Challenge

Cruz de Malta
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when George Messi kicked off to start the match. When the match had gone on for 19 minutes, Cristian Sancho put it in 0-2 from a short distance just to the right of George Buffon. 23 minutes into the match, Three Lions FC's goal looked a bit too open when Cristian Sancho came free, but George Buffon reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. George Buffon took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniel Zorita, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. George Buffon showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Daniel Zorita in the 28th minute of the match. In the 31st minute Agustín Saelices shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but George Buffon saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 32 minutes into the match, Ecuador's Agustín Saelices sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that George Buffon narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 34th minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Three Lions FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. After taking down the ball on Ecuador's corner Luis Andino fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and George Buffon quite easily take care of the ball. Gunnar Ekeroth could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 42nd minute of the match, but Julio Vera made a huge save. After the first half Ecuador were leading 0-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Daniel Zorita stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 51 minutes play. Cristian Sancho hit a great ball. In the 64th match minute, Ecuador was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cristian Sancho to maneuver through the defense. 66 minutes into the game, Agustín Saelices was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Ecuador's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Three Lions FC the free kick. Agustín Saelices hit a great freekick 66 minutes into the match. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from George Messi in the 67th minute of play. In the 69th minute, George Lukaku hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 70 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when George Messi came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A collision led to Three Lions FC getting a freekick after 71 minutes play. George Kane hit a great ball. In the 77th match minute, Ecuador was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Agustín Saelices to maneuver through the defense. In the 79th minute Gunnar Ekeroth shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 80 minutes had been played when some careless play by Ecuador's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. George Kroos was slow to take the kick. During this time Three Lions FC's players had a chance to rest. George Mbappè made a great header on Three Lions FC's corner, it was just that Ecuador's Julio Vera managed to reach the ball for a save. George Mbappè took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 92nd minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Julio Vera. Ecuador's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. In the 94th minute George Messi shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 95 minutes of play, Three Lions FC's George Messi made it 1-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Julio Vera was left in no man's land by his defense there! Ecuador played a much better game than Three Lions FC and deserved their victory. The Three Lions FC players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.