Challenge

Ricardo E. Bochini
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. Petros Mousa started the match with the kick off. Romulo Gelacio showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristian Sancho, who was totally free with the ball in the 3rd minute. 6 minutes into the match, Cristian Sancho had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Romulo Gelacio. INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Cristian Sancho was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. Ecuador's Cristian Sancho got a good chance for a goal in the 11th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After a rather tough play, Ecuador's Juan Sebastián Puig got a free kick in the 16th minute. In the 17th minute of the match, Boni Yarman got a very nice opportunity to score, but Julio Vera was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB were awarded a corner in the 18th minute after Ecuador's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Norberto Fresco took the corner. The corner ended in Ivo Viveiros almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Ecuador's Julio Vera did a great save. After some careless play in the Ecuador defense, Petros Mousa kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Julio Vera. The Ecuador fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Julio Vera should have stopped the shot. The crowd rose to their feet as Boni Yarman kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Julio Vera. That made the score 2-1 in the 27 minute of play. Romulo Gelacio showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Daniel Zorita, who was totally free with the ball in the 30th minute. 30 minutes into the game, Daniel Zorita cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 2-2. Romulo Gelacio was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. After a rather tough play, INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's Boni Yarman got a free kick in the 32nd minute. INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's Romulo Gelacio played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cristian Sancho in the 35th minute of play. Romulo Gelacio showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Daniel Zorita, who was totally free with the ball in the 36th minute. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Boni Yarman in the 39th minute. He Qiang's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Julio Vera firmly grabbed it by the left post. Arslan İzhan thought of kicking away a contribution in front of goal but messed it up so badly that the ball went to the right of an astonished Romulo Gelacio, a very annoying self made goal in the 44th minute which led to 2-3.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Daniel Zorita stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Boni Yarman ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Julio Vera was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-3. 60 minutes into the match, Petros Mousa had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Julio Vera. Ecuador's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Petros Mousa was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 4-3. 62 minutes into the match, INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's goalkeeper Romulo Gelacio had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Felix Montenegro. In the 64th minute, Daniel Zorita made a precise shot to the right of Romulo Gelacio. INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 4-4. With a little luck, INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's Romulo Gelacio got control of the ball when Daniel Zorita tried to sneak it across the goal line. A collision led to INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB getting a freekick after 78 minutes play. Higinio Barros hit a great ball. Cristian Sancho fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 79th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Romulo Gelacio having to interfere. Romulo Gelacio made an important save on a dangerous shot by Felix Montenegro in the 82nd minute. 83 minutes into the game, INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's Boni Yarman 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, 5-4. INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's Narciso Vergaray was substituted for Petros Mousa. In the 88th minute the ball was on its way in behind INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's goalkeeper Romulo Gelacio, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The crowd rose to their feet as Ecuador's Cristian Sancho slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Romulo Gelacio. That made the score 5-5 after 88 minutes of play. In the 91st minute, Primitivo Andino hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If He Qiang had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 92nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 95 minutes into the match, INDEPENDIENTE FUTBOL CLUB's goalkeeper Romulo Gelacio had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Daniel Zorita. The teams fought very hard right up to the final whistle. Both sets of players were happy to go away with a draw.