Challenge

Estadio Azteca
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Joel Gaona made the kick off which started today's match. Dante Lacasa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Laurențiu Cinteză in the 7th minute of the match. 9 minutes had been played when some careless play by Mexico's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Hendrik Holletschek was slow to take the kick. During this time FC Hamburg's players had a chance to rest. A nice corner shot did that Laurențiu Cinteză got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Dante Lacasa quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Joel Gaona in the 12th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Volker Harm saved FC Hamburg from getting behind. When Joel Gaona came up free with the goalie in the 13th 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 Joel Gaona couldn't finish the play. Volker Harm made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lautaro Mancebo in the 15th minute. Volker Harm showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joel Gaona, who was totally free with the ball in the 20th minute. After a defensive mix-up in FC Hamburg's zone, Joel Gaona stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Volker Harm came out of the goal and Joel Gaona tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Facundo Cadaval blasted a shot towards the goal in the 29th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Volker Harm having to make a save. Volker Harm made a fantastic save in the 31st minute, when Lautaro Mancebo sent off a good shot on target. In the 32nd minute, Manfred Kottsieper 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 audience thought a goal was coming when Lautaro Mancebo got free with Volker Harm in the 35th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Pompiliu Roşculeţ in the 39th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Dante Lacasa saved Mexico from getting behind. The supporters of Mexico booed when FC Hamburg was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 46 match minutes in a wonderful position. Thoralf Blohm didn't get a good kick on the ball. The fans had the chance to grab some refreshments as the whistle went for half-time. The score stood at 1-1 after a close first half.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Laurențiu Cinteză to strike the kick off in the second half. Dante Lacasa made an important save on a dangerous shot by Laurențiu Cinteză in the 51st minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Hendrik Holletschek in the 52nd minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Mexico's Alberto Tafalla got a good chance for a goal in the 54th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Laurențiu Cinteză in the 55th minute of play. Joel Gaona blasted a shot towards the goal in the 57th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Volker Harm having to make a save. Luca Rouco hit a great freekick 58 minutes into the match. Dante Lacasa took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Pompiliu Roşculeţ, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Dante Lacasa didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Pompiliu Roşculeţ went, in the 59th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-2 was the resulting score. 62 minutes into the match, Joel Gaona notched a goal, 2-2, to the right of FC Hamburg's Volker Harm. Volker Harm was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Volker Harm made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Gaona in the 65th minute of play. Volker Harm showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lautaro Mancebo in the 68th minute of the match. Through an outstanding action, after 70 minutes, Dante Lacasa successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Mexico's Dante Lacasa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 71st minute of the match, managed to save Mexico from getting a goal against them. Joel Gaona's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Volker Harm read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 78th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Pompiliu Roşculeţ in the 80th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joel Gaona in the 81st minute of play forced FC Hamburg's goalkeeper Volker Harm to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 82 minutes into the match, FC Hamburg's goal looked a bit too open when Alberto Tafalla came free, but Volker Harm reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Laurențiu Cinteză hit a great freekick 84 minutes into the match. 85 minutes into the game, Mexico's Joel Gaona nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Volker Harm made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 3-2. Dante Lacasa made a fantastic save in the 88th minute, when Laurențiu Cinteză sent off a good shot on target. Mexico's Lautaro Mancebo couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 90th minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for FC Hamburg. In the 92nd minute Luca Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Volker Harm saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. There was no doubt that Mexico were the better team. Mexico's players enjoyed the ovations of the crowd after the victory.