Challenge

Red Arena
Spectators: 52 (Terracing: 39, Seating: 12, VIP seats: 1) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Remigiusz Gabis started the match with the kick off. After 2 played minutes Mexico got a freekick which was hit by Facundo Cadaval. After 6 minutes, Remigiusz Gabis made it 1-0 with a short kick to the right side. Mexico's Dante Lacasa tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. After a rather tough play, Red Army's Hossein Fatehi got a free kick in the 11th minute. Red Army's Nils Elmhuus played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 15th minute of play. Through an outstanding action, after 18 minutes, Dante Lacasa successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. 19 minutes had been played when some careless play by Mexico's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Hossein Fatehi was slow to take the kick. During this time Red Army's players had a chance to rest. The corner ended in Hossein Fatehi almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Mexico's Dante Lacasa did a great save. Arya Javaheri hit a great freekick 21 minutes into the match. 26 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Soheil Mahdavikia came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Soheil Mahdavikia in the 28th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Dante Lacasa saved Mexico from getting behind. Thanks to some nice moves Remigiusz Gabis could shoot a difficult shot in the 31st minute, which Dante Lacasa however easily saved by the left post. Hossein Fatehi hit a great freekick 34 minutes into the match. Remigiusz Gabis could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 38th minute of the match, but Dante Lacasa made a huge save. After 40 played minutes Red Army got a freekick which was hit by Kaveh Bayat.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Joel Gaona was the one to do the kick off. After a rather tough play, Mexico's Luca Zorita got a free kick in the 55th minute. Lautaro Mancebo's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 57thth minute, Nils Elmhuus skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. Lautaro Mancebo hit a great freekick 59 minutes into the match. Ali Reza Abdi hit a great freekick 62 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 64th minute of play forced Red Army's goalkeeper Nils Elmhuus to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. A nice corner shot did that Alberto Tafalla got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Nils Elmhuus quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. In the 70th minute, Ali Karimi 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. Kaveh Bayat hit a great freekick 71 minutes into the match. Red Army's Nils Elmhuus proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 72nd minute of the match, managed to save Red Army from getting a goal against them. 77 minutes into the game, Hossein Fatehi was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Red Army's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Mexico the free kick. Soheil Mahdavikia recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 80th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Ali Karimi's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Dante Lacasa read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 83rd minute of play. In the 84th minute Soheil Mahdavikia shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Lautaro Mancebo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 89th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 91 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Soheil Mahdavikia came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Soheil Mahdavikia, who was totally free with the ball in the 97th minute. The Mexico players were relieved to hear the final whistle blow to end the match. The away crowd was happy to see their team win after a very tight game.