Challenge

FC Schalke 04
Spectators: 39 (Terracing: 30, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Kleanthis Kostakoglou took the kick off in the first half of the match. After some careless play in the FC Schalke 04 defense, Axel Tasis kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Trent Cuevas. The FC Schalke 04 fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Trent Cuevas should have stopped the shot. In the 10th minute, one of Costa Rica:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Costa Rica. When the match had been going on for 12 minutes, FC Schalke 04's František Spousta got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Benito Sanz. Aaron Alcocer kicked well hit freekick during the 15th minute of the match. Trent Cuevas stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Axel Tasis's shot from short distance in the 20th minute. Trent Cuevas took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Axel Tasis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Eliseo Noboa fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 23rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Trent Cuevas having to interfere. Lautaro Puig scored 1-2 in the 24th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Trent Cuevas, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Costa Rica's Axel Tasis got a good chance for a goal in the 27th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Alan Moruga kicked well hit freekick during the 30th minute of the match. With an all-out effort, FC Schalke 04's Benito Sanz threw himself towards the right post 32 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Kleanthis Kostakoglou, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 33rd minute of the match, managed to save Costa Rica from getting a goal against them. Eli Nielsen's late challenge caught a Costa Rica's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Eli Nielsen helped the player get up and apologised. Eli Nielsen kicked well hit freekick during the 35th minute of the match. In the 35th minute, Eliseo Noboa hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. A collision led to FC Schalke 04 getting a freekick after 37 minutes play. Theron Craven hit a great ball. Trent Cuevas made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Axel Tasis in the 38th minute of play. When Axel Tasis came up free with the goalie in the 41st minute, the Costa Rica fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Axel Tasis couldn't finish the play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Axel Tasis in the 44th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Trent Cuevas prevented the ball from getting in the gole. The FC Schalke 04 players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Costa Rica were winning 1-2.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Axel Tasis stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Lautaro Puig could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 52nd minute of the match, but Trent Cuevas made a huge save. Axel Tasis could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 54th minute of the match, but Trent Cuevas made a huge save. If Lautaro Puig had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 58th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Lautaro Puig sent away a hard shot on goal in the 61st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 62 played minutes FC Schalke 04 got a freekick which was hit by Jeremy Talbot. In the 63rd minute, Eliseo Noboa 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. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Kleanthis Kostakoglou in the 70th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Benito Sanz saved Costa Rica from getting behind. In the 76th minute of the game, Percy Rios landed unfortunately after trying to head the ball, and pulled a muscle in the back, so badly that he had to leave the field. When Alan Moruga was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 76 minutes had been played. In the 78th match minute, Costa Rica was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Alan Moruga to maneuver through the defense. In the 79th minute of the match František Spousta shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Benito Sanz showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Lautaro Puig sent away a hard shot on goal in the 80th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 85th minute, Eliseo Noboa fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Trent Cuevas, passed just outside the right post. After a rather tough play, Costa Rica's Aaron Alcocer got a free kick in the 87th minute. Vince Gil might have been able to make a better finish in the 91st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Benito Sanz. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Vince Gil ran back to his position shaking his head. After 92 played minutes Costa Rica got a freekick which was hit by Abel Carballo. Benito Sanz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Kleanthis Kostakoglou in the 97th minute of the match. The Costa Rica players were relieved to hear the final whistle blow to end the match. The away crowd was happy to see their team win after a very tight game.