Challenge

19 Mayıs Stadyumu
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Mexico's Joel Gaona started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. In the 5th minute, Stanislaw Rekowski 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. A collision led to Mexico getting a freekick after 7 minutes play. Lorenzo Cazalla hit a great ball. After 9 played minutes Muharrem Sebih rounded Mexico's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 1-0. 12 minutes into the match, Gençlerbirliği's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Dursun Ekinci reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Alberto Tafalla took the ball and in the 15 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Dursun Ekinci. Dursun Ekinci dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. Bertil Winström's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 19thth minute, Dante Lacasa skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. Muharrem Sebih made in the 21st minute of the game a throw-in that took a bad bounce and was taken care of by Mexico's Facundo Cadaval. Dursun Ekinci took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Joel Gaona, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Dursun Ekinci showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Joel Gaona in the 26th minute of the match. In the 28th minute Alberto Tafalla shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dursun Ekinci saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 29th minute the ball was on its way in behind Gençlerbirliği's goalkeeper Dursun Ekinci, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After some careless play in the Gençlerbirliği defense, Alberto Tafalla kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Dursun Ekinci. The Gençlerbirliği fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Dursun Ekinci should have stopped the shot. 37 minutes into the game, Mexico's Joel Gaona nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Dursun Ekinci made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-3. The supporters of Gençlerbirliği booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 39 match minutes in a wonderful position. Facundo Cadaval didn't get a good kick on the ball. Bertil Winström sent away a hard shot on goal in the 41st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bertil Winström in the 43rd minute of play. After 45 minutes, Luca Rouco mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Mexico and the Gençlerbirliği players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, Mexico's Luca Rouco got a free kick in the 45th minute. After the first half Mexico were leading 1-3. 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 Muharrem Sebih stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bertil Winström in the 52nd minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Luca Rouco kicked well hit freekick during the 54th minute of the match. Luca Rouco was shown his second yellow card after 57 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. Luca Rouco kicked well hit freekick during the 58th minute of the match. Stanislaw Rekowski took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 58th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Dante Lacasa. Mexico's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. With a little luck, Gençlerbirliği's Dursun Ekinci got control of the ball when Facundo Cadaval tried to sneak it across the goal line. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Bertil Winström in the 62nd minute of play. The supporters of Gençlerbirliği booed when Mexico was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 71 match minutes in a wonderful position. Alberto Tafalla didn't get a good kick on the ball. Gençlerbirliği's Conrado Romero was substituted for Muharrem Sebih. In the 72nd minute, Alberto Tafalla hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 73 played minutes, Gençlerbirliği's Cafer Korcan shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Dante Lacasa came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Gençlerbirliği reached it. Dante Lacasa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Conrado Romero, who was totally free with the ball in the 76th minute. After taking down the ball on Gençlerbirliği's corner Stanislaw Rekowski fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Dante Lacasa quite easily take care of the ball. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Conrado Romero in the 84th minute of play. After having played for 94 minutes, Lautaro Mancebo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lautaro Mancebo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal.