Challenge

RFK 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. Osvaldo Shantala started the match with the kick off. In the 8th minute, Monty Rogers made a precise shot to the right of Emerson Leão. CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-0. The audience was convinced that Edward Mcdonald's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Emerson Leão was relentless in the 11th minute of the game. Emerson Leão made an important save on a dangerous shot by Cassius Byrne in the 13th minute. In the 15th match minute, CANIL VON ZAATARI™️ was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Dan Petrescu to maneuver through the defense. In the 15th minute, Monty Rogers fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Emerson Leão, passed just outside the right post. 20 minutes into the match, USA's goal looked a bit too open when Osvaldo Shantala came free, but Marco Day reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 24 minutes into the game, CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s Dawid Iwaszko nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Marco Day made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. In the 28th minute, Cassius Byrne 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. In the 31st minute Monty Rogers shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Emerson Leão saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 32 minutes into the game, Cassius Byrne lined in a short shot 2-1 behind a frustrated Emerson Leão. An unexpectedly hard shot by Monty Rogers in the 38th minute of play forced CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goalkeeper Emerson Leão to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 38thth minute of the game Monty Rogers who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s Emerson Leão was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Osvaldo Shantala in the 39th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Marco Day prevented the ball from getting in the gole. In the 41st minute, one of CANIL VON ZAATARI™️: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 CANIL VON ZAATARI™️. When the match had been going on for 42 minutes, USA's Cassius Byrne got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Emerson Leão. Emerson Leão showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Monty Rogers, who was totally free with the ball in the 48th minute. Af the end of the first half the score was 3-1. 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. An unexpectedly hard shot by Monty Rogers in the 53rd minute of play forced CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goalkeeper Emerson Leão to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Emerson Leão took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Cassius Byrne, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 60 minutes into the match, CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goal looked a bit too open when Cassius Byrne came free, but Emerson Leão reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Monty Rogers had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 65th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. USA made a substitution. Sam Campbell replaced Cassius Byrne. In the 67th minute of the match USA got a corner. CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Monty Rogers ran over to the corner to take the kick. Emerson Leão showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Monty Rogers in the 70th minute of the match. In the 76th minute Osvaldo Shantala shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Marco Day saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marco Day made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Osvaldo Shantala in the 77th minute of play. 80 minutes into the match, CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goal looked a bit too open when Monty Rogers came free, but Emerson Leão reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Marco Day showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vicente Varela in the 81st minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Sam Campbell in the 86th minute of play forced CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s goalkeeper Emerson Leão to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Emerson Leão showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Sam Campbell, who was totally free with the ball in the 90th minute. 93 minutes had been played when some careless play by CANIL VON ZAATARI™️'s defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Jenson Smith was slow to take the kick. During this time USA's players had a chance to rest. A nice corner shot did that Jenson Smith got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Emerson Leão quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. USA had played much better football throughout.