Challenge

Babuf Stadium
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Joel Gaona made the kick off and thus started the match. In the 4th minute, Allan Corrigan 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. After some careless play in the Panionios MK defense, Alberto Tafalla kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Erik Vale. The Panionios MK fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Erik Vale should have stopped the shot. Themos Leontiadis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 16th minute. Dante Lacasa tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Themos Leontiadis fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 21st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dante Lacasa having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 22nd minute of play forced Panionios MK's goalkeeper Erik Vale to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 23 minutes into the match, Panionios MK's goal looked a bit too open when Lautaro Mancebo came free, but Erik Vale reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Alberto Tafalla had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 28th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Erik Vale showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Alberto Tafalla in the 28th minute of the match. Allan Corrigan sent away a hard shot on goal in the 40th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Erik Vale 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 42nd minute. In the 44th minute, Lautaro Mancebo 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.

The audience was convinced that Alberto Tafalla's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Erik Vale was relentless in the 52nd minute of the game. Luca Zorita struck a weak shot in the 53rd minute. Erik Vale 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 54th minute the ball was on its way in behind Panionios MK's goalkeeper Erik Vale, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Mexico's Facundo Cadaval got a good chance for a goal in the 56th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 58th minute, Facundo Cadaval 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. 64 minutes into the match, Panionios MK's goalkeeper Erik Vale had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Lautaro Mancebo. Joel Gaona received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 68th minute. Erik Vale tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 70th minute Luca Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Erik Vale saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 71st minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. Panionios MK's attentive Kyriakos Akrivoulis managed to snatch the ball when Macos Graciani made a throw-in in the 78th minute of the game. In the 80th minute of the match Mexico got a corner. Panionios MK'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. After some careless play in the Panionios MK defense, Lautaro Mancebo kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Erik Vale. The Panionios MK fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Erik Vale should have stopped the shot. 86 minutes into the game, Antonis Linardakis was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Panionios MK's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Mexico the free kick. A collision led to Panionios MK getting a freekick after 86 minutes play. Antonis Linardakis hit a great ball. Mexico's players went to the stands to thank the travelling support. The fan's backing had helped spurr the team on to a fine performance that won them the match.