Challenge

Giuseppe Meazza
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Ecuador's Daniel Zorita 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. Cristian Sancho's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Ignacio Mahuzier read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 3rd minute of play. The audience was convinced that Andrei Măgură's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 9th minute of the game. 11 minutes into the match, Cristian Sancho had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Ignacio Mahuzier. INTER's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Cristian Sancho was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. If Cristian Sancho had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 19th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 21 minutes into the game, INTER's Nontas Alexatos 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, 1-1. Ignacio Mahuzier came out of the goal in the 24th minute to try and stop a shot by Ecuador's Daniel Zorita. But to his dismay, Daniel Zorita quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-2. Ignacio Mahuzier made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 26th minute of play. 27 minutes had been played when some careless play by INTER'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. Felix Montes made a great header on Ecuador's corner, it was just that INTER's Ignacio Mahuzier managed to reach the ball for a save. Julio Vera made a fantastic save in the 36th minute, when Andrei Măgură sent off a good shot on target. Felix Montenegro recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 37th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Cristian Sancho during the 39th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 39 played minutes Ecuador got a freekick which was hit by Cristian Sancho. An unexpectedly hard shot by Daniel Zorita in the 42nd minute of play forced INTER's goalkeeper Ignacio Mahuzier to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The supporters of Ecuador booed when INTER was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 43 match minutes in a wonderful position. Konstantinos Kouros didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 1-2 lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Kostas Briakos was the one to do the kick off. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Kostas Briakos, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. A collision led to INTER getting a freekick after 53 minutes play. Theodosis Kasselakis hit a great ball. With a little luck, INTER's Ignacio Mahuzier got control of the ball when Cristian Sancho tried to sneak it across the goal line. Ignacio Mahuzier made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 57th minute of play. The crowd rose to their feet as Cristian Sancho kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Ignacio Mahuzier. That made the score 1-3 in the 60 minute of play. Cristian Sancho received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 63rd minute. Ignacio Mahuzier tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Gartxot Verdugo fell near the penalty area in the 65th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored INTER's protests and gave Gartxot Verdugo a yellow card for diving instead. Daniel Zorita came free with the goalkeeper in the 70th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Ignacio Mahuzier could save by the left post. In the 72nd minute, Luis Andino fired away a shot on goal. He put a little to much spin on the ball and sent it just wide of the right post. After 73 minutes of play INTER's Theodosis Kasselakis was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. With a little luck, INTER's Ignacio Mahuzier got control of the ball when Agustín Saelices tried to sneak it across the goal line. INTER's defense didn't have a chance, in the 80th minute, when Cristian Sancho scored to the left of an out of position Ignacio Mahuzier, making the score, 1-5. Daniel Zorita succeeded in the game's 83rd minute to shoot an unreachable shot under the crossbar and scored - 1-6. The audience thought a goal was coming when Daniel Zorita got free with Ignacio Mahuzier in the 87th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 89 minutes of play, Ecuador's Luis Andino made it 1-7 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Ignacio Mahuzier was left in no man's land by his defense there! Luis Andino fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 92nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ignacio Mahuzier having to interfere.