Challenge

Bird FC Arena
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Taqi Taqi took the kick off in the first half of the match. When Maximino Mario fell near the penalty area in the 4th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Bird FC's protests and gave Maximino Mario a yellow card for diving instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Daniel Zorita in the 8th minute of play forced Bird FC's goalkeeper Sten Thedin to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ecuador were awarded a corner in the 9th minute after Bird FC's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Daniel Zorita took the corner. Luis Andino made a great header on Ecuador's corner, it was just that Bird FC's Sten Thedin managed to reach the ball for a save. In the 11th minute Daniel Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Sten Thedin saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Bird FC's Sten Thedin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Daniel Zorita in the 14th minute of play. Ecuador's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Daniel Zorita in the 16th minute. A well-hit corner resulted in Antonio Arias heading the ball towards the goal, but to his dismay he misdirected it and missed the goal completely. In the 18th minute Taqi Taqi shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Julio Vera saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Daniel Zorita received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 24th minute. Sten Thedin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 30 minutes into the match, Bird FC's goal looked a bit too open when Daniel Zorita came free, but Sten Thedin reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Mel Chung during the 31st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Mel Chung kicked well hit freekick during the 31st minute of the match. When Mel Chung was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 35 minutes had been played. In the 36th match minute, Bird FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Mel Chung to maneuver through the defense. Felix Montenegro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 39th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Michal Wisniewski kicked well hit freekick during the 41st minute of the match. 46 minutes into the game, Agustín Saelices was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Ecuador's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Bird FC the free kick. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 46 minutes play. Agustín Saelices hit a great ball. The crowd rose to their feet as Bird FC's Nathan Preca slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Julio Vera. That made the score 1-0 after 47 minutes of play. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 1-0 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Daniel Zorita to make the kick off. Agustín Saelices blasted a shot towards the goal in the 52nd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Sten Thedin having to make a save. Camilo Gisbert hit a great freekick 54 minutes into the match. Sten Thedin showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Cristian Sancho in the 56th minute of the match. Sten Thedin showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristian Sancho, who was totally free with the ball in the 58th minute. After a defensive mix-up in Bird FC's zone, Daniel Zorita stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Sten Thedin came out of the goal and Daniel Zorita tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Nathan Preca struck a weak shot in the 60th minute. Julio Vera didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Bird FC. Daniel Zorita struck a weak shot in the 62nd minute. Sten Thedin didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. Daniel Zorita might have been able to make a better finish in the 65th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Sten Thedin. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Daniel Zorita ran back to his position shaking his head. The supporters of Bird FC booed when Ecuador was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 67 match minutes in a wonderful position. Agustín Saelices didn't get a good kick on the ball. Bird FC made a substitution. Krzysztof Raflewski replaced Czeslaw Jaktorowo. Agustín Saelices hit a great freekick 68 minutes into the match. Maximino Mario scored 2-0 in the 70th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Julio Vera, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Bird FC's defense didn't have a chance, in the 75th minute, when Agustín Saelices scored to the left of an out of position Sten Thedin, making the score, 2-1. After some fancy dribbling in the 79th minute, Daniel Zorita managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Daniel Zorita was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Sten Thedin breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Michal Wisniewski hit a great freekick 81 minutes into the match. Sten Thedin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Zorita in the 82nd minute of play. In the 84th minute the ball was on its way in behind Bird FC's goalkeeper Sten Thedin, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Sten Thedin showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Daniel Zorita, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. After 90 minutes Bird FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Daniel Zorita who took care of the corner kick. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Bird FC's goalie and right to Felix Montenegro. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Bird FC's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. In the 92nd match minute, Ecuador was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cristian Sancho to maneuver through the defense. Daniel Zorita fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 96th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Sten Thedin having to interfere. For all the effort they put into the match, the Ecuador players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Bird FC.