Challenge

Arena - Dinamo Soimu
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Daniel Zorita started the match with the kick off. Horia Poplăcean 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 10th minute. 13 minutes into the match, Dinamo Soimu's goal looked a bit too open when Cristian Sancho came free, but Horia Poplăcean reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Ecuador's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Daniel Zorita in the 16th minute. Horia Poplăcean showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Cristian Sancho in the 20th minute of the match. Horia Poplăcean 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 21st minute. Horia Poplăcean took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniel Zorita, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 23 minutes had been played when some careless play by Dinamo Soimu's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Daniel Zorita was slow to take the kick. During this time Ecuador's players had a chance to rest. It was a well-played corner which Felix Montenegro managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. Ecuador's Daniel Zorita got a good chance for a goal in the 27th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 32nd minute of the match Ecuador got a corner. Dinamo Soimu's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Zorita ran over to the corner to take the kick. After 33 played minutes Ecuador got a freekick which was hit by Felix Montenegro. In the 38th minute, Virgil Pintilie 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. The supporters of Ecuador booed when Dinamo Soimu was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 43 match minutes in a wonderful position. Calistrat Vaida didn't get a good kick on the ball. After the first half Ecuador were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

In the 55th minute Xanti Gatnau 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. After some careless play in the Dinamo Soimu defense, Cristian Sancho kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Horia Poplăcean. The Dinamo Soimu fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Horia Poplăcean should have stopped the shot. Ferdinand Ipate hit a great freekick 58 minutes into the match. Felix Montenegro's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Horia Poplăcean read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 60th minute of play. Daniel Zorita's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Horia Poplăcean read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 62nd minute of play. Cristian Sancho's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Horia Poplăcean read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 67th minute of play. If Agustín Saelices had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 69th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 71st minute the ball was on its way in behind Dinamo Soimu's goalkeeper Horia Poplăcean, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Xanti Gatnau in the 73rd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Julio Vera prevented the ball from getting in the gole. An unexpectedly hard shot by Cristian Sancho in the 78th minute of play forced Dinamo Soimu's goalkeeper Horia Poplăcean to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 80th minute, Daniel Zorita 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 91st minute Xanti Gatnau 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. When Daniel Zorita came up free with the goalie in the 92nd 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 Daniel Zorita couldn't finish the play. If Xanti Gatnau had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 95th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ecuador's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.