Challenge

Sakhalin Stadium
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, 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. Daniel Zorita started the match with the kick off. Anton Parov 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 4th minute. After some fancy dribbling in the 7th minute, Cristian Sancho managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ecuador's supporters rose to their feet, but Cristian Sancho was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Anton Parov breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Cristian Sancho fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 8th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Anton Parov having to interfere. 11 minutes into the match, FC GAZprom's goal looked a bit too open when Daniel Zorita came free, but Anton Parov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Daniel Zorita took the ball and in the 14 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Anton Parov. Anton Parov dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-1. A collision led to Ecuador getting a freekick after 16 minutes play. Antonio Arias hit a great ball. 17 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Maksim Lobanovskiy. Anton Parov showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Daniel Zorita in the 25th minute of the match. In the 28th minute Cristian Sancho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Anton Parov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After a rather tough play, FC GAZprom's Miron Kalashnikov got a free kick in the 31st minute. Cristian Sancho 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. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Maksim Lobanovskiy in the 41st minute. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Xie Cheng Xiao, who was totally free with the ball in the 43rd minute. Daniel Zorita scored 0-2 in the 46th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Anton Parov, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-2 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Xie Cheng Xiao to make the kick off. Anton Parov took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cristian Sancho, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Daniel Zorita sent away a hard shot on goal in the 56th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Anton Parov made a fantastic save in the 60th minute, when Daniel Zorita sent off a good shot on target. If Maksim Lobanovskiy had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 61st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. FC GAZprom's Anton Parov played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Agustín Saelices in the 65th minute of play. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Noah Gessen in the 78th minute of play. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Xie Cheng Xiao in the 80th minute of the match. Ecuador's Julio Vera played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Maksim Lobanovskiy in the 85th minute of play. FC GAZprom's Diego Salvagnin was substituted for Maksim Lobanovskiy. Cristian Sancho struck a weak shot in the 94th minute. Anton Parov didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ecuador. If Cristian Sancho had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 96th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When the match was over Ecuador could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than FC GAZprom throughout the match.