Challenge

Giulesti
Spectators: 43 (Terracing: 33, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Ian Sparks took the kick off in the first half of the match. Tomas Illescas's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Edwin van der Saar read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 6th minute of play. 12 minutes into the game, Venezuela's Tomas Illescas nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Edwin van der Saar made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-2. After 17 played minutes Leon Palban rounded Venezuela's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 1-2. Edwin van der Saar showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tomas Illescas in the 20th minute of the match. In the 21st minute, Tomas Illescas got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. After having played for 23 minutes, Leon Palban managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Rapid's supporters crossed their fingers, but Leon Palban was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. If Rudy Kauffman had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 26th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 28th minute Tomas Illescas shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edwin van der Saar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After having played for 30 minutes, Tomas Illescas managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Venezuela's supporters crossed their fingers, but Tomas Illescas was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Venezuela's Jonathan Ferrant played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Leon Palban in the 32nd minute of play. Tomas Illescas sent away a hard shot on goal in the 34th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 38th match minute, Rapid was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Nicasio Sidoro to maneuver through the defense. Patricio Costa's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Edwin van der Saar read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 39th minute of play. In the 41st minute Tomas Illescas shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edwin van der Saar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jonathan Ferrant made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Rudy Kauffman in the 47th minute of play. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 1-2 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Tomas Illescas to strike the kick off in the second half. In the 63rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rudy Kauffman in the 65th minute of play forced Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Rapid's defense didn't have a chance, in the 73rd minute, when Patricio Costa scored to the left of an out of position Edwin van der Saar, making the score, 1-3. When the match had gone on for 77 minutes, Tomas Illescas took a quick shot and it went in 1-4 without a chance for Edwin van der Saar to make any attempt to save it. 80 minutes into the match, Venezuela's goal looked a bit too open when George Clayson came free, but Jonathan Ferrant reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Jonathan Ferrant didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from George Clayson went, in the 86th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-4 was the resulting score. In the 94th match minute, Rapid was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Guo Bo Ting to maneuver through the defense.