Challenge

Estadio Azteca
Spectators: 47 (Terracing: 36, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 0) Joel Gaona struck a weak shot in the 2nd minute. Mänsur Rzayev didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. In the 4th minute of the match, Alberto Tafalla tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Mänsur Rzayev saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Alberto Tafalla in the 5th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Mänsur Rzayev saved Şamaxı Bankirlər from getting behind. Şamaxı Bankirlər's Druțu Cristian quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Leonardo Leoz, made in the 6th minute of the game. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Oscar Mas, who was totally free with the ball in the 8th minute. 17 minutes into the match, Mexico's Facundo Cadaval sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Mänsur Rzayev narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After 23 minutes of play, Şamaxı Bankirlər's Oscar Mas made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Dante Lacasa was left in no man's land by his defense there! 27 minutes had been played when some careless play by Şamaxı Bankirlər's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Joel Gaona was slow to take the kick. During this time Mexico's players had a chance to rest. The throw-in from Macos Graciani in the 29th minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by Şamaxı Bankirlər's Akhilendra Murthy. In the 29th match minute, Şamaxı Bankirlər was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Akhilendra Murthy to maneuver through the defense. Lautaro Mancebo's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Mänsur Rzayev firmly grabbed it by the left post. 33 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Oscar Mas came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Mänsur Rzayev was a little too slow when Joel Gaona got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 36th minute. The score was now 1-1. The score stood at 1-1 when the half time whistle went. Both sets of players seemed reasonably pleased with how the match was going.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Joel Gaona to make the kick off. Mänsur Rzayev showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joel Gaona, who was totally free with the ball in the 53rd minute. Şamaxı Bankirlər's attentive Akhilendra Murthy managed to snatch the ball when Macos Graciani made a throw-in in the 54th minute of the game. Mänsur Rzayev took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Alberto Tafalla, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 69 minutes into the match, Şamaxı Bankirlər's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Mänsur Rzayev reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 70th minute of the match Mexico got a corner. Şamaxı Bankirlər's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Joel Gaona ran over to the corner to take the kick. A nice corner shot did that Joel Gaona got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Mänsur Rzayev quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Lautaro Mancebo took the ball and in the 73 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Mänsur Rzayev. Mänsur Rzayev dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 3-1. A collision led to Şamaxı Bankirlər getting a freekick after 81 minutes play. Akhilendra Murthy hit a great ball. The supporters of Mexico booed when Şamaxı Bankirlər was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 84 match minutes in a wonderful position. Druțu Cristian didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 87th minute of play forced Şamaxı Bankirlər's goalkeeper Mänsur Rzayev to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Juan Badr kicked well hit freekick during the 90th minute of the match. After having played for 96 minutes, Oscar Mas managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Şamaxı Bankirlər's supporters crossed their fingers, but Oscar Mas was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Mexico's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.