Challenge

MAURO ARENA
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, 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. The supporters of Mauro booed when Venezuela was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Patricio Costa didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 6th minute the ball was on its way in behind Mauro's goalkeeper Lu Hong Qiang, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. When Teofil Bara came up free with the goalie in the 9th minute, the Mauro fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Teofil Bara couldn't finish the play. Islam Slimani sent away a hard shot on goal in the 11th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Lu Hong Qiang came out of the goal in the 13th minute to try and stop a shot by Venezuela's Patricio Costa. But to his dismay, Patricio Costa quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. When Patricio Costa fell near the penalty area in the 18th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Venezuela's protests and gave Patricio Costa a yellow card for diving instead. Lu Hong Qiang made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Tomas Illescas in the 21st minute of play. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Tymoteusz Mikulski during the 22nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Mauro getting a freekick after 22 minutes play. Tymoteusz Mikulski hit a great ball. Lu Hong Qiang took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tomas Illescas, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Lu Hong Qiang took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tomas Illescas, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Teofil Bara during the 28th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 28 played minutes Mauro got a freekick which was hit by Teofil Bara. The audience was convinced that Tomas Illescas's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Lu Hong Qiang was relentless in the 29th minute of the game. In the 32nd minute, Islam Slimani ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Jonathan Ferrant was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. When Patricio Costa was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 35 minutes had been played. In the 35th minute, Patricio Costa hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Islam Slimani in the 37thth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Jonathan Ferrant, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. In the 40th minute of the match, Islam Slimani got a very nice opportunity to score, but Jonathan Ferrant was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. The score stood at 1-1 when the half time whistle went. Both sets of players seemed reasonably pleased with how the match was going.

Mauro's Lu Hong Qiang proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 52nd minute of the match, managed to save Mauro from getting a goal against them. In the 53rd minute, Islam Slimani 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. Venezuela's Camilo Gaos quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Tymoteusz Mikulski, made in the 56th minute of the game. Jonathan Ferrant showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Islam Slimani, who was totally free with the ball in the 63rd minute. Islam Slimani recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 65th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Karol Kinic in the 66th minute of play forced Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 67 played minutes Mauro got a freekick which was hit by Stefan Lundblad. 70 minutes into the match, Mauro's goal looked a bit too open when Tomas Illescas came free, but Lu Hong Qiang reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 71 minutes of play Mauro's Tymoteusz Mikulski 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. If Tomas Illescas had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 73rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. When Tomas Illescas came up free with the goalie in the 83rd minute, the Venezuela fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Tomas Illescas couldn't finish the play. Barnaba Falke struck a weak shot in the 93rd minute. Jonathan Ferrant didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mauro. An unexpectedly hard shot by Karol Kinic in the 94th minute of play forced Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball.