Challenge

94-07
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Fernanco Peso made the kick off which started today's match. Marco Day made an important save on a dangerous shot by Hüseyin Turan Elçibey in the 3rd minute. USA's Marco Day proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 4th minute of the match, managed to save USA from getting a goal against them. When the match clock showed 6 minutes, the score became 0-1 when Cassius Byrne sped through Sporting Cristal's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Jon Iruegas. With a little luck, USA's Marco Day got control of the ball when Christian Luciano tried to sneak it across the goal line. Marco Day made an important save on a dangerous shot by Christian Luciano in the 9th minute. In the 12th match minute, USA was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Zach Harrison to maneuver through the defense. In the 13th minute, Fernanco Peso ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Marco Day was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. In the 16th minute, Monty Rogers ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Jon Iruegas was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-2. Jon Iruegas didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Cassius Byrne went, in the 23rd minute, to the upper right corner, 1-3 was the resulting score. Sporting Cristal's Jon Iruegas played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Monty Rogers in the 33rd minute of play. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Sporting Cristal's goalie and right to Diego Bradley. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Sporting Cristal's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. In the 36thth minute of the game Fernanco Peso who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but USA's Marco Day was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. After 37 minutes USA's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Gertjan De Ryck who took care of the corner kick. After taking down the ball on Sporting Cristal's corner Gertjan De Ryck fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Marco Day quite easily take care of the ball. Cassius Byrne fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 42nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jon Iruegas having to interfere. The Sporting Cristal players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. USA were winning 1-3.

The wind increased when Cassius Byrne made the kick off in the second half. In the 53rd minute Fernanco Peso 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. Through an outstanding action, after 55 minutes, Jon Iruegas successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. In the 56th minute of the match USA got a corner. Sporting Cristal's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Cassius Byrne ran over to the corner to take the kick. The audience thought a goal was coming when Edward Mcdonald got free with Jon Iruegas in the 64th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 66 played minutes Sporting Cristal got a freekick which was hit by Tobias Larsson. USA made a substitution. Sam Campbell replaced Cassius Byrne. A collision led to Sporting Cristal getting a freekick after 67 minutes play. Tobias Larsson hit a great ball. After a defensive mix-up in Sporting Cristal's zone, Monty Rogers stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Jon Iruegas came out of the goal and Monty Rogers tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Tobias Larsson fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Day having to interfere. In the last second Jon Iruegas throw himself and got hold of the ball when Monty Rogers in the 76thth minute from his position got away a shot towards the right post. After 78 minutes Sporting Cristal's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Jenson Smith who took care of the corner kick. A well done corner resulted in Jacob May drilling the ball in to score 1-4 behind Sporting Cristal's goalkeeper. Sam Campbell received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 90th minute. Jon Iruegas tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Marco Baker's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Jon Iruegas read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 93rd minute of play. Marco Baker scored 1-5 in the 96th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Jon Iruegas, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. USA played a much better game than Sporting Cristal and deserved their victory. The Sporting Cristal players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.