Challenge

Gheorghe Hagi Arena
Spectators: 43 (Terracing: 33, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Mariano Lacasa started the match with the kick off. Gheorghe Baldovin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mariano Lacasa in the 4th minute of play. In the 8th match minute, Chile was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Gerardo Pozo to maneuver through the defense. Thiago Pliego showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Emil Strugure, who was totally free with the ball in the 9th minute. In the 10th minute of the match FC Buzău got a corner. Chile's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Leonard Aanuţei ran over to the corner to take the kick. Gheorghe Baldovin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mariano Lacasa in the 13th minute of play. 14 minutes had been played when some careless play by FC Buzău's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Mariano Lacasa was slow to take the kick. During this time Chile's players had a chance to rest. Chile's Xavier Figueroa was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Gheorghe Baldovin in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. FC Buzău's Gheorghe Baldovin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mariano Lacasa in the 16th minute of play. Cătălin Arjoca might have been able to make a better finish in the 17th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Thiago Pliego. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Cătălin Arjoca ran back to his position shaking his head. Mariano Lacasa blasted a shot towards the goal in the 29th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Gheorghe Baldovin having to make a save. Gheorghe Baldovin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mariano Lacasa in the 29th minute of play. 32 minutes into the match, Chile's Mariano Lacasa sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Gheorghe Baldovin narrowly saved just below the crossbar. FC Buzău's Gheorghe Baldovin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mariano Lacasa in the 34th minute of play. In the 38th minute of the match FC Buzău got a corner. Chile's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Leonard Aanuţei ran over to the corner to take the kick. In the 40th minute of the match Mariano Lacasa shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Gheorghe Baldovin showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. After 42 played minutes FC Buzău got a freekick which was hit by Augustin Cernat. FC Buzău's Lucian Dejeu quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Xavier Figueroa, made in the 46th minute of the game. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The supporters of FC Buzău booed when Chile was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 53 match minutes in a wonderful position. Xavier Figueroa didn't get a good kick on the ball. Avram Elenescu received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 54th minute. Thiago Pliego tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Thiago Pliego showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Avram Elenescu in the 56th minute of the match. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Leonard Aanuţei in the 58th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Thiago Pliego saved Chile from getting behind. The corner led FC Buzău's Leonard Aanuţei to fire away a dangerous shot which Thiago Pliego despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Avram Elenescu in the 61st minute of play forced Chile's goalkeeper Thiago Pliego to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 62 minutes into the match, FC Buzău's goalkeeper Gheorghe Baldovin had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Mariano Lacasa. 64 minutes into the game, Leonard Aanuţei cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-0. Thiago Pliego was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. In the 67th minute Mariano Lacasa shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gheorghe Baldovin saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Mariano Lacasa had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 72nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 74th minute Leonard Aanuţei shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Thiago Pliego saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When Ştefan Trif fell near the penalty area in the 75th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored FC Buzău's protests and gave Ştefan Trif a yellow card for diving instead. After 75 played minutes FC Buzău got a freekick which was hit by Ştefan Trif. When the match had gone on for 81 minutes, Mariano Lacasa put it in 1-1 from a short distance just to the right of Gheorghe Baldovin. Chile were awarded a corner in the 86th minute after FC Buzău's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Mariano Lacasa took the corner. Thiago Pliego showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Avram Elenescu, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. Thiago Pliego didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Emil Strugure went, in the 94th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-2 was the resulting score. Despite being the better team, Chile failed to find the winning goal and were forced to settle for a single point.