Challenge

Pier Luigi PenZo
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Edmundo Espiga made the kick off which started today's match. After some careless play in the Venezia FC defense, Edmundo Espiga kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Gelu Popoacă. The Venezia FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Gelu Popoacă should have stopped the shot. When the match had gone on for 12 minutes, Sebastian Villa put it in 0-2 from a short distance just to the right of Gelu Popoacă. Lautaro Navarro showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Valeriu Manolescu in the 16th minute of the match. After a rather tough play, Honduras's Edmundo Espiga got a free kick in the 17th minute. In the 18th minute of the match Viorel Vlădean shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Lautaro Navarro showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Lautaro Navarro made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sorin Dragușin in the 21st minute of play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Edmundo Espiga in the 24th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Gelu Popoacă prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Sebastian Villa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 25th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Gelu Popoacă made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sebastian Villa in the 27th minute of play. Gelu Popoacă made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Milagros Cabal in the 33rd minute of play. In the 34th match minute, Honduras was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Emanuel Ocampo to maneuver through the defense. 36 minutes into the match, Edmundo Espiga had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Gelu Popoacă. Venezia FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Edmundo Espiga was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-3. The audience was convinced that Edmundo Espiga's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Gelu Popoacă was relentless in the 43rd minute of the game. A collision led to Venezia FC getting a freekick after 44 minutes play. Sorin Dragușin hit a great ball. Honduras's Lautaro Navarro proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 47th minute of the match, managed to save Honduras from getting a goal against them. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-3 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Sorin Dragușin was the one to do the kick off. Venezia FC's Gelu Popoacă proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 54th minute of the match, managed to save Venezia FC from getting a goal against them. After a rather tough play, Honduras's Milagros Cabal got a free kick in the 55th minute. Gelu Popoacă made a fantastic save in the 58th minute, when Sebastian Villa sent off a good shot on target. Venezia FC's Gelu Popoacă played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Sebastian Villa in the 59th minute of play. After 59 minutes, Valeriu Manolescu mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Venezia FC and the Honduras players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 60th match minute, Venezia FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Valeriu Manolescu to maneuver through the defense. 61 minutes into the match, Edmundo Espiga had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Gelu Popoacă. Venezia FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Edmundo Espiga was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-4. After 68 minutes Honduras's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Sorin Dragușin who took care of the corner kick. A nice corner shot did that Sorin Dragușin got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Lautaro Navarro quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. When the match had gone on for 69 minutes, Sebastian Villa put it in 0-5 from a short distance just to the right of Gelu Popoacă. In the 72nd minute Edmundo Espiga shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gelu Popoacă saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Ivan Gănescu got a throw-in 74 minutes in the game and the ball was received by Petru Ecobici. Lautaro Navarro showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Sorin Dragușin in the 75th minute of the match. Sebastian Villa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 77th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 81st minute, Ivan Gănescu managed to get in a good position for a shot. Venezia FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Ivan Gănescu was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Lautaro Navarro breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Lautaro Navarro didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Valeriu Manolescu went, in the 82nd minute, to the upper right corner, 1-5 was the resulting score. 85 minutes into the game, Ivan Gănescu threw the ball into play from the sideline. Honduras's Sebastian Villa quickly snatched the ball and retained possesion. The Honduras fans' excitement grew in the 87th match minute when Honduras's Edmundo Espiga looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-6 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. Gelu Popoacă took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sebastian Villa, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Honduras played a much better game than Venezia FC and deserved their victory. The Venezia FC players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.