Challenge

Arena Eduardo Máximo
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Severino Bueno took the kick off in the first half of the match. Panama's Isidoro Sarmiento got a good chance for a goal in the 5th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 19th minute of the match Eleven Young Elephants got a corner. Panama's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Fabio Savona ran over to the corner to take the kick. After taking down the ball on Eleven Young Elephants's corner Fabio Savona fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Marcos Cotilla quite easily take care of the ball. Panama's Marcos Cotilla proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 25th minute of the match, managed to save Panama from getting a goal against them. Dylan Sarmiento kicked well hit freekick during the 26th minute of the match. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Vilmos Szikora during the 31st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Vilmos Szikora hit a great freekick 31 minutes into the match. When the match had gone on for 33 minutes, Enzo Perez took a quick shot and it went in 1-1 without a chance for Marcos Cotilla to make any attempt to save it. Severino Buenos short, quick shot in the 36thth minute got Marcos Cotilla to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. 41 minutes into the game, Zlatko Zahovič recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Marcos Cotilla. Zlatko Zahovič showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 2-1. 46 minutes into the match, Isidoro Sarmiento had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Aaron Tanti. Eleven Young Elephants's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Isidoro Sarmiento was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-2. The first half was very even, with the score at 2-2 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Tomas Berganza made a kick off. Marcos Cotilla made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Darren Carabott in the 52nd minute of play. In the 53rd minute, Enzo Perez hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 61st match minute, Panama was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Dylan Sarmiento to maneuver through the defense. After some careless play in the Eleven Young Elephants defense, Tomas Berganza kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Aaron Tanti. The Eleven Young Elephants fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Aaron Tanti should have stopped the shot. In the 74th minute Isidoro Sarmiento shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Aaron Tanti saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marcos Cotilla took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Severino Bueno, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 78th minute of the match Fabio Savona shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Marcos Cotilla showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Aaron Tanti showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Isidoro Sarmiento, who was totally free with the ball in the 80th minute. Aaron Tanti made an important save on a dangerous shot by Abraham Alguacil in the 81st minute. Abraham Alguacil received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Aaron Tanti came out and tried to block the shot, but Abraham Alguacil slotted it home off the left post making it 2-4 in the 81st minute. Eleven Young Elephants's Aaron Tanti proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 90th minute of the match, managed to save Eleven Young Elephants from getting a goal against them. If Tomas Berganza had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 96th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Panama's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.