Challenge

Niğde Arena
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Niğdespor's Göktürk Özgiray 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. Joel Gaona received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 2nd minute. Özer Akartürk tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 8th minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. Özer Akartürk came out of the goal in the 12th minute to try and stop a shot by Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo. But to his dismay, Lautaro Mancebo quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. In the 21st minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Özer Akartürk saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mexico's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Joel Gaona in the 22nd minute. After taking down the ball on Mexico's corner Facundo Cadaval fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Özer Akartürk quite easily take care of the ball. Özer Akartürk made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lautaro Mancebo in the 24th minute of play. In the 24th minute Lautaro Mancebo shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Özer Akartürk saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 26th minute the ball was on its way in behind Niğdespor's goalkeeper Özer Akartürk, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After 28 minutes of play, Mexico's Joel Gaona made it 1-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Özer Akartürk was left in no man's land by his defense there! Luca Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 31st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Özer Akartürk having to interfere. 33 minutes into the game, Bahadırhan Rakim was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Niğdespor's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Mexico the free kick. A collision led to Niğdespor getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Bahadırhan Rakim hit a great ball. In the 34th minute Alberto Tafalla shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Özer Akartürk saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Özer Akartürk showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla, who was totally free with the ball in the 36th minute. 37 minutes into the match, Alberto Tafalla had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Özer Akartürk. Niğdespor's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Alberto Tafalla was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-3. Bahadırhan Rakim kicked well hit freekick during the 43rd minute of the match. Özer Akartürk made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Gaona in the 44th minute of play. Alberto Tafalla hit a great freekick 46 minutes into the match. Ali Çağrı Demiroğlu received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 48th minute. Dante Lacasa tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The Niğdespor players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Mexico were winning 1-3.

Lautaro Mancebo who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 54thth minute tested the skills of Özer Akartürk when he managed to save the team from getting behind. In the 56th minute, Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Özer Akartürk. Özer Akartürk yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-4. Niğdespor's Özer Akartürk played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 59th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 60th minute of play forced Niğdespor's goalkeeper Özer Akartürk to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With a little luck, Niğdespor's Özer Akartürk got control of the ball when Lautaro Mancebo tried to sneak it across the goal line. With a little luck, Niğdespor's Özer Akartürk got control of the ball when Lautaro Mancebo tried to sneak it across the goal line. In the 68th match minute, Niğdespor was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Bahadırhan Rakim to maneuver through the defense. Özer Akartürk acted impressively in front of the goal and made a superb save when he, in the 68th minute, took the ball on the long shot from Joel Gaona. Lautaro Mancebo scored 1-5 in the 69th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Özer Akartürk, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After some careless play in the Niğdespor defense, Lautaro Mancebo kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Özer Akartürk. The Niğdespor fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Özer Akartürk should have stopped the shot. Alberto Tafalla recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 75th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Joel Gaona in the 77thth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Özer Akartürk, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. In the 78th minute of the match, Lautaro Mancebo got a very nice opportunity to score, but Özer Akartürk was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. The audience thought a goal was coming when Lautaro Mancebo got free with Özer Akartürk in the 80th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. With a little luck, Niğdespor's Özer Akartürk got control of the ball when Lautaro Mancebo tried to sneak it across the goal line. Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 84th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Alberto Tafalla could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 86th minute of the match, but Özer Akartürk made a huge save. If Göktürk Özgiray had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 89th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ali Çağrı Demiroğlu in the 94th minute of play.