Challenge

Estadio Nacional
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Costa Rica's Axel Tasis 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. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Alan Moruga during the 3rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Alan Moruga hit a great freekick 3 minutes into the match. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Pedro Meira in the 4th minute of play. In the 9th minute, Pedro Meira left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Spartak das Kaldas fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. Vítor Ramires fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 14th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Benito Sanz having to interfere. 21 minutes into the game, Spartak das Kaldas's Ilídio Valério 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, 0-2. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Pedro Meira in the 28th minute of play. In the 31st minute, Edgar Casado hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a defensive mix-up in Spartak das Kaldas's zone, Eliseo Noboa stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Juliano Brito came out of the goal and Eliseo Noboa tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After 36 minutes, Pedro Meira made it 0-3 with a short kick to the right side. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Eliseo Noboa received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 46th minute. Juliano Brito tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Disappointed in the 0-3 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Pedro Meira stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Spartak das Kaldas's Pedro Meira was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 52nd play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. In the 64th minute Pedro Meira 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. Benito Sanz made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Vítor Ramires in the 67th minute of play. With an all-out effort, Spartak das Kaldas's Benito Sanz threw himself towards the right post 71 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Henrique Júdice, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Lautaro Puig hit a great freekick 78 minutes into the match. 84 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Vítor Ramires came free, but Benito Sanz reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 85 played minutes Spartak das Kaldas got a freekick which was hit by Edgar Casado. A collision led to Spartak das Kaldas getting a freekick after 86 minutes play. Edgar Casado hit a great ball. Juliano Brito made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Axel Tasis in the 86th minute of play. Lautaro Puig struck a weak shot in the 91st minute. Juliano Brito didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Costa Rica. Spartak das Kaldas played a much better game than Costa Rica and deserved their victory. The Costa Rica players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.