Challenge

Queen Arena
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, 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. Victor Piţurcă started the match with the kick off. If Victor Piţurcă had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 3rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Dante Lacasa made a fantastic save in the 3rd minute, when Victor Piţurcă sent off a good shot on target. The supporters of Mexico booed when Emerald was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Jaime Carioca didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 11th minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. Luca Zorita hit a great freekick 11 minutes into the match. In the 11th minute, Luca Zorita fired away a free kick at goal. It was hit a tad too hard, and went over the crossbar. 18 minutes into the match, Emerald's goal looked a bit too open when Luca Zorita came free, but Bogdan Lobonț reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 19 minutes Emerald's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Joel Gaona who took care of the corner kick. After taking down the ball on Mexico's corner Joel Gaona fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Bogdan Lobonț quite easily take care of the ball. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Victor Piţurcă in the 21st minute of the match. 23 minutes into the match, Emerald's goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Bogdan Lobonț reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Victor Piţurcă blasted a shot towards the goal in the 27th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Dante Lacasa having to make a save. Leonardo Leoz made in the 32nd minute of the game a quick throw-in and Lautaro Mancebo immediately put the ball in play. In the 37th minute, Joel Gaona 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. Lautaro Mancebo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 39th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Bogdan Lobonț having to interfere. Alberto Tafalla's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Bogdan Lobonț read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 41st minute of play. A collision led to Emerald getting a freekick after 43 minutes play. Gabriel Mălaimare hit a great ball. Emerald's Bogdan Lobonț played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 46th minute of play. 47 minutes into the match, Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Julio Iglesias. After the first half Mexico were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Joel Gaona to make the kick off. In the 52nd minute Jaime Carioca shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jaime Carioca in the 52nd minute of play. Bogdan Lobonț made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 53rd minute. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Ioan Logofătu in the 58th minute of the match. 59 minutes into the match, Emerald's goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonț had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Lautaro Mancebo. When Emerald's Jaime Carioca in the 63rd minute got a chance for a shot 63rd didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Mexico's goalie prevented a goal. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Victor Piţurcă in the 65th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Dante Lacasa prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Alberto Tafalla sent away a hard shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Victor Piţurcă sent away a hard shot on goal in the 73rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Victor Piţurcă blasted a shot towards the goal in the 75th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Dante Lacasa having to make a save. Lautaro Mancebo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 79th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Dante Lacasa came out of the goal in the 83rd minute to try and stop a shot by Emerald's Victor Piţurcă. But to his dismay, Victor Piţurcă quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-1. In the 86th minute the ball was on its way in behind Emerald's goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonț, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. An unexpectedly hard shot by Victor Piţurcă in the 87th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Macos Graciani hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. Bogdan Lobonț made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Gaona in the 92nd minute of play. After 94 minutes, Hurşit Cemşit mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Emerald and the Mexico players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 94th match minute, Emerald was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Hurşit Cemşit to maneuver through the defense.