th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. The second half was just like the first, even and exciting. The match ended in a draw.