Challenge

Johan Cruyff Arena
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Ajax's Tonton Eren 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. In the 9th match minute, Ajax was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cheng Li Shi to maneuver through the defense. 10 minutes into the match, Felix Montenegro notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Ajax's Gigi Buffon. Gigi Buffon was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. 13 minutes into the match, Cristian Sancho had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Gigi Buffon. Ajax's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Cristian Sancho was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-2. 17 minutes into the match, Ajax's Tonton Eren sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Julio Vera narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 21 minutes into the game, Ajax's Tonton Eren nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Julio Vera made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-2. 25 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Klement Bryk. With a little luck, Ecuador's Julio Vera got control of the ball when Klement Bryk tried to sneak it across the goal line. 27 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Tonton Eren came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 27 minutes into the match, Tonton Eren had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Julio Vera. Ecuador's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Tonton Eren was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-2. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 31st minute of play forced Ajax's goalkeeper Gigi Buffon to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 34 minutes into the match, Tonton Eren notched a goal, 3-2, to the right of Ecuador's Julio Vera. Julio Vera was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Gigi Buffon didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Cristian Sancho went, in the 46th minute, to the upper right corner, 3-3 was the resulting score.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Daniel Zorita stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. After having played for 51 minutes, Wojtek Sokol managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ajax's supporters crossed their fingers, but Wojtek Sokol was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 55th minute Cristian Sancho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gigi Buffon saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpected shot in the 61st minute by Cristian Sancho got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Klement Bryk, who was totally free with the ball in the 69th minute. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Wojtek Sokol in the 70th minute of the match. Gigi Buffon made an important save on a dangerous shot by Daniel Zorita in the 72nd minute. Klement Bryk received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 74th minute. Julio Vera tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in Ajax's zone, Cristian Sancho stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Gigi Buffon came out of the goal and Cristian Sancho tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Agustín Saelices got free with Gigi Buffon in the 77th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Ecuador were awarded a corner in the 78th minute after Ajax's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Daniel Zorita took the corner. The corner ended in Daniel Zorita almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Ajax's Gigi Buffon did a great save. In the 83rd minute Agustín Saelices shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gigi Buffon saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 85 minutes had been played when some careless play by Ajax'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 nice corner shot did that Daniel Zorita got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Gigi Buffon quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. The audience was convinced that Tonton Eren's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 86th minute of the game. After a rather tough play, Ajax's Andrzej Rudy got a free kick in the 87th minute. Ajax's Remigiusz Galaska was substituted for Klement Bryk.