Challenge

ANAHEIM CENTER
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Axel Tasis kicked off to start the match. Benito Sanz came out of the goal in the 2nd minute to try and stop a shot by ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's Dom Kyle. But to his dismay, Dom Kyle quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. After 6 minutes, Alan Moruga mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Costa Rica and the ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 6th match minute, Costa Rica was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Alan Moruga to maneuver through the defense. Dom Kyle recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 10th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 11th minute, Axel Tasis made a precise shot to the right of Alan Tetley. ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-1. ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's Alan Tetley played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Axel Tasis in the 14th minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Axel Tasis in the 24th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Alan Tetley saved ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ from getting behind. Howard Walters might have been able to make a better finish in the 27th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Benito Sanz. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Howard Walters ran back to his position shaking his head. ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's Dom Kyle shoveled away a really nice long shot in the 29th minute of play. The shot was stopped by Benito Sanz but with some difficulty. Abel Carballo hit a great freekick 29 minutes into the match. The audience thought a goal was coming when Howard Walters got free with Benito Sanz in the 33rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Marty Fearns in the 34th minute of play. In the 39th minute, Lautaro Puig ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Alan Tetley was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-2. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 41 minutes play. Juan Rubio hit a great ball. 48 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Dom Kyle came free, but Benito Sanz reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 48 minutes into the game, ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's Dom Kyle nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Benito Sanz made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-2. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Howard Walters stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Marty Fearns sent away a hard shot on goal in the 54th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Benito Sanz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Dom Kyle in the 58th minute of the match. Benito Sanz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Howard Walters in the 62nd minute of the match. Axel Tasis could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 65th minute of the match, but Alan Tetley made a huge save. After some fancy dribbling in the 70th minute, Howard Walters managed to get in a good position for a shot. ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's supporters rose to their feet, but Howard Walters was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Benito Sanz breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Howard Walters sent away a hard shot on goal in the 74th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Brandon Parrott kicked well hit freekick during the 77th minute of the match. 80 minutes into the game, Costa Rica's Eliseo Noboa nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Alan Tetley made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. If Howard Walters had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 85th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Vincent Dry sent away a hard shot on goal in the 87th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 89 minutes of play Costa Rica's Alan Moruga was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. After a rather tough play, Costa Rica's Alan Moruga got a free kick in the 90th minute. Benito Sanz made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Howard Walters in the 92nd minute of play. Benito Sanz made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Marty Fearns in the 94th minute of play. In the 96th minute Howard Walters shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Benito Sanz saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Costa Rica were delighted with the way they had won the match. They had held their defensive line well and made the most of their chances, to claim a victory over ᗩᑎᗩᕼᗴᎥᗰ ᗪᑌᑕᛕᔕ's much stronger midfield.