Challenge

Maine Road
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Tomas Illescas got the match started through his kick off. Tomas Illescas fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 4th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Paredes Goiano having to interfere. When Patricio Costa came up free with the goalie in the 6th 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 Patricio Costa couldn't finish the play. Richard Edström scored 1-0 in the 8th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Jonathan Ferrant, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After a rather tough play, Venezuela's Camilo Gaos got a free kick in the 13th minute. Venezuela's Jonathan Ferrant proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 16th minute of the match, managed to save Venezuela from getting a goal against them. In the 18th minute, Richard Edström reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Jonathan Ferrant. The goal made the score 2-0. If Patricio Costa had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 21st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The supporters of Manchester City booed when Venezuela was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 23 match minutes in a wonderful position. Jonathan Venegas didn't get a good kick on the ball. Tomas Illescas sent away a hard shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. A collision led to Venezuela getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Camilo Gaos hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Richard Edström in the 36th minute of play forced Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ulf Tingelholm received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Jonathan Ferrant came out and tried to block the shot, but Ulf Tingelholm slotted it home off the left post making it 4-0 in the 37th minute. After having played for 41 minutes, Richard Edström managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Manchester City's supporters crossed their fingers, but Richard Edström was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After a defensive mix-up in Manchester City's zone, Tomas Illescas stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Paredes Goiano came out of the goal and Tomas Illescas tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Richard Edström was the one to do the kick off. If Casper Biörk had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 52nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Jonathan Ferrant took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Ulf Tingelholm, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 62 minutes into the match, Venezuela's goal looked a bit too open when Richard Edström came free, but Jonathan Ferrant reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Manchester City booed when Venezuela was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 63 match minutes in a wonderful position. Jose Correa didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 65th minute the ball was on its way in behind Venezuela's goalkeeper Jonathan Ferrant, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Tomas Illescas might have been able to make a better finish in the 68th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Paredes Goiano. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Tomas Illescas ran back to his position shaking his head. Jonathan Ferrant made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Richard Edström in the 69th minute of play. Ulf Tingelholm fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 76th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jonathan Ferrant having to interfere. Jose Correa hit a great freekick 81 minutes into the match. After 83 minutes of play, Manchester City's Ulf Tingelholm made it 5-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Jonathan Ferrant was left in no man's land by his defense there! 87 minutes into the match, Richard Edström had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Jonathan Ferrant. Venezuela's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Richard Edström was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 6-0. In the 92nd minute Richard Edström shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jonathan Ferrant saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. There was no doubt that Manchester City were the better team. Manchester City's players enjoyed the ovations of the crowd after the victory.