Challenge

Queen Arena
Spectators: 42 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Ecuador's Daniel Zorita 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. Daniel Zorita struck a weak shot in the 4th minute. Bogdan Lobonț didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. Bogdan Lobonț showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Daniel Zorita, who was totally free with the ball in the 5th minute. If Victor Piţurcă had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 13th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Victor Piţurcă, who was totally free with the ball in the 13th minute. Bogdan Lobonț took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Felix Montenegro, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 15th minute, Daniel Zorita made a precise shot to the right of Bogdan Lobonț. Emerald's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. 19 minutes into the match, Emerald's goal looked a bit too open when Daniel Zorita came free, but Bogdan Lobonț reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 23rd minute of the game Primitivo Andino made a throw-in which Felix Montenegro played forward. Emerald's Bogdan Lobonț played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Luis Andino in the 27th minute of play. Bogdan Lobonț took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniel Zorita, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Primitivo Andino hit a great freekick 29 minutes into the match. Victor Piţurcă's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Julio Vera firmly grabbed it by the left post. If Luis Andino had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 31st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After some fancy dribbling in the 35th minute, Daniel Zorita managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Daniel Zorita was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Bogdan Lobonț breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 37th minute Felix Montenegro shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Bogdan Lobonț saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Bogdan Lobonț made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 38th minute of play. Victor Piţurcă could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 42nd minute of the match, but Julio Vera made a huge save. Victor Piţurcăs short, quick shot in the 42ndth minute got Julio Vera to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Bogdan Lobonț took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cristian Sancho, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Emerald's Ioan Logofătu was substituted for Julio Iglesias. Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Victor Piţurcă to make the kick off. After 58 minutes of play, Ecuador's Felix Montenegro made it 0-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Bogdan Lobonț was left in no man's land by his defense there! Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Victor Piţurcă in the 62nd minute of play. 64 minutes into the match, Daniel Zorita notched a goal, 0-3, to the right of Emerald's Bogdan Lobonț. Bogdan Lobonț was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 67th minute of play forced Emerald's goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonț to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When Cristian Sancho came up free with the goalie in the 77th minute, the Ecuador 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 Cristian Sancho couldn't finish the play. In the 79th minute Victor Piţurcă shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Cristian Sancho had several of the Emerald's defenders around him in the penalty area when he, after 86 minutes of play, received a pass and succeeded in some way to shoot a shot which went straight ahead into goal. This resulted in a 0-5 score and a disappointed Bogdan Lobonț as he didn't even see the shot coming. Bogdan Lobonț showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristian Sancho, who was totally free with the ball in the 93rd minute. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Victor Piţurcă, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. When the final whistle sounded Ecuador left the ground with the victory after a much better performance than Emerald.