Challenge

Íbero de Sagunto
Spectators: 50 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 1) Hispania's Osman Čiček 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. Arif Memduh Akova stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Cassius Byrne's shot from short distance in the 11th minute. After some fancy dribbling in the 18th minute, Jenson Smith managed to get in a good position for a shot. USA's supporters rose to their feet, but Jenson Smith was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Arif Memduh Akova breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. USA's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Cassius Byrne in the 21st minute. Monty Rogers made a great header on USA's corner, it was just that Hispania's Arif Memduh Akova managed to reach the ball for a save. With his leg Marco Day managed to avoid a goal in the 27thth minute, when Hispania's Filip Kubala fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Eriberto Pedriza blasted a shot towards the goal in the 29th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Marco Day having to make a save. With a little luck, USA's Marco Day got control of the ball when Eriberto Pedriza tried to sneak it across the goal line. When the match clock showed 30 minutes, the score became 3-0 when Osman Čiček sped through USA's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Marco Day. 34 minutes into the match, USA's Cassius Byrne sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Arif Memduh Akova narrowly saved just below the crossbar. When the match had gone on for 36 minutes, Cassius Byrne put it in 3-1 from a short distance just to the right of Arif Memduh Akova. If Monty Rogers had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 39th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Af the end of the first half the score was 3-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Cassius Byrne to strike the kick off in the second half. USA's Marco Day played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Eriberto Pedriza in the 60th minute of play. 60 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Eriberto Pedriza came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lei Qian Peng fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 62nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Day having to interfere. Hispania made a substitution. David Chifu replaced Osman Čiček. David Chifu sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. David Chifu fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 73rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Day having to interfere. In the 77th minute David Chifu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Marco Day saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. USA's Marco Day played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Filip Kubala in the 78th minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers David Chifu in the 93rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Marco Day saved USA from getting behind. Hispania's supporters were highly satisfied with the result. They cheered their team of the pitch, having watched them win a very even match.