Challenge

Azadi Stadium
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Daniel Zorita might have been able to make a better finish in the 4th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Santos Perez. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Daniel Zorita ran back to his position shaking his head. Santos Perez took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cristian Sancho, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Santos Perez showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Luis Andino, who was totally free with the ball in the 9th minute. In the 13th match minute, Ecuador was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Felix Montenegro to maneuver through the defense. Léopold Castro hit a great freekick 14 minutes into the match. In the 17th minute, Luis Andino hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Julio Vera made a fantastic save in the 30th minute, when Léopold Castro sent off a good shot on target. 31 minutes had been played when some careless play by Ecuador's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Arden Poulin was slow to take the kick. During this time Persepolis F.C.'s players had a chance to rest. Julio Vera made an important save on a dangerous shot by Léopold Castro in the 35th minute. After 38 played minutes Persepolis F.C. got a freekick which was hit by Abraham Dutton. In the 39th minute of the match Daniel Zorita shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Santos Perez showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Léopold Castro got free with Julio Vera in the 40th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 41 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goalkeeper Julio Vera had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Léopold Castro. Julio Vera made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Arden Poulin in the 43rd minute of play. When the match had gone on for 43 minutes, Arden Poulin took a quick shot and it went in 1-0 without a chance for Julio Vera to make any attempt to save it. If Cristian Sancho had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

Julio Vera took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Arden Poulin, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Cristian Sancho sent away a hard shot on goal in the 57th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 59 minutes into the match, Persepolis F.C.'s goalkeeper Santos Perez had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Daniel Zorita. After 60 minutes Persepolis F.C.'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. A nice corner shot did that Daniel Zorita got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Santos Perez quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Gwidon Seliga kicked well hit freekick during the 65th minute of the match. In the 66th match minute, Persepolis F.C. was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Gwidon Seliga to maneuver through the defense. After recieving a nice pass, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita tried to score from far away in the 67th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. In the 70th minute, Daniel Zorita 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. Avery Merrill fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Julio Vera having to interfere. Julio Vera showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Léopold Castro, who was totally free with the ball in the 75th minute. If Cristian Sancho had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 79th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Trevor Sandoval hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. 92 minutes into the match, Ecuador's goal looked a bit too open when Arden Poulin came free, but Julio Vera reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 94 minutes into the match, Ecuador's Daniel Zorita sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Santos Perez narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 94th minute, Danny Craig hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The Persepolis F.C. support was delighted with a win in a match that could easily have ended differently.