Challenge

ΑΓ.ΣΟΦΙΑ-OPAP ARENA
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Christos Kostis got the match started through his kick off. In the 2nd minute Joel Gaona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Zinon Anagnostou saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A collision led to ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Dionysis Souanis hit a great ball. The referee gave Mexico a penalty, 5 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Joel Gaona, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s Zinon Anagnostou. 0-1. Zinon Anagnostou showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lautaro Mancebo, who was totally free with the ball in the 7th minute. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 14th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Luca Rouco hit a great freekick 15 minutes into the match. 17 minutes into the match, ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Zinon Anagnostou reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 19th minute Christos Kostis 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. Joel Gaona fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 20th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Zinon Anagnostou having to interfere. Lautaro Mancebo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 22nd minute. Zinon Anagnostou tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 23 minutes into the match, ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s goal looked a bit too open when Joel Gaona came free, but Zinon Anagnostou reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 25th match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Alberto Tafalla to maneuver through the defense. If Lautaro Mancebo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 27th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Mexico were awarded a corner in the 29th minute after ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Joel Gaona took the corner. A nice corner shot did that Joel Gaona got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Zinon Anagnostou quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alketas Tsirakis in the 31st minute of play. Mexico's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Joel Gaona in the 33rd minute. Zinon Anagnostou showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Alberto Tafalla, who was totally free with the ball in the 35th minute. After some fancy dribbling in the 38th minute, Joel Gaona managed to get in a good position for a shot. Mexico's supporters rose to their feet, but Joel Gaona was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Zinon Anagnostou breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. When Luca Zorita came up free with the goalie in the 41st minute, the Mexico 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 Luca Zorita couldn't finish the play. A collision led to ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ getting a freekick after 45 minutes play. Claudio Biaggio hit a great ball. 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.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Joel Gaona was the one to do the kick off. After 50 played minutes ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ got a freekick which was hit by Christos Kostis. After having played for 52 minutes, Alberto Tafalla managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Alberto Tafalla was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Thanks to some nice moves Lautaro Mancebo could shoot a difficult shot in the 60th minute, which Zinon Anagnostou however easily saved by the left post. After having played for 65 minutes, Lautaro Mancebo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lautaro Mancebo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Christos Kostis in the 66th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏'s Zinon Anagnostou played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Luca Zorita in the 69th minute of play. The corner led to Mexico's Luca Zorita getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. Lautaro Mancebo who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 72ndth minute tested the skills of Zinon Anagnostou when he managed to save the team from getting behind. In the 75th of the match, Joel Gaona tried to place the ball in the upper right corner, but Zinon Anagnostou got in the way and made a wonderful save. Luca Zorita sent away a hard shot on goal in the 79th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. An unexpected shot in the 80th minute by Lautaro Mancebo got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Zinon Anagnostou made a fantastic save in the 83rd minute, when Luca Zorita sent off a good shot on target. Claudio Biaggio hit a great freekick 86 minutes into the match. Lautaro Mancebo struck a weak shot in the 91st minute. Zinon Anagnostou didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Mexico. Joel Gaona sent away a hard shot on goal in the 95th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When the match was over Mexico could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than ♏ⒶⓃⒶⓈⓉⒶⓈⒾ Ⓕ.Ⓒ♏ throughout the match.