Challenge

Forge Field
Spectators: 41 (Terracing: 32, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Joel Gaona kicked off to start the match. Önder Aksakal sent away a hard shot on goal in the 4th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Birmingham Railers FC's Betinho de Azevedo played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joel Gaona in the 6th minute of play. If Joel Gaona had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 11th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Anakoz Amer in the 13th minute of play. After 16 played minutes Birmingham Railers FC got a freekick which was hit by João Vítor Trevisan. Dante Lacasa stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Wen Yin Zhen's shot from short distance in the 20th minute. In the 24th minute Luca Zorita shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Betinho de Azevedo saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Lautaro Mancebo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Dante Lacasa took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Wen Yin Zhen, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 31st minute Önder Aksakal shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dante Lacasa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Luca Zorita's late challenge caught a Birmingham Railers FC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Luca Zorita helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Mexico getting a freekick after 31 minutes play. Luca Zorita hit a great ball. Anakoz Amer was in a good position and managed to take a shot, but he missed just to the outside of the post. 39 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Olaf Kingisepp came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 40th minute, Olaf Kingisepp 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. The referee felt a red card was in order, 45 minutes into the game, when Felix Luque put in a rough tackle. In the 44th minute, one of Mexico:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Mexico. Dante Lacasa had in the 47thth minute some difficulties stopping Ugo Fantozzi's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Önder Aksakal to make the kick off. When Wen Yin Zhen came up free with the goalie in the 51st minute, the Birmingham Railers FC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Wen Yin Zhen couldn't finish the play. Mexico's Dante Lacasa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Önder Aksakal in the 55th minute of play. In the 57th match minute, Mexico was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Luca Rouco to maneuver through the defense. After a rather tough play, Birmingham Railers FC's Luizão Alagoano got a free kick in the 60th minute. In the 61st minute, Birmingham Railers FC's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Lautaro Mancebo fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. 65 minutes into the match, Birmingham Railers FC's Önder Aksakal sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Dante Lacasa narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After having played for 67 minutes, Lautaro Mancebo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Mexico's supporters crossed their fingers, but Lautaro Mancebo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. 69 minutes into the match, Mexico's Luca Zorita sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Betinho de Azevedo narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 71st minute Mexico were awarded a corner. Joel Gaona went to the cornerflag to take it. Mexico's Luca Rouco was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Betinho de Azevedo in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. Mexico's Alberto Tafalla got a good chance for a goal in the 76th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. An unexpectedly hard shot by Anakoz Amer in the 79th minute of play forced Mexico's goalkeeper Dante Lacasa to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 86 minutes into the match, Mexico's goal looked a bit too open when Wen Yin Zhen came free, but Dante Lacasa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 88th minute, Alberto Tafalla 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. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alberto Tafalla in the 89th minute of play forced Birmingham Railers FC's goalkeeper Betinho de Azevedo to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 93 played minutes Birmingham Railers FC got a freekick which was hit by Olaf Kingisepp. Dante Lacasa made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Olaf Kingisepp in the 95th minute of play. Mexico were unable to convert their possession into goals, allowing Birmingham Railers FC to leave the ground with a draw.