Challenge

RFK Stadium
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Edward Mcdonald's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Mateus Cruz firmly grabbed it by the left post. In the 8th minute Edward Mcdonald shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Mateus Cruz saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Paolo Ruisko in the 9th minute of play forced USA's goalkeeper Marco Day to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. USA's Marco Day played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Paolo Ruisko in the 11th minute of play. With a little luck, UPTEXTIL.COM's Mateus Cruz got control of the ball when Cassius Byrne tried to sneak it across the goal line. The audience was convinced that Cassius Byrne's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Mateus Cruz was relentless in the 17th minute of the game. After 17 minutes, Cassius Byrne made it 1-0 with a short kick to the right side. UPTEXTIL.COM's Mateus Cruz tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. UPTEXTIL.COM's Hugo do Valle was substituted for Zé Paulo Queirós. 24 minutes into the match, UPTEXTIL.COM's goalkeeper Mateus Cruz had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Cassius Byrne. USA's Marco Day played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cüneyt Berksoy in the 26th minute of play. 28 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Cüneyt Berksoy came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Marco Day showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cüneyt Berksoy, who was totally free with the ball in the 30th minute. UPTEXTIL.COM's Mateus Cruz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Cassius Byrne in the 31st minute of play. Cüneyt Berksoy scored 1-1 in the 32nd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Marco Day, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Jenson Smith's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Mateus Cruz read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 35th minute of play. After 39 minutes of play, USA's Jacob May made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Mateus Cruz was left in no man's land by his defense there! Mateus Cruz made a fantastic save in the 44th minute, when Edward Mcdonald sent off a good shot on target. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Cassius Byrne was the one to do the kick off. Mateus Cruz made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Monty Rogers in the 51st minute of play. After 52 minutes UPTEXTIL.COM's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Cassius Byrne who took care of the corner kick. The corner led to USA's Edward Mcdonald getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. 55 minutes into the match, Cassius Byrne had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Mateus Cruz. UPTEXTIL.COM's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Cassius Byrne was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 3-1. In the 58th minute Cassius Byrne shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Mateus Cruz saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mateus Cruz stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Edward Mcdonald's shot from short distance in the 59th minute. Marco Day made an important save on a dangerous shot by Cüneyt Berksoy in the 61st minute. When the match had gone on for 66 minutes, Cüneyt Berksoy took a quick shot and it went in 3-2 without a chance for Marco Day to make any attempt to save it. USA's Sam Campbell was substituted for Cassius Byrne. Mateus Cruz took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sam Campbell, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. With a little luck, USA's Marco Day got control of the ball when Cüneyt Berksoy tried to sneak it across the goal line. 92 minutes into the match, UPTEXTIL.COM's Cüneyt Berksoy sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Marco Day narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After some fancy dribbling in the 93rd minute, Cüneyt Berksoy managed to get in a good position for a shot. UPTEXTIL.COM's supporters rose to their feet, but Cüneyt Berksoy was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Marco Day breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. USA's Marco Baker was substituted for Edward Mcdonald. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. USA had played much better football throughout.