Challenge

Estadio Olímpico
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Tomas Illescas started the match with the kick off. After a rather tough play, Venezuela's Patricio Costa got a free kick in the 3rd minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Artur Golota in the 6th minute of play forced Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Jonathan Ferrant showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Waldemar Walkowski in the 9th minute of the match. When the match clock showed 10 minutes, the score became 1-0 when Tomas Illescas sped through Inter Miami's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Olaf Brytka. 13 minutes into the game, Inter Miami's Waldemar Walkowski nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Jonathan Ferrant made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. In the 22nd minute Patricio Costa shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Olaf Brytka saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Olaf Brytka made an important save on a dangerous shot by Tomas Illescas in the 28th minute. After a rather tough play, Venezuela's Tomas Illescas got a free kick in the 31st minute. Patricio Costa charged in rather forcefully in the 36th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Patricio Costa the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Inter Miami booed when Venezuela was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 36 match minutes in a wonderful position. Patricio Costa didn't get a good kick on the ball. Patricio Costa fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 40th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Olaf Brytka having to interfere. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Waldemar Walkowski to make the kick off. A collision led to Venezuela getting a freekick after 51 minutes play. Rigoberto Mina hit a great ball. The long shot by Ludomil Banas in the 51st minute really tested Jonathan Ferrant's skills. The ball was on its way into the goal to the left of him when he managed to stretch himself and save the shot and avoid a goal. Patryk Banaszak hit a great freekick 52 minutes into the match. Tomas Illescas might have been able to make a better finish in the 54th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Olaf Brytka. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Tomas Illescas ran back to his position shaking his head. Tomas Illescas fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 56th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Olaf Brytka having to interfere. Jose Correa hit a great freekick 57 minutes into the match. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Tomas Illescas in the 60th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Olaf Brytka prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Olaf Brytka showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Tomas Illescas, who was totally free with the ball in the 63rd minute. Inter Miami's Olaf Brytka played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Tomas Illescas in the 63rd minute of play. 65 minutes had been played when some careless play by Inter Miami's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Tomas Illescas was slow to take the kick. During this time Venezuela's players had a chance to rest. Tomas Illescas might have been able to make a better finish in the 71st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Olaf Brytka. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Tomas Illescas ran back to his position shaking his head. A throw-in in the 73rd minute of the game was made by Patryk Banaszak with Slawomir Bambas as target, who quickly passed the ball forward. Jonathan Ferrant made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Artur Golota in the 75th minute of play. 78 minutes into the match, Waldemar Walkowski notched a goal, 1-2, to the right of Venezuela's Jonathan Ferrant. Jonathan Ferrant was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. When Guillermo Mariano fell near the penalty area in the 83rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Venezuela's protests and gave Guillermo Mariano a yellow card for diving instead. Olaf Brytka made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Tomas Illescas in the 85th minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 87th minute, Patricio Costa managed to get in a good position for a shot. Venezuela's supporters rose to their feet, but Patricio Costa was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Olaf Brytka breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Patryk Banaszak made in the 90th minute of the game a quick throw-in and Wasyl Zahemski immediately put the ball in play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Tomas Illescas in the 91st managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Olaf Brytka saved Inter Miami from getting behind. After 93 played minutes Zbigniew Gregorczyk rounded Venezuela's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 1-3. Although Venezuela had been in control for most of the match, Inter Miami still came away with the win.