Challenge

Soccer Arena
Spectators: 43 (Terracing: 33, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Shawn Romero started the match with the kick off. It seemed to be an obvious goal in the 4th minute, but Benito Sanz got his fingers on the ball or the save, leaving Costa Rica hanging dry this time. After a rather tough play, Cosmos Soccer Club's Donovan Heath got a free kick in the 6th minute. After 8 minutes Cosmos Soccer Club's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Axel Tasis who took care of the corner kick. The corner led Costa Rica's Alan Moruga to fire away a dangerous shot which Jarrett Rosenberg despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. After a rather tough play, Costa Rica's Axel Tasis got a free kick in the 9th minute. Patrick Fontenot took the ball and in the 13 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Benito Sanz. Benito Sanz dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-0. 17 minutes into the game, Cosmos Soccer Club's Nicky Cavazos nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Benito Sanz made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-0. Nicky Cavazos's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 23rdth minute, Benito Sanz skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. After 26 played minutes, Cosmos Soccer Club's Robustiano Amor shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Benito Sanz came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Cosmos Soccer Club reached it. Shawn Romero fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 27th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Benito Sanz having to interfere. Marcus Rush hit a great freekick 30 minutes into the match. Lautaro Puig hit a great freekick 32 minutes into the match. After 36 minutes, Brian Mendoza mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Cosmos Soccer Club and the Costa Rica players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 36th match minute, Cosmos Soccer Club was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Brian Mendoza to maneuver through the defense. Jarrett Rosenberg had in the 40thth minute some difficulties stopping Axel Tasis's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. Donovan Heath fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 48th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Benito Sanz having to interfere. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Axel Tasis was the one to do the kick off. After a rather tough play, Costa Rica's Juan Rubio got a free kick in the 54th minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Lautaro Puig got free with Jarrett Rosenberg in the 59th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Shawn Romero during the 61st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 62nd minute, Shawn Romero hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. When the match had gone on for 64 minutes, Axel Tasis put it in 2-1 from a short distance just to the right of Jarrett Rosenberg. Jarrett Rosenberg showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Eliseo Noboa in the 70th minute of the match. After 73 played minutes Costa Rica got a freekick which was hit by Alan Moruga. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Shawn Romero in the 74th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Benito Sanz saved Costa Rica from getting behind. Robustiano Amor kicked well hit freekick during the 77th minute of the match. 78 minutes into the match, Cosmos Soccer Club's goal looked a bit too open when Eliseo Noboa came free, but Jarrett Rosenberg reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Hugo Ferrant made in the 84th minute of the game a throw-in that took a bad bounce and was taken care of by Cosmos Soccer Club's Marcus Rush. If Eliseo Noboa had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 86th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Jarrett Rosenberg showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Axel Tasis, who was totally free with the ball in the 97th minute.