Challenge

Bombonera Stadium
Spectators: 40 (Terracing: 31, Seating: 9, 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. Julio Vera didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Martin Palermo went, in the 4th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. Luis Andino kicked well hit freekick during the 7th minute of the match. After 8 played minutes Ecuador got a freekick which was hit by Cristian Sancho. Through an outstanding action, after 12 minutes, Julio Vera successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. An unexpectedly hard shot by Daniel Zorita in the 13th minute of play forced La Candela FC's goalkeeper Ruben Sánchez to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 13 minutes into the game, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Ruben Sánchez made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. Through an outstanding action, after 16 minutes, Julio Vera successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. La Candela FC's Ruben Sánchez played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cristian Sancho in the 21st minute of play. After 23 minutes Ecuador's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Sebastián Battaglia who took care of the corner kick. Cristian Sancho fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 26th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ruben Sánchez having to interfere. Ruben Sánchez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cristian Sancho in the 33rd minute of play. Luis Andino fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ruben Sánchez having to interfere. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Martin Palermo in the 45th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Julio Vera prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

An unexpectedly hard shot by Martin Palermo in the 52nd minute of play forced Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Martin Palermo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Julio Vera tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Julio Vera showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Martin Palermo in the 63rd minute of the match. The audience was convinced that Miguel Nicolau's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Julio Vera was relentless in the 64th minute of the game. In the 66th minute of the match, Daniel Zorita got a very nice opportunity to score, but Ruben Sánchez was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. La Candela FC's Ruben Sánchez proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 67th minute of the match, managed to save La Candela FC from getting a goal against them. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Martin Palermo in the 74th minute of play. Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rubén-Darío Feldmann, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After a rather tough play, La Candela FC's Rubén-Darío Feldmann got a free kick in the 80th minute. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Martin Palermo in the 82nd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Julio Vera saved Ecuador from getting behind. Ecuador's Cristian Sancho got a good chance for a goal in the 84th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Ruben Sánchez made a fantastic save in the 91st minute, when Daniel Zorita sent off a good shot on target. La Candela FC's Rubén-Darío Feldmann managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Camilo Gisbert in the 93 minute of the game. The La Candela FC support was delighted with a win in a match that could easily have ended differently.