Challenge

Estadio Nacional
Spectators: 49 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 0) Thiago Pliego showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Grabiel Escorcia, who was totally free with the ball in the 5th minute. In the 6th minute of the match Nacional got a corner. Chile's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Xu Sha ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Chile's goalie and right to Felipe Carballo. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Chile's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. The referee gave Nacional a penalty, 15 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Grabiel Escorcia, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of Chile's Thiago Pliego. 0-1. In the 29th minute, Grabiel Escorcia 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 34th minute Grabiel Escorcia shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Thiago Pliego saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 35 minutes into the match, Chile's goal looked a bit too open when Grabiel Escorcia came free, but Thiago Pliego reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Camilo Candido made in the 37th minute of the game a throw-in that took a bad bounce and was taken care of by Chile's Jose Manzanedo. Grabiel Escorcia's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Thiago Pliego read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 39th minute of play. If Grabiel Escorcia had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 41st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Thiago Pliego took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Grabiel Escorcia, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Grabiel Escorcia in the 47th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Thiago Pliego prevented the ball from getting in the gole. After the first half Nacional were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Mariano Lacasa to make the kick off. Xu Sha made a great header on Nacional's corner, it was just that Chile's Thiago Pliego managed to reach the ball for a save. Nacional's Juaneizu Merida played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mariano Lacasa in the 63rd minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Mariano Lacasa in the 66th minute of play forced Nacional's goalkeeper Juaneizu Merida to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 70 minutes into the match, Nacional's goal looked a bit too open when Mariano Lacasa came free, but Juaneizu Merida reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Grabiel Escorcia in the 74th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Thiago Pliego saved Chile from getting behind. In the 78th minute Grabiel Escorcia shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Thiago Pliego saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jose Manzanedo hit a great freekick 80 minutes into the match. Nacional's Walme Yurre was substituted for Mendiko Bueres. In the 81st match minute, Chile was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jose Manzanedo to maneuver through the defense. Juaneizu Merida showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Mariano Lacasa in the 84th minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Grabiel Escorcia in the 87th minute of play forced Chile's goalkeeper Thiago Pliego to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The audience was convinced that Grabiel Escorcia's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Thiago Pliego was relentless in the 94th minute of the game. In the 94thth minute of the game Grabiel Escorcia who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Chile's Thiago Pliego was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Nacional's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.