Challenge

Estadio Nacional
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Kleanthis Kostakoglou started the match with the kick off. Kleanthis Kostakoglou recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 4th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. František Spousta scored 0-1 in the 8th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Benito Sanz, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. 11 minutes into the match, Axel Tasis dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Trent Cuevas, 1-1. The FC Schalke 04 fans' excitement grew in the 17th match minute when FC Schalke 04's Kleanthis Kostakoglou looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-3 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. 24 minutes into the match, FC Schalke 04's goal looked a bit too open when Axel Tasis came free, but Trent Cuevas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Costa Rica's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Axel Tasis in the 25th minute. After taking down the ball on Costa Rica's corner Axel Tasis fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Trent Cuevas quite easily take care of the ball. Trent Cuevas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alexander Carballo, who was totally free with the ball in the 26th minute. Percy Rios'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. Percy Rios helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, FC Schalke 04's Percy Rios got a free kick in the 27th minute. The supporters of FC Schalke 04 booed when Costa Rica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 28 match minutes in a wonderful position. Eliseo Noboa didn't get a good kick on the ball. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Kleanthis Kostakoglou in the 30th minute of play. After 34 played minutes FC Schalke 04 got a freekick which was hit by Neal Collins. 37 minutes into the match, Lautaro Puig had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Trent Cuevas. FC Schalke 04's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Lautaro Puig was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-3. After having played for 42 minutes, Lautaro Puig managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Costa Rica's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lautaro Puig was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 43 minutes play. Aaron Alcocer hit a great ball. After a defensive mix-up in Costa Rica's zone, Kleanthis Kostakoglou stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Benito Sanz came out of the goal and Kleanthis Kostakoglou tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. A collision led to Costa Rica getting a freekick after 47 minutes play. Alexander Carballo hit a great ball. František Spousta took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 48th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Benito Sanz. Costa Rica's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. Disappointed in the 2-3 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

The wind increased when Axel Tasis made the kick off in the second half. In the 53rd 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. In the 56th minute, Efrain Moruga hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. FC Schalke 04's Trent Cuevas played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Lautaro Puig in the 58th minute of play. Kleanthis Kostakoglou in the 61stth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Benito Sanz, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. With a little luck, Costa Rica's Benito Sanz got control of the ball when František Spousta tried to sneak it across the goal line. Kleanthis Kostakoglou came free with the goalkeeper in the 63rd minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Benito Sanz could save by the left post. In the 65th minute, FC Schalke 04's Neal Collins seemed to kick out at an opponent. The referee saw this and, surprisingly, showed Neal Collins the red card, dismissing him from the pitch. The coaching staff of FC Schalke 04 protested bitterly, but the referee would have none of it, and Neal Collins had no choice but to slowly walk off the pitch. 66 minutes into the match, FC Schalke 04's goal looked a bit too open when Axel Tasis came free, but Trent Cuevas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When Lautaro Puig fell near the penalty area in the 67th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Costa Rica's protests and gave Lautaro Puig a yellow card for diving instead. Lautaro Puig hit a great freekick 67 minutes into the match. František Spousta recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 70th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. If Eliseo Noboa had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 75th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 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. In the 78th match minute, FC Schalke 04 was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by František Spousta to maneuver through the defense. 80 minutes into the game, František Spousta cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 2-4. Benito Sanz was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Trent Cuevas came out of the goal in the 84th minute to try and stop a shot by Costa Rica's Axel Tasis. But to his dismay, Axel Tasis quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-4. After a rather tough play, FC Schalke 04's Theron Craven got a free kick in the 86th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Axel Tasis in the 89th minute of play forced FC Schalke 04's goalkeeper Trent Cuevas to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Eliseo Noboa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 91st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. When Eliseo Noboa came up free with the goalie in the 93rd 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 Eliseo Noboa couldn't finish the play. Eliseo Noboa received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 96th minute. Trent Cuevas tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When the final whistle sounded FC Schalke 04 left the ground with the victory after a much better performance than Costa Rica.